As a new week is upon us, it's time to get rid of that bench bat or middle reliever you have hanging around. Instead, maximize your roster slots with some pitchers who have two starts this week and are probably still available in your league.
Here are the top two-start pitchers to stream for Week 9 of the fantasy baseball season. This can be especially helpful for head-to-head (H2H) leagues, where every start can be that much more valuable. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @TroyKlauder.
As always, I will be selecting starting pitchers who are owned in 50% or less of ESPN leagues.
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Under the Radar Two-Start SP Streamers - Week 10
Sean Manaea, Oakland Athletics – owned in 46.2% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: vs. TOR, @TB
Sean Manaea has absolutely shined in his last two starts, striking out 17 batters in 14 innings, allowing just one earned run with only two walks. On the season, he's got an impressive 27.4% K-rate in 48 1/3 innings. The talented 25-year-old gets two great matchups in Week 10, making him a great pitcher to add. In his first start Manaea faces an average Blue Jays at home. The Jays have a .306 wOBA against lefties, but they will be away from their great hitter's ballpark in Toronto, instead facing Manaea in Oakland. The A's have one of the best pitcher's parks in the league, so Manaea should have no trouble there. He then travels to another great park in Tampa Bay, where he faces the Rays, who have a nearly identical .306 wOBA. Both these lineups are worse than the Yankees offense that he dismantled a week ago. With these matchups, Manaea is a fantastic pickup for Week 10, and he's even worth holding moving forward.
Dan Straily, Miami Marlins – owned in 36.8% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: @CHC, @PIT
Dan Straily has had himself an admirable 2017, posting a 25.7% K% with a 3.56 ERA. In his last start, he struck out 10 batters over 6 2/3 and allowed only one earned run. He faces the Cubs and the Pirates in Week 10, so Straily is a savvy pickup for some quality innings. At first glance, the Cubs seem like a lineup you would never want to start a pitcher against. However, they've actually been quite poor against right-handed pitching, posting a .302 wOBA against righties, which ranks them 25th in the league. The Pirates are similarly bad, as they have a .309 wOBA versus righties, putting them 23rd. Straily possesses both strikeout potential and run-prevention ability, so grab him in your league before it's too late.
David Paulino, Houston Astros – owned in 1.4% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: @KC, vs. LAA
If he can hold a rotation spot, Astros starter David Paulino will be an incredibly valuable pitcher for Week 10 and moving forward. Ranked as the Astros' third-best prospect by Baseball Prospectus, Paulino made his 2017 debut last week with an impressive start. Despite only going four innings, he struck out eight Twins batters and walked just one. While Joe Musgrove is expected to return this week, the Astros will likely keep Paulino in the rotation if he continues to pitch well. Paulino has a fastball that can touch 97 and a strong curveball that gets batters to whiff, which led to huge K-rates in the minors. He will face two weak lineups in the Royals and the Angels. The Royals are 28th in wOBA against right-handers at .293, while the Angels are 26th at .299. Now that the Angels are without Mike Trout, they might actually be the worst lineup in baseball. With these two matchups, Paulino will have the chance to shine in Week 10.
J.A. Happ, Toronto Blue Jays – owned in 42.0% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: @OAK, @SEA
J.A. Happ fell off of most fantasy players' radars after missing over a month with elbow inflammation, but he's back on the mound for a two-start Week 10. In his 20 innings pitched, Happ has some insane peripherals, with a 26.4% K-rate and a 3.5% BB-rate. He's got a 2.92 xFIP, suggesting that his 4.50 ERA is very unlucky. Happ only threw 81 pitches his last time out, but the leash should be off of him in his next start against Oakland. The A's are just 22nd in wOBA against lefties, with their .294 mark. The Mariners, who he faces over the weekend, are even worse at .291. Importantly, both of these starts are away from Toronto, a dangerous hitter's park. With these matchups, and considering the way Happ has pitched thus far, it's tough to pass him up.
Jaime Garcia, Atlanta Braves – owned in 15.7% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: vs. PHI, vs. NYM
Jaime Garcia has had some nice results this season with his 3.18 ERA, and he enters Week 10 after throwing two straight scoreless outings. While his peripherals don't support his success, he's still got two nice matchups in Week 10 that could provide your team with some solid innings. The Phillies have a .294 wOBA against lefties, while the Mets are at .315. This makes the Mets a middle-of-the-pack lineup, while the Phillies are below-average. Garcia won't provide you with many strikeouts, as he has just a 15.4% K-rate, but he can help out your ratios and add on some counting stats.
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