September 1 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Streamers: Sean Manaea, Alex Cobb, Mitchell Parker and More

Welcome to September baseball! Over the next 29 days we will crown five division champions (the Brewers are 10 games up; I’m confident saying they will hold on) and six wild cards. No team is on pace for 100 wins, but four of the six division leaders have between 79-82 wins. It will be a wild race to the end of the season.

Let’s run through Sunday’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.

Alex Cobb, Cleveland Guardians vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Cobb began the season on the IL, didn’t pitch at all before being traded at the deadline, and has now made two starts for Cleveland. The numbers were very modest: 10.1 combined innings, six runs allowed (five earned), four strikeouts and three walks. That strikeout number is very low, but it’s a small sample that will likely even out with more innings. Cobb was an above-average strikeout guy from 2021-2023, bringing hope he can find that touch again.

Pittsburgh is a run-of-the-mill bad team; they rank between 20-25th in most offensive box stats, and even with a few hot young pitchers, there’s not a lot to be excited about for the Pirates. It’s a very stars-and-scrubs dynamic right now, but the scrubs far outnumber the stars. Pirate batters have struck out the fourth most.

Cobb is a low- to mid-level streamer. His career performance points toward a high ceiling, but Cobb just returned from a long lay-off, so it’s best to temper expectations.

Cooper Criswell, Boston Red Sox @ Detroit Tigers

Criswell has mostly worked as a starter this year, starting 15 games with six bullpen appearances. He keeps a good walk rate, but his strikeout rate is well below average. Criswell made one start against Detroit back on June 1, picking up the win as he allowed one run in five innings with five strikeouts and one walk.

Detroit isn’t in a dire situation moving forward, but the rest of 2024 is a wash. In a division that usually doesn’t have yearly powerhouses (the way the AL East does), a young Tigers team with a possible Cy Young winner (Tarik Skubal) looks to be on the way up rather than down, and just a few impact additions could have them fighting for the playoffs with expected improvement from within.

Criswell is a low-level streamer. The matchup is only OK, and Criswell hasn’t done enough strikeout work to have a higher ceiling.

Caden Dana, Los Angeles Angels vs. Seattle Mariners

Another guy making his big-league debut! Samuel Aldegheri made his first start for the Angels on Friday and was also listed here against the Mariners. He allowed seven runs in five innings, but only two were earned, so there was good and bad to Aldegheri’s debut. Dana was an 11th-round pick in 2022 and is just 20 years old; he sped through the minors (though he’s likely to spend more time there next year). Dana did high-level strikeout work in the minor leagues, so there’s hope that carries over.

Seattle is the team to go after if you’re looking for strikeouts. I mention this here pretty much every day: Mariner batters have struck out the most of any team, and it’s not even close. They’re also last in hits, doubles and batting average while 29th in triples, slugging percentage and OPS. There’s a low floor in Seattle.

Dana is a low-level streamer with a little upside. In his first start, I can’t recommend Dana as a safe fantasy player. His strikeout work mixed with Seattle’s swing-and-miss ways, though, means there’s a chance he can put together a big debut.

Sean Manaea, New York Mets @ Chicago White Sox

Then there’s the White Sox. I am a big Chicago fan in every sport; I prefer the White Sox to the Cubs (though it’s close). I remember watching this team ride their hot pitching and timely hits to the 2005 World Series title. The current team might not even win the Triple-A championship, though, and any good vibes from the past are the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. They will soon be 50 games back in their division.

Manaea is owned in more leagues than our average streamer, but it’s a light day, and he’s available in enough that it’s worth a look. The matchup doesn’t get any better, making Manaea a very valuable player today. He is doing great K work, striking out over 25% of the batters he faces.

Manaea is a high-level streamer. Go check your free agent market right now before someone beats you to it.

Mitchell Parker, Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs

Parker has done well in his rookie season: 126.1 innings, 4.26 ERA, strikeout rate just a hair below average and a very good walk rate. He did great strikeout work in the minors, so that number could even go up. Parker is another contributor on a talented young Nationals team.

The Cubs have had their ups and downs on the season, and it’s evened out to a very average offense. They aren’t listed here most days because better matchups are out there, but on a light day with a good pitcher on the mound, it’s worth mentioning this game as one with possible fantasy value.

Parker is a low-level streamer. He’s been fine, but the matchup isn’t great, meaning Parker is more of a filler than a top streamer.

Sunday’s Streamer Rankings

1. Sean Manaea, NYM
2. Alex Cobb, CLE
3. Mitchell Parker, WSH
4. Cooper Criswell, BOS
5. Caden Dana, LAA