Colorado has turned into an historically terrible offense, making it an easy target for pitching streamers. With eight wins and a -153 run differential as of writing, fantasy baseball managers should feel comfortable targeting starters against them, especially away. Finding matchups like these is one of the keys to success in fantasy baseball, and I am here to help you exploit them with pitching streamers. One note: there are very few Thursday games, so that day has been left off the streamer list below.
Take a look below at some of my favorite targets for the upcoming week.
Pitching Streamers Available in Some Leagues (Over 30% Rostered)
Logan Henderson (SP – MIL)
Next Start: Sunday, 5/25 at PIT
Logan Henderson has had an incredible start to his career, per OptaSTATS on twitter. He is “the only pitcher in the modern era to strike out seven or more batters and earn the win in each of his first three appearances.”
Henderson has done this while striking out nearly 13 batters per nine innings, while walking 2.2 per nine innings. These numbers reflect his production across the minors, where he regularly posted high strikeout and low walk rates. While regression should come to his 1.69 ERA, with a low BABIP and high LOB%, he should be able to stave off a major decline because of his ability to limit baserunners.
This matchup bodes well for Henderson, as the Pirates are the only team who ranks among the worst 10 in run differential, strikeouts, strikeout rate, groundball rate, and home runs. He should be able to use some ridiculous stuff to exploit the offensive issues of the Pirates. Henderson’s fastball and changeup each have a batting average against of .173 or better. Those pitches, along with his cutter and sinker, all have whiff rates between 25-33%, and putaway rates between 21-33%. Take a look at why his changeup has been so difficult to hit:
Logan Henderson, Dirty 83mph Changeup…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ZUtu4Z9o7q
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 20, 2025
This may be fantasy managers’ last opportunity to add Henderson if he continues to dominate offenses. He should be one of your priority pitching streamers for the coming week.
Tylor Megill (SP – NYM)
Next Start: Tuesday, 5/27 vs CWS
Tylor Megill has just one quality start under his belt this season, and has struggled in his last three starts, giving up four earned runs in each. He faced three tough offenses in those outings, and faces a much easier opponent in the White Sox in his next start.
The White Sox have the seventh worst run differential in the league, the sixth worst strikeout rate, and the third fewest home runs. This is a great situation for Megill, who has career bests in his 11.6 K/9 rate and .62 HR/9 rate. One area of weakness for Megill is a high walk rate, but Chicago ranks in the bottom half of the league in walks, so he should be able to avoid damage due to walking batters.
Megill has made some changes to his pitch mix that have resulted in improvements to his strikeout rate and ERA. He has totally eliminated his cutter, curveball, and sweeper. He has leaned much more on his slider and sinker this season, leading to excellent results. Megill’s slider, in particular, is filthy, with a 41% whiff rate and a 21% putaway rate. Take a look at it here:
Tylor Megill, Dirty 84mph Slider. 😨
9th K pic.twitter.com/KmfNOk4LYE
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 27, 2025
Megill needs to develop his changeup into a better out pitch against lefty hitters, but has some very good stuff. He should be able to use his stuff to get a good result in this one for fantasy managers. Put him atop your list of pitching streamers for the week ahead.
Widely Available Pitching Streamers (0%-29% Rostered)
Jameson Taillon (SP – ChC)
Next Start: Monday, 5/26 vs COL
Zack Wheeler and Hunter Brown lead the league in quality starts with eight, but Jameson Taillon and his six quality starts are not far behind. Taillon has two quality starts in a row after a five-run outing against the Mets. He should be able to continue his successful ways against a horrendous Colorado offense.
Notably, this is a home game for Taillon, which means he will avoid playing in the third most hitter friendly park in baseball. Also, Colorado’s offense has been putrid this season, ranking worst in run differential by a landslide. They also have struck out the most in baseball, and own the second highest strikeout rate. The Rockies have also hit the ninth fewest homers.
