Fantasy Baseball:
~Streamers 8/1–8/7~
~Gotta Trade Them All~
~Pitching Streamers for Week 17~
By Mike Cave
Welcome to week 17’s Streamer’s Delight! In this section I will give around 8–12 possible streaming pitcher options that are around or under 50% owned in ESPN leagues. My goal is to provide you with pitchers that I believe will give you a decent shot at a QS/Win or both and in turn, hopefully hit two out of three streamers. Based on the QS/Win criteria, my last week’s record: 5–2 (two starts on 7/31 not counted yet) and ytd record: 51–23. *Note: some opposing pitchers and pitching dates are subject to change.
In order by date…
Zach Davies MIL 8/2 (@SD, Perdomo)
-After ending June with two mediocre starts, Davies threw a QS in all four of his starts in July…two of which came against the Cubs and Nationals. Not to mention, he was 3–0 during that span as well. Davies has pitched extremely well in 2016, posting a 3.59 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. San Diego is next on the slate and they carry one of the highest strikeout rates in the majors, not to mention one of their best offensive players (Matt Kemp) just got dealt.
Matt Shoemaker LAA 8/2 (vs OAK, Gray)
-One of the bigger surprises this season has been the emergence of Shoemaker. He seemingly came out of nowhere to become relevant after adding a split finger to his arsenal about a month into the season. Shoemaker faces off against one of the worst teams, the Athletics, and he’s at home where he sports a 3.23 ERA for the season. I think a QS and W is realistic for this streamer, so search and grab him if you can.
Jameson Taillon PIT 8/5 (vs CIN, DeScalfani)
-One of the highest touted prospects coming into the season, Taillon is really starting to find his rhythm of late. After posting back to back four inning, four earned run games, Taillon has now thrown four QS in a row, while almost reaching one K per inning. But probably the most impressive thing is the fact that he hasn’t allowed a single walk over those last four starts, and that almost ensures that Taillon’s pitch count will be under control most of the game to get him to that ever important possibility of a QS. The only catch with Taillon is that his Manager hasn’t really let his pitch count get that close to 100 before yanking him out of the game. That being said, I still believe he’ll have a solid outing and should be strongly considered this coming week.
Jeremy Hellickson PHI 8/5 (@SD, Friedrich)
-This streamer may not even get a chance to pitch due to the fact that he’s one of the highlighted names to possibly be traded before the deadline. But since he’s still on the Phillies as of now, he’ll stay on the list. Hellickson isn’t flashy, but he’s been very consistent with his innings pitched this season…in fact, he’s pitched at least six innings 15 out of his 22 starts this season and a few starts he was one or two outs away from hitting the six inning mark. If you’re looking for a QS, then Hellickson is most likely a good option here, and while he’s usually light on K’s, San Diego may help his total in this one given their poor swing and miss rate.
Blake Snell TB 8/5 (vs MIN, Santana)
-Snell is one of the prized young prospects to get their chance this season and he hasn’t disappointed through his first eight big league starts, most recently posting three straight QS (not counting 7/31) . After eight starts, Snell carries an awesome 3.05 ERA, and he proved that he can be dominant in Colorado by pitching six scoreless innings and striking out nine…even some top tier starters can’t say they’ve achieved that feat. Although Snell will most likely fall flat a few times in the near future, I see a good performance against one of the bottom dwellers in the Twins. If everything goes as planned, a six inning, 7–8 K game isn’t out of the question.
Jared Eickhoff PHI 8/6 (@SD, Cosart)
-A popular streamer, Eickhoff is yet again a standout choice when it comes to streaming this week as he faces off against the Padres in San Diego. The Padres weren’t necessarily a pushover early in the season, but of late, they have shipped away both Matt Kemp and Melvin Upton, Jr. to different teams, further depleting their already depressing offense. A good matchup turns into a great matchup now, Eickhoff shouldn’t have many issues reaching the sixth inning and having a more than decent shot at a QS. The one knock with Eickhoff is the team he plays for…the Phillies average just above three runs of support for Eickhoff, which is sixth worst in the National league. I think a QS is the component most in play here and would feel very comfortable deploying Eickhoff in this cushy matchup.
Tyler Skaggs LAA 8/6 (@SEA, Paxton)
-Though only one start in 2016 (not counting 7/31), the former first round draft pick stormed out of the gate by shutting down the Royals in Kansas City…pitching seven scoreless frames and only throwing 88 pitches. Skaggs faces a fairly tough opponent in the Mariners, but overall a bottom tier team when it comes to hitting lefties. I stretched a bit by including Skaggs on the list this week, so I’d pay attention to how he pitches against Boston. I don’t think he’ll repeat what he did against the Royals, but I don’t think he’ll get crushed either. If Skaggs can get through six innings against the Red Sox, I’ll be excited to add him next week against Seattle.
