Below are some of the starting pitcher streaming sleepers for the second half of Week 11 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. Each day presents several juicy matchups that a smart fantasy owner could exploit to Arthur Chu their way to victory.
Thursday SP Streamers
Josh Tomlin (CLE at BOS)
The definition of a road warrior, Tomlin is one of the best bargain pickups off the waiver wire this week. He’s only owned in 12% of Yahoo! and 10% of ESPN leagues, so he should be available in most leagues.
He owns a ridiculous 15.00 K/BB rate on the road, so you can disregard Boston’s ability to get on base via the free pass.
The Red Sox are in the lower third of all teams in creating runs against righties and sub-par in creating runs at home. Don’t be afraid of the individual matchup either-- current Red Sox are a combined 8-for-38 against Tomlin.
MATCHUP RATING: Must Stream
Chase Whitley (NYY at SEA)
Ownership: 6% Yahoo!, 2% ESPN. Is it possible that a poor slider-hitting team in a pitcher’s park could put up strong numbers against a pitcher that has been sensational with the slider? Don’t count on it. Look for the Yankee rookie to continue his strong start.
MATCHUP RATING: Solid Stream
Roenis Elias (SEA at NYY)
Ownership: 24% Yahoo!, 10% ESPN. It seems that since mid-May Elias has figured out that he can get away with giving up fly balls at cavernous Safeco Field. The Yankees aren’t hitting for power against lefties this year as their 6.9% HR/FB rate shows, so it’s a safe assumption they won’t start in Seattle.
MATCHUP RATING: Solid Stream
Friday SP Streamers
Drew Hutchison (TOR at BAL)
Ownership: 28% Yahoo!, 13% ESPN. Hutchison has been terrible at home but tremendous on the road. Away from Toronto, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hutch is striking out 22.2% of all hitters, yielding a .208 BAA and is only allowing up a home run every other start. He is a fly ball pitcher, so it’s best to wait and see if it’s a humid day in Baltimore.
MATCHUP RATING: Risky Stream
Bartolo Colon (NYM vs. SD)
So it looks like we’ve found Hutchison’s Dr. Jekyll. Colon, owned in 29% of Yahoo! and 32% of ESPN leagues, has been nothing short of sensational at Citi Field. Although batters are hitting .236 against him in New York, Colon has a 13.50 K/BB rate, 24.1% K rate and 1.02 WHIP. Offensively the Padres….well, the Padres have basically looked like something that has come out of Bartolo’s colon. Against righties, they have a high K rate, low OPS and not a lot of HR.
MATCHUP RATING: Solid Stream
Chase Anderson (ARI at LAD)
Ownership: 16% Yahoo!, 9% ESPN. Better take notice of Anderson now because he may not be available in two weeks. He’s starting to come into his own in June and has been solid on the road. Unfortunately, the Dodgers have roughed him up in the past and he’ll be squaring off against none other than Clayton Kershaw. A win will be hard to come by.
MATCHUP RATING: Risky Stream
Saturday SP Streamers
Danny Duffy (KC at CHW)
Ownership: 10% Yahoo!, 2% ESPN. Duff Man is thrusting in the direction of the plate! Oh yeah! If there’s anything that The Simpsons has taught us, it’s that you can trust Duff Man….sort of. He’s a solid pitcher on the road but won’t go deep into games and will be starting in a hitter’s park facing a bunch of mashers. If there is good news it’s the Sox have been striking out a ton this year.
MATCHUP RATING: Desperate Stream
Henderson Alvarez (MIA vs. PIT)
Ownership: 29% Yahoo!, 21% ESPN. Alvarez has been too good to not start this year, but there’s a couple of factors in play against him. He got hurt in his last start against the Cubs, so there is a possibility he is still injured and/or he gets bumped another day. More importantly, the Pirates are actually in the top third of the league in creating runs against right handers, and they’re doing it without the long ball. That bodes well for the Buccos in large Marlins Park. Besides, do you trust anyone to win a one-on-one matchup against Andrew McCutchen right now?
MATCHUP RATING: Risky Stream
Sunday SP Streamers
Daisuke Matsuzaka (NYM vs. SD)
Welcome back (officially), Daisuke! Owned in only 5% of Yahoo! and 2% of ESPN leagues, Matsuzaka is striking out-- and unfortunately, walking-- a high number of batters at home. And apparently the only way batters are getting on base is by his free passes, because he’s yielding a miniscule .111 BAA. Taking the San Diego matchup isn’t exactly a roll of the Dais (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun), but if there’s any team that knows how to win on only one hit, it’s San Diego. Just ask Francisco Liriano.
MATCHUP RATING: Solid Stream
Brandon Workman (BOS vs. CLE)
Workman recently pitched-- and earned the big L-- against the Indians on June 4, but he actually played very well. He’s almost available in all leagues (2% ownership in Yahoo!, 0% in ESPN leagues), so it shouldn’t be too hard to pick him up. Workman’s best attribute is his ability to give up as little fly balls as possible in Fenway Park and the results have paid off. Though the Indians are the best in creating runs, most of their run creation comes via the long ball. Don’t anticipate Workman to give those up.
MATCHUP RATING: Solid Stream