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Baseball is back, and fantasy managers in daily leagues no doubt already have holes to fill. The easiest way to do that is with streamers. Fortunately, RotoBaller has you covered with daily streaming picks.
Each day, RotoBaller will provide you with some of the best streaming options to consider in fantasy baseball daily leagues. Additionally, these recommendations can be useful for fantasy managers setting DFS lineups.
We have a smallish slate on Thursday that is essentially split down the middle in terms of daytime and evening games. There are streamers worth considering from both ends of the ledger, as there are some potentially vulnerable arms taking the hill. This article will use rostered percentages and position eligibility from Yahoo! leagues.
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Hitter Streamers for 4/29 - Shallow Leagues
C.J. Cron (1B, COL) - 51% rostered
Matchup: at ARI RHP Luke Weaver
Cron has been one of the few bright spots for a mostly moribund Rockies offense, as he went into Wednesday’s game against the Giants with a solid .271/.370/.500 slash with four doubles, four home runs and 12 RBI across 21 games. The veteran slugger has a .360 wOBA, .212 ISO and 41.6 percent hard-contact rate against right-handed pitching to open the season, and he boasts a .410 xwOBA, .302 xBA and .595 xSLG, offering a glimpse at the ceiling he potentially carries beyond his already strong numbers. Diamondbacks starter Luke Weaver has been a bit fortunate thus far considering the gulf between his actual ERA (4.57) and xERA (6.03), as well as the fact he’s allowing career highs in average exit velocity (94.1 mph), barrel percentage (12.1) and hard-hit percentage (51.5). Furthermore, Weaver has allowed a .342 wOBA, 30.0 percent line-drive rate and 53.7 percent hard-contact rate to right-handed hitters.
Adolis Garcia (OF, TEX) - 45% rostered
Matchup: vs. BOS LHP Martin Perez
Garcia went into Wednesday’s action with an .859 OPS built largely on the strength of his seven extra-base hits (one double, one triple, five home runs) among his 59 plate appearances. He’ll have a good opportunity to add to his tally against Red Sox southpaw Martin Perez, who’s pitched to a 5.71 ERA and a 5.51 xFIP over his first four starts and allowed an .827 OPS and .368 wOBA to right-handed hitters specifically. Although Garcia has struggled versus southpaws over a modest big-league sample of 38 plate appearances, he consistently hit that handedness well in the upper levels of the minors with the Cardinals organization and has gotten a bit unlucky against lefties so far with a .222 BABIP despite an above-average 21.1 percent line-drive rate when facing them.
Wilson Ramos (C, DET) - 45% rostered
Matchup: at CWS UPDATE: LHP Carlos Rodon (Game 1)/ RHP Dylan Cease (Game 2)
It remains to be seen who the White Sox will roll out to start Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader, but Cease makes for a solid target for Ramos in Game 1. The White Sox right-hander is still experiencing his trademark control problems and checks into Thursday with a 1.73 WHIP, 15.2 percent walk rate and 5.04 xERA across his first four starts. He’s also allowing a career-high 10.6 percent barrel rate and has yielded a .349/.396/.442 slash and .366 wOBA to the first 48 right-handed batters he’s faced. Meanwhile, Ramos has a .355 xwOBA, a .283 xBA and a .565 xSLG and he carries a .417 wOBA and .406 ISO versus righties on the road. Ramos has a puncher's chance to play both games of the twin bill, so he certainly makes for a worthwhile streaming option.
Bobby Dalbec (1B, BOS) - 22% rostered
Matchup: vs. TEX RHP Kyle Gibson
Dalbec faces a veteran that’s seemingly pitching over his head in Kyle Gibson, who’s forged a 2-0 record, 2.30 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while giving up just three earned runs over the 27 innings covering his last four starts. Most of Gibson’s peripheral numbers appear to support his sparkling surface figures, with the righty even completely staying away from the long ball after giving up at least a 1.2 HR/9 in four of the previous five seasons. Dalbec hasn’t quite started delivering on some of the considerable power upside he often demonstrated in the minors, but a .406 xwOBA that’s considerably higher than his actual .305 figure - and the .312 xBA and .615 xSLG that significantly outpace the .246 and .393 metrics he sports in those respective categories – all point to an imminent breakout for the rookie. The 26-year-old also sports a robust 28.2 percent line-drive rate, and although he’s struggled versus right-handed pitching early, he posted a .386 wOBA and 283 ISO versus that handedness last season.
