Matt Bishop | August 18, 2019
STREAMER OF THE WEEK
Jalen Beeks, RP TB
(10% CBS, 3% ESPN, 2% Yahoo)
8/20: SEATTLE MARINERS (52-73: LAST AL WEST)
8/25: @ BALTIMORE ORIOLES (39-85: LAST AL EAST)
Jalen Beeks was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Tampa Bay Rays for Nathan Eovaldi on 7/25/2018. At the time, Beeks was clearly a throw-away piece for the Red Sox in an effort to acquire a fireballer who was known to touch triple digits in Eovaldi. But the trade has more than worked out for the Rays.
Since the end of April, Beeks has been used in a “bulk reliever” role, where he typically comes in after an opener and has been moderately successful:
AS A RELIEVER (72.2 IP):
(5 – 0) 2.97 ERA 1.29 WHIP 7.31 K/9
3.22 BB/9 0.62 HR/9 3.89 FIP .700 OPS
But in the 3 games this season that he has been the starter, not so great:
AS A STARTER (12.1 IP)
(0 – 2) 10.95 ERA 2.19 WHIP 8.76 K/9
4.38 BB/9 2.92 HR/9 6.95 FIP 1.061 OPS
Beeks may not have elite swing and miss stuff, but currently has 2 out of 4 pitches with a double digit swinging strike rate. He also has 2 pitches with positive pVALs and a cutter that has the potential to be an elite pitch and help boost his other offerings.
If there were any week for Beeks to settle in as a starter, it would be a two-start week against the Mariners and Orioles. We all know how bad the Orioles are, with a .244 team batting average (24th) and 86 wRC+ (25th) on the season, currently sporting the worst record in baseball (39-85).
And while the Mariners are actually pretty impressive against lefties on the road with a 105 wRC+ (5th) and a .774 OPS (8th), no one is buying it with their 31.3% hard contact rate (29th). Beeks should be in for a solid week and provide quality ratios.
MUST START
Clayton Kershaw, SP LAD (TOR, NYY)
Stephen Strasburg, SP WAS (@PIT, @CHC)
Shane Bieber, SP CLE (@NYM, KC)
Domingo German, SP NYY (@OAK, @LAD)
Trevor Bauer, SP CIN (SD, @PIT)
SAFE START
Wade Miley, SP HOU (DET, LAA)
Dallas Keuchel, SP ATL (MIA, @NYM)
Cole Hamels, SP CHC (SF, WAS)
Kyle Gibson, SP MIN (CHW, DET)
Brendan McKay, SP TB (SEA, @BAL)
Zac Gallen, SP ARI (COL, @MIL)
Marco Gonzales, SP SEA (@TB, TOR)
Chris Archer, SP PIT (WAS, CIN)
Dakota Hudson, RP STL (MIL, COL)
Steven Matz, SP NYM (CLE, ATL)
Aaron Sanchez, SP HOU (DET, LAA)
RISKY START
Ivan Nova, SP CHW (@MIN, TEX)
Joe Ross, SP WAS (@PIT, @CHC)
Reynaldo Lopez, SP CHW (@MIN, TEX)
Andrew Heaney, SP LAA (@TEX, @HOU)
Trevor Williams, SP PIT (WAS, CIN)
John Means, RP BAL (KC, TB)
Dillon Peters, SP LAA (@TEX, @HOU)
Zach Davies, SP MIL (@STL, ARI)
Michael Wacha, SP STL (MIL, COL)
Dylan Bundy, SP BAL (KC, TB)
DON’T START
Eric Lauer, SP SD (@CIN, BOS)
Kolby Allard, RP TEX (LAA, @CHW)
Spencer Turnbull, SP DET (@HOU, @MIN)
Kyle Freeland, SP COL (@ARI, @STL)
Elieser Hernandez, RP MIA (@ATL, PHI)
Edwin Jackson, SP DET (@HOU, @MIN)
Jorge Lopez, RP KC (@BAL, @CLE)
Brock Burke, SP TEX (LAA, @CHW)
Joe Palumbo, SP TEX (LAA, @CHW)
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