Here we are, winding down the season. Shohei Ohtani arguably had the greatest single season in the modern era for a hitter, but we are here to cover pitching. This will be my final article of the year covering pitching streamers. This should provide you with plenty of streaming options for the end of the fantasy season. Good luck to everyone in your playoff matches!
Below are my top Week 27 pitching streamers.
Pitching Streamers Available in Some Leagues (Over 30% Rostered)
Spencer Schwellenbach (SP – ATL)
Next Start: Tuesday 9/24 vs NYM
Since the beginning of July, Spencer Schwellenbach has pitched very well. In 13 games since then, he has eight quality starts and a 6-3 record. In his last start against the Mets, he tossed seven innings and struck out 11 without walking any batters.
On the season, Schwellenbach picked up where he left of in the minors, with a strikeout-per-nine rate over nine, and a low walk-per-nine rate (1.8). He has a 73% strand rate, and a modest 39% groundball rate that have helped him to a 3.61 ERA, though his xFIP is 3.35 and his SIERA is 3.38. Those advanced metrics reflect a pitcher on the rise and one who could experience some positive regression in his last few starts.
The Mets have been heating up a bit at the end of the season, but that should not deter fantasy managers from streaming Schwellenbach. He has some great swing-and-miss stuff that can get batters on both sides of the plate out. He tosses six pitches, five of which have a whiff rate over 20%, including a 39% whiff rate on his curveball and a 47% whiff rate on his splitter. His fastball, slider, and splitter all have putaway rates between 20-27%. Plus, he has four offerings with a batting average against of .245 or better.
Schwellenbach’s filthiest pitch this season has been his splitter, and should be a pitch that he leans on in this matchup. Batters just simply have not figured it out. Take a look:
Spencer Schwellenbach, Vicious 86mph Splitter. 😤 pic.twitter.com/pcf1X2fDZH
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 18, 2024
Schwellenbach should be atop everyone’s list of pitching streamers for the final weeks of the season.
Michael Wacha (SP – KC)
Next Start: Thursday 9/28 at WAS
For the third year in a row, Michael Wacha will (very likely) finish with a sub-3.50 ERA. He has performed extremely well this season, especially recently. Since June 22, Wacha has given up more than three earned runs in a game just one time. During that span of 15 games, he earned eight quality starts and a 9-2 record. This matchup is a chance for him to add to those totals.
Wacha owns a 7.9 K/9 rate, which is down from last season, but has made improvements to his BB/9 and groundball rates. Additionally, his strand rate is near 80%, which has helped him avoid runs. These trends should continue as he faces one of the worst offenses in the league.
Washington has the fifth worst run differential, the second fewest home runs, and the third highest groundball rate in the league. They also have the second fewest home runs against right-handed pitchers in particular. Fantasy managers should not necessarily expect a ton of strikeouts from Wacha in this game, however he should be able to get plenty of Nats batters out.
A major key to Wacha’s success this season has been an obscene changeup, which has been his main method of inducing outs. It has a .167 BAA, a 35% whiff rate, and a 22% putaway rate. Wacha also has a pretty nasty slider to get righty batters out – that has a 39% whiff rate. If it works for him like it has been recently (see below), this matchup should go his way:
Michael Wacha pillaged the Pirates (5IP 4H 1ER 3BB 8K) with a flurry of changeups, throwing 31 of them, en route of the @Royals 5-1 win over the Pirates.
His changeup won our Starting Pitcher Pitch of the Day pic.twitter.com/qBrZI38CIg
— Baseball Prospectus (@baseballpro) September 15, 2024
Make Wacha one of your top pitching streamers for the final weeks of the season.
Widely Available Pitching Streamers (0%-30% Rostered)
Tobias Myers (SP – MIL)
Next Start: Wednesday 9/25 at PIT
Tobias Myers has been a solid starter for Milwaukee this season, racking up seven quality starts and an 8-6 record this season. He only has two quality starts since the beginning of August as the Brewers seem to be monitoring his innings. Despite that, he still could give you wins, especially against a team like Pittsburgh.
