The following players are currently owned in less than 60% of ESPN and/or Yahoo leagues as of posting time, and percentages are rounded to the nearest number.
Friday, June 23
First games start at 7:05 PM EDT
Trevor Bauer: While his total stats on the season still aren’t very pretty (5.54 ERA, 1.43 WHIP), Bauer has still shown the ‘top of the rotation’ stuff and capabilities he was praised with when he rose through Arizona’s farm system. His last start was especially promising as he allowed just two runs through seven innings, and he also struck out eight hitters in that game as well. Over his last two starts (12.2 innings) he owns a 2.84 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, a 9.2 K/9 rate, and he has allowed a .217 batting average against in that span as well. Friday’s start comes at home against the Twins, and there are a few guys on that team that have given him some trouble – Joe Mauer (.357, 1 HR, 6 RBI), Eddie Rosario (.444, 1 HR, 5 RBI), and Kennys Vargas (.538, 1 HR, 4 RBI). But for each guy that has given Bauer trouble, there is another that he has dominated – Brian Dozier (.115), Miguel Sano (.067), and Eduardo Escobar (.091). Bauer has another chance to keep moving in the right direction in this start, and he definitely has the ability to make that happen. He is owned in 35% of ESPN leagues (SP only), and in 45% of Yahoo leagues (SP/RP eligible).
Patrick Corbin: After a few rough starts in May, Corbin has turned his performance in the right direction over his last two starts. His last start – which came against the same Phillies team he’ll be facing on Friday – was his first quality start in over a month, going six full frames and allowing just two runs while striking out five. In the start before that he was one out away from another quality start, as he gave up three runs and struck out eight in 5.2 innings against the Padres. His numbers have been better at home, owning a 3.45 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and a .277 BAA when he pitches in the desert sun. He has also pitched pretty well against Philadelphia with a career 1.19 WHIP, .232 BAA, and .259 BABIP in games that he has faced them. This is looking like a good game for fantasy owners to pick up Corbin, and he should be able to deliver another quality outing today. He is owned in 17% of ESPN leagues, 19% of Yahoo leagues, and is SP/RP eligible on both sites.
Others to watch: Ty Blach (16% ESPN, 15% Yahoo, SP/RP eligible for both) took a step in the right direction his last time out, posting a quality start in Coors Field. His 6.2 inning, two run performance looked very similar to his stretch of five straight quality starts from mid-May to early June, and he has a good shot at building on that as he faces a Mets team that is just floundering at this point. Blach is a very good streaming option for Friday… Jharel Cotton (7% ESPN, 21% Yahoo) pitched much better his last time out, posting a quality start against the Yankees’ potent offense. In 6.1 innings against them he struck out six batters, and allowed just three runs to cross. He goes up against the Chicago White Sox, and while they have made decent contact, they are still near the bottom of the AL in home runs (82, 13th) and walks (179, 14th).
Saturday, June 24
First game starts at 1:05 PM EDT
Tyler Chatwood: Chatwood goes up against the Dodgers on Saturday, and admittedly it looks to be a tough matchup on paper with Clayton Kershaw on the mound and young left-handed mashers Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager in the lineup. Despite those inconveniences, Chatwood still has the potential to put up a monster outing. In his last five road starts he has allowed a total of five runs across 32 innings, and he has 29 K’s during that span as well. In total on the season he has posted much better numbers away from Coors Field, owning a 2.41 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, .183 BAA, and a .198 BABIP in eight road games. In addition to his general road prowess he has shown an affinity for pitching at Dodger Stadium as well, with a 1.62 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a .180/.278/.248 slash line against him. Chatwood is owned in 35% of ESPN leagues and 37% of Yahoo leagues.
Ben Lively: Lively has been very good for the Phillies, posting a quality start in each of his first four major league games. If he puts up another one against the D-Backs on Saturday he will become the first Phillies pitcher to post five straight quality starts to kick off his major league career since 1943 (per MLB). He does face a tough test in Arizona, but he still has a good chance to get the job done, especially when you factor in that his last start was a quality outing against this same Arizona team. In that game he allowed three earned runs over six innings, and put up career bests with six K’s and just one walk. Lively is owned in 4% of ESPN leagues and 9% of Yahoo leagues.
Others to watch: Matt Garza (6% on ESPN and Yahoo) has lost his May mojo having not completed six innings since May 17 against San Diego. Despite his recent struggles and an inflated 4.42 ERA, he still owns a solid 1.29 WHIP on the season. Saturday’s start comes on the road at Atlanta, and he posted a quality start against them earlier this year with a 6.2 inning, two run, seven strikeout outing… Dinelson Lamet (7% and SP/RP eligible on ESPN, 9% and SP only on Yahoo) posted his first major league quality start last time out with a six inning, three run outing against the Brewers. Arguably the most impressive thing about that outing was his 12 strikeouts, and that is right in line with the big K potential he has shown in his five big league starts. As long as he limits walks and keeps punching guys out left and right, he is a great high-strikeout streamer.
Sunday, June 25
First games start at 1:10 PM EDT
Mike Montgomery: It hasn’t really mattered what role he pitches in, whether he starts the game or comes in later on in relief. His numbers out of the rotation (2.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 7.8 K/9) have been right in line with his season totals (2.26 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .212 BAA). Montgomery is proving that he belongs in Chicago’s rotation, especially after posting his first quality start of the season his last time out. That game was great for a guy who started the year in the bullpen, posting six shutout innings while striking out four hitters on just 75 pitches. Montgomery will go up against the Marlins during Sunday’s series finale, and his last appearance against them this year saw him go 3.1 shutout innings out of relief while picking up his second save of the year. He is owned in 14% of ESPN leagues, 28% of Yahoo leagues, and is SP/RP eligible on both sites.
Matt Moore: His overall numbers don’t look that great at first glance – 5.82 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, and a .340 BABIP. But Moore is one of several pitchers with polar opposite home/road splits. In six starts at AT&T Park he has a 3.07 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a .229 BAA. He has faced the Mets on one previous occasion this year, and in that game he allowed three runs over 5.1 innings with five strikeouts to go with it. As long as he is pitching at home (and against a struggling Mets team) it should be safe to plug him into your lineup.
Others to watch: You can’t go wrong with either starting pitcher in Sunday’s game between the Astros and the Mariners. Both team’s offenses have been rolling lately, but the scheduled starting pitchers will have plenty to say about what will happen in this matchup. Brad Peacock (38% ESPN, 53% Yahoo, SP/RP eligible for both) has been a strikeout machine this year, and it has been magnified by his emergence in Houston’s rotation. The numbers since joining the rotation include a 3.81 ERA, .212 BAA, and a giant 14 K/9 rate, and the season totals are just as impressive – 2.82 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 13.3 K/9 rate, and a .182/.297/.258 slash line to boot. On the flip side, Ariel Miranda (46% and SP/RP eligible on ESPN, 43% and SP only on Yahoo) has been dominant at Safeco this year. In 7 starts at home he owns a 2.20 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a .182/.238/.278 slash line against him. In two games against the Astros this year he has allowed six runs over 10.2 innings, but he has pitched much better of late (three quality starts in his last four games) and the Mariners offense could keep him in it.
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