With each passing week, fantasy baseball managers can collect more data to better identify advantageous matchups for pitching streamers. At this point, we have a good idea about which offenses are struggling and make for good streaming targets. We can also identify more data in pitchers’ profiles that help us decide whether or not to start them.
Take a look below at some of my favorite targets for the upcoming week. One caveat for this week is that Thursday appears to be a rest day for much of the league, so there is no streamer suggestion for Thursday.
Pitching Streamers Available in Some Leagues (Over 25% Rostered)
Reese Olson (SP – DET)
Next Start: Sunday, 5/4 vs LAA
Reese Olson has shown some inconsistencies so far this season. He allowed 10 earned runs across 15 innings to start the season, then followed that with 12 shutout innings. His last start, as of writing, was a loss against the Astros, where he gave up three earned runs.
Most of Olson’s metrics are in line with what he has done in past seasons. He is striking out 8.7 batters per nine innings, and he improved his groundball rate to 53% (11th among qualified starters). Olson’s biggest issue this season has been walks – he has allowed 3.8 per nine innings. That is over a walk more per nine innings than what he allowed last season, and has clearly come back to bite him. Luckily for Olson, the Angels have walked the fewest number of times among all offenses this season. That should help him avoid some unnecessary baserunners in this one.
The Angels’ offense has been lacking in other areas as well. They have the fifth-worst run differential in the league, while Detroit ranks among the best. The Angels also have the fifth most strikeouts this season, with the second highest strikeout rate. For Olson, this is an excellent matchup and one on which fantasy managers can capitalize.
One pitch in particular, Olson seems to be relying on is his changeup. It has a .071 batting average against, a 50% whiff rate and a 33% putaway rate. He throws it almost evenly against righty and lefty batters, so it is not something he is relying on just to get lefties out. Here is what it looks like:
Reese Olson, Dirty 86mph Changeup. 👌
6th K pic.twitter.com/3StdioLFA3
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 30, 2025
When Olson’s pitches are working, he is extremely hard to hit. But his inconsistencies make him hard to roster long-term. Make him one of your top pitching streamers for the upcoming matchup and hang on to him to see how his next matchup lines up before deciding whether or not to move on from him.
Dustin May (SP – LAD)
Next Start: Monday, 5/5 at MIA
Once again, Dustin May appears on the list of streamers, though he is mostly a shallow league streamer at this point. Fantasy managers may have gotten spooked after his seven-run clunker against a very good Cubs offense. He also allowed three earned runs against the Marlins, though two of them crossed the plate after he left the game. Still, May should be trusted in this one, also against Miami.
May has had an injury-riddled career, never surpassing 56 innings pitched in a season, so it is hard to measure his stats this season against his career numbers. One thing is for sure – May is excellent at inducing grounders. If he qualified, he would have the 12th-best GB% in the league. Miami’s offense has the eighth highest GB% this season, which should help May if he allows baserunners via the walk.
May needs some help from his defense, though. His strand rate is an insanely low 58%, which could be leading to an inflated ERA. That, combined with a BB/9 rate approaching four, is a recipe for disaster. Thankfully for May, the Marlins have the sixth-fewest walks in the league.
The Marlins should help May out in other ways as well. They also have the third-worst run differential and the ninth-most strikeouts in baseball. And May has some wicked stuff. His fastball and sweeper combination has a combined 11 hits against them in 259 pitches thrown. They have 27% and 33% whiff rates, and 20% and 26% whiff rates, respectively. Here is a strikeout on a fastball from earlier this season:
Welcome back, Dustin May 🥹
He strikes out the first batter he faces! pic.twitter.com/USboOat1Cl
— MLB (@MLB) April 2, 2025
He should have a bounceback in this one, especially considering this park leans pitcher-friendly.
Jackson Jobe (SP – DET)
Next Start: Tuesday, 5/6 at COL
Jackson Jobe has been off to a great start this year, after appearing in four innings last season. So far this season, he has two wins under his belt and has given up just six earned runs across 20 innings. Jobe picked up one quality start in the process.
Jobe has looked great, and the Rockies’ offense has looked terrible, but there are some risks in starting Jobe as a streamer. First, his walk rate is pretty ugly. He has walked 4.5 batters per nine innings. On top of that, he has had some good fortune, including a .214 BABIP and an 80% LOB rate. Both of those are likely unsustainable and are contributing to his 2.70 ERA. We can see this because his xFIP and SIERA are both over 4.60.
