Fantasy Baseball 2017: Top 3 Streaming Options for August 6

With very little long-term quality pitching on the waiver wire, the best way to make a move in the pitching categories is to use streaming options.

The starting pitching depth chart has been decimated by injuries since April. This has forced fantasy owners to mix and match pitchers from the waiver wire or make a trade they weren’t ready to make. With about two months left, it’s too late for that.Now, you have to

Now, you have to play the matchups. Find a starting pitcher on the waiver facing a bad enough opponent and enough skill to put up good numbers, a quality start if you will. There are a few pitchers with good matchups that you can exploit on Sunday, August 6. Here are three for you to choose from.

Hyun-jin Ryu @ NYM

Ryu hasn’t had the most success this season. With a 3.83 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, owners were smart to stay away from early in the season. However, he’s limited his runs allowed recently and has a good matchup that could be worth starting.

He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in five straight starts. His most recent start was against the San Francisco Giants. Ryu pitched seven shutout innings while allowing five hits, one walk and struck out five.

The Mets are hitting .251 (19th) with 508 runs scored (14th) since the All-Star break. They don’t have the most dangerous offense so if Ryu can control his pitches like he has over the last month, this could be another good start for him.

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Jeff Hoffman vs. PHI

Pitching in Coors Field doesn’t always lead to the best results and Hoffman’s stats prove that. He has an ERA over 5.00 and WHIP over 1.30. Prior to his start against the Mets (see?), Hoffman allowed a combined 13 runs on 16 hits and seven walks while striking out five in seven innings.

Though, I think he can build off his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies. They have scored just 428 runs with a .248 average in the second half. While I did talk about the Phillies middle infielders in my last post, the offense as a whole doesn’t scare me.

The only negative is that this start is in Colorado, so there may be a ball or two leaving the park. Let’s just hope it comes from the Rockies and not the visiting team.

Ubaldo Jimenez vs. DET

The veteran is improving in the second half. Jimenez had back-to-back starts with six runs allowed in a combined nine innings. He then pitched a quality start (6 IP/2 ER/9 K) against the Rays but ended with the loss. Jimenez continued his rise with a one-run outing over seven innings against the Royals.

Jimenez and the Orioles welcome the Detroit Tigers. The loss of J.D. Martinez to Arizona and struggles by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez help Jimenez’s chances at a good start.

He doesn’t allow many free passes but is prone to allowing double-digit hits. The Tigers are an offense that can rack them up, but also doesn’t score many runs. Jimenez is the biggest risk of the three, but who are your other options at this point?

Next: Angels Kaleb Cowart worth an add?

Streaming is a hit-or-miss strategy. There is a big risk involved. These pitchers obviously haven’t been good enough all season or else they would have been owned. The good thing is that if they pitch well you look like a genius. The bad is that the window of success is lower compared to the top-50 pitchers.

Then again, anything could happen. Just look at Bartolo Colon.

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