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Bryce Harper, at 22 years old, is a man amongst boys. Yesterday in Chicago he hit his thirteenth home run in twenty-two days. Not games. Days. Right now it seems like the only time he won’t go yard is when the Nationals have an off day. He is now tied for the league lead with 18 long balls. The NL Player of the Month award for May is a mere formality at this point.
What’s most astonishing is the equality he is giving every pitcher and every fan in the bleachers. Right handed pitchers are getting absolutely demolished by his bat to the tune of .838 SLG, .531 wOBA and an incredible .486 ISO. These splits against RHPs are bordering on absurd. Southpaws aren’t doing that much better against the kid either. With a 15.4% HR/FB and .429 woBA, he is living the idea that no pitcher is safe. Even fans are reaping the benefits of his socialism swatting. Of all his dingers, three have gone as souvenirs to left field, three to left-center, four to straight-away center, six to the power alley and two have been pulls to right field. Just two.
It seems that the only thing that can stop Bryce Harper is, well, Brycer Harper. He has always shown his emotions on his sleeve and is not afraid to go all out on any play. This is his gift and his curse. That type of raw emotion has caused him to be ejected twice this year for arguing balls and strikes. Though that may not seem like a lot, and some ejections in his past have been questionable, it appears he is getting a bit of a persona amongst major league umpires. It is safe to say that the Nationals will absolutely need him this summer, especially with Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth out for extended amounts of time. Perhaps Harper should think twice about staying in the game before he gets into any on-field discussion.
Below are some of my starting pitcher streamer sleepers for the second half of Week 8 to consider adding off your league’s waiver wire. Some of these SP options can be considered sleepers for your team depending on the league format and depth, including NL-Only, AL-Only and head-to-head formats.
Thursday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Nick Martinez (TEX v. BOS) - Ownership: 40% Yahoo!, 25% Fleaflicker
A starting pitcher that typically has a low K rate, an above average walk rate, and a low (lucky) opposing BABIP, like Martinez, is headed toward regression. There’s no telling when it will blow up on Martinez. However, Boston has looked downright brutal with the bats as they rank in the bottom third in most offensive categories.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Kendall Graveman (OAK v. NYY) - Ownership: 3% Yahoo!, 5% Fleaflicker
We had high hopes for Graveman at the beginning of the year and he proceeded to get shellacked in his five starts. A short stint in Triple A may have helped him clear his mind and work on his command. He kept batters in check with a .241 BABIP and a 1.85 ERA. Fingers crossed that it will translate in his next start.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Chris Heston (SFG v. ATL) - Ownership: 25% Yahoo!, 24% Fleaflicker
Night games in AT&T Park are notorious for being pitcher friendly. And the home and away splits for Heston are sort of night and day. At home, Heston owns a 2.77 ERA despite giving up a .333 BABIP. Meanwhile the Braves will enter the game having scored only 42 runs in the last two weeks.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Friday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Chad Bettis (COL at PHI) - Ownership: 0% Yahoo!, 2% Fleaflicker
Normally starting pitchers on the Colorado staff are supposed to be better away from Coors Field. However, Bettis’ peripherals are actually stronger on the road. Of course most of that sample size comes from his first start in Los Angeles. The Phillies aren’t quite as strong as the Dodgers and the pitch-to-contact pitching mentality of Bettis will work right in his favor against a Philadelphia team that typically does not strike out.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Lance McCullers (HOU v. CHW) - Ownership: 25% Yahoo!, 7% Fleaflicker
At some point the White Sox bats will wake up. So far, however, they have not been exactly lighting up right-handed pitching. Their 89 wRC+ is good enough for twentieth among all teams. McCullers also may just be a strong, young talent. He has a strong K rate (25.0 %) and opponents own an average .310 BABIP against him. He does have a high BB rate, however.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Mike Bolsinger (LAD at STL) - Ownership: 50% Yahoo!, 17% Fleaflicker
Any starting pitcher for the Dodgers will garner immediate attention off the waiver wire simply due to the win probability. With the loss of Matt Adams of up to four months, it will be real interesting to see how the Cardinals’ bats respond. Bolsinger’s peripherals determine that his fantasy numbers will balloon, but he is still good enough to beat the Cardinals.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Saturday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Jon Niese (NYM v. MIA) - Ownership: 16% Yahoo!, 11% Fleaflicker
The Dan Jennings factor will be alive and well in Queens over the weekend and fantasy players around the world should take notice. It’s almost sad what is happening with the Marlins. A team with arguably the best player on the planet is surrounded by enough talent to succeed, but this team is just not hitting. Over the last two weeks, Miami is 28th in OBP, 29th in SLG, and last in OPS and wRC+.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Shaun Marcum (CLE at SEA) - Ownership: 2% Yahoo!, 6% Fleaflicker
Marcum will bring a bunch of strikeouts for his fantasy owners against the Mariners, but his walk rate is too high and the Mariners have a few bats that can take advantage of mistakes. Safeco Field can hold in a lot of fly balls, however Marcum’s 29.4% HR/FB rate is too absurd.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Charlie Morton (PIT at SD) - Ownership: 4% Yahoo!, 3% Fleaflicker
In his first start of the year after coming off a hip injury, Morton went seven strong innings and did want he does best by inducing 83.3% of all batted balls on the ground. Of course it was against the Dan Jennings-led Miami Marlins, but it is still major league competition. Morton will against start in a pitcher-friendly park on Saturday night.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Sunday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Eddie Butler (COL at PHI) - Ownership: 1% Yahoo!, 3% Fleaflicker
Walks, walks, walks. Butler is actually walking more batters than striking them out this season, a recipe that is always cause for disaster. Philadelphia’s offense isn’t great, but they’re definitely good enough to take advantage of a few free passes. Stream in only the deepest of leagues.
Matchup Rating: Desperate Stream
Chase Anderson (ARI at MIL) - Ownership: 22% Yahoo!, 16% Fleaflicker
The Diamondbacks’ young starter has looked solid in nine starts this season. With a 3.14 FIP and a 1.11 WHIP, and only being owned in no more than a quarter of all leagues, Anderson is amongst the best streaming options of the second half of the week against a lowly Milwaukee squad.
Matchup Rating: Must Stream
Drew Hutchison (TOR at MIN) - Ownership: 45% Yahoo!, 19% Fleaflicker
Is Hutch back? After giving up a gaggle of runs in the first month of the season, it seems Hutchison is making his way toward number one starter status with the Blue Jays. If there was ever a team that needed a bona fide number one starter, it’s Toronto. Be careful of Minnesota, though. They have some bats that can get hot in a hurry against strikeout pitchers.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
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