Fantasy Baseball: Streaming Pitchers and Pitch Mix Changes to Watch

Welcome to your ultimate destination for fantasy baseball starting pitchers. In this weekly column, we’ll dive into the best streaming options available and analyze some pitchers who are making intriguing adjustments to their pitch mix. This week, we’re spotlighting Robby Snelling, Griffin Jax, Griffin Canning, and Christian Scott.

As you consider which pitchers to stream, remember that your choices will depend on your league type and settings. This list features starters who are rostered in less than 40% of Yahoo formats, ensuring we focus on those who might be available to help your team. Let’s get started.

Monday

With a limited slate of games, streaming choices are scarce. However, I have a strong preference for Joey Cantillo in his matchup. His changeup has been a key factor; when located effectively, he can succeed against any lineup. Peter Lambert faces a tougher test but has performed well for Houston. Meanwhile, Alek Manoah will be pitching in bulk relief innings, though I’m not ready to start him anywhere just yet.

Tuesday

Tuesday’s options lack standout candidates. Walbert Urena has shown promise but remains a risky choice, especially with Cleveland throwing multiple lefties against him. Andre Pallante is in a challenging ballpark, and neither Brady Singer nor Brandon Sproat has pitched well enough recently to inspire confidence. The rest of the pitchers listed are primarily matchup plays.

Wednesday

Reid Detmers will need his changeup to be effective against a solid Guardians offense, which gives me pause, yet I’m willing to trust him. Christian Scott faces a Tigers lineup that hits righties well, though I still like his potential. Griffin Jax, now being stretched out as a starter, and Noah Schultz, who has been inconsistent, add uncertainty. J.T. Ginn had a strong last outing, but starting him in Sacramento seems risky.

Thursday

Thursday is the best day for streaming this week. Connor Prielipp hasn’t gone beyond five innings yet, but he’s thrown over 90 pitches in consecutive games, despite his defense failing him last time out. Chase Dollander is always a solid pick on the road, and Carmen Mlodzinski gets the benefit of facing the Rockies outside of Coors Field. After the nerves of his MLB debut, Robby Snelling could also perform well. Mike Burrows is starting to find his rhythm, and while Ben Brown has excelled in a multi-inning relief role, he hasn’t added any new pitches to his mix.

Friday

There’s news about Brandon Woodruff working his way back, but with a cyst issue in his shoulder, Logan Henderson should feel secure in his rotation spot for now. Janson Junk is also pitching well enough to be a trustworthy option in favorable matchups.

Saturday

Saturday presents another challenging day for streaming, with many ace pitchers on the mound. Kendry Rojas is intriguing but has inconsistent command, while Cade Cavalli struggles with his one dominant pitch and average secondary offerings.

Sunday

Joey Cantillo benefits from a favorable matchup against the Reds on the road this week. We can also expect improved second starts for Peter Lambert, Andre Pallante, and Stephen Kolek. Lucas Giolito’s debut is on the horizon, but starting him might be a gamble given his first outing of the season and a lackluster minor league performance.

Griffin Jax is transitioning to the rotation, which means changes to his pitch mix. He has seen growth in his pitches since joining Tampa Bay, particularly with his four-seam fastball. While we anticipated a drop in velocity moving from the bullpen, his fastball is only down one mph, and he’s added height-adjusted vertical movement. However, he’s also missing up in the zone more frequently, a trend he’ll need to address.

This season, Jax has introduced a curveball, primarily against lefties, achieving a remarkable 36.4% PutAway Rate. He’s adjusted his cutter usage to attack lefties more effectively, though it’s yielding weak contact rather than strikeouts. Additionally, his sweeper usage has decreased significantly as he adapts to starting, which is a notable change from last year.

Griffin Canning has made two starts with the Padres, and despite a disappointing last outing, he’s altering his pitch mix. He’s increased his changeup usage to nearly 40%, while his slider has seen a significant drop. This strategy raises questions, especially since his slider has historically been effective. The changeup has improved in movement, but its effectiveness varies against lefties and righties.

Christian Scott’s performance this year shows promise, notably with his extension and fastball usage. He’s throwing the four-seamer more frequently in the zone, leading to an uptick in swinging strikes. However, his cutter and sinker are also part of his arsenal, and while the sweeper has potential, he needs to improve his strike rate.

Robby Snelling’s MLB debut may not have yielded stellar statistics, but his pitch execution was impressive. His four-seam fastball, curveball, and changeup combinations show promise, particularly with the curveball serving as a potential weapon against both righties and lefties. As he settles into his role, expect better results moving forward.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.