If you're looking to stream pitchers in Week 1, chances are things have gone wrong. Surely, you aren't so beholden to matchups that you're already looking to bench the ones you've drafted. If so, I should warn you that projecting matchups this far out always involves some guesswork, particularly with some teams hinting that they may use a six-man rotation the first time through.
But if you're in such a desperate spot as to turn to the waiver wire already, I've provided two separate lists of possible streamers, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. The first is for leagues that count only the four-day weekend (Thursday through Sunday) as Week 1, which is the CBS default. The second is for leagues that combine that weekend with the first full week for a supersized 11-day scoring period.
It's a quirk that comes from opening day happening on a Thursday. We'll all be able to work off the same list hereafter.
He struggled last year pitching with loose bodies in his elbow, but now that he's healthy, I'll trust in the track record against what should be a bottom-of-the-division club.
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The Padres sans Fernando Tatis could struggle to score runs, and Merrill Kelly showed surprising strikeout ability with a revamped changeup this spring.
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He had both breaking balls working in his latest outing after a delayed start to spring training. Meanwhile, the Athletics lineup has been totally decimated.
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The Orioles are of course an easy victim, but given the way the Rays handle their pitchers, there's no guarantee Drew Rasmussen goes deep enough for a win.
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He looked good this spring after spending the past couple years reviving his career in Japan, and the Diamondbacks again project as a bottom-of-the-division club.
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He's no bat-misser but generally works deep into games and should have no problem keeping runs off the board against the Pirates.
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The ground-ball specialist struggled with volume last year but managed to go six innings in his final spring start.
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An elite strike-thrower with an impressive minor-league track record, Bailey Ober's efficiency gives him a chance to secure a win even against an improved lineup.
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The early-season surprise had a bumpy finish with the Phillies last year, but the Athletics' Triple-A squad should help him get off on the right foot again.
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We enter another year wondering if he still has it. If he doesn't against the Orioles, Corey Kluber may truly be a lost cause.
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He may be too obvious in some leagues, but if he's available in yours, that second matchup at Cleveland should be enough to win you over.
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The first matchup was good enough to earn him the top spot among the short-week sleepers. The second one is even better.
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The Padres and Mets are two lineups that could go either way this season, but Kelly's strong work this spring grants him some benefit of the doubt.
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Would you look at those matchups? Here's betting he's good enough to take advantage.
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He's been a disaster the past two years but thinks he may have been overthrowing and had a solid spring. The chance at three starts may justify the gamble for some.
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