3 Streaming Options for Sunday
By Bill Pivetz
May 12, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson (44) during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
This baseball season is flying by. Week 6 is almost over. It’s around this time that you begin to make moves and drop struggling players in favor of successful ones. If you need a quick boost for your matchup this week, especially in your pitching categories, there are plenty of option out there. Here are three pitchers I suggest using as a streaming option on Sunday.
All three pitchers are owned in less than 35 percent of ESPN.com leagues.
James Paxton, vs. BOS
Paxton has not pitched that well this season. He has a 1-2 record with a 4.31 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. His offensive teammates have not provided him with much run support in his starts this season. Luckily for him, the Seattle Mariners travel east and face a struggling Boston Red Sox lineup. After 36 games, the Red Sox rank 27th in batting average (.231) and 18th in on-base percentage (.312). In the month of May, the team has hit just 10 home runs and 33 RBI with a .207 average. Paxton has pitched well enough and allowed two or fewer runs in his last four outings. While he may not get the win (c’mon Nelson Cruz), he can make it through six innings and get the quality starts. With the Red Sox lineup not hitting for power now, he becomes a nice sleeper streaming option.
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Chris Heston, @ CIN
This is a player I’ve picked in April, but he burned me. Bad. Hopefully, he will be better this time around. Heston pitched a lights-out game in his last outing, pitching a complete game, allowing one run on two hits and no walks while recording 10 strikeouts. That lowered his ERA to 2.91 and WHIP to 1.67. Though, his inconsistency hasn’t been fun for fantasy owners. Heston has allowed five or more runs in two of his starts, but also has four starts in which he’s allowed just one earned run. His matchup against the Cincinnati Reds could be a reach. The offense is hitting a .262/.339/.406 line in May, 14th/eighth/17th, respectively. With Hunter Pence back in the lineup, he should get some run support should he allow three runs in this outing.
Kyle Gibson, vs. TB
Gibson is the best pitcher on this list, yet widely available in ESPN leagues. In seven starts this season, he has a 3-2 record with a 2.70 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and five quality starts. He has now given up just one run over his last three starts (21.0 innings). He had a season-high six strikeouts last outing, so don’t expect many strikeouts from him. The Tampa Bay Rays .234 batting average in the month of May. Gibson was able to keep top-tier offenses like the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics in check, so he should not have any problems with the Rays. He is my lock of the day as my top streaming option. He will finish with three hits, one walk, one earned run in 7.2 innings.