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Streaming starting pitchers can be one of the most effective strategies in fantasy baseball. Here are four pitchers who are widely available and should be useful on June 27.
Kevin Gausman vs. Tampa Bay Rays
The sample size is small, but so far this season, Gausman has looked excellent. Through four starts, the Baltimore Orioles‘ top prospect owns a 2.74 ERA to go with a 1.17 WHIP and 16 strikeouts over 23 innings. Gausman has given up just two earned runs total over his last three starts, including a six inning, five hit, one walk shutout against the Rays in his most recent outing.
The Rays are one of the least intimidating offenses in baseball. Tampa Bay is 27th in the MLB in runs scored, 24th in home runs and 27th in ISO.
Jake Odorizzi @ Baltimore Orioles
Odorizzi owns a 4.29 ERA this season, but his 3.16 FIP suggests that he’s actually pitched much better than his ERA indicates, and as of late, he’s been very effective. Since May 9, Odorizzi owns a 2.88 ERA to go with a 1.00 WHIP and 65 strikeouts over 50 innings. Odorizzi stumbled at the start of the season, but he’s an extremely talented pitcher who has started to figure things out. If he’s available in your league, you may want to consider rostering him for longer than just one start.
Chris Tillman vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Tillman’s numbers are inflated from a few absolutely brutal starts (one inning, five earned runs against the Texas Rangers back on June 5; one inning eight earned runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 21), but he’s given up three earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 16 starts this season.
Like I said above, the Rays’ offense is not intimidating whatsoever, so if you’re looking for a guy to stream and Tillman’s available, he’s a pitcher you should strongly consider.
Matt Shoemaker @ Kansas City Royals
Shoemaker has been excellent since he entered the Los Angeles Angels‘ rotation; he’s given up three runs or fewer in all seven of his starts so far. For the season, he has a 3.42 ERA to go with a 1.16 WHIP and 51 strikeouts over 50 innings.
On Friday, he gets to face a Royals offense that is 24th in baseball with a .303 wOBA and dead last with a .110 ISO.
Billy Moy is a Fantasy Sports writer at www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @william_moy6, “like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
