The Rockies and Athletics remain the only teams with a run differential of -100 or worse, with Colorado likely reaching -200 by the time you read this. Aside from those two teams, there are a few others to target with pitching streamers for the upcoming matchup. Those include the Orioles, Marlins, Pirates, Angels, Red Sox, and Reds – some of the worst offenses this season.
Take a look at some of my favorite targets for the week ahead.
Pitching Streamers Available in Some Leagues (Over 25% Rostered)
Matthew Liberatore (SP – STL)
Next Start: Tuesday, 6/17 at CWS
Matthew Liberatore was rolling along until a faceoff against the Rangers at the end of May, where he gave up four runs. He followed that with a seven-run outing against Kansas City. Do not let those discourage you from adding him for this start against the White Sox.
While Chicago’s offense has not been totally horrible, they have flaws. The White Sox own the eighth-worst run differential in baseball and the ninth-worst strikeout rate. They also have the ninth-worst batting average against left-handed pitchers. This is a great matchup for Liberatore, whose team has scored the eighth-most runs in baseball. They should give him enough support for a win. And Chicago’s high strikeout numbers should help out Liberatore, who has just 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
A major key to Liberatore’s success this season has been the development of his changeup as an out pitch. It has come up huge for him this year. His changeup has a .100 batting average against, an 18% whiff rate, and a 22% putaway rate. Liberatore has used it as his primary out pitch against righty hitters, while his slider has been his most effective out pitch against lefty hitters. It has induced a 36% whiff rate, a 34% strikeout rate, and a 24% putaway rate. Take a look at his slider in action:
Matthew Liberatore, Nasty 85mph Slider. 😨
5th K pic.twitter.com/hw2AbbYZmI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 13, 2025
Liberatore will need to maximize those pitches against a lackluster White Sox offense, and should be able to bounce back in this one. Make him one of your top pitching streamers for the upcoming match.
Widely Available Pitching Streamers (0%-24% Rostered)
Colin Rea (P – ChC)
Next Start: Sunday, 6/15 vs PIT
Colin Rea has just two quality starts to his name this season, one of which came against Pittsburgh earlier in the season. He has been used in various roles this season and has pitched mostly well. Rea owns a 4-2 record and a 3.92 ERA.
The Pirates remain one of the worst offenses in the league, and are the only team that is among the worst 10 in all of the following categories: run differential, strikeouts, strikeout rate, groundball rate, and home runs. Respectively, they rank fifth, sixth, fifth, fourth, and second worst among all teams in those categories.
Although Rea’s strikeout numbers have dipped from previous seasons, he has excelled in other areas. Rea has done well at limiting walks to just 2.4 per nine innings, while also stranding 79% of runners and inducing a 38% GB rate. He features four pitches with whiff rates of 27% or better, including a 41% whiff rate on his slider. The negative for Rea is that those whiffs have not resulted in strikeouts or putaways, which could simply be a sequencing issue, considering his seven-pitch arsenal.
Rea needs to be on your radar as one of the top pitching streamers for your weekend slate if you need one last start to put your team over the edge.
Clarke Schmidt (SP – NYY)
Next Start: Monday, 6/16 vs LAA
Clarke Schmidt has not been the perfect starting pitcher this season. He has just one start this season without an earned run, and has allowed three earned runs or more in five of his nine starts. His best outing came against the Angels at the end of May, so look for a repeat in this one.
The Angels make for a great streaming target, considering they have the seventh worst run differential. This means Schmidt could turn in another positive outing against a team struggling to put up runs. Plus, the Yankees should give him some run support, leading to a possible win. The Angels have also struck out the second most in the league, and possess the league’s worst K%. That is something Schmidt should be able to exploit – he has posted a 9.1 K/9 rate this season.
Schmidt’s best pitches this season have been his knuckle curve and sweeper, targeting lefty and righty hitters respectively. Both have 156 BAAs or better, 32% whiff rates or better, 23% putaway rates or better, and 31% K rates or better. His cutter and slider have also been effective at inducing swings and misses, but his sweeper is just filthy:
Clarke Schmidt, Wicked 83mph Sweeper. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/7xQ2gIriiM
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 29, 2025
Schmidt should be considered one of the top pitching streamers for the week ahead and should be a target in every league where he is available.
