Friday Starting Pitchers Available as Fantasy Free Agents

Every day in Major League Baseball presents a different game. While two NBA teams playing back-to-back nights see mostly the same lineups and strategies, the starting pitchers make every contest of a four-game set its own story.

In a daily fantasy baseball league with no inning limits, starting pitchers are the best asset to accumulate mass stats. Innings, strikeouts and wins come more often, but walks, runs allowed and losses come with that territory if you choose the wrong players.

Let’s look at Friday’s probable starting pitchers (according to MLB.com) who are likely to be free agents in your fantasy league and able to be streamed. Some players have good matchups, others possible keeper potential, and one guy should be avoided this time through the rotation.

Possible Keepers

A.J. Puk, Miami Marlins vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Puk has some pedigree, entering the league as the sixth overall pick by Oakland back in 2016. He has been exclusively a reliever in 142 Major League appearances over four seasons (147.2 innings). His strikeout and walk rates have been better than league average out of the bullpen, and he dominated in spring training.

Puk has a lot of upside this season, especially opening against the Pirates. Pittsburgh was among the 10 worst teams in most offensive categories last season, including striking out the 10th-most. This is one of the better matchups Puk could ask for during his first career start.

He is available in about 50% of leagues, but that availability could soon end. Puk is set up well to start the season with a flash, likely leading to a lot of waiver-wire pickups if he does succeed. Pick him up to stream on Friday, then potentially keep him all season.

Aaron Civale, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Civale isn’t available in as many leagues as some of the others listed here, and for good reason. Starting his career in Cleveland before joining the Rays during last season, Civale has been groomed in pitcher havens. His better-than-average strikeout and walk rates make sense given his surroundings.

In 10 starts with Tampa Bay last year, Civale struck out nearly 30% of the batters he faced. That performance won’t hold, but that’s a great number for a starting pitcher. Toronto batters struck out the seventh-least in the major leagues last season.

The Blue Jays were very much a league-average offense in 2023 with above-average power. They have hitters at most positions but a few weak spots. The team scored eight runs in Thursday’s Opening Day win (an 8-2 Toronto victory), so they are capable of big days.

Civale doesn’t have a great matchup, but he is skilled enough to be worth a spot in your lineup. If he happens to be a free agent in your league, he’s probably worth picking up for a spot on your bench even if you choose not to start him Friday.

Streaming Potential

Jose Quintana, New York Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Quintana was supposed to start Thursday, but the game was postponed, so he takes the mound one day later to open the season for the Mets. Quintana is an average-to-below-average starter, but he can strike some guys out and isn’t a bad option against a mediocre Milwaukee lineup.

Martin Perez, Pittsburgh Pirates @ Miami Marlins

Perez isn’t a great option; he walks batters around a league-average rate while striking them out below the league average. The Marlins were in or near the bottom 10 in runs scored, home runs, slugging percentage and OPS last season and aren’t projected to take great leaps. Perez is an OK streaming option if you need to fill a space.

Cal Quantrill, Colorado Rockies @ Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona isn’t overly imposing on offense, though they do have some very good hitters, led by reigning NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll. Quantrill has mixed stretches of competence with below-average total results in his career. Quantrill is a low-end streamer without much upside, as he doesn’t strike out a lot of hitters.

One interesting note: Quantrill added a splitter to his arsenal of pitches this offseason, maybe bringing hope for a bump in performance. Make him prove it before you believe in any potential upgrade.

Ross Stripling, Oakland Athletics vs. Cleveland Guardians

The Athletics are running out one of the worst rosters in the league, led by aged starting pitchers, including Stripling. The 34-year-old doesn’t walk many hitters and has been around league average in striking guys out in his career. Cleveland has a few legit stars, including third baseman Jose Ramirez, but they aren’t a great hitting group overall. Stripling is low-end, like Quantrill, but is feasible in you need someone for the last spot in your lineup.

Not this Time

Zack Thompson, St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Thompson has 101 innings under his belt, mostly in relief over the last two seasons. He made nine starts last year and begins 2024 in the rotation. He struck out about one batter per inning in 2022-23, so he may have fantasy value in some starts, but not against the Dodgers. I will recommend very few pitchers against LA’s lineup, so avoid Thompson in this one.