May 17 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Streamers: Kyle Gibson, James Paxton, Kyle Hendricks and More
A look at Friday's probable starters who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups.
With very few viable streamers yesterday, I re-evaluated the best teams to attack with opposing pitchers in fantasy baseball based on both recent and season-long performances. You’d be able to guess most of the teams that stood out (the Marlins, Pirates, etc.); it’s still nice to have some statistical reasoning behind targeting those squads, though.
Let’s run through Friday’s probable starters (according to MLB.com) who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups, creating streaming value. Most stats and rankings are from MLB. The full streamer rankings are listed at the bottom.
Explore the best in-season tool to manage lineup/start decisions including waiver pickups, projections, trade suggestions, trade value charts, rest of season rankings, power rankings, and tons more with Fantasy Assistant. Use our fantasy baseball trade analyzer and trade value charts to break down trade scenarios and weekly projections to find the best fantasy options.
Kyle Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox
Boston is better over the full season but has been struggling recently. A lack of power has been one of the biggest issues, and Red Sox hitters have also been striking out as often as nearly any team.
Gibson isn’t a strikeout pitcher, but he isn’t too far below league average and could benefit from Boston’s swing-and-miss ways. He doesn’t really stand out in any facet: Gibson is close to an average pitcher.
Gibson is a low- to mid-level streamer without a ton of upside. The matchup makes him OK to put in your lineup, but he’s unlikely to make a big impact.
Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh’s season-long numbers show a team that doesn’t excel in any area, as they are near the bottom five in every slash category (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS). The Pirates haven’t reached even a middling level most of the season.
The lack of offensive prowess from Pittsburgh is the only thing putting Hendricks here. The former Cy Young contender has seen his strikeout rate plummet and ERA spike: Hendricks has allowed 29 runs in 26 innings.
Hendricks is a low-level streamer only worth the last spot in your lineup if you’re desperate. He has lost most of the magic that made him a star near the end of last decade.
Ryne Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Detroit Tigers
Nelson gives up too many hits and doesn’t strike out enough batters. He helps himself by not walking hitters, but Nelson tops out as a middling pitcher without a standout trait.
Like with Hendricks, Nelson is here because of the matchup. Though Detroit has won more and had a small stretch of success, the offense has mainly been a bottom-10 unit. The Tigers are closer to average in terms of batter walks and strikeouts, but they are well below average in most other areas.
Nelson is a low-level streamer. He has been better than the worst streamers (Hendricks), but he doesn’t have much of a ceiling, even with the good matchup.
James Paxton, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds
Unlike many streamers that end up on this list, Paxton has excelled at striking batters out in his career. That talent has disappeared in 2024 (just 22 strikeouts and 24 walks in 38.1 innings), leaving Paxton with a bleak outlook.
The results have played out in his favor, as Paxton holds a tidy 2.58 ERA this year, but that won’t hold if he doesn’t improve his K/BB ratio. Luckily, the Reds offer one of the better matchups in the league, ranking in the bottom 10 in every slash category and seeing mostly disappointment outside of Elly De La Cruz.
Paxton is a mid-level streamer because of his past strikeout work and the matchup. He would rise a level if he found some of his old magic, but Paxton is still a valuable fantasy starter in this one.
Christian Scott, New York Mets @ Miami Marlins
Scott made his big league debut this season and started hot: He has struck out 14 hitters in 12.2 innings while walking just three and giving up four runs. He was strong against the Rays but struggled a little against Atlanta; the Marlins offer a much easier matchup.
Miami has performed poorly and already began tearing the team down, trading Luis Arraez a few weeks back and not seeing anyone else really step up. Things might get worse despite already being a hopeless situation.
Scott is a mid- to high-level streamer against the Marlins. His strikeout work gives him upside, but Scott's lack of a track record keeps him from the highest streaming levels.
Friday Streamer Rankings
- Christian Scott, NYM
- James Paxton, LAD
- Kyle Gibson, STL
- Ryne Nelson, ARI
- Kyle Hendricks, CHC
