Fantasy Baseball Streamers - Waiver Wire Picks for Thursday 7/29

July 29, 2021

Top daily fantasy baseball streamers and waiver wire adds for 7/29/21. Dave Swan identifies MLB hitters and starting pitchers to stream based on matchups.

Baseball is back, and fantasy managers in daily leagues, no doubt, already have holes to fill with streamers. Fortunately, RotoBaller has you covered with daily fantasy baseball streaming picks.

Each day, RotoBaller will provide you with some of the best streaming options to consider in fantasy baseball daily leagues. Additionally, these recommendations can be useful for fantasy managers setting MLB DFS lineups. 

We have a 10-game slate Thursday, with a double-header. Fortunately, there are quite a few streamable players, with 20 teams taking the field. This article will use rostered percentages and position eligibility from Yahoo! leagues.

Hitter Streamers for 7/29 - Shallow Leagues

Andrew Vaughn (1B/OF, CWS) - 42% rostered

Matchup: @ RHP Carlos Hernandez

The White Sox top prospect has been much better against LHP, but the ballclub needs to keep Vaughn in the lineup due to injuries. The splits concern me less because he is such a young player and learning as he goes. Remember, Vaughn didn't have a full MiLB season to get right. He's been tremendous as of late. In July, he touts a .910 OPS with four HRs. Lastly, he gets to face Carlos Hernandez, who has control issues and allows a ton of base runners(1.66 WHIP in 28.1 IP).

Jonathan Villar (2B/3B/SS, NYM) - 32% rostered

Matchup: vs. LHP Drew Smyly

Villar draws an interesting matchup against Smyly, who has struggled immensely throughout the season. He is striking out less than 21% of batters and walking nearly 9%. Additionally, Villar could be a decent spot for Nimmo to get a day off, and Villar takes the leadoff role. He's showcasing a bit more pop(10 HR) than we are used to seeing but still swiping bags(8 SB) like expect. Rarely do we find someone that can help in this many categories off the wire.

Josh Harrison (2B/3B/OF, WAS) - 26% rostered

Matchup: @ RHP Zack Wheeler, @ RHP Vince Velasquez

There is a double-header slated for Harrison today. This could be a nice little spot for Harrison to start in both games if Trea Turner is not available. In such a case, he likely gets bumped into the two-hole behind Juan Soto; always a nice spot to hit if you can get on base. Harrison's .285 BA and .36o OBP should make him a juicy target for both of those categories and runs.

Hunter Renfroe (OF, BOS) - 47% rostered

Matchup: vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu

Renfroe is the power bat you want to stream. He carries a 13.4% barrel rate and .422 xwOBAcon on the season. Additionally, he demolishes LHP to the tune with a .462 SLG% and .846 OPS. Also, he squares off against Ryu, who is terrific if the changeup is working. However, if he can't get a feel for the pitch, the walks pile up, and the ball leaves the yard. It could get ugly in Boston if that happens, so let's hope the weather holds off and Renfroe gets a hold of one.

Hitter Streamers for 7/29 - Deeper Leagues

Jose Iglesias (SS, LAA) - 8% rostered

Matchup: vs. RHP Frankie Montas

Montas has been stout lately, so it's a more difficult spot to stream. However, it has been one of the hottest hitters on the planet. In the last month, he is 30-for-87 with a .874 OPS. The crazy part is there are the .874 OPS because Iglesias is not well-regarded for the power. While I wouldn't expect that to continue, the ability to spray the ball all over the yard and collect runs makes him worthy of a streamer pick.

Austin Hays (OF, BAL) - 12% rostered

Matchup: @ RHP Casey Mize

Hays has firmly landed in the two-hole for Baltimore, so when they go off for an abundance of runs, Hays is typically in the mix. But what he really has going for him is a full array of skills. He touts the 69th percentile in barrel% while also showcasing the 56th percentile in sprint speed. He shows the power by putting ten balls over the fence, and there is some sneaky speed lurking.

Pitcher Streamers for 7/29 - Deeper Leagues

Alec Mills (SP, CHC) - 6% rostered

Matchup: vs. Cincinnati Reds

Due to small slate constraints, the options are lacking a bit. We have some decent names that could garner some attention, but the matchups will be problematic. So, we are going to take a streaming pick for Alec Mills against the Reds. Mills is more of a safe play with less strikeout upside.

For starters, the Reds are without Nick Castellanos, who is clearly their best hitter. Additionally, Tyler Stephenson will have to serve as a bench bat because Luis Castillo is pitching. Castillo prefers to have Tucker Barnhart as hit catcher. So, we could see a slightly depleted lineup and a touch more swing-and-miss from the Reds.

On the flip side, Mills has been a decent streaming SP lately. The biggest reason for that is the lack of base runners, as shown by his 1.08 WHIP last month. Mills likes to keep pound the zone and edges, so improved command will only help him so much. The Cubs don't let him go past five innings, so be mindful if you're in a quality start league. Lastly, this looks like a low-scoring affair, so this is a great stream for rations. Just don't count on Mills to rack up the Ks.

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