Field of Streams 2021: Week 11
We are back again to give you some starting pitchers to look into sliding into your fantasy lineups this week that might be a help to you if you’re in need of extra points/stats in your matchup(s). Pickings are looking a little slim in general this week, but there are still guys that could provide you with solid value.
As was the case last year, any game that I reference here is subject to change should individual players or full teams end up missing games due to the COVID protocols. Sometimes we have little to no heads up on any of these schedule adjustments, and games — especially later in the weekdays after this series posts — may not play out as they were originally expected to at the time of this writing. Two-Start Adds may turn into Single Game Streamers if one of their games gets postponed or pushed back in the week and SGS picks may not actually have that selected game happen, so be sure to check on player and team news daily to make sure you put yourself in the best possible position.
NOTE: I will typically try to stay around the 50% owned mark for my selections, but may reach up to guys owned in around 65% of leagues as well depending on different matchup factors. Owned percentages will read (ESPN, Yahoo), and all percentages and stats are current prior to Sunday’s games unless stated otherwise.
Without further ado, here are my streaming picks for Week 11 of the 2021 season.
Two-Start Adds
Casey Mize — DET (61.1%, 60%) at KC, at LAA
After struggling in his first taste of big league action in 2020, Mize appears to have gotten some things figured out in his first full season. In his first 12 starts this year he owns a 3.44 ERA with a 1.061 WHIP, and has also made significant improvements in his hit (6.8 H/9) and walk rates (2.8) over what he posted last year. For those of you in leagues with bonuses for quality starts Mize has eight of them so far this year, including seven in his last eight outings.
His last two times out against the Royals (on May 12 and May 23) are included in that stretch, and in those games he combined to allow just three earned runs on six total hits in 12 1/3 innings. The Royals own a slash line of .232/.297/.343 in ten games against the Tigers this year, and rank below league average in many of the main offensive categories this season.
On the other hand the Angels actually rank above league average in most main offensive stats, and this is even happening despite superstar Mike Trout being out of the lineup due to a calf injury. The choice to go with Mize here is more of a belief in him and the strong numbers he has put up lately, and in all honesty there are not many other appealing choices among available two-start guys this week.
Jon Lester — WAS (4.4%, 5%) vs PIT, vs NYM
The Pirates enter play on Sunday with the third-lowest team batting average (.226), lowest slugging percentage (.351), second-lowest OPS (.649), and the fewest runs scored per game (3.51), and those numbers have taken a nosedive over the last two weeks. Lester has had great personal success against the Bucs as well in his career as he owns a 3.17 ERA against them in 26 starts (spanning 147 2/3 IP), and just last year he posted a 3.12 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in three starts (17 1/3 IP) against them in the shortened 2020 season.
The Mets haven’t fared much better offensively with a .235 AVG, a .380 SLG, and 3.86 RPG. Lester hasn’t faced the Mets as much in his career as he has the Pirates, but in 10 starts he does own a solid 3.20 ERA and 1.322 WHIP over 59 IP.
Lester is not a flashy pick by any means, but he is serviceable enough to help keep things moving for you should you need the extra help. He has allowed just one earned run in each of his last three starts, though that has come over just 13 1/3 innings of work as he labored through each of those outings. He is not a guy that will give you a bunch of strikeouts, but he still does a decent job at preventing runs most games and has a pair of decent matchups lined up for this week.
Single Game Streamers
Tarik Skubal — DET (31.1%, 43%) at KC on 6/16
As mentioned above when talking about teammate Casey Mize, the Royals have not done well against the Tigers this year with a .232/.297/.343 slash line in ten games. Skubal himself has been piecing things together of late with a 2.67 ERA, 1.333 WHIP, and a .238 average against over his last five starts. He has picked up two quality starts over that stretch, and appears to be in a very favorable position to pick up another one in this matchup.
Cole Irvin — OAK (23.7%, 24%) vs LAA on 6/16
Irvin has been very solid this year hovering around the top-40 of starting pitchers, and he could put up a strong fantasy performance despite his matchup against the Angels. He has not issued more than two walks in any of his 13 starts this season, and he has only done that in two of those starts. Irvin is also averaging just under 6 IP per outing this season, and paired with his decent 3.70 ERA and 1.208 WHIP that could end up equating to a serviceable spot-start in fantasy.
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