Streaming pitchers isn't for the faint of heart, but if you find yourself without enough reliable options in a given scoring period, it may be what you need to stay afloat. Scott White has 10 recommendations for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in no more than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. Generally, only the top two or three are full-throated endorsements, while the rest are more about making the best of a bad situation.
Be sure to check back Sunday for the latest updates.
Sleeper pitchers for Week 23 (Aug. 24-30)
Kade Anderson is set to debut Saturday, and something tells me this will be the last time he's available enough to qualify for this space. That something is his stat line at Double-A: a 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 13.0 K/9 in 18 starts. His second turn -- the one in question here -- will come against a Blue Jays lineup that ranks third-to-last in runs scored.
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Tyler Mahle's first three starts with the Braves have been terrific, and an arsenal change (fewer cutters) lends some credence to the possibility of a breakthrough. The Rockies remain a bankable opponent away from Coors Field.
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Walbert Urena has been a little shaky of late, but "shaky" in his case is something like three earned runs because of how good he is at limiting damage with his extreme ground ball tendencies. His first opponent this week, the Guardians, should only help in that regard, and you'll take a second start against the Phillies.
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Aaron Nola may have righted himself finally with a 2.51 ERA over his past five starts. His past three starts are particularly compelling, yielding 25 strikeouts in 17 innings, and while skepticism is warranted given his long-term struggles, he's facing the worst offense in baseball this week.
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After opening his Brewers career with back-to-back gems, Dustin May was throttled for seven earned runs in two innings last time out, but he gave up just one extra-base hit on only three hard-hit balls for an average exit velocity of 76.9 mph. There was some bad luck at play, in other words, and I expect him to bounce back this week against the Mets.
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Shane Drohan remains the most underappreciated pitcher in Fantasy, probably because his 3.86 ERA lags behind his 3.62 xERA and 3.36 FIP. OK, and his first two starts in August weren't so hot, but he has a more favorable matchup this time against a Rangers offense that ranks fifth from the bottom.
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Andrew Alvarez's 50 percent ground ball rate has made him surprisingly bankable of late, registering a 2.36 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over his past six starts. His strikeouts during that stretch are nothing to write home about, but his overall rate is respectable. You have to like his matchups this week even if his two turns figure to be on the shorter side.
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The strikeouts are piling up for Joey Cantillo, who continues to make heavy use of his curveball and actually went six innings last time out. His start at Coors Field over the weekend could throw a wrench in this recommendation, but provided he pulls through in that one, you can pencil him in for eight strikeouts or so against a whiff-prone Angels lineup.
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Seth Lugo has had his ups and downs this year and is currently on the downswing with a 7.48 ERA in August. He remains a workhorse, though, throwing six-plus innings in 16 of his 26 starts, and a high-volume pitcher like that can be of some use in points leagues even when he's not at his sharpest. Matchups like the Blue Jays and Guardians, two bottom-five lineups, should help him limit the damage this week.
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Max Scherzer doesn't have much left in the tank at age 42 and got kicked around pretty good last time, but his previous three turns were solid, yielding a 2.20 ERA. I wouldn't have the guts for it outside of a Head-to-Head points league, but with two turns against weak offenses like the Royals and Mariners, Scherzer could be a sneaky play in that format this week.
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