July 6 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Streamers: Lance Lynn, Yariel Rodriguez, David Peterson and More
A look at Saturday's probable starters who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups.
Is it unbearably hot where you are at? My current location says the high temperature won’t drop below 105 for at least the next 10 days; it’s brutal. A trip north will be a reprieve, but I don’t know how these lizards and bats do it (I’m talking about the animals, but that could also describe many of the people in Arizona).
With the sun refusing to relent, let’s look at Saturday’s probable starters (according to MLB.com) who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups, creating streaming value. Most stats and rankings are from MLB. The full streamer rankings are listed at the bottom.
Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels @ Chicago Cubs
Anderson was here before his last start against Detroit, and I noted that while his results had been good (ERA under 3.00), his strikeout and walk rates were those of a struggling pitcher. There weren’t any underlying numbers in his advanced stats that pointed toward success either; Anderson gave up six runs in 4.2 innings with just two strikeouts and a walk. While I still don’t like his outlook moving forward, the matchup is again in his favor.
While the Cubs aren’t in the toilet the same way their cross-town rivals are (we’ll get to them in a minute), they also don’t excel anywhere other than drawing walks. They rank in the bottom 10 in hits, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS while striking out the sixth most.
Anderson is a low-level streamer. Nothing about his performance seems sustainable, and this matchup being just OK caps his ceiling.
Yonny Chirinos, Miami Marlins vs. Chicago White Sox
Oh, the White Sox. Last in runs scored. Bottom five in hits, home runs and all four slash categories. League worst record. League worst run differential. We could go on all day. Every opposing pitcher has fantasy value against Chicago.
While Chirinos has a better-than-average strikeout rate, walk rate and ERA this season, he has made just three starts and thrown 14.1 innings, making it hard to get a real read on his current ability. His strikeout rate is lower over his career, but he has done well limiting walks while making just over 40% of his appearances out of the bullpen.
Chirinos is a mid-level streamer here. The Sox give him a boost, and Chirinos’ own work gives him a decent floor but not a high ceiling.
Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals @ Washington Nationals
Another guy who was listed here before his last start, Lynn performed better than Anderson did, throwing six shutout innings with six strikeouts and just one walk. Lynn has allowed a league-high 13 unearned runs; that could mean his team is just letting him down, but I also see it as a pitcher whose true ERA is higher than the listed 3.59. His strikeout and walk rates are good, though, putting Lynn squarely on the streaming radar.
The Nationals are one of those teams that streamers are happy to see. While they are closer to 20th in batting average and on-base percentage, Washington is one of the bottom power hitting teams, ranking 29th in home runs and 26th in slugging percentage. They are in the bottom 10 in batter strikeouts, lowering their ceiling as an opponent.
Lynn is a mid-level streamer here. The venerable veteran keeps plugging away, and Washington offers a nice landing spot for the (relatively) old man.
David Peterson, New York Mets @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Despite limited success in the past few decades, the Pirates seem like one of the most disappointing squads in 2024. Young offensive players who were supposed to take steps forward haven’t, though a few pitchers (namely Paul Skenes) surely have them excited about the future. Maybe it’s just a year early for them to break out, but Pittsburgh is under .500 and will be among a glut of underwhelming teams fighting for the last Wild Card.
Peterson didn’t make his first start until May 29 because of injury, meaning we don’t have as much 2024 information on him as we do many other guys who end up here. His career strikeout rate and walk rate are both higher than average, but he has lost the K magic this season with a rate 11 percentage points lower than last year. Some of that may even out as he gets more innings under his belt, but Peterson is currently a notch lower than his previous work would indicate.
With that in mind, Peterson tops out as a mid-level streamer here. The matchup is right, and Peterson has been successful, but there’s not a ton of upside given his current performance.
Cade Povich, Baltimore Orioles @ Oakland Athletics
Povich is a rookie who has made just five starts. He has been successful after a rough first outing (six runs allowed in 5.1 innings): Povich has allowed just six runs in 21.1 innings with 15 strikeouts and six walks. Five of those walks were in one game, so Povich has otherwise had his control, though it’s been accompanied by a lack of strikeouts.
Oakland showed some life early in the season, and with the whole AL West struggling, it looked like they could back into contention in their division. Well, never mind. Seattle’s pitching has carried them to the top of the West while the Astros found life, climbing over .500. The A’s, meanwhile, sit more than 20 games under .500 and only better than the pathetic White Sox in the American League.
Povich is a low- to mid-level streamer. He was much better with strikeouts in the minor leagues, so it’s easy to envision him finding more magic there. Until he does, though, there’s a ceiling on his value.
Yariel Rodriguez, Toronto Blue Jays @ Seattle Mariners
Speaking of the AL West leaders, the Mariners are in playoff position despite the offense sitting at the bottom of the league. Seattle hitters are in the bottom five in runs scored, hits, doubles and all four slash categories. They have struck out the most of any team, with only Oakland within 80 Ks. This team needs an infusion of offense at the trade deadline to really compete.
Rodriguez was another guy listed here before his last start against Houston, and despite picking up the loss, he pitched well: 6.2 innings, one run allowed, six strikeouts and two walks. His season numbers are OK, as he has struck out a batter per inning, but he has also walked too many guys. Rodriguez has put himself on the streaming radar.
Rodriguez is a mid-level streamer. Continued strikeout work will keep him at this level and better control would make him a more valuable fantasy player.
Saturday’s Streamer Rankings
- Lance Lynn, STL
- Yariel Rodriguez, TOR
- David Peterson, NYM
- Yonny Chirinos, MIA
- Cade Povich, BAL
- Tyler Anderson, LAA
