June 12 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Streamers: Javier Assad, Aaron Civale, Reese Olson and More
A look at Wednesday's probable starters who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups.
It’s easy to lose track of the baseball season. Days and games run together, especially with three- and four-game series taking place in close succession, pitting two teams against each other often in a short timeframe. Even while looking at stats and pitchers every day, I miss things that are happening right under my nose.
To keep our focus in at least one area, let’s look at Wednesday'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 and correct prior to Tuesday’s outcomes. The full streamer rankings are listed at the bottom.
Javier Assad, Chicago Cubs @ Tampa Bay Rays
Aaron Civale, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago Cubs
Two guys here facing each other, each backed by a lineup that was expected to excel but is instead in the bottom half of the league in most areas. The Cubs have been a little better, especially hitting for power, most notably sitting right near the middle in runs scored, home runs, slugging percentage and OPS. They are in the bottom six in hits and batting average, though, not showing a lot of consistency.
The Rays are wildly disappointing, ranking in the bottom five in runs scored, slugging percentage and OPS and dead last in home runs. They don’t make up for that lack of power elsewhere, leaving them among the bottom 10 in most offensive box stats.
Most importantly for both pitchers, Chicago hitters have struck out the ninth most and the Rays sixth most.
Assad is owned in more fantasy leagues than most streamers that end up here. He has an above-average strikeout rate and an ERA currently under 3.00, though, showing that he is a valuable contributor. He should be started in every fantasy league today.
Civale has excelled striking batters out since he joined Tampa during last season, collecting 126 Ks in 112.1 innings. He has only walked 30 batters during that time, doing a lot to help himself out. Despite those positive metrics, he has allowed 68 earned runs during that time for an ERA near 5.50.
Assad and Civale are both mid- to high-level streamers with some upside due to their strikeout abilities and both teams’ rankings among the top 10 in most batter strikeouts. I prefer Assad, but both pitchers are good streaming options today.
Tobias Myers, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Myers has made seven starts in his debut season, three times allowing four or more runs. In the other four starts he has allowed either zero or one run, though every appearance until his most recent was five innings or less. In his last start (Friday against the Tigers), Myers threw eight shutout innings, striking out five and allowing just one hit. Both his strikeout and walk rates are just a hair higher than the league average in 34.2 innings.
The Blue Jays have improved from their hapless start to the season, but they still rank in the bottom 10 in runs scored, hits, home runs, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. They don’t strike out a lot and rank sixth in walks taken, giving them an average on-base percentage, but Toronto is an underwhelming unit that is seeing some of their best players struggle.
Myers is a low- to mid-level streamer here. While his strikeout work is encouraging, most of his outings have been short with mixed effectiveness. His recent gem is more likely an outlier than the new normal for the rookie.
Reese Olson, Detroit Tigers vs. Washington Nationals
In the same game last Friday in which Myers dominated, Olson was his opposition and had the worst start of his career: four innings with 12 hits and eight runs allowed. Milwaukee is a good offensive team, but it was his second rough start in a row after giving up five runs in 5.1 innings against Boston the previous Saturday.
Olson has an above-average strikeout rate and continued doing well there even while he was giving up runs, striking out 11 in 9.1 innings over those previous two starts. An easier matchup against the Nationals is likely to bring his performance back closer to his season numbers.
Washington has hit for a serious lack of power. They have the second-least home runs and triples on the season and rank in the bottom 10 in doubles, leading to a slugging percentage in the bottom five. Without a group of solid contact hitters, the Nats have struggled to score runs without those big hits.
Olson is a mid-level streamer in this one. Washington’s lack of offensive firepower combined with his strikeout work gives him some upside, too.
David Peterson, New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins
Peterson’s two-start season after beginning the year on the IL has seen him throw 12.2 innings against the Dodgers and Nationals with just four runs allowed. He has a miniscule 10% strikeout rate (less than half the league average) but has excelled in that area in the past, so it’s likely he will see a bounce-back. Peterson also has just three walks to go with his five strikeouts; these numbers are likely just small-sample oddities.
Miami offers a great matchup; pick an offensive stat, and they likely rank in the bottom five. The Marlins’ hits and batting average rankings are closer to the middle, but they are still benefiting from Luis Arraez’s elite batting numbers in 30-plus games before he was traded to the Padres. The remaining players make up a sub-par lineup.
Peterson is a mid-level streamer here. We won’t get a real read on his 2024 stats for a few more starts, but his career numbers show a capable starter who strikes batters out at a good rate.
Wednesday’s Streamer Rankings
- Javier Assad, CHC
- Aaron Civale, TB
- Reese Olson, DET
- David Peterson, NYM
- Tobias Myers, MIL
