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Welcome back to Dixon’s Picks, our look at some fantasy waiver wire pitchers that might be worth streaming for a week. All pitchers should be treated at caution this time of the year, as we are officially in the dog days. Still, the situations are right to give all three of these guys a look.
Before we get to this week’s two-start fantasy waiver wire pitchers, let’s look at my season total after the week’s of Danny Duffy, Dallas Keuchel, and Charlie Morton.
Note: Those numbers do not include the Sunday performances of any pitcher. They will be changed upon completion of their games.
Now, what about this week’s guys?
- Tom Koehler, Miami Marlins — Probable Starts: Monday vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
The match-ups are positive this week. The Cardinals have just not put it together with the bats this year, at least not without any regularity. The Diamondbacks have been off pretty much all year and without Paul Goldschmidt, the match-up is even more fortuitous.
But Tom Koehler is not only a good play because of the opponents. His 2014 season hasn’t been bad by any means, but the last five starts have been very nice.
I doubt that the strikeout totals will be very high this week, but the odds are with Koehler to be productive everywhere else.
- Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays — Probable Starts: Tuesday at Texas Rangers, Sunday vs. New York Yankees
Sticking with the Florida theme for this one. Unlike Koehler, much of the confidence in Jeremy Hellickson comes from his last start against Oakland. While that’s not much of a sample, shutting down a team like that in only your fourth start of the season is a little tough to ignore.
I will grant this. At the beginning of the 2014 season, a week against the Rangers and Yankees wouldn’t have been an especially pitcher-friendly one. Having said that, things have just not completely clicked for either team this year.
I don’t have quite the same confidence with Hellickson that I did with Koehler, but I do see a good week from him.
- Collin McHugh, Houston Astros — Probable Starts: Tuesday vs. Minnesota Twins, Sunday at Boston Red Sox
The win-loss record hasn’t been there for Collin McHugh this year, but he’s pitched exceptionally well throughout 2014.
I’m completely on the bandwagon this week.
Unfortunately, we can’t completely ignore the lack of wins, as plenty of leagues still count them. Having said that, we’re still at a point in the year when we don’t need to worry about an individual stat and go for the complete package. In a few weeks, that will be different.
So again, I don’t love the prospects of a strong win-loss record this week, but I do think McHugh has a good overall week.