Hitter Streamers for 4/29 - Deep Leagues
Andrew Vaughn (1B, OF CWS) - 18% rostered
Matchup: vs. DET UPDATE: RHP Casey Mize (Game 1)/LHP Matthew Boyd (Game 2)
Vaughn is another streamer worth considering in the Tigers-White Sox twin bill since he could suit up for both games. Considering he never played above High-A ball, Vaughn is holding his own against big-league arms, slashing .237/.356/.316 with three doubles across his first 45 plate appearances. The rookie is also sporting an impressive 32.0 percent line-drive rate overall, and he boasts a .379 wOBA, 40.0 percent line-drive rate and 40.0 percent hard-contact rate over his first 13 PAs against southpaws. Tigers Game 1 starter Matthew Boyd, much like Gibson, is a pitcher who’s traditionally had plenty of trouble keeping the ball in the park and has suddenly become extremely stingy with the long ball. However, a 4.90 xFIP that dwarfs his 2.96 figure portends some regression could be on the way. The same gulf exists when looking at Boyd’s splits against righty bats (5.35 xFIP, compared to a 3.27 FIP), and Vaughn wields the type of bat that could exploit any weaknesses that are getting ready to surface.
Maikel Franco (3B, BAL) - 14% rostered
Matchup: vs. NYY LHP Jordan Montgomery
Franco entered Wednesday’s matchup against the Yankees with a solid .264/.333/.437 slash that included nine extra-base hits (six doubles, three home runs) and 17 RBI across his first 96 plate appearances. A good chunk of the veteran slugger’s success has come against left-handers, as he’s touched up southpaws for a .380 wOBA, 151 wRC+ and 31.6 percent line-drive rate. Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery has allowed a 1.7 HR/9 and has seen his barrel percentage surrendered jump up to 10.7 percent from last year’s 5.9 percent figure. He’s also yielded a 1.000 OPS and .426 wOBA to the first 35 right-handed batters he’s encountered on the road this season, along with a 26.1 percent line-drive rate and 47.8 percent hard-contact rate.
Pavin Smith (1B, OF, ARI) - 10% rostered
Matchup: vs. COL RHP Antonio Senzatela
Smith came into Wednesday’s game against the Padres with a .271 average and .768 OPS, and he’d impressively laced eight of his 19 hits for extra bases. Smith possesses a ceiling for even greater numbers, as evidenced by his .386 xwOBA, 10.9 percent barrel rate, .314 xBA and .566 xSLG. Smith has consistently squared up against right-handed pitching as well, posting a 25.0 percent line-drive rate and 43.2 percent-hard contact rate versus that handedness. Meanwhile, Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela has allowed a career-high 1.4 HR/9, and he’s giving up a .993 OPS, .420 wOBA, 30.8 percent line-drive rate and 41.5 percent hard-contact rate to right-handed hitters.
Jason Heyward (OF, CHC) - 4% rostered
Matchup: @ATL RHP Kyle Wright
UPDATE: RHP Bryse Wilson (1.083 OPS, .449 wOBA allowed to LHH in career) will now start for the Braves instead of Wright
Braves projected starter Kyle Wright is already carrying some troublesome metrics, such as a 6.92 xERA, 7.92 FIP, and career-high 94.7 mph average exit velocity and 18.2 percent barrel rate allowed. Wright has also had extensive trouble with left-handed hitters during his career, allowing a .400 wOBA, .951 OPS, 1.99 HR/9, 20.6 percent HR/FB rate and 39.2 percent hard-contact rate to those bats. Heyward is admittedly difficult to roster at the moment considering his .194/.256/.347 slash, but he’s actually been putting good wood on the ball with a career-high 91.7 mph average exit velocity and 49.1 percent hard-hit rate per Statcast. Whenever Wright exits, Heyward will also potentially benefit from facing an Atlanta bullpen that’s given up a .343 wOBA to left-handed hitters.
Pitcher Streamers for 4/29 - Shallow Leagues
Kwang Hyun Kim (SP, STL) - 33% rostered
Matchup: vs. PHI RHP Aaron Nola
Kim has dramatically increased his ability to miss bats thus far this season, as he boasts a 12.5 K/9 through his first two starts. The veteran southpaw did have some trouble with the Phillies in what was his first start of the season, allowing three ER on five hits over three innings. However, Kim was coming off an extended stay on the IL in that outing and was already much sharper his last time out against the Reds (5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 8 K). Meanwhile, the Phillies have been one of the most punchless teams in MLB against left-handers on the road, striking out at a 29.9 percent clip while posting a .176/.182/.351 slash, -5.1 wRAA and .224 wOBA versus that handedness when traveling.
Pitcher Streamers for 4/29 - Deep Leagues
Shane McClanahan (SP, TB)- 5% rostered
Matchup: vs. OAK RHP Chris Bassitt
McClanahan will make his big-league regular-season debut Thursday against an Athletics team that’s struck out at a 26.9 percent clip against lefties on the road, and that’s posted a pedestrian .231 average versus that handedness overall. McClanahan has posted double-digit K/9s in every minor-league stop, and he was excellent during spring camp and his one Grapefruit League appearance this year as well. Manager Kevin Cash has already confirmed McClanahan will not be utilized as an opener, but as a conventional starter. His strikeout upside gives him an excellent chance of paying dividends in what could be a spot start from a real-world and a fantasy perspective.
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