The last week of the regular season will be a challenging one for fantasy baseball managers who want to aggressively stream their lineup. There are no teams who play seven games this week, and many clubs will limit the playing time of their key players. Wise managers will get to the waiver wire early to secure the top names on each of the three lists below.
Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)
Justin Verlander, Giants, 56% (vs. STL, vs. COL): Verlander is a sneaky and nostalgic option for the final week. After all, the 42-year-old could be making his final Major League starts and is scheduled for two favorable home matchups against the Cardinals and Rockies. St. Louis has scored the fewest runs of any team since the All-Star break and Colorado ranks last in runs scored on the road this season. Verlander has allowed one run in his past four starts and will surely want to go out with a bang before evaluating his options this offseason.
Michael McGreevy, Cardinals, 25% (@SF, @CHC): McGreevy has enjoyed two of his best starts of the season in his past two outings, allowing one run across 13 innings. He may have the lowest upside of anyone on this list, thanks to his 5.6 K/9 rate, but he uses his heavy groundball lean to limit damage (4.08 ERA) and regularly work deep into games. He’s a better option in points leagues but can also be considered by roto managers who are chasing wins.
Shane Smith, White Sox, 19% (@NYY, @WSH): Although Smith has been inconsistent since returning from the injured list on August 1, he has had enough good starts to log a 3.70 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across nine outings. He would normally be a good option for 12-team leagues, but his road start against a motivated and powerful Yankees squad is a strong deterrent against starting him in situations where protecting ratios is the top priority. If he makes it through that outing, Smith has a favorable matchup against the Nationals on Sunday.
Cristian Javier, Astros, 18% (@ATH, @LAA): Javier has been mediocre since his season debut on August 11, posting a 4.45 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across seven starts. And his 30:14 K:BB ratio reflects someone who isn’t dominating the strike zone. Given that Javier has low upside, and that Sutter Health Park is a tough place to pitch, he can stay on waivers in most leagues.
One-Start Streamers
In order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in brackets.
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Connelly Early vs. DET (Friday, 43%)
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Bubba Chandler @ATL (Saturday, 35%)
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Jason Alexander @LAA (Friday, 26%)
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Patrick Messick vs. DET (Wednesday, 37%)
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Jonah Tong @CHC (Wednesday, 24%)
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Jeffrey Springs vs. KC (Saturday, 35%)
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Luis Morales vs. KC (Friday, 36%)
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Stephen Kolek @LAA (Wednesday, 15%)
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Joey Wentz vs. PIT (Friday, 5%)
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Brandon Sproat @MIA (Friday, 24%)
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Ian Seymour @BAL (Wednesday, 24%)
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Slade Cecconi vs. TEX (Friday, 32%)
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Cade Cavalli vs. CWS (Friday, 12%)
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Michael Lorenzen @LAA (Wednesday, 10%)
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J.T. Ginn vs. HOU (Wednesday, 7%)
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Patrick Corbin @CLE (Saturday, 14%)
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Tyler Wells vs. TB (Wednesday, 28%)
Hitters with favorable matchups this week
Dominic Canzone, OF, Mariners, 4%: For the most part, fantasy managers want to find hitters on teams that are motivated to win this week. Such is the case with the Mariners, who could take their quest for an AL West crown all the way to the final day of the regular season. Canzone is the perfect waiver wire option, as the team will face five right-handers this week, and he has an .856 OPS in those matchups this season. Also, the first three games will come against a Rockies staff that ranks last in baseball in ERA. J.P. Crawford (15%) is another Mariners hitter to consider.
Jesus Sanchez, OF, Astros, 5%: For the same reason that managers will consider players on the Mariners, they should also look on the waiver wire for Houston hitters. The Astros may be motivated all the way until Sunday, and this week they have favorable hitting matchups, with five of their six games coming against right-handed starters. Sanchez has a lifetime .776 OPS against righties (.515 vs. lefties), which makes him a good option this week. Those who need steals may prefer Jake Meyers (6%), who is hitting .297 with 16 swipes in 337 at-bats.
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