Fantasy Baseball: 5 Pitchers to Stream for Week 18

Paul Blackburn, Oakland Athletics

Starts: July 31st vs. San Francisco Giants, August 5th at Los Angeles Angels
ESPN ownership: 8 percent

The split between Paul Blackburn's excellent 2.25 ERA and suspicious 4.65 FIP will have prospective streamers crying foul, especially when they see his depressed 10% strikeout rate. You'd be foolish to dismiss the Oakland Athletics righty out of hand, though, especially given the matchups he's got on tap this week.

Granted, Blackburn was never a flame-thrower, but the subdued punchout rate and less-than-ideal walk rate (8%) in the short 32-inning sample with the big squad should, if his minor league numbers are any indication, regress towards respectability. And with an interesting mix of secondary pitches that occupy three distinct velocity bands, Blackburn seems to thrive not by overpowering hitters but with deception, earning strong reach rates on his slider, changeup, and curveball, as well as a noteworthy 55% grounder rate.

Blackburn stands a good chance to keep his strong run going a Giants offense that's been a weak contact machine all season and an Angels offense that makes a habit out of hitting the ball into the ground.