Jon Gray COL 8/7 (vs MIA, Cashner)
-Gray has been on a roll lately, tossing five QS in a row and completing seven innings in four of those games. Gray started the year a little bumpy, but that’s to be expected coming from a young pitcher, especially a fireballer that can walk a few more than league average. But Gray has found his groove lately by only giving up seven earned runs over his last 33 ⅓ innings. Gray has immense strikeout upside and a great offense to back him up, so if pitching in Coors doesn’t bother you, I recommend picking Gray up and stashing for the ROS, not just one week. At this point I think he can be trusted in almost every matchup…that doesn’t mean he’ll win every game, but I don’t see him being overwhelmed by anyone either.
Archie Bradley ARI 8/7 (vs MIL, Nelson)
-Bradley’s strikeout potential against the Brewers outweigh his bumpy outings so far this season. The Brewers are 22nd in the league in avg. against righties and 18th in OBP. As long as Bradley can get some run support, I think using Bradley in this matchup will be a no brainer. Quality starts won’t be easy in most games for Bradley given his high walk rate, but a W is definitely in the cards.
Some 50/50 options…
Tyler Anderson COL 8/3 (vs LAD, Maeda)
-Most likely positive outcome…QS, W (moderate K rate)
Matt Boyd DET 8/4 (vs CWS, Gonzalez)
-Most likely positive outcome…QS, W (moderate to high K upside)
Matt Moore TB 8/7 (vs MIN, Gibson)
-most likely positive outcome…QS, W (moderate K rate)
Zach Eflin PHI 8/7 (@SD, ?)
-most likely positive outcome…QS (low K rate)
Dylan Bundy BAl 8/7 (@CWS, Sale)
-most likely positive outcome…QS (nice K upside)
Gotta Trade Them All
Sean Kallevig (@majorfan1213)
The most stressful period for any fantasy owner is the trade deadline. No matter the sport you’re playing, deals can be made in real life that will have a ripple effect on your rosters and can either create chaos or give your team that extra edge you need to win. Baseball is unlike any of the other deadlines however. There is a lot that goes into each trade and even the smallest of deals can impact your fantasy players. Baseball has to worry about a player going from the AL to the NL and vice versa if you are in a NL-Only or AL-Only league, prospects can be dealt which will impact those who play in a dynasty or keeper league, teams can trade for small pieces that will impact playing time for many pieces or symbolize the end for someone, and of course we can get that massive blockbuster that can be the biggest game changer of all in reality and fantasy. This article will be covering some of the trades we will see or at least hope we see before the August 1st deadline.
1) Wade Davis to the Nationals
Davis has been mentioned in trade rumors over the past couple weeks, but the heat has really picked up since Monday. With Papelbon’s recent 3 game stretch of just being terrible (7 ER in 1 IP), Dusty Baker can’t hold out hope for him anymore. Davis will bring the Nats the back end of the rotation stuff they need to make a playoff push.
The Trade:
Nats get: Wade Davis
Royals get: Reynaldo Lopez, Michael Taylor, Jonathan Papelbon
Fantasy Impact:
Davis only increases his value as an elite closer. Not too much will change on his end other than this move may open up more chances for him to save. The real impact comes for the Royals. They would get a fireball prospect that they could instantly put in the back end of their rotation. Lopez has huge K upside, but does have to improve his command. Taylor could be a huge help in that OF. The royals need a bat and Taylor could be a potential 20/20 guy in the future, but could also give fantasy owners some decent numbers to finish the year. Papelbon is essentially a throw in. Papelbon will not just accept a demotion in his role and will do one of two things: choke out Baker and Harper until he closes again, or demand to be dealt so he can close elsewhere. No matter what, if you are a Papelbon owner in a league that has limited saves, I do think you have to hold onto him until after the deadline to see what happens.
2) Lucroy to the Indians
The Indians are looking like a strong contender in the AL. This push has come without arguably their best offensive piece, Michael Brantley. Many “experts” are claiming that the Indians need to upgrade offensively if they want to make a serious run. The Indians biggest hole comes at catcher due to Yan Gomes terrible year and injury. By adding Lucroy and getting Brantley back late the offense could get a huge offensive bump.
