It's so great to be back with the first full slate of the 2020 campaign. Well, it's almost full, as the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals have the day off. With 26 clubs playing their opener, finding available pitching to stream is difficult. Plus, not many batters have a big edge over their mound opponent. Still, with every at-bat and inning pitched even more magnified in the 60-game season, it's necessary to fill in holes and maximize roster spots.
So, as always, here are some players in a decent scenario to help your fantasy team get off to a hot start. By way of reminder, the focus is on players rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues. Occasionally (like today), liberties will be taken with the cutoff.
Pitching
Ross Stripling (R), rostered in 60% of ESPN leagues, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants: Stripling eclipses the 50% cutoff but should be the top steaming target for shallower formats. He draws perhaps the weakest lineup in the league for a home tilt. If it were clear that Stripling would be in the rotation all season, he'd be drafted in over 90% of ESPN leagues.
Nathan Eovaldi (R), 47%, Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles: With initial Opening Day starter Eduardo Rodriguez still experiencing "complications" due to COVID-19, Eovaldi gets the nod against a soft Orioles offense. Baltimore has a couple of interesting youngsters in Austin Hays and Anthony Santander, but overall, the Orioles bring one of the least potent lineups to Fenway Park.
Sandy Alcantara (R), 23%, Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies: A deep-league special, spot-starting Alcantara is best reserved for those needing extra help in head-to-head play. The 24-year-old right-hander is on the rise, but he needs to whiff more and walk less before reaching the next level. Last season, the Phillies' K-rate facing right-handers was a little bit higher than average, helping Alcantara's cause.
Pitcher to Avoid
Andrew Heaney (L), 63%, Los Angeles Angels at Oakland Athletics: The A's lineups against southpaws is formidable, ranking fourth-best when facing left-handers last season. It's tempting to use the talented but oft-injured Heaney whenever he's physically able, but this is a tough way to start the season. Hope for continued health and better matchups.
Bullpen
Please refer to the ESPN Closer Chart for the latest news on all 30 bullpens. One of the expectations for this unique 2020 season is for teams to spread out saves more than usual. One reason is that we have a more condensed schedule, so workload might prevent some primary closers from garnering every save opportunity. Another factor is that managers are trending to more efficient bullpen deployment, using their best reliever when the game is on the line. Finally, several teams are not equipped with a lockdown closer, so they'll play the matchups.
As such, when you have a pitching opening and there isn't a closer available, using a dominant setup man with the chance to grab a save could be fruitful. The best place to look for some relief help on the Friday schedule is with Atlanta, as the club will reportedly "slow play" their starters. Shane Greene, Luke Jackson, Darren O'Day and Chris Martin are all in play, as is Will Smith if he's activated from the IL.
Projected game scores
Hitting
Catcher -- Omar Narvaez (L), 47%, Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs (RHP Kyle Hendricks): After a breakout year with the Mariners, Narvaez was traded to the Brewers, where he'll be the primary backstop. The underlying metrics suggest Narvaez is in line for some power regression, though moving to Miller Park should mitigate that drop. This tilt is in Wrigley Field, which can be kind to lefty power in the summer.
First Base -- Michael Chavis (R), 31%, Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles (LHP Tommy Milone): It's unclear where Chavis will be playing, but with a southpaw on the hill, he'll occupy one of the spots on the right side of the diamond. Last season was an adjustment period for Chavis, as he learned to lay off the high heat. Next up is figuring out how not to fish for sweeping sliders. With the platoon edge against a weak lefty, Chavis is in a great spot.
Second Base -- Cesar Hernandez (S), 47%, Cleveland Indians vs. Kansas City Royals (LHP Danny Duffy): Those who primarily follow the American League should keep their eye on Hernandez, a National League transfer. He's coming off a down season, but Hernandez has good on-base skills with good speed and a little pop. The Indians have announced he'll hit leadoff, setting the table for a potent top-half of the order featuring Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana.
Third Base -- Kyle Seager (L), 30%, Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros (RHP Justin Verlander): It's hard to find a flaw with Verlander, but he did surrender 36 homers last season. Seager went on a power spree over the second half of 2019, slugging .524 with 17 homers after the break.
Shortstop -- Willy Adames (R), 11%, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays (LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu): Adames is one of the few Rays with an everyday lineup spot, as there isn't anyone else capable of manning shortstop. He's still a work in progress and might be keeping the spot warm for uber prospect Wander Franco, but Adames has some pop and 82nd-percentile sprint speed.
Corner Infield -- Matt Carpenter (L), 33%, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (RHP Joe Musgrove): Carpenter is one of veterans benefiting from the universal DH. Without it, he'd likely be looking at a bench role. Now, he should be in the lineup against all right-handers.
Middle Infield -- Rougned Odor (L), 45%, Texas Rangers vs. Colorado Rockies (RHP German Marquez): Late last year, Odor was warned that his job was on the line and he needed to pick things up. He responded by posting a .984 OPS in September, with nine homers and three steals. Odor will look to pick up where he left off in the first regular-season game at new Globe Life Field.
Outfield -- David Peralta (L), 31%, Arizona Diamondbacks at San Diego Padres (RHP Chris Paddack): Peralta is perennially one of the most cited players in this space. While he's not a strict platoon player, Peralta has been more effective facing righties and is always in play in these scenarios.
Outfield -- Jay Bruce (L), 3%, Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins (RHP Sandy Alcantara): Like Carpenter, Bruce's playing time gets a boost from the universal DH. Alcantara is a promising youngster, but he's still raw -- and Citizens Bank Park is one of the best power venues in the league.
Outfield -- Franchy Cordero (L), 2%, Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians (RHP Shane Bieber): Cordero is the classic "toolsy player" in need of refinement. Facing Bieber is a tough task, so this is more a means of putting Cordero on your radar, as he's worth a stash. Cordero has fanned 35% of the time in his limited career, but he possesses the fantasy-friendly power/speed combination.