Mitchell Parker (SP – WAS)
Next Start: Wednesday, 6/18 vs COL
After pitching to a 2.65 ERA across March and April, Mitchell Parker imploded in May to the tune of a 7.94 ERA. Parker has bounced back since then, tossing six innings of one-run ball against the Rangers in his last start. He has an opportunity for another good start, this time against the Rockies in Washington.
The Rockies have been historically bad this season, owning the league’s worst run differential by far. They also have struck out the third most in baseball, with the second worst K%. Colorado also has hit the sixth fewest homers, which is surprising considering their home park. Mitchell will need Colorado to give him some help in the strikeout department, as he has just a 5.9 K/9 rate on the season, a major decline from last season.
On a positive note for Parker, he posted double-digit K/9 rates across the minor leagues, and Parker tosses three pitches with whiff rates ranging from 26-39%. Parker just simply has not been able to turn those whiffs into strikeouts quite yet. He also owns a fastball with a .194 BAA, but one of his best pitches is a splitter that has a 30% whiff rate:
Mitchell Parker, Dirty Splitters. 😨 pic.twitter.com/P0mN8MQ5pZ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 7, 2025
Parker has arguably the best matchup this week, against the worst team in baseball. So he should be in consideration as one of your top pitching streamers.
Chris Paddack (SP – MIN)
Next Start: Thursday, 6/19 at CIN
Chris Paddack has been lights out since a seven-inning outing against San Francisco on May 9. Since then, he has gone 2-2, with four quality starts in six appearances. He lines up for a solid match against the Reds in the week ahead.
The Reds have struck out the fifth most in baseball, while also owning the sixth highest strikeout rate. They have also posted the ninth-highest groundball rate in the league. This is important to note, as their home park is very hitter-friendly. Also, Paddack is not known as a high strikeout pitcher – in fact, his K/9 rate is at a career low this season. Even still, Paddack has pitched well, limiting walks and stranding runners at above-league-average rates. He also ranks league average at inducing groundballs, all of which should lead to a successful outing.
Paddack has leaned on a deadly fastball, curveball, and changeup combination this season. All three pitches have BAAs of .233 or better. His changeup and slider each have 26% whiff rates. Paddack’s changeup also has a 19% K rate, while his slider has a 25% K rate. His changeup has some ridiculous movement, too – just take a look:
Chris Paddack, Filthy 85mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/HXREuBmOPr
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 1, 2025
Who knows how long this success will last for Paddack, but he is worth adding for at least this matchup as one of the top pitching streamers available.
Landen Roupp (SP – SF)
Next Start: Friday, 6/20 vs BOS
Landen Roupp has had some great matchups against tough teams lately, walking away with quality starts against Atlanta and San Diego. He has four quality starts in his last five appearances, and could be in line for another gem against Boston.
Boston has struck out more than any other team in baseball, while also owning the fourth-highest K%. They also have the 10th highest groundball rate. Roupp has proven to be a high strikeout pitcher throughout his time in the minors, though that has not panned out the same so far in the majors. Even so, Roupp’s 8.3 K/9 rate is league average and likely will be an area he can exploit against the Red Sox. Roupp also has been excellent at inducing grounders, posting a 46% GB rate this season.
Roupp mostly throws a sinker, curveball, changeup combination, and while his sinker has been tagged a bunch, it has a seven-degree launch angle. That, and a -7 degree launch angle on his changeup, have certainly factored into his high GB%. Roupp’s best pitch, his curveball, has a .157 BAA, a 38% whiff rate, a 27% putaway rate, and a 32% K rate. Here is a look at a couple of curveballs in action:
Landen Roupp, Wicked Curveballs. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/JL4lXF1aRo
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 11, 2025
Roup should be added as one of the top pitching streamers for the coming week, as he is primed for another solid outing.
Backup Plan Streamers
- CLE Luis Ortiz at SEA – Sunday 6/15
- WAS Jake Irvin vs COL – Monday 6/16
- WAS Michael Soroka vs COL – Tuesday 6/17
- NYY Ryan Yarbrough vs LAA – Wednesday 6/18
- STL Erick Fedde at CWS – Thursday 6/19
- LAD Clayton Kershaw vs WAS – Friday 6/20
Desperation Streamers
- LAD Dustin May vs SF – Sunday 6/15
- PHI Mick Abel at MIA – Monday 6/16
- HOU Lance McCullers at ATH – Monday 6/16
- CLE Gavin Williams at SF – Thursday 6/19
