If you followed our pitching streamer advice last week, you did well. See the results below and let’s hope for more success in Week 19. You can also find suggestions for pitchers with serious hold potential for the rest of the season below.
Last Week’s Results
- Glenn Otto (TEX): 6IP, 1 W, 1 QS, 1 K, 1.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
- Jose Quintana (STL): 5IP, 0 W, 0 QS, 3 K, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP
- Drew Smyly (CHC): 5.1IP, 0 W, 0 QS, 4 K, 3.38 ERA, 0.75 WHIP
- Dane Dunning (TEX): 6IP, 1 W, 1 QS, 4 K, 3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP
- Graham Ashcraft (CIN): 6.2IP, 0 W, 1 QS, 8 K, 4.05 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
So the WHIP wasn’t great and we’d like the strikeouts to be higher, but nobody seriously hurt us. We also managed two wins by streaming low-rostered pitchers, as this article requires.
Pitchers to Consider Holding
Time to be blunt. I’m breaking my rule this week, which usually requires me to choose pitchers rostered in 30% of Yahoo leagues or less. I’m mainly doing so because there are several pitchers that should be rostered in more leagues. Three in particular.
These pitchers have shown enough in recent outings to garner more attention, and they’re rostered in roughly half of fantasy leagues. Anyone else in this article rostered in more than 30% of leagues also has hold potential.
Monday, August 22
Jake Odorizzi (HOU) vs. PIT: 17% and Edward Cabrera (MIA) at OAK: 53%
Odorizzi has an xERA of 4.25 and a real ERA of 4.15. He gave up three homers to the Mets in his last outing. But he’s been successful against weaker teams, which is what we have here. On July 10th, he shut out Washington through seven innings. On July 31st, he shut out Arizona through seven innings. The Pirates are 26th in runs scored in away games and the Astros are seventh in runs scored overall. We can hope for a win here. The other option is on my grab-and-hold radar: Edward Cabrera. He has pitched to an xERA of 2.96, with a real ERA of 1.78. He only managed four innings in his last outing against San Diego, but he punched out seven hitters. Cabrera is sitting on a 10.68 K/9 and a GB% of 58.8%.
Other option: baked into the blurb above
Tuesday, August 23
Austin Voth (BAL) vs. CHW: 4%
I’m interested in Voth. He’s currently pitching to a 3.87 FIP. He’s commanding the cutter a lot more this year, moving from a Zone% of 27.5% in 2021 to 50.3% in 2022. The CSW on this pitch (and his curveball) has increased. Last year, Voth had a BB/9 of 4.40, but he’s got that down to 2.57 this year. Finally, there is even a new pitch in his arsenal: a slider. Jeff Zimmerman for Fangraphs also reports that Voth is increasingly using game data to prepare for his outings. This all sounds promising. And before you say that the Orioles are a throwaway matchup, they’re 62-57 on the season and 17th in runs scored (their opponents in this matchup, the White Sox, are 18th in runs scored). Let’s give him a chance.
Other options: Nick Lodolo (CIN) at PHI: 22% and Ross Stripling (TOR) at BOS: 35%
Wednesday, August 24
George Kirby (SEA) vs. WSH: 51%
The options don’t look great today. If you can’t get Kirby, it might be best to avoid streaming. Kirby is pitching to a 3.47 ERA (3.38 xERA, 3.22 xFIP). He has a pristine 1.29 BB/9 this season. Kirby has been mixing up his curveball and slider with exceptional results. Hitters are swinging at these pitches outside the zone more often. In two of his last three starts, the curveball has an O-Sw% of at least 50% in his games, with a whopping 71.4% in his August 17 start against the Halos. On August 12th, he managed to do this with his slider too, getting the O-Sw% to 50% in that one. Study the video all you want, guys, but he still might baffle you when you face him. You could also go with Ashcraft below. He’s been decent recently, with a 3.29 ERA in 38.1 IP. However, he’s had a string of weaker lineups. But he is one of the few pitchers today under 30% rostered.
Other option: Graham Ashcraft (CIN) at PHI: 17%
Thursday, August 25
Dakota Hudson (STL) at CHC: 14%
I will sound like a broken record, but this is another day where you can avoid streaming, if possible. Hudson might be the best option that fits my regular requirement (though Sandoval is the better option below). The Cardinals are second in runs scored in the last two weeks. The Cubs are second in GB%, and Hudson could provide a worm-killing kind of game with his 52.8% GB%. Interestingly, the Cubs have not faced Hudson this year. So part of my hope here is that this could give Hudson the edge. Am I willing to find out? Perhaps in H2H leagues where I’m churning and burning. But if you can get Sandoval below, go for it.
Other option: Patrick Sandoval (LAA) at TB: 61%
Friday, August 26
David Peterson (NYM) vs. COL: 26%
Unlike Wednesday and Thursday, we have options on Friday. I would start any of the three pitchers in this blurb, but I can’t pass up Peterson against the Rockies. The primary reason is that Colorado has trouble scoring away from home. They’re 29th in runs scored in away games. They’ve got similar numbers to Detroit. The Mets are the Mets. They’re seventh in runs scored at home. So the matchup is a good one, and that’s before we even get to Peterson, who has been solid with a 3.43 ERA (3.55 xFIP). Peterson has ditched his sinker more often in 2021, and — a contradiction of contradictions — this has yielded MORE groundballs. Considerably more. He’s generating 61.2% GB% on sliders and 45.2% on the fastball. Well okay, maybe there is some sink still in his fastball makeup. We’ll take this. Let’s go for it.
Other options: Kyle Gibson (PHI) vs. PIT: 44% or Mitch White (TOR) vs. LAA: 6%
Saturday, August 27
Josiah Gray (WSH) vs. CIN: 39%
Like Colorado above, Cincinnati has another lineup that struggles away from home. They’re 28th in runs scored when they’re not at Great American Ballpark. Does that mean this is an easy matchup? No way. Gray has struggled this year. His 4.79 ERA is gaudy in the worst way, but I like the 10.42 K/9. Gray also has an 82.2% LOB%, so there is some bad luck baked in here. His xERA is 3.96, according to Fangraphs. That’s why I’m willing to take a chance, especially since they’re aren’t too many options under 30% owned.
Other options: Let’s leave it.
Sunday, August 28
Nick Lodolo (CIN) at WSH: 22%
I want the punchouts to end the week. I know my previous blurb shows Cincinnati has a disadvantage away from home, but Lodolo’s 11.85 K/9 has me drooling. His last outing was great. He shut out Philadelphia through seven innings and struck out eight batters. I’m hoping the man with that 32.9% CSW on his sinker can give us gold today and make up for the Hudson start on Thursday, which is bound to have a limited number of punchouts. Now Lodolo does have control issues, and he’s been giving up a lot of walks. But since the trade deadline, Washington doesn’t draw as many walks. In the last two weeks, they’re 26th in BB in the entire league. I’m hoping this gives the former first-round pick an edge.
Other option: Ross Stripling (TOR) vs. LAA: 35%
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