Fantasy Baseball Pitching Streamers: More Morales

Fantasy baseball managers may only have the waiver wire to help improve their teams at this point. If that is the case in your league, where your trade deadline has passed, making the right pickups could make a huge difference between winning and losing. And with championships, punishments, and maybe even money on the line, fantasy managers need that edge. One thing fantasy managers can do to gain an advantage on others in their league is to find pitching streamers with positive matchups. This article is here to help you with that.

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Take a look at some of my favorite targets for the week ahead. There is no Thursday streamer; however, there are multiple two-start streamers.

Pitching Streamers Available in Some Leagues (Over 25% Rostered)

Max Scherzer (SP – TOR)

Next Start: Friday, 9/12 vs BAL

Max Scherzer’s season has been tainted with injuries, including back tightness that may have led to his recent struggles. He’s given up eight earned runs in his last 10 innings, but prior to that, he had turned in five straight quality starts. Several of those came against tough offenses like the Cubs, Dodgers, and Tigers. He has a much easier opponent in Baltimore coming up next.

Baltimore has the league’s sixth-worst run differential, the seventh-most strikeouts, and the third-highest strikeout rate. They also have the 10th most strikeouts against right-handed pitchers. Scherzer has a career low 7.9 K/9 rate, so facing a team that strikes out as much as the Orioles should help that improve for the veteran. On the other end, Scherzer’s 2.0 BB/9 innings is his best total since 2022. This is great for fantasy managers because the O’s have the third fewest walks against RHP.

Scherzer relies heavily on his fastball and slider combination for strikeouts, and his slider carries a 34% strikeout rate. It also has a 31% whiff rate and a 25% putaway rate, and should be a pitch he leans on against the Orioles. His fastball has looked great this season as well, with a .217 batting average against. For someone his age and with the injuries he has dealt with, he actually has not lost speed on his fastball, but rather added velocity. The same actually goes for all of his pitches. There is definitely still gas in the tank, and this is a great matchup to exploit, especially tossing pitches like this:

Max Scherzer, Nasty 86mph Slider. 😨

7th K pic.twitter.com/2Slgcm3oxN

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 1, 2025

Fantasy managers should make sure to add Scherzer as one of their top pitching streamers for the week ahead.

Widely Available Pitching Streamers (0%-24% Rostered)

Cade Cavalli (SP – WAS)

Next Start: Monday, 9/8 at MIA and Saturday 9/13 vs PIT

Cade Cavalli had a long layoff due to injury, missing all of 2023 and a large chunk of 2024. He started this season late, at the beginning of August, so fantasy managers should not be surprised to see ugly outings as he knocks off the rust. Even though he has had some clunkers this season, Cavalli still owns a 2-1 record with two quality starts across six appearances. He could pick up two more wins and quality starts in the coming week as he lines up to face Miami and Pittsburgh.

Miami has the fourth-worst run differential, the sixth-highest groundball rate, and the fourth-fewest home runs in baseball. Pittsburgh has the 10th-worst run differential, the eighth-most strikeouts, the fifth-highest K%, the third-highest GB%, and the fewest home runs in baseball. These are great matchups for Cavalli and fantasy managers to exploit. Both the Pirates and Marlins hit a ton of grounders, and Cavalli has a 47% GB rate. That would be the 13th best in baseball if he qualified. He has been hurt by home runs, with inflated HR/9 and HR/FB rates. So, facing some of the worst home-run-hitting offenses should help get those rates to normal ranges. Some other things working in his favor are Miami having the seventh fewest walks against RHP, and Pittsburgh owning the fifth worst AVG against righties. You could not ask for a better week for Cavalli.

While Cavalli’s 4.85 ERA looks ugly, fantasy managers should not fret. He has the stuff to correct things, and has pitched into some bad luck considering his xFIP sits at 3.86 and his SIERA is 3.92. Cavalli’s changeup is a devastating weapon against lefty hitters with a 41% whiff rate, while his knuckle curve is his best against righties. His knuckle curve has been clobbered this season, but it should be performing better. It has a .343 BAA, but a .237 xBAA, a 43% whiff rate, a 39% K rate, a 57% GB rate, and a 27% putaway rate. Take a look at it here:

Cade Cavalli with another good start!!