While Taillon is not known for strikeout stuff, he has done plenty to be successful this season. He limits walks and has a career best 82% LOB rate. He has been a bit unlucky in terms of allowing home runs, and facing an offense that does not hit many home runs should lead to some positive regression to those numbers.
A major key to Taillon’s success this season has been the development of his changeup. It has worked especially well as an out pitch against lefty batters, to whom he has thrown it exclusively. It has a .182 batting average against and a 34% whiff rate, and looks like this:
https://twitter.com/search?q=jameson%20taillon&src=typed_query
This is a clear matchup to target, so Taillon should be one of your top pitching streamers for this matchup.
Clarke Schmidt (SP – NYY)
Next Start: Wednesday, 5/28 at LAA
Clarke Schmidt had a delayed start to the season, pitching well, aside from a rough start against Cleveland. He has three quality starts in a row, and pitches on a team that should provide him with plenty of wins.
He faces the Angels in his next outing, an offense that has struggled this season. They have the sixth worst run differential, the second most strikeouts, and the highest strikeout rate in the league. This should help someone like Schmidt, whose career K/9 rate sits under nine. The Angels also have walked the least out of any team in baseball, something that should help Schmidt’s nearly 5 BB/9 rate even out a little.
Schmidt has tossed some filthy stuff this season. All five of his offerings have whiff rates over 20%. His sweeper, knuckle curve, and sinker all have 22% putaway rates or better. His best pitch, though, is an insane knuckle curve. It has a .097 BAA, a 37% whiff rate, and a 30% putaway rate. Schmidt has used it very effectively against lefty hitters this season, though it is a great out pitch against anyone:
Clarke Schmidt, Wicked 86mph Knuckle Curve. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/5DaERpDiO5
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 17, 2025
The walks are ugly, and his strikeout rate has been better, but this is too good of a matchup not to target. Schmidt should be on every fantasy managers’ radar as one of the best pitching streamers this week.
David Peterson (SP – NYM)
Next Start: Friday, 5/30 vs COL
David Peterson may be one of the most undervalued and underrostered pitchers in fantasy baseball considering his production. He has five quality starts on the season (including three straight), a 2.86 ERA, and 47 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. Additionally, two of his most recent quality starts came against potent offenses in the Yankees and Diamondbacks.
As mentioned previously, Colorado’s offense is among the worst in baseball, and should give Peterson a boost in strikeouts. The Rockies also own the league’s worst batting average against lefty pitchers this season – another sign Peterson should have some success in this one.
A major key to Peterson’s success has been his ability to induce ground balls. His 56.5% GB rate ranks fifth best in the league among qualified pitchers. His sinker, slider, and changeup each have single digit launch angles against them, including a zero degree LA on his sinker. Peterson’s best pitch has to be his slider, though, with a .203 BAA, a 33% whiff rate, and a 31% putaway rate. Imagine trying to hit this:
David Peterson, Vicious 84mph Back Foot Slider. 😤
And is Fired up. pic.twitter.com/ikfsN9EUz4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 13, 2025
Peterson could be one of the pitching streamers from the upcoming week that you hang on to longer. He may have more value in quality starts leagues, rather than leagues that value wins. Either way, he should be more widely rostered.
Backup Plan Streamers
- TEX Patrick Corbin at CWS – Sunday 5/25
- STL Erick Fedde at BAL – Monday 5/26
- STL Andre Pallante at BAL – Tuesday 5/27
- STL Miles Mikolas at BAL – Wednesday 5/28
- CLE Logan Allen vs LAA – Friday 5/30
Desperation Streamers
- NYY Ryan Yarbrough at LAA – Monday 5/26
- KC Michael Lorenzen vs CIN – Monday 5/26
- MIN Chris Paddack at TB – Monday 5/26
- BAL Dean Kremer vs CWS – Friday 5/30
- ChC Colin Rea vs CIN – Friday 5/30
