Fantasy Baseball: Phil Hughes headlines Week 9 streaming options
Last week in my post for Week 8 streaming options, I touched on four starters that would be great plug-and-plays. If you started Drew Pomeranz or Phil Hughes, you were rewarded with shutout innings and wins. Pomeranz is no longer flying under the radar, now owned in 52% of Yahoo! leagues, so enjoy the ride if you still own him.
Let’s take a look at four more great options. In deeper leagues, these guys are likely owned, but consider these streamers for standard leagues with Week 9 on the horizon.
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Phil Hughes (33% owned, Yahoo!)
Next start: May 27th vs Texas
Notes: The window for hopping on the bandwagon is closing fast with Hughes’ ownership rising after tossing 7 shutout innings in his last start in San Diego. He’s rolling right now and gets the Rangers at home. The Rangers are among the worst teams in OBP over the last 14 days, and Hughes has walked zero batters in his last six starts.
Brandon McCarthy (7% owned)
Next start: May 26th vs San Diego
Notes: McCarthy had a terrible start to the season but has been a decent play of late. He’s given up 1 ER in each of his last two starts with a 0.78 WHIP. Next week the Padres come to town and they’re batting a league-worst .203 on the road.
Danny Duffy (18% owned)
Next start: May 28th vs Houston
Notes: Duffy was perfect through 6 innings nearly a week ago in a 7-inning win over the Orioles. Opposing hitters are batting just .131 against him this year. The strikeouts haven’t been there, but he’s brought his BB/9 down since last year from 5.2 to 3.6. Next week the Astros come to town and they’re right behind the aforementioned Padres, batting .219 on the road.
Tyler Skaggs (20% owned)
Next start: May 26th @ Seattle
Notes: Skaggs has been hit or miss and I’ve avoided him until now. He handled the hapless Astros a few days ago – 7 innings, 1 ER, 6 Ks. I like him for the whiff potential, and next week he’ll head to Seattle where the Mariners are batting a league-worst .210 at home and second to last in XBH.