Fantasy Baseball Pitching Preview: Hayden Birdsong to the Rescue!

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This week’s list of two-start streamers is one of the weakest we’ve seen so far in the fantasy baseball season. There are only two streamers who are safe for all formats, and three other hurlers who can be considered in deep roto and head-to-head leagues.

On the hitting side, taking care of the Mets should be the plan for the next few days.

Birdsong is arguably the most exciting option on this week’s list, having struck out 20 batters while allowing two runs in 11 innings over his last two starts, though both starts came against the lowly Rockies. Still, he has plenty of upside for two starts against offenses that rank slightly below average in runs scored and are in the bottom seven in OPS. Birdsong should be active in all leagues.

Thanks to a bit of luck (.265 BABIP), Manaea has posted respectable ratios this year (3.50 ERA, 1.20 WHIP). The lefty is collecting his share of whiffs (8.9 K/9 rate) and is primed for a middling matchup against the Cardinals and a favorable matchup against a Mariners offense that ranks 27th in runs scored and first in strikeouts. Manaea is broadcastable in every league.

Sears would normally rank toward the bottom of this list. After all, he plays for one of the worst teams in baseball, struggles to record whiffs (6.9 strikeouts per nine) and has posted unimpressive strikeout ratios (4.53 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). However, in a bad patch for two-start pitchers, Sears could be a useful option thanks to matchups against a Blue Jays team that ranks 24th in runs scored and a White Sox team that sits in last place by a wide margin. The lefty also deserves credit for posting a 3.07 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine over his last five starts.

Rea has far exceeded expectations, going 9-3 with a 3.59 ERA and 1.20 WHIP for a Brewers team that tends to maximize its pitching efficiency. The veteran has a 4.45 FIP and could see some regression soon, but those who need to chase volume at this point in the season can take a chance that he can continue to do things for another week. Two matchups against middle-of-the-order lineups are on Rea’s schedule.

Festa’s third career start was his best so far, when he struck out six and held the Mets to two runs in five innings on July 30. The rookie has struck out 89 batters in 60.1 minor league innings this year, showing he has plenty of potential for managers who need to make aggressive moves in the final two months of the season. Still, Festa has allowed 12 runs in his first two MLB starts, making him the biggest boom-or-bust option of the week in two starts against middle-of-the-pack offenses.

Pallante has been serviceable in 10 appearances as a starter, producing a damaging 1.26 WHIP while using a heavy bias toward ground balls to limit scoring (3.61 ERA). But his game-to-game results are all over the place, as his starts are mostly dictated by ground balls sneaking into the infield at the wrong time. A pair of tough matchups this week against top-10 offenses drops Pallante down this list.

Meyer is one of the most promising pitchers in baseball, even though he has allowed seven earned runs in nine innings in two starts since being recalled on July 27. The youngster will be happy to make two appearances this week in his pitcher-friendly stadium, even if one of them comes against a dangerous Padres offense. Between his recent poor results and his lackluster support team, Meyer falls lower than expected on this list.

Feeling lucky? Falter has respectable ratios (3.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) that would be even better if not for a few rough outings before his stint on the injured list. He returned on July 30 and held a tough Houston team to one earned run in 5.1 innings, and now he’ll face two more high-scoring offenses. With a particularly poor ability to generate whiffs (6.0 K/9 rate), Falter has a low ceiling and a low floor.

In order, here are the top streamers of the week, with their start date and Yahoo! price in parentheses.

  • José Quintana @SEA (Friday 39)

  • José Soriano @WSH (Friday 21)

  • Tobias Myers vs CIN (Saturday 53)

  • River Ryan vs. PIT (Saturday, 41)

  • Joey Estes vs. CWS (Wednesday 5)

  • Martín Pérez @MIA (Saturday 9)

  • Luis L. Ortiz vs. SD (Thursday 25)

  • Kyle Gibson vs TB (Thursday 34)

  • Michael Lorenzen vs STL (Friday 20)

  • Yariel Rodriguez vs. OAK (Saturday, 8)

  • Simeon Woods Richardson vs. CLE (Saturday 26)

  • Dean Kremer @TOR (Thursday 20)

  • Carson Spiers @MIL (Friday 17th)

  • Mitch Spence @TOR (Friday 4th)

  • Keider Montero @SEA (Wednesday, 1)

  • Javier Assad vs. MIN (Wednesday 29)

  • Aaron Civale vs. CIN (Friday 33)

New York has by far the best games to play in the first half of the week, as they will play four games, including three at hitter-friendly Coors Field, against the worst pitching staff in baseball. Harrison Bader (9%) is the best streamer in this group.

Giants at the national championships

San Francisco will play four games over the next four days, three of which are against easy-to-handle lefties. Casey Schmitt (0%) is an underrated streamer for this series, as he often plays second in the lineup against lefties.

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