7 IP 7 H 0 R 0 BB 5 K
12 whiffs (8 on his knuckle curve)
36 CSW%

He has really impressed since his return📈
pic.twitter.com/T4pg8Dbsef

— Andrew DeCeglie (@Andrew_FBB) August 16, 2025

Save yourself an acquisition and add Cavalli as one of your main pitching streamers for the next week and possibly beyond.

Kyle Bradish (SP – BAL)

Next Start: Tuesday, 9/9 vs PIT

Kyle Bradish returned at the end of August after recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 10 IP across two starts, he has given up four earned runs with an impressive 15:2 K:BB ratio, and an 0-1 record. He is widely available, but could be difficult to acquire after his start against Pittsburgh next week.

As mentioned, Pittsburgh’s offense has struggled mightily this season. They are the only team to be among the 10 worst in run differential, strikeouts, strikeout rate, groundball rate, and home runs. They are also terrible against RHP, ranking fifth worst in AVG, and having the fifth most strikeouts and the fewest home runs. This season is a small sample for Bradish, but over his career, he has been excellent at limiting home runs. He has also been better than league average in BB/9 and K/9 rates for his career. Bradish also ranked seventh best in GB% in 2023, his last full season. These all give Bradish advantages over Miami’s offense and make him someone fantasy managers should target.

Bradish has rolled out a sinker, slider, fastball, and curveball combination this season. His velocity, as expected, is slightly down, but should start bouncing back. Still his pitches have been effective. His sinker has a .111 BAA, a 21% whiff rate, and an insane 45% putaway rate (granted the small sample). It has been his main out pitch against lefties, while his slider has been effective against righty batters. It has a .143 BAA, a 50% whiff rate, and a 23% putaway rate. Here is a great look at both pitches and their movement, a major reason why they are so effective:

Welcome back, Kyle Bradish! pic.twitter.com/keKIJOItgg

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 26, 2025

Bradish likely will not stay on waivers for very long, and should be someone you consider as one of the top pitching streamers for the upcoming week.

Payton Tolle (SP – BOS)

Next Start: Wednesday, 9/10 at ATH

Payton Tolle earned a call from the Red Sox, debuting on August 28. He tossed 5.1 innings against Pittsburgh, allowing two earned runs on three hits, while striking out eight and walking two. That start earned him another appearance in the rotation. As of writing, he should line up to face the Athletics in his third turn for the Sox.

The Athletics have had a rough season offensively, despite making additions to the club. This season, they rank fifth-worst in run differential, 10th-worst in strikeouts, and seventh-worst in groundball rate. These are absolute weaknesses that Tolle can exploit. He owned a 13 K/9 rate in 91 innings across three levels of the minors this season. He has the ability to strike batters out – something he flashed in his debut. Tolle managed a 37% GB rate in the minors, which would put him around league average in the majors. Additionally, Tolle was above average at limiting walks in the minors, and the Athletics have the fifth-fewest walks against lefty pitchers this season. So, he has a lot working in his favor in this game.

It is a one-game sample, but Tolle relied heavily on his fastball, tossing it 59% of the time. Batters had a tough time picking it up, with one hit despite throwing it 50 times. He also induced a 37% whiff rate on it, a 40% K rate, and a 42% putaway rate. Take a look at it here, along with some great info:

Payton Tolle looked fantastic in his MLB debut!

5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

14 Whiffs
33% Whiff%
29% CSW%

His 4-seam fastball was arguably the best fastball in the minors and it looked great tonight, generating 9 whiffs (38%) and an AVG EV of 78.6 MPHpic.twitter.com/EWR4e8L9CI

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) August 30, 2025

As long as Tolle sticks in the majors, he should be one of the top pitching streamers that fantasy managers add, and could be tough to find on waivers after this game.

Luis Morales (SP – ATH)

Next Start: Saturday, 9/1 vs CIN

Luis Morales is a hot addition in many leagues, and for good reason. In five starts across 28.1 IP this season, he is 3-0 with two quality starts, 30 strikeouts, and a 1.59 ERA. And he has a great matchup at home versus the Reds coming up next weekend.

