Digging into best 2-start fantasy streamers for this week

This week’s list of two-start streamers is one of the weakest we have seen to this point in the fantasy baseball season. There are only two surefire streamers for all formats, and three other men who can be considered in deep roto and head-to-head categories leagues. On the hitting side, loading up on Mets should be the plan for the next few days.

Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)

Hayden Birdsong, 41% (@WSH, vs. DET)
Birdsong is undoubtedly the most exciting option on this week’s list, as he has punched out 20 batters while allowing two runs across 11 innings in his past two starts, albeit with both starts coming against the lowly Rockies. Still, he has plenty of upside for two starts against offenses that rank slightly below average in runs scored and are among the bottom seven in OPS. Birdsong should be active in all leagues.

Sean Manaea, 54% (@STL, @SEA)
Thanks to a bit of good fortune (.265 BABIP), Manaea has posted respectable ratios this year (3.50 ERA, 1.20 WHIP). The left-hander collects his share of whiffs (8.9 K/9 rate) and is set for a midlevel matchup against the Cardinals and a favorable one against a Mariners offense that ranks 27th in runs scored and first in strikeouts. He can be streamed in all leagues.

JP Sears, 31% (vs. CWS, @TOR)
Sears would normally rank near the bottom of this list. After all, he pitches for one of baseball’s worst teams, struggles to record whiffs (6.9 K/9 rate) and has logged unimpressive ratios (4.53 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). However, in a poor weak for two-start pitchers, Sears could be a serviceable option thanks to matchups against a Blue Jays team that ranks 24th in runs scored and a White Sox club that sits in last by a wide margin. The lefty also deserves credit for posting a 3.07 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and a 9.2 K/9 rate over his past five starts.

Colin Rea, 41% (@ATL, vs. CIN)
Rea has greatly exceeded expectations by going 9-3 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP for a Brewers team that tends to maximize their pitchers’ effectiveness. The veteran owns a 4.45 FIP and may soon experience regression, but those who need to chase volume at this point in the season can take the risk that he can keep things going for one more week. A pair of matchups against midlevel lineups are on Rea’s docket.

David Festa, 7% (@CHC, vs. CLE)
Festa’s third career start was his best yet, when he collected six whiffs and held the Mets to two runs across five innings on July 30. The rookie struck out 89 batters in 60 1/3 Minor League innings this year, which shows that he has plenty of upside for managers who need to make aggressive moves during the final two months of the season. Still, Festa allowed 12 runs in his first two MLB starts, making him this week’s biggest boom-or-bust option for two starts against middle-of-the-pack offenses.

Andre Pallante, 10% (vs. NYM, @KC)
Pallante has been serviceable in 10 appearances as a starter, producing a detrimental 1.26 WHIP while using a heavy ground-ball lean to limit scoring (3.61 ERA). But his game-to-game results are all over the place, as his starts are mostly dictated by whether grounders sneak through the infield at the wrong times. A pair of tough matchups this week against top-10 offenses pushes Pallante down this list.

Max Meyer, 30% (vs. CIN, vs. SD)
Meyer is one of baseball’s most exciting pitching prospects, despite allowing seven earned runs across nine innings in two starts since being recalled on July 27. The youngster will be happy to make two appearances this week at his pitcher-friendly home park, albeit with one of them coming against a dangerous Padres offense. Between his poor recent results and lackluster supporting cast, Meyer sits lower than expected on this list.

Bailey Falter, 5% (vs. SD, @LAD)
Feeling lucky? Falter has respectable ratios (3.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) that would look even better if not for a few rough outings that preceded a stint on the IL. He returned on July 30 and held a tough Houston lineup to one earned run over 5 1/3 innings, and he will now take on two more high-scoring offenses. With an especially poor ability to generate whiffs (6.0 K/9 rate), Falter has a low ceiling and a low floor.

One-Start Streamers

In order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo! roster rate in brackets.

José Quintana @SEA (Friday, 39)
José Soriano @WSH (Friday, 21)
Tobias Myers vs. CIN (Saturday, 53)
River Ryan vs. PIT (Saturday, 41)
Joey Estes vs. CWS (Wednesday, 5)
Martín Pérez @MIA (Saturday, 9)
Luis L. Ortiz vs. SD (Thursday, 25)
Kyle Gibson vs. TB (Thursday, 34)
Michael Lorenzen vs. STL (Friday, 20)
Yariel Rodríguez vs. OAK (Saturday, 8)
Simeon Woods Richardson vs. CLE (Saturday, 26)
Dean Kremer @TOR (Thursday, 20)
Carson Spiers @MIL (Friday, 17)
Mitch Spence @TOR (Friday, 4)
Keider Montero @SEA (Wednesday, 1)
Javier Assad vs. MIN (Wednesday, 29)
Aaron Civale vs. CIN (Friday, 33)

Favorable Monday-Thursday hitting matchups

Mets @ Cardinals, Rockies

New York has by far the best matchups during the first half of the week, as they will play four games that include three contests at hitter-friendly Coors Field against the worst pitching staff in baseball. Harrison Bader (9%) is the best streamer from this group.

Giants @ Nationals

San Francisco will play four games over the next four days, with three of those contests coming against manageable lefties. Casey Schmitt (0%) is an underrated streamer for this series, as he often hits second in the lineup against southpaws.