July 30 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Streamers: Michael Wacha, Robbie Ray, Jeffrey Springs and More
A look at Tuesday's probable starters who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups.
Well, we’ve made it to deadline day. This is being written before the morning dealings start, so please excuse everything that becomes obsolete in the coming hours. It might be the most exciting day of the season! Or it might be a dud that is overshadowed by the previous days of dealing. Let’s hope for the former.
And as we prime for excitement, let’s look at Tuesday'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.
Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants vs. Oakland Athletics
I want to start with Ray because he offers a rare commodity this late in the season: A possible ace-level pitcher available on the waiver wire. I don’t mean that he will pitch like an ace for the next two months, but rather that Ray has pitched like an ace before and could potentially find that magic again on the right days.
The matchup is good, but I’m more interested in Ray. He’s available in about half of fantasy leagues (as of Monday evening) and is worth a flier as a keeper unless you have a stacked pitching staff. Ray made his first start of the season on July 24 against the Dodgers, throwing five innings and allowing just one run with eight strikeouts.
With a much better matchup this time around, Ray is a high-level streamer and possible keeper. His career strikeout work is top-notch, and free agent pickups like this don’t often come around at the end of July.
Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins @ Tampa Bay Rays
Jeffrey Springs, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Miami Marlins
Two Florida teams subtracting before the deadline, this fate isn’t a surprise for the Marlins, but the Rays had World Series aspirations. They are only three games back in the Wild Card race; Tampa’s season isn’t over. They feel well below the level of a true contender, though, and the franchise must agree, as they have been selling off pieces over the last week.
Cabrera has a great strikeout rate but a walk rate that’s just as bad. Out of nine starts this season, Cabrera has five with more than five strikeouts and four starts with four walks or more. There is a lot of give and take with Cabrera, and it has worked out poorly this season (7.04 ERA).
Springs returns to make his first start since April 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Springs worked mostly as a reliever until 2022, when he transitioned to the rotation and found success. He strikes out batters at a very high rate and has a league-average walk rate, providing a good base to work from. The only downside is that Springs may be limited to a short start in his return.
Cabrera is a low- to mid-level streamer, deriving most of his value from his big strikeout work. Springs is a mid-level streamer. It’s easy to expect big things, but tempering expectations is important given the time Springs missed.
Cal Quantrill, Colorado Rockies @ Los Angeles Angels
The Angels are in the bottom 10 in runs scored, hits and all four slash categories. They don’t do anything at a high level, topping out as middling in every aspect. The lingering absence of Mike Trout really amplifies the lack of talent around the superstar.
Quantrill gets the pleasure of leaving Coors Field for this one; it’s only a bonus that he gets the weather of Anaheim. Quantrill has a well below-average strikeout rate, and he has been a little worse than average walking batters this season. He has had average results, but there’s not a high ceiling for Quantrill.
In kind, Quantrill is a low- to mid-level streamer. He’s worthy of being in your lineup, but don’t expect a major outing from the Colorado hurler.
Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals @ Chicago White Sox
Wacha is back after appearing here July 19 when facing these same White Sox. He threw seven scoreless innings that day, striking out seven with just one walk. It was his third successful outing against Chicago this season; there’s reason to expect similar results this time.
The White Sox are the basement of the league. Their dealings around the deadline are the most exciting part of 2024 for this franchise, something that started when they sent starting pitcher Erick Fedde and infielder Tommy Pham to the Cardinals on Monday. They are letting tension build around the fates of Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr., though, holding onto their stars until the last day.
Wacha is a high-level streamer. The matchup is prime, his previous results have been positive, and the lineup might be without a few bats who get traded.
Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians @ Detroit Tigers
Williams has started against the Tigers twice this season, including his last time out. He did well the first time, allowing no runs in 5.1 innings, but Thursday’s game saw him take the loss as he allowed three runs in six innings. He did strike out nine with just two walks in that game, making it a successful start by fantasy measures.
Detroit isn’t a great matchup. They are threatening to reach a league-average level on offense but haven’t quite made it. They are worth targeting on the right days, but Detroit isn’t the same level of opponent as their division-mates the White Sox.
Williams is a mid-level streamer. He hasn’t thrown a lot at the big-league level, but he has shown good strikeout work, helping raise his ceiling.
Tuesday’s Streamer Rankings
- Michael Wacha, KC
- Robbie Ray, SF
- Jeffrey Springs, TB
- Gavin Williams, CLE
- Cal Quantrill, COL
- Edward Cabrera, MIA