The Reds have the ninth-most strikeouts in the league as an offense, plus the league’s seventh-highest strikeout rate. And despite playing in a hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, they have hit the seventh fewest homers. Morales has clearly pitched into some good luck with low HR/9 and HR/FB rates, but should avoid home run regression in this one, playing in his home park and facing a team that struggles to get the ball out of the park. He also has a 9.5 K/9 rate this season, which he should be able to maintain, considering his high strikeout numbers from the minors. Cincy also struggles against RHP, with the seventh most strikeouts and 11th fewest homers against them.

Two major reasons for Morales’ strikeout success are a wipeout slider that has a 66% K-rate and a nasty sweeper that has a 35% K-rate. Those pitches also have .222 and .067 BAAs, and 55% and 32% whiff rates, respectively. His slider has been his second-best out pitch with a 28% putaway rate (his changeup has a 30% putaway rate). Morales’ changeup is also filthy, with a .111 BAA and a 23% whiff rate. Yes, the 91% LOB rate and .221 BABIP point toward regression. But he has the stuff to keep from falling off a cliff and perform well as the season goes on, especially if he keeps doing this:

Luis Morales, Wicked 83mph Sweeper…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/1o3qrW4Vi1

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 1, 2025

Morales needs to be added more widely, and should be one of your top pitching streamers for the week ahead.

Braxton Ashcraft (SP – PIT)

Next Start: Sunday, 9/14 at WAS (also at BAL on Tuesday 9/9, though not as good of a matchup)

Braxton Ashcraft has made six starts for Pittsburgh this season. He has yet to make it through the sixth inning, as he transitions from a relief role, but has an opportunity to pick up some wins as he faces Washington and Baltimore in the coming week.

Baltimore is a slightly tougher opponent than Washington, which is why I offered Bradish as my top streamer for that day. However, if Bradish is unavailable in your league, Ashcraft would be a solid choice facing Baltimore’s offense. The Nationals are another story. They have the second-worst run differential in baseball, as well as the worst groundball rate, and the third-fewest home runs. Even spending most of his time in a relief role, Ashcraft has shown an elite ability to induce grounders with a 52% GB rate. While his home run rates are a bit distorted (extremely low) because of his relief role, he should be able to avoid the long ball, facing one of the worst home-run-hitting teams in baseball. Against RHP, the Nationals also have the fourth fewest walks, and third fewest home runs. Ashcraft has been exceptional throughout his career at limiting walks and limiting homers, so this outing should go well for him.

Ashcraft has two truly excellent pitches that make up more than half of his pitch usage combined. His slider and curveball have .209 and .158 BAAs respectively. Ashcraft’s slider is his most effective out pitch against righty bats, while he relies on his curveball mostly against lefty hitters. They have 30% and 31% whiff rates, as well as 25% and 22% putaway rates, respectively. His curve is his best pitch at inducing strikeouts, with a 39% K rate. Both pitches have 45% GB rates or better. Ashcraft should continue to churn out quality performances as long as he keeps throwing like this:

Braxton Ashcraft, Wicked Sliders. 🤢

6Ks thru 4 pic.twitter.com/1R5RJFk5of

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 23, 2025

Ashcraft is widely available and could not ask for a better matchup for his skillset. He should be on your radar for pitching streamers for the week ahead.

Backup Plan Streamers

• ATH Luis Severino vs BOS – Monday 9/8, and vs CIN – Sunday 9/13
• MIA Eury Perez vs WAS – Tuesday 9/9
• MIA Ryan Weathers vs WAS – Wednesday 9/10
• NYY Luis Gil at BOS – Friday 9/12
• SD Yu Darvish 17% vs COL – Saturday 9/13, and vs CIN – Monday 9/8
• SD Nestor Cortes vs COL – Sunday 9/14, and vs CIN – Tuesday 9/9

Desperation Streamers

• MIA Janson Junk vs WAS – Monday 9/8
• ATH Jeffrey Springs vs BOS – Tuesday 9/9
• BAL Tyler Wells vs PIT – Wednesday 9/10
• DET Charlie Morton at MIA – Saturday 9/13
• DET Sawyer Gipson-Long at MIA – Sunday 9/14
• NYY Will Warren at BOS – Sunday 9/14