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When streaming starting pitching in fantasy baseball, especially in leagues with moves limits, knowing who the two-start pitchers are is valuable information to have. Each week we will give you the rundown on who is in line for a big week and give you one option which is poised to make for a great streaming option for the week.
Some of the best pitchers in all of fantasy are getting two turns this week. Many fantasy owners drafted Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, and David Price to be the anchor of their fantasy staff. With a plethora of favorable matchups, you should be able to ride your horses to victory in Week 7. If you find yourself facing a couple of studs or just want some extra ammo, this next pitcher should be a priority move for you.
Jerad Eickhoff (MIA, ATL)
The Philadelphia Phillies are secretly building one of the best young rotations in baseball. Aaron Nola and Vincent Velasquez may get all the attention, deservedly so, but Eickhoff has been no slouch. While his counterparts are both owned in over 80% of Yahoo! leagues, Eickhoff flys under the radar with a 36% ownership rate. On the surface his numbers aren't that impressive, 1-5 record and a 4.42 ERA, but if we dig deeper Eickhoff may be waiver wire gold this week.
Given virtually no run support, 2.36 per game, Eickhoff had to toss seven shutout innings to earn his only win. In seven starts, the young Phillie has an 8.0 K/9 rate compared to only eight walks in 40 plus innings. Take away an ugly seven-run blasting by the Brewers and the 25-year-old would have a 3.30 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. If we take a look at his splits, Eickhoff appears to be in line for a big week.
Besides getting to face two of the worst run scoring teams in the National League, he also takes both turns at home where opponents are batting only .237 with 22 Ks in 20 innings this year. With Week 7 filled with a bevy of double-start aces, Eickhoff is the perfect weapon to have this week.
Aces
Madison Bumgarner (@SD, CHC)
Clayton Kershaw (LAA, @SD)
Max Scherzer (@NYM, @MIA)
Noah Syndergaard (WAS, MIL)
Through eight starts, Bumgarner has been showing a little less control than in years past. After handing out only 39 base on balls last season, the Giants' ace is up to 18 already and is on pace for a career-high. However, his extra wildness is causing extra swings and misses as batters have struck out 60 times, putting the right-hander 4th in the NL...Speaking of strikeouts, Scherzer became only the fourth pitcher in MLB history to K 20 batters in a game when he performed the feat aginst the Tigers on May 11. He will look to build on the record-tieing performance when he faces the swing-happy Mets, who rank 4th in the NL in strikeouts.
Lineup Locks
Cole Hamels (@OAK, @HOU)
David Price (@KC, CLE)
Danny Salazar (CIN, @BOS)
Marcus Stroman (TB, @MIN)
Jordan Zimmermann (MIN, TB)
Price's shift to hitter-friendly Fenway was expected to put a damper on his 2015 league leading 2.45 ERA, but through eight starts no one expected a 6.00 mark. While he is still getting the swings and misses, 12.2 K/9, opponents are hitting .271 with a .738 OPS...You can't blame Stroman for only one win in his last three starts. With only five earned runs allowed in his last 21 IP along with 22 strikeouts, the Blue Jays ace is rolling. Next up are the two worst scoring teams in the AL...Zimmermann started his Tigers career with 24.1 scoreless innings and a 5-0 start. With only five punchouts and a 0-2 record in his last two starts, the former National will look to get back on track against the run deficient Twins and Rays.
Solid Starts
Jaime Garcia (COL, ARI)
J.A. Happ (TB, @MIN)
Kyle Hendricks (@MIL, @SF)
Kenta Maeda (LAA, @SD)
Rick Porcello (@KC, CLE)
Drew Smyly (@TOR, @DET)
Back-to-back gems (14 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 13 K) from Garcia have dropped his ERA back under 3.00. Unfortunately, the Cardinals' southpaw has the unlucky task of facing off with two of the best offenses against lefties this week, the Rockies and D-backs...An unexpected perfect start for Happ, 5-0 record and 7-for-7 in quality starts has taken the lefty from waiver wire fodder to nearly 70% ownership percentage. With a 2.05 ERA and 1.16 WHIP and two cake matchups this week, Happ is a must pickup in any available league...Maybe teams have figured Maeda out; he has given up four HR and 10 ER in last 17.2 IP. If he continues to struggle against the light-hitting Angels and Padres this week, fantasy owners should be concerned.
Not a Sure Thing
Jose Berrios (@DET, TOR)
Dallas Keuchel (@CWS, TEX)
Juan Nicasio (ATL, COL)
Michael Pineda (@ARI, @OAK)
Carlos Rodon (HOU, KC)
Yordano Ventura (BOS, @CWS)
Keuchel was pegged as a top 15 SP this preseason after a dominating 2015 but has been an absolute bust as of late. Allowing five or more runs in four of his last five starts has caused his ERA to jump up to 5.58 on the season. Things won't get easier this week either as the Rangers and White Sox rank second and third overall in runs scored in the past seven days...Pineda has been hit or miss this year with three quality starts and three outings allowing six or more ER. He has also allowed nine HR and hitters are batting over .300 against him so far. Consider sitting him when the Yanks visit AZ... Giving up so many free passes, a league-leading 28 walks, along with a career-low strikeout rate, 6.3 K/9, has Ventura bordering on drop territory. Still only 24-years-old, hopefully, he can regain his form soon, especially with a couple of hot-hitting Sox on the docket this week.
Shot in the Dark
Adam Conley (@PHI, WAS)
Nathan Eovaldi (@ARI, @OAK)
Wade Miley (@BAL, @CIN)
Jonathon Niese (ATL, COL)
Tyler Wilson (SEA, @LAA)
A rookie surprise in 2015 with a 3.76 ERA and 7.9 K/9 rate in 11 starts, Conley has bested his numbers in his sophomore season. Through 36.1 IP, the Marlins lefty has struck out 38 and has limited hitters to a paltry .226 average. He also nearly threw a no-hitter against the Brewers but was pulled in the eighth and after 116 pitches thrown. Owned in only a third of leagues, he has a favorable matchup in Philly before a tough matchup with Scherzer and the Nationals next Sunday...Hard to recommend a pitcher with a 5.63 ERA, but bear in mind that Niese had the misfortune of having to make a start in Colorado, Arizona, and against the Cubs in three of his last four starts. Factor in a turn against everybody's whipping boy, the Braves and a 3.64 ERA in his other four starts, and the Pirates lefty could be a streamers delight this week.
No Thank You
Chase Anderson (CHC, @NYM)
Cody Anderson (CIN, @BOS)
Aaron Blair (@PIT, @PHI)
Derek Holland (@OAK, @HOU)
Phil Hughes (@DET, TOR)
John Lamb (@CLE, SEA)
Sean Manaea(TEX, NYY)
Williams Perez (@PIT, @PHI)
Robbie Ray (NYY, @STL)
Colin Rea (SF, LAD)
Chris Rusin (@STL, @PIT)
Matt Shoemaker (@LAD, BAL)
Alfredo Simon (@CLE, SEA)
Jered Weaver (@LAD, BAL)