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Baseball is back, and fantasy managers in daily leagues no doubt already have holes to fill 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 massive 12-game slate Thursday, and it’s an unusual one in that there is a double-header. That naturally means lineup decisions have to be made early in the day. Fortunately, there are quite a few streamable players with 30 teams taking the field. This article will use rostered percentages and position eligibility from Yahoo! leagues.
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Hitter Streamers for 4/15 - Shallow Leagues
Phillip Evans (3B, PIT) -27% rostered
Matchup: vs. RHP Chris Paddack
Phillip Evans went virtually undrafted in most leagues. Mainly because most didn't see much of him in 2020, but he showcased some skills that carried over into 2021. He doesn't strike out(11.1%), and his walk rate is at 8.9%, so he has good plate discipline. What has been impressive is the quality of contact so far. He the 84th percentile in hard-hit%, 83rd percentile in xwOBA, and even the 77th percentile in sprint speed. This is a very toolsy player off to a hot start(3 HR, 1.076 OPS in 45 PA).
Jorge Polanco (SS, MIN) - 43% rostered
Matchup: vs. RHP Garrett Richards
Jorge Polanco is a player that should be rostered in over 50% of leagues, but due to how deep the shortstop position is, he gets bumped down. While he has never flashed 30 HR power, he does showcase a terrific hit tool. His career slash line is .275/.333/.429 with a .762 OPS. I don't mind that he doesn't have incredible hard-hit metrics because he puts the ball in play so much. Look for him to get plugged near the top of the Twins lineup and possibly swipe a bag.
Jed Lowrie (2B, OAK) - 34% rostered
Matchup: vs. DET Tarik Skubal
Back from a two-year hiatus due to injury, Lowrie is looking like his 2017-2018 form by walking a ton and making solid contact. He showcases the 91st percentile in xwOBA, 95th percentile in xBA, and 70th percentile in hard-hit%. Those are all good indicators that when he is making lots of contact, good things will follow. I mentioned that he walks, so if you're in an OBP league, this is a perfect pickup for you. Lowrie has a career walk rate of over 10% and rarely chases balls out of the zone. The counting stats should pile up nicely as he has been hitting in the top third of Oakland's lineup ahead of Matt Chapman and Matt Olson.
Hunter Dozier (1B/3B/OF, KC) - 30% rostered
Matchup: vs. RHP Tanner Roark
Dozier is off to a rocky start by only going 2-for-20 to begin the year. The former eighth overall pick needs to find that "get-right" game to break out of an early-season slump. So let's step back and take a look at Dozier's career numbers. He boasts a .198 ISO with a barrel% at 9.8%, which is great because barrel percentage is a great predictor of home run ability. For reference, the MLB average barrel% is 6.8%. His matchup is against journeyman Tanner Roark. You know, the guy that gave up three HRs in his 2021 debut. Dozier could be a great addition for today and the rest of the season!
Hitter Streamers for 4/15 - Deep Leagues
Jeimer Candelario (1B/3B, DET) - 17% rostered
Matchup: @ OAK LHP Sean Manaea
This is a good matchup for Candelario because he hits left-handed pitching well. He has a 119 wRC+ vs. southpaws throughout his career with a .167 ISO. Outside of just a solid track record so far, he is making great contact, as shown by his nearly 49% hard-hit rate. Here is another batter that is a good addition for OBP leagues as he has a career walk rate over 10% and strikes out below league average.
Manuel Margot (OF, TB) - 20% rostered
Matchup: vs. TEX RHP Jordan Lyles
Margot has a terrific power+speed profile that can help in several categories. First, he has a 20-stolen base upside with his 85th percentile sprint speed. Next, he is hammering the ball, as shown by his 52% hard-hit rate. While it hasn't translated on the stat sheet yet, it's only a matter of time before production catches up to his underlying metrics. The Rays like to use him in the top third of the lineup, and due to his 94th percentile OAA(Outs Above Average), that means he won't get platooned. Grab him, and there is a good shot he will stick longer than as a streamer.
Alex Kirilloff (OF, MIN) - 13% rostered
Matchup: vs. BOS RHP Garrett Richards
The long-awaited arrival of Alex Kirilloff is finally here. This is the Twins' top hitting prospect that could make serious waves for your fantasy team. The left-handed outfielder shows a 60-grade raw power to go along with an above-average hit tool. It is all rare potential at this point, but if you're in a deeper format league and need someone to provide gigantic power upside, you have to consider Kirilloff.
Pitcher Streamers for 4/15 - Shallow Leagues
Rich Hill (SP, TB) - 11% rostered
Matchup: vs. TEX RHP Jordan Lyles
For starters, Rich Hill draws a favorable matchup as the Texas Rangers have looked anemic against southpaws. They have a 27.2% K-rate and only a 6.4% walk rate. This basically means they will need to either string together hits or mash the ball out of the yard. Unfortunately, the Rangers have a light-hitting .121 ISO, .279 wOBA, and 77 wRC+. As far as Rich Hill is concerned, since joining the Rays, his K% has jumped to a career-high of 40% while still inducing a 40% ground ball rate. Things line up nicely for Rich Hill today, and he seems like a fairly safe streamer option if he can keep the ball in the yard.
Adam Ottavino (RP, BOS) - 22% rostered
Matchup: @ Minnesota Twins
Streaming a RP today? Consider Adam Ottavino for a couple of reasons. If he gets the call from the bullpen, he harnesses a wipeout slider that can strike out most MLB hitters. He is getting hit around a little bit which is concerning, but the main reason to play him is the potential to pick up the save. Boston has used Matt Barnes the last two days, and he is likely unavailable if a save chance arises. Bullpens in general have been messy, but this is a chance to make up ground in that category.
Pitcher Streamers for 4/15 - Deep Leagues
Justin Dunn (SP, SEA) - 1% rostered
Matchup: @ BAL LHP Bruce Zimmerman
I should start by prefacing that using a starting pitcher in Camden Yards is never ideal. The park is well-known for being a hitter haven with short porches for left-handed pull hitters. We are looking for a deep streamer today, and Dunn has some skills that make him interesting. He does a good job keeping the ball in the infield, as his ground ball rate dips just below 46%. The biggest flaw with Dunn is the command. He walks far too many batters. If he can mitigate the free passes to first base and pound his slider, which had a 58 wRC+ in 2020, he will do just fine today. It's part of the double-header series, so maybe he can go five solid innings, and the bullpen locks it down for two shortly after.
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