Additionally, this game is in Colorado, the third most friendly pitcher’s park this season. Fortunately for Jobe, Colorado has hit the 10th fewest home runs in baseball, though Coors Field has given them a boost. They have 15 homers in 14 games at home, and 10 homers in 15 games away.
Despite their home run advantage at home, they simply get outscored, which should put Jobe in line for a win, even if he gives up a few earned runs. Colorado has the worst run differential in the league, as of writing. They also have the most strikeouts and the highest strikeout rate. Jobe showed the ability to accrue strikeouts in the minors, but it just has not happened for him in the majors yet. He has shown flashes, though. He has a filthy slider and changeup that have 30% and 42% whiff rates, respectively. They have not turned into strikeouts, but he misses a ton of bats with them. Here is a look at his changeup:
Jackson Jobe, Nasty 85mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/EJGWEp79lA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 19, 2025
Even with some risk in this game, Jobe should be on your radar as one of the top pitching streamers for the coming matchup.
Widely Available Pitching Streamers (0%-25% Rostered)
Matthew Liberatore (P – STL)
Next Start: Wednesday, 5/7 at PIT
Through his first three seasons, Matthew Liberatore looked like an overhyped prospect that was not going to pan out. This season, though, he has been stellar. He has four quality starts in five appearances, allowing 11 earned runs in 31 innings, along with 28 strikeouts to just two walks.
Liberatore has improved across the board this season. He has posted career bests with a 8.1 K/9 rate, a .5 BB/9 rate, and a 44% GB rate. He has also allowed fewer barrels this season than any other season, along with a lower combined launch angle than in the past. One major change for Liberatore has been that he has attacked the zone more than ever, throwing 55% of his pitches in the zone, but also has gotten batters to chase pitches 32% of the time he throws outside of the zone, a career high. This has resulted in a career best 77% contact rate overall.
Part of this success has come due to a slight change in his pitch distribution, using his sinker significantly less this season, and relying on his slider, cutter, and changeup much more. Those pitches have 36%, 20%, and 22% whiff rates, respectively. They all also have between 21-25% putaway rates. Here is a look at his wipeout slider:
Matthew Liberatore, Nasty 85mph Slider. 😨
5th K pic.twitter.com/hw2AbbYZmI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 13, 2025
Essentially, he is getting attacking the zone with the fastball, then getting batters to bite on some very good breaking and offspeed stuff. As long as he continues to do that, he should be successful, especially in this game against the Pirates.
Their offense has been horrible – they are the only team to rank among the worst 10 in run differential, home runs, strikeouts, strikeout rate, and groundball rate. They also have the 10th worst AVG against lefty hurlers.
This may be one of the last weeks you can add Liberatore as one of your pitching streamers. He may be a hot commodity after this one.
Bryce Elder (SP – ATL)
Next Start: Friday, 5/9 at PIT
This is purely a matchup play, with Bryce Elder facing arguably the worst offense in baseball in the Pirates. Elder has an ugly 5.33 ERA, but back-to-back quality starts in his last two games. Both of those were against bad offenses – the Rockies and the Cardinals – so this could have a similar result.
Elder may be a bit risky in points leagues that penalize earned runs and walks. He has allowed at least two walks in four of his five starts, and in the one game where he did not issue a walk, he allowed five earned runs. Elder could be worth the risk, though.
He has been unlucky, allowing home runs at a rate close to twice the league average. Elder has done this while also inducing a career-best 53% GB rate, which would rank 10th best if he qualified. The Pirates have the fourth-worst groundball rate and have hit the 10th fewest home runs. That should help things even out for Elder.
Starting Elder is the biggest gamble of the week, but this is a thin week for pitching streamers, so if you are desperate, add Elder for this matchup.
Backup Plan Streamers
- KC Michael Lorenzen at BAL- Sunday 5/4
- LAD Matt Sauer at MIA – Tuesday 5/6
- LAD Tony Gonsolin at PIT – MIA Wednesday 5/7
Desperation Streamers
- HOU Lance McCullers at CWS – Sunday 5/4
- KC Michael Wacha vs CWS – Wednesday 5/7
- MIN Simeon Woods Richardson vs BAL – Wednesday 5/7