Myers has an 8.3 K/9 rate, a 2.4 BB/9 rate, and a 38% GB rate – modest totals overall, but impressive in a rookie campaign. He also has a truly impressive 83% LOB rate, a major reason for his 3.05 ERA. He should be able to avoid regression in this matchup, although his advanced ERA metrics suggest it is on the way.While his advanced ERA metrics suggest regression is on the way, he should be able to avoid it in this matchup.
Pittsburgh arguably has had the worst offense in the league in the last month. They are the only team in baseball to be among the worst 10 in run differential, strikeouts, strikeout rate, home runs, and groundball rate. They rank sixth worst, fifth worst, seventh worst, fifth worst, and second worst respectively, plus they are also particularly bad against RHP. Against righties, the Pirates possess the sixth worst AVG, the 10th most strikeouts, and the fourth fewest home runs.
Myers’ best offering this season has been his changeup, which has a .067 BAA, a 44% whiff rate, and a 20% putaway rate, great for getting lefty batters out. Additionally, his slider has been an excellent out pitch for righty batters. Here is a look at his filthy changeup:
Tobias Myers, Filthy 80mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/RR8OiwNyhV
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 20, 2024
Myers has a lot working for him in this matchup, and he should be able to pick up a win. If he gets on a roll, we could see a quality start too, so Myers should be a major target for anyone looking for pitching streamers this week.
Reese Olson (SP – DET)
Next Start: Friday 9/27 vs CWS
Reese Olson missed nearly two months due to a shoulder strain, and only lasted 2.1 innings in his first game back. That came against a tough opponent in the Kansas City Royals, however he should perform better against the worst team in baseball. Prior to his injury, Olson was a quality start machine, with nine of them by mid-July. If the Tigers limit his innings, though, he could at least pick up a win in this game.
Before he strained his shoulder, Olson was having an impressive season. He had an 8.1 K/9 rate and a 2.7 BB/9 rate, along with a 50% GB rate and a 3.50 ERA. That groundball rate would rank sixth best in baseball if he had enough innings to qualify.
What makes this a great matchup for Olson is how bad the White Sox have been. They own the league’s worst run differential, and have the fewest home runs and the 10th highest K% in baseball. Against RHP, they have the lowest AVG, the second fewest walks, and the fewest home runs.
Olson’s stuff should result in continued struggles for the White Sox. He has a changeup/slider combination that worked extremely well for him this season. His slider has a .144 BAA, a 43% whiff rate, and a 22% putaway rate while his changeup has a .215 BAA, a 43% whiff rate, and a 20% putaway rate. Fantasy managers should not fear starting Olson in this matchup because he has the stuff to get out batters on both sides of the plate. Here is a great overlay of both pitches:
Reese Olson, 85mph Changeup and 84mph Slider, Overlay.
7Ks thru 4 pic.twitter.com/ydkX1GmpEi
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 15, 2024
This matchup could not be better for Olson as he returns from injury and builds back up. Trust him in this one and make him one of your priority pitching streamers for the week(s) ahead.
Backup Plan Streamers for Week 27
- HOU Spencer Arrighetti vs LAA – Sunday 9/22
- LAA Griffin Canning at CWS – Tuesday 9/24
- TEX Cody Bradforat at OAK – Wednesday 9/25
- LAA Tyler Anderson at CWS – Thursday 9/26
- TEX Jacob deGrom at LAA – Friday 9/27
- TEX Max Scherzer at LAA – Saturday 9/28
Desperation Streamers for Week 27
- CWS Jonathan Cannon vs LAA – Tuesday 9/24, at Detroit – Sunday 9/29
- LAA Jack Kochanowicz at CWS – Tuesday 9/24
- TB Ryan Pepiot at DET – Tuesday 9/24
- MIN Simeon Woods Richardson vs MIA – Wednesday 9/25
- CWS Davis Martin vs LAA – Wednesday 9/25
- DET Brant Hurter vs TB – Thursday 9/26
- TEX Kumar Rocker at OAK – Thursday 9/26
- SEA Emerson Hancock vs OAK – Friday 9/27
- MIA Braxton Garrett at TOR – Saturday 9/28
- DET Keider Montero vs CWS – Saturday 9/28
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