Flaherty has value this week

There are a few teams with multiple off days during Week 7, so we don’t have as many projected two-start pitchers as we have had in other weeks. Still, there are some that stand out based on their matchups. Let’s highlight five of them and what to expect from them in fantasy baseball.

Triston McKenzie, Cleveland Guardians: vs. DET, at CWS

It has been an inconsistent campaign for McKenzie as he works his way back from an elbow injury. He began the season by allowing at least five runs in two of his first three starts. Since then, he has given up five total runs over his past 16 innings. His best performance came in his last outing against the Astros, who he held to two runs over seven innings.

The concern with McKenzie is his 1.48 WHIP. He has walked 18 batters over 29 innings. If he’s going to be successful, he’ll need to cut down his walk rate significantly. With that in mind, Week 7 brings him two very favorable matchups. The Tigers have struck out the ninth-most times in baseball and the White Sox have scored the fewest runs. As inconsistent as McKenzie has been, he’s a must-start based on these two matchups.

Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers: at CLE, vs. HOU

Flaherty has a 4.00 ERA through six starts, but his 2.83 FIP indicates he has pitched well. He has shown stellar command, recording a 3.4 percent walk rate. He also has a 34.0 percent strikeout rate that is on pace to be the highest mark of his career. His slider, which he is throwing more than at any point during his career, has a 40.8 percent whiff rate.

In terms of strikeouts, it will be important to temper expectations for Flaherty for Week 7. Both the Guardians and the Astros are among the most difficult teams in baseball to strike out. Still, the Astros only have a .662 OPS on the road and the Guardians have holes in their lineup that be exploited. Flaherty is worth starting in most fantasy leagues.

Bailey Ober, Minnesota Twins: vs. SEA, at TOR

Ober finished with a 3.43 ERA last season, so his 4.55 ERA this year is a step backward. However, his 3.67 FIP is actually better than the 3.96 FIP that he finished with last season. Also, most of the damage done to his ERA came when the Royals scored eight runs against him in his first start this year. He has a 2.37 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP across five starts since.

The Mariners and Blue Jays both entered the season with playoff aspirations. However, both lineups have struggled mightily. The Mariners and Blue Jays are tied for the fourth-fewest runs scored in baseball. Look for Ober to improve his overall ratios further.

Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels: at PIT, vs. KC

Anderson struggled to the tune of a 5.43 ERA and a 4.92 FIP last season. His 1.49 WHIP was one of his downfalls, while his strikeout rate was only 18.9 percent. His strikeout rate is 18.5 percent this year, but his WHIP sits at 1.07. He has been somewhat lucky, allowing a .194 BABIP. His 4.76 FIP indicates that he hasn’t pitched nearly as well as his 2.23 ERA would lead one to believe.

Regression will likely be in the cards for Anderson, but he is still worth taking a chance on for Week 7. The Pirates have scored the seventh-fewest runs and struck out the sixth-most times in baseball. Facing the Royals in Los Angeles could also be a boost for Anderson. The Royals have a .753 OPS at home, but just a .622 OPS on the road.

Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies: vs. SF, at MIA

Talk about an odd stat line through six starts. The good news is that Sanchez has a 3.68 ERA and an even better 2.93 FIP. That’s despite an abnormally high .348 BABIP allowed. The downside is, he has a 1.53 WHIP. Last year, he had a 1.05 WHIP over 99 1/3 innings.

Sanchez doesn’t come with significant strikeout upside, so he’s best used as a streamer for when he has favorable matchups. Starts against the Giants and Marlins make him worth deploying in most leagues. Both the Giants and the Marlins rank inside the bottom-11 in baseball in runs scored, while the Marlins also have the second-worst OPS.

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, SportsLine and RotoWire. Mike was also a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.