Sundays are always a fun fantasy day, as it's the last chance to make up ground in head-to-head leagues or to fortify categories in rotisserie formats. They're even more fun when the supply of streaming candidates is strong. That's the scenario this week. The crop of available batters is also plush. Keep grinding and victory will be yours.
Here's a look at the day's top streaming options, focusing on players rostered in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues.
Pitching
Pitchers to stream
Mike Leake (R), rostered in 29 percent of ESPN leagues, Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays: After a couple of rough outings to begin July, Leake closed the month out with three solid outings, tossing at least six frames in each. Don't expect many strikeouts, but another quality start with a chance for a win is in play. "Don't chase wins" is contextual. If you need a win to take down your matchup, you do what you have to do.
Ervin Santana (R), 27 percent, Minnesota Twins vs. Kansas City Royals: Santana is still finding his "sea legs" after making his 2018 debut after the All-Star break. His first start wasn't bad, as he fanned five Blue Jays with one walk in five frames. However, the Indians smacked three homers off him last time out. Santana is in a great spot to rebound, facing one of the least powerful lineups in the league, albeit without much strikeout potential.
Trevor Cahill (R), 19 percent, Oakland Athletics vs. Detroit Tigers: We're at the point of the season where one of the tenets of streaming is picking on the weakest offenses. Well, that's always important -- but by now not only has the wheat separated from the chaff, but many lesser lineups dealt away one or two of their better batters. The Tigers, now without Leonys Martin, fall into that category. Detroit sits fourth from the bottom in wOBA versus righties, along with posting an above-average strikeout rate. Cahill has mixed in a few clunkers, but he's mostly been solid, with 65 strikeouts and just 22 walks in 69 innings. Aided by a great home pitching venue, Cahill is the top streaming option of the slate.
Derek Holland (L), 13 percent, San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks: if Holland were pitching for a contender, his exploits would garner far more attention. To wit, since June 10, the left-hander is boasting a 2.66 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP with a healthy 61 K and a stingy 16 BB in 50.2 stanzas. On Sunday, Holland matches up with the Diamondbacks and their mid-pack lineup when a southpaw is on the hill.
Pitchers to Avoid
Masahiro Tanaka (R), 96 percent, New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox: Before turning his season around, Tanaka made this space a few times. However, Tanaka has only surrendered three homers over his past 30.2 innings, buoying a 1.76 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP in that span. Ultimately, starting or benching Tanaka depends on your team's needs. Just beware, Boston possesses the league's most productive offense versus right-handers.
Bullpen
Perhaps some are reticent to pick up Giants closer Will Smith, what with Mark Melancon and his hefty contract looming. However, Smith has recorded three saves and a win over the past week. He's yet to give up a homer this season, as has not allowed more than one earned run in any single outing this season, encompassing 35 appearances. Yet, Smith is available in over 70 percent of ESPN leagues.
Hunter Wood is slated to open Sunday's bullpen affair, though Yonny Chirinos lines up to absorb the bulk of the innings. Facing the White Sox, Chirinos is in play -- especially in points leagues where you can slot him in as a reliever.
Projected game scores
Hitting
Catcher
Tom Murphy (R), 25 percent, Colorado Rockies at Milwaukee Brewers (LHP Wade Miley): Miley's 1.53 ERA and 1.19 WHIP are certainly eye-popping, but so is 17 strikeouts with 15 walks in 29.1 innings. Further, this is a guy who had allowed 366 hits -- including 50 homers -- in 323.1 innings over the past two seasons. Maybe Miley has figured something out, but far more likely is that the good fortune resulting in 20 hits allowed with no homers in 29.1 innings this season is about to run out. Admittedly, Murphy is ice-cold, but research shows matchups are more predictive than hot or cold streaks -- and this is a good matchup.
First base
Ronald Guzman (L), 2 percent, Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles (RHP Yefry Ramirez): The Rangers have predictably feasted on the weak Orioles staff this weekend, with former Daily Notes stalwart Rougned Odor leading the way. Guzman, as well as recently recalled Willie Calhoun, have both been relatively quiet but both enjoy the platoon edge against a raw right-hander, with a chance to face an overworked and decidedly poor bullpen.
Second base
Jeff McNeil (L), 2 percent, New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves (RHP Julio Teheran): It's Pavlovian that whenever Teheran is on the hill, you check on the availability of the opposing team's left-handed batters. With Todd Frazier back, McNeil has shifted to his natural spot at second base where his bat plays better than it does at the hot corner. Before being recalled, McNeil was crushing it at Triple-A Las Vegas. While it's fair to note that's one of the better hitting environments in the minors, his being 26 years of age (and hence a little old for the level) is misleading. McNeil focused on golf in college, not playing baseball until his senior season. It may not seem like much since he did play some college ball, but still, McNeil could have been behind the developmental curve.
Third base
Christian Villanueva (R), 17 percent, San Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs (LHP Jon Lester): Lester was getting away with pedestrian skills through the All-Star break. Since July 8, the veteran southpaw has registered a 7.01 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP, with six homers allowed in those 25.2 innings. Villanueva has cracked 14 of his 20 homers off left-handed pitching.
Shortstop
Marcus Semien (R), 38 percent, Oakland Athletics vs. Detroit Tigers (LHP Francisco Liriano): Semien continues to do most of his damage versus southpaws, usually from the leadoff spot. Between ineffectiveness and missing a start due to illness, Liriano has only tossed 12 frames since July 9.
Corner infield
Ryon Healy (R), 39 percent, Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays (RHP Sam Gaviglio): Some will reference reverse splits, but the truth is that this is simply a good matchup. Enjoying the platoon bump is often a boon, but it's not the "be-all, end-all." Healy has whacked 33 of his 46 homers between this year and last versus righties, while nine of Gaviglio's 13 homers allowed have come from right-handed swingers.
Middle infield
Johan Camargo (B), 19 percent, Atlanta Braves at New York Mets (RHP Corey Oswalt): Pop quiz: who leads the Braves in RBI since June 1? Yes, it's true, Camargo's 34 ribbies in that span best the 29 knocked in by both Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis.
Outfield
Trey Mancini (R), 26 percent, Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers (LHP Martin Perez): Overall, this has been a frustrating campaign for Mancini. However, he's doing his best to salvage the second half with a .321/.345/.528 slash line over the past two weeks. He's in good shape to keep things going, facing one of the weakest arms in the league.
Tyler O'Neill (R), 7 percent, St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates (RHP Trevor Williams): O'Neill was already in line to see more playing time, but with Dexter Fowler sidelined with a fractured foot, both he and Harrison Bader will play just about every day.
Nick Williams (L), 11 percent, Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins (RHP Dan Straily): Straily is pacing toward his third straight season allowing 30 homers. With 14 homers (12 against right-handers) Williams has already surpassed 2018 expectations.
Hitter matchup ratings
Hitter ratings account for the opposing starting pitcher's history (three years' worth) as well as ballpark factors. "LH" and "RH" ratings account only for left- and right-handed batters, respectively.
Weighted on-base average (wOBA) is the primary statistic used in the calculation. Ratings range from 1 to 10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst. For example, a 10 is a must-start rating, while a 1 should be avoided (if possible); a 1-2 is poor, 3-4 is fair, 5-6 is average, 7-8 is very good and 9-10 is excellent.