Tuesday's Fantasy Baseball Pitching Streamers: Is Will Warren Becoming a Fantasy Keeper?
Five starting pitchers in action on Tuesday who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups.
It's Tuesday: that's all I have to say about it. Let's jump right in and look at five starting pitchers in action today who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups.
Most stats are from MLB.com, as are the probable starters. The full streamer rankings are listed at the bottom.
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Hayden Birdsong, San Francisco Giants vs. Kansas City Royals
Birdsong made his debut last season, walking way too many guys in 72 innings but also holding a top-tier strikeout rate. Both those things are still true in 2025, but the rates have come down to a more manageable walk number and just an above-average K rate. Just 23 years old, Birdsong seems to have a bright future.
The Royals are a decent team with their hit tool, but they don't hit for any power, ranking last in home runs, 26th in slugging percentage, and 25th in OPS. They don't strike out much, but they also don't draw walks. There's a serious cap on KC's offensive ceiling right now, making them a safe opponent for starting pitchers.
Birdsong is a mid-level streamer. He has good times, but there are also some bad times when he loses his control, so it's best to temper expectations just a little, though he also has a nice ceiling.
Gunnar Hoglund, Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels
Hoglund is a rookie with just 16.2 innings to his name over three starts. He has allowed 18 hits and seven runs with 15 strikeouts and four walks. Those are good numbers, but he could stand to let fewer guys on base. Hoglund was a below-average strikeout guy in the minors; that doesn't bode well for his K rate moving forward.
The Angels swept the Dodgers over the weekend, something I talked about the past few days, but here's who the Dodgers started in those three games: Dustin May, Clayton Kershaw, and Tony Gonsolin. While it could be worse, Kershaw was making his first start of the season, and May and Gonsolin both recently returned from Tommy John surgery. The Angels are still a bottom-10 offensive team.
Hoglund is a low-level streamer. He has a very limited track record, and his lack of strikeout acumen gives me pause on expecting too much, even considering the matchup.
Zack Littell, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros
Littell is really good with walks, and he's generally close to average with strikeouts. That latter number has been down this season, though, as Littell has just 32 Ks in 54.1 innings (14.8% strikeout rate versus league average around 22%). His strikeouts will likely pick up given his career work, but it brings him down a notch in fantasy baseball right now.
The Astros are one of our fringe target teams, worth going after when the pitcher is better or numbers are short (the latter is the case today). Houston still reaches the bottom 10 in a number of offensive categories, but they are closer to 20th than 30th in most of them.
Littell is a low-level streamer. He hasn't been up to his usual standard, and the matchup here is only OK.
Nick Martinez, Cincinnati Reds @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Martinez has probably our best matchup of the day: Pittsburgh has scored the fewest runs in the league (13 behind the Rockies) and ranks in the bottom five in hits, doubles, home runs, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. They have also struck out the sixth most. Is that not enough for you?
Martinez is a below-average strikeout pitcher who has been average at times in the past but probably tops out just a hair lower right now. He's decent with walks, and Martinez has also been good with run prevention, holding an ERA just over 4.00 in 826 innings (though many of those were as a reliever).
Martinez is a low- to mid-level streamer. The matchup gives him a really nice ceiling, and Martinez is good enough to expect at least a decent outing.
Will Warren, New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers
The Rangers continue their offensive struggles, but the pitching staff is doing their part plus more, helping keep the team above .500. Texas pitchers are among the five best in ERA, hits allowed, runs allowed, home runs allowed, walks, WHIP, and batting average against. The offense, on the other hand, is in the bottom 10 in most categories.
Warren has just 63.2 innings to his name, all in 2024-25. He has walked a few too many guys, but Warren also has a great strikeout rate (79 Ks). Warren has a high fantasy ceiling.
Warren is a mid- to high-level streamer. The matchup is right, and his own work gives him the chance at a big game. Warren is the closest thing we have to a must-start player on today's list, and he's worth considering as a keeper for now.
Tuesday's Streamer Rankings
- Will Warren, NYY
- Hayden Birdsong, SF
- Nick Martinez, CIN
- Zack Littell, TB
- Gunnar Hoglund, ATH
