Thursday brings us our normal shortened slate, though it's not as sparse as usual, with 11 games on the schedule. While Jacob deGrom might be the only true staff ace taking the mound, the most exciting matchup of the day pits the Atlanta's Ian Anderson against Miami's Trevor Rogers, who we'll discuss more below.
With few No. 1 and 2 starters taking the hill, the hitting matchups are what stand out on Thursday, so make sure you take advantage if you have any vacant lineup spots.
Here's a look at the day's top streaming options, focusing on players rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues.
Pitching
Trevor Rogers (L), rostered in 37% of ESPN leagues, Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves: Rogers was the headliner in Saturday's Daily Notes, and he's getting the nod here again because his rostered percentage has yet to catch up to his talent. After a so-so debut against the Cardinals, Rogers turned heads in his start against the Mets last weekend, spinning six scoreless frames with only three hits allowed and 10 strikeouts. While the former first-round pick's fastball topped out at 96.2 mph in 2020, his heater has jumped to the next level this season, registering a max velo of 98.2 mph. It's only a two-start sample, but the fact that Rogers' four-seamer has an MLB-best 51.1% whiff rate while his slider carries a 50% whiff rate showcases his massive strikeout upside. A road start against Atlanta is no picnic, but this is a skillset worth investing in. The 23-year-old's rostered percentage won't stay under 50% much longer.
Rich Hill (L), 5%, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers: Even at age 41, Hill continues to be relevant. While his 7.20 ERA across his first two starts is ugly, he's pitched better than that ERA suggests, putting up a 9.9 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 over 10 innings. Hill still relies heavily on his curveball, throwing it 45% of the time in his last outing, so the fact that his fastball sits at just 88.5 mph (which is actually up a tick from 2020) isn't really a concern. There is more risk here than there's been in years past, but that risk is lessened by a Rangers team that hasn't hit much this season (78 wRC+, 31.1K%) and is left-handed heavy, giving Hill the platoon edge against Texas' most dangerous hitters (David Dahl, Joey Gallo, and Nate Lowe).
Bruce Zimmermann (L), 5%, Baltimore Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners: Zimmermann quietly opened the season with back-to-back quality starts against Boston, and now he'll get a much easier test against a Mariners team that ranks dead-last in baseball with a 49 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. Although he doesn't have overpowering stuff, he's found success by getting ahead in the count and getting swings and misses with his curveball, a pitch he barely used in his brief 2020 sample. The concern here is that Zimmermann's fastball has been hit hard in his first two starts (.482 wOBA), but he should still be able to take advantage of the favorable matchup.
Jakob Junis (R), 3%, Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays: After opening the season in the bullpen, Junis tossed five innings of shutout ball against Cleveland in his first start of the year last Wednesday, giving him a perfect 0.00 ERA and 11.6 K/9 across seven total innings. The right-hander will get the call again on Thursday, squaring off against a Blue Jays lineup that is still without George Springer and Teoscar Hernandez. Junis doesn't exactly have a stellar track record, posting ERAs well north of 5.00 each of the last two seasons. However, he's added a new cutter to his arsenal, an offering he's used 23.9% of the time thus far and garnered a 54.5% whiff rate, so there's hope for him to maintain some of his early-season success.
Bullpen: We usually focus on closers in this space, but Sean Newcomb is one reliever to keep an eye on, even if he stays in a setup role. The 27-year-old lefty has been lights-out in the bullpen this season, striking out nine batters in just 3 1/3 innings. He even picked up a save in the second game of a double-header last week (when Will Smith was unavailable), which shows that manager Brian Snitker isn't afraid to use Newcomb in high-leverage situations. Newcomb, available in 98% of leagues, is a candidate to emerge as an impact reliever who helps your ratios and racks up Ks, so don't ignore him just because he's not locked into a closer role.
For the latest team-by-team closer situations, please consult our Closer Chart.
Hitting
Catcher -- Wilson Ramos (R), 26%, Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics (LHP Sean Manaea): Ramos has been one of the top catchers in fantasy so far, yet he's rostered in only a quarter of ESPN leagues. In addition to clubbing his fifth homer home run of the season on Tuesday, the 33-year-old also owns an absurd 82.4% hard-hit rate, which is tops in baseball. He'll look to continue his offensive barrage on Thursday, when he gets the platoon edge against Manaea.
First Base -- Renato Nunez (R), 1%, Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics (LHP Sean Manaea): Nunez got the call when Miguel Cabrera landed on the injured list, and he's responded by belting two homers in his first three games. Despite being sent down at the start of the season, Nunez whacked 31 homers in his last full season in 2019, so this is a big-time power bat worth your attention as long as he's getting playing time.
Second Base -- Jed Lowrie (S), 5%, Oakland Athletics vs. Detroit Tigers (LHP Tarik Skubal): After playing in just nine games in the last two seasons combined, Lowrie was largely a forgotten man in fantasy circles. However, he's already solidified himself in the top third of Oakland's batting order, batting .333/.417/.548 with a pair of homers in his first 12 games. The switch-hitting Lowrie matches up well with Skubal, who has struggled with his consistency in the early going.
Third Base -- Maikel Franco (R), 11%, Baltimore Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners (LHP Marco Gonzales): Gonzales has not looked like himself, struggling to throw strikes (4.4 BB/9) and also keep the ball in the yard (4.4 HR/9). This creates an appealing opportunity for Franco to do some damage. The 28-year-old slugger has good power, strong contact skills, and a terrific home park for offense.
Shortstop -- Willy Adames (R), 12%, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers (RHP Jordan Lyles): Quality shortstops that are widely available can be hard to find on abbreviated slates, but Adames makes for a fine option if you have a hole to fill. He has decent power, a little speed, and he's squaring off against one of Thursday's more hittable hurlers.
Corner Infield -- Phillip Evans (R), 1%, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Diego Padres (RHP Chris Paddack): The Pirates lost their best young hitter when Ke'Bryan Hayes went down, but Evans has filled in admirably. He's batting .382/.475/.706 with three homes in 11 games, and his Statcast page backs up his hot start. Given Paddack's early struggles (5.36 ERA), he's not a pitcher we need to avoid.
Middle Infield -- Luis Arraez (L), 30%, Minnesota Twins vs. Boston Red Sox (RHP Garrett Richards): One of the best pure hitters in baseball, Arraez has lived up to his reputation, batting .323 with more walks than strikeouts in his first 10 games. He'll carry the platoon advantage against Richards, who has surrendered lots of loud contact in his first two starts.
Outfield -- Tim Locastro (R), 6%, Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals (LHP Patrick Corbin): After topping the Sprint Speed leaderboard the last two seasons and currently sitting tied for No. 1 this year, it's safe to say Locastro is the fastest player in baseball. He's now stolen 29 career bases in the majors without being caught. As Arizona's leadoff hitter, he's swiped three bags and has even popped a homer for good measure. If you're trying catch your head-to-head opponent in steals, Locastro is the perfect pickup.
Outfield -- Adam Duvall (R), 8%, Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves (RHP Ian Anderson): Things sure can change quickly in April. Duvall looked relatively lost in the first week of the season, batting .136/.174/.318 with one homer. In his last two games, however, he's clubbed three bombs and driven in eight runs. Duvall is a streaky hitter who can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time, and now looks like the time to ride the hot streak.
Outfield -- Manuel Margot (R), 35%, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers (RHP Jordan Lyles): Margot is the type of guy who can hit you a homer and also swipe you a bag, which makes him a nice streaming option when you need production across the board. The Rays shouldn't have trouble scoring runs against Lyles, and Margot should be able to get in on the fun provided he's in the lineup.