Each week, we’ll look at a handful of players who fantasy managers should consider picking up in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. Many of these players will have the most value in larger leagues where waiver wire options aren’t as plentiful. Still, they could also occasionally be useful additions in other, more standard-sized leagues, depending on your options at each position.
All roster percentages mentioned in this column are via FantasyPros as of Friday afternoon.
Steven Matz – 1%
After starting the year in the bullpen, Steven Matz has moved into the St. Louis Cardinals’ rotation, and the early results were positive. The veteran starter didn’t miss much in the way of bats, generating just three swings and misses on 71 pitches, but he scattered two hits and an earned run in his first start against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. Matz struck out five in five innings against the American League West club.
The right-hander hasn’t topped a 22% strikeout rate in the last two seasons, and his swinging strike rate this season has gone down a bit from what it was in those seasons.
Still, Matz has found success before by limiting walks and inducing grounders at an above-average rate, and he’s doing so again.
Including his bullpen work, the 33-year-old is limiting opposing batters to just a 3.0% walk rate and inducing grounders at a 48.1% rate this season. The walk rate has been particularly good (and rather unsurprising given Matz’s track record), ranking in the 92nd percentile league-wide. The Cardinals starter has finished in the 70th percentile or better in walk rate in seven of the past 10 seasons.
St. Louis’ upcoming schedule isn’t exactly pitcher-friendly, with series against the New York Mets (which started on Friday), in Atlanta, and at home against Milwaukee. But after that, the schedule opens up with series against the Reds, Pirates, and Nationals.
Matz won’t overwhelm with strikeouts, but in the right matchups, he can help keep your weekly ERA and WHIP totals down.
Quinn Priester – 2%
Acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers in an April 7 trade with the Boston Red Sox to bolster the Brewers’ rotation, Quinn Priester has enjoyed a solid start to his time with the Brewers.
He’s allowed one earned run in two starts spanning 10 innings pitched so far, scattering seven hits and five walks while striking out eight batters. His ERA sits at 0.90 after the two starts
Both starts have hardly been pitcher-friendly matchups either. The first was in Colorado at Coors Field against the Rockies. The second was at home against a Detroit Tigers team that entered play on Friday with the league’s ninth-highest collective wRC+ (109).
Priester’s ERA isn’t going to stay this low forever. It’s at the aforementioned 0.90 number, and his FIP looms at a not-quite-as-elite 4.20. Still, it’s a tiny sample size, and Priester has pitched well in less-than-ideal matchups thanks in part to his ability to induce grounders. The 24-year-old’s 51.9% ground ball rate so far ranked in the 76th percentile as of the beginning of play on Friday.
And while he might be more of a short-term fantasy addition given the FIP and percentile rankings in the 31st percentile or lower for each of the following categories, the 24-year-old looks like the type of pitcher who could provide solid fantasy production in the right starts as a streaming option.
Assuming the Brewers’ rotation remains unchanged and uninterrupted, two of Priester’s next four starts are decidedly fantasy-friendly matchups. The first, which is also his next scheduled start, is away at the pitcher-friendly local of Oracle Park in San Francisco. A few starts later, Priester will get the Houston Astros at home. Houston entered play Friday with an 83 wRC+ as a team. Only six teams had a lower wRC+.
Taijuan Walker – 14%
Speaking of pitchers with fantasy-friendly upcoming schedules, Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker gets a pair of promising starts in his next three projected outings.
Of course, that’s assuming the Phillies starting rotation remains on schedule without any interruptions or changes. Ranger Suarez, it should be noted, is making rehab starts in the minors.
But if the rotation remains unchanged for the next few weeks, two of Walker’s next three outings would come on Saturday against the Miami Marlins at home and then a few weeks later at home against the Washington Nationals. There’s a start against the Chicago Cubs in between those two inter-division outings that’s decidedly unideal, but starting Walker against both National League East clubs could pay immediate dividends for fantasy managers.
Both teams entered the day Friday in the bottom half of the league in wRC+. Both also rank in the bottom third in the league in road wRC+, with the Nationals in particular having just a 67 wRC+ away from home. Only five teams have a lower road wRC+.
Overall, Walker has provided solid production on the mound this season, pitching to a 2.30 ERA and a 4.21 FIP in three starts spanning 15.2 innings. He’s logged a pitcher win in one of those starts and has scattered just four earned runs in 11 home innings this season.
Graphic by Carlos Leano.