The Trade:
Indians get: Lucroy and WIll Smith
Brewers get: Mike Clevinger, Brady Aiken, Bobby Bradley
Fantasy Impact:
The biggest impact from this deal will be with Lucroy and Clevinger. Lucroy will now be placed in a better lineup, but will also downgrade in park. He’s never been the biggest power hitter though, so the downgrade doesn’t really hurt his value. Instead he will be at the top of a lineup that can support him and he should get more runs and RBIs. Clevinger could be placed in the rotation fairly quickly after the deal and has SP3 upside for this season. Although he is prone to the home run, and in Milwaukee that could mean trouble, so don’t expect more than streamer status. Since the Indians are giving up some top prospects, they will also be able to fill a need in their bullpen. Smith could have a chance to close if Allen falters or gets dealt, but his chances to save will decrease with this deal.
3) Chris Sale to the Dodgers
The Dodgers have been linked to some big names in hopes to upgrade their rotation. After Sale’s riff with the White Sox, it would be easier for them to deal him and the Dodgers can give the most. This deal could very well be for Chris Archer as well, but either way, I think the Dodgers do get a deal done for an ace.
The Trade:
Dodgers get: Chris Sale
White Sox get: Julio Urias, Cody Bellinger
Fantasy Impact:
Sale’s value skyrockets, if that’s even possible, as he now moves to the NL and gets an upgrade in park. Sale would get an upgrade in schedule as well; the only downside of the trade is that Sale may receive less run support as a Dodger. Urias takes a hit for the long term, but Bellinger gets an increase long term. This deal won’t have much impact for the Urias/Bellinger owners this season, but for the dynasty players it is a big deal. Urias hurts his value as he will go to a worse park and in my viewpoint worse organization. Even with this though, Urias is lined up to be a stud moving forward as long as he is managed right and not just thrown in the rotation right away with no inning limit. Bellinger’s value gets a huge increase. He is a power bat first baseman that goes to Chicago, where the balls will fly out for him. He could very well put up production similar to what Todd Frazier has done these past few years in Cincy and Chicago.
4) DeSclafani to the Rangers
The Rangers need a pitcher and their recent deal for Harrell and Alvarez will not be more than bullpen help for them. DeSclafani has had a great start to his season going 6–0 with 46 k’s, a 3.09 ERA, and a 1.25 WHIP, all with the Reds. This is the type of pitcher the Rangers could get for cheap and give them another arm outside of Hamels.
The Trade:
Rangers get: DeSclafani
Reds get: Martin Perez, Luis Ortiz
Fantasy Impact:
DeSclafani will increase his value. His park factor will not change much as neither Cincy or Texas are pitcher parks. Instead he will go to a team that is winning and has a better lineup for now and long term. DeSclafani would still be a SP 2, but should be in line to win some more games. Perez will lose all value that he has left. He recently has given up 22 ER in 21.2 IP. He will lose his ability to depend on his offense to bail him out, as he has a very low K rate and always pitches to contact. Many in the business see potential with Perez, which is why the Reds would be willing to include him for rotation help. Ortiz is the Prize for the Reds as they get a top pitching prospect to develop while they go full rebuild.
5) Jeanmar Gomez to the Cardinals
This is my darkhorse move of the deadline. Not much talk has been made of what the Cardinals will do at the deadline, but they are in the race and 6.5 GB from the Cubs. With Rosenthal falling off, the Cards could use bullpen help. Gomez has been great this year and would be a huge boost for the Cards.
The Trade:
Cards get: Gomez
Phillies get: Low end prospect(s) (Tim Cooney/Dylan Carlson types)
Fantasy Impact:
This is one of the deals at the deadline that provides absolutely no fantasy advantage for those involved, but it does impact fantasy. What this deal does is kill all of Gomez’s value. He will not take Oh’s role as closer, meaning he will no longer be of use outside of holds leagues. Gomez could, however, be in the setup role, so if Oh does ever falter or get injured, it would be no surprise if Gomez stepped in. The prospects the Phillies will get won’t be anything much more than future role player or bench filler, the kind of guys you won’t own in fantasy outside of streamers, if that. The winner of the deal is Hector Neris. He will become the new closer for the Phillies and can help anyone who needs saves as he’s only owned in 7.6% of ESPN Leagues.
Other Names to watch at the deadline:
Jim Johnson
Jay Bruce
Ryan Braun
Andrew Miller
Edinson Volquez
Julio Teheran
Chris Archer
James Shields
Carlos Beltran
Josh Reddick
Carlos Gonzalez
- This article was submitted prior to any trades on 7/29
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