Welcome back everyone to our 2019 Fantasy Baseball Week 4 Pitching Planner article! German Marquez and Jose Quintana have been fantastic over the past week, both starters have not allowed a run in nine or more innings. They both have a WHIP under 0.80 and a K/9 of 9.0 or higher. Tyler Glasnow has also been impressive, with two wins and an ERA of 1.40, while issuing zero walks in his last start.

Over the past week the Rockies as a team hold a 1.94 ERA as a team…impressive. The Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants are also dominating as a unit, each with an ERA of 2.00. They have both allowed just 14 runs over the past seven days. The New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland A’s, and Atlanta Braves are at the bottom of this list, each with an ERA of 6.00 or above. The Oakland A’s have a league-low 34 strikeouts over the past week, while the New York Mets have a league-high 74 strikeouts over the same time span.

The Houston Astros have really been impressive, winning ten in a row. The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Angels are both 7-3 over their last ten, and Tampa Bay is 8-2 over that same span. The Rays have the highest positive run differential at +40, the next best team is the Seattle Mariners at +31, though they have lost five in a row to date. The Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and Miami Marlins are all -20 or worse in run differentials; and it’s the Miami Marlins that have scored the fewest runs in the league so far, totaling just 48 runs while allowing 91.

Let’s get down to Week 4! (Remember a (*) denotes a left-handed pitcher)

2019 Fantasy Baseball Week 4 Pitching Planner

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Two-Start Pitchers Week 4

Pitcher Start 1 Start 2 Cole Hamels, CHC vs LAD @ ARI Joe Musgrove, PIT vs ARI @ LAD Jake Arrieta, PHI @ NYM vs MIA Jack Flaherty, STL vs MIL vs CIN Walker Buehler, LAD @ CHC vs PIT Carlos Carrasco, CLE vs MIA @ HOU Brad Keller, KC @ TB vs LAA Trevor Williams, PIT vs ARI @ LAD Michael Pineda, MIN @ HOU vs BAL Steven Matz*, NYM vs PHL vs MIL Kevin Gausman, ATL @ CIN vs COL J.A. Happ*, NYY @ LAA @ SF Zach Efflin, PHI @ NYM vs MIA Nathan Eovaldi, BOS vs DET vs TB Mike Minor*, TEX @ OAK @ SEA Brad Peacock, HOU vs MIN vs CLE Kyle Freeland*, COL vs WAS @ ATL Zack Godley, ARI @ PIT vs CHC Sonny Gray, CIN vs ATL @ STL Wade Miley*, HOU vs MIN vs CLE Corbin Burnes, MIL @ STL @ NYM Jake Odorizzi, MIN @ HOU vs BAL CC Sabathia*, NYY @ LAA @ SF Luke Weaver, ARI @ PIT vs CHC Lucas Giolito, CWS @ BAL vs DET Matt Harvey, LAA vs NYY @ KC Pablo Lopez, MIA @ CLE @ PHL Marco Estrada, OAK vs TEX @ TOR Lance Lynn, TEX @ OAK @ SEA Jeremy Hellickson, WAS @ COL vs SD David Hess, BAL vs CWS @ MIN Spencer Turnbull, DET @ BOS @ CWS Tyson Ross, DET @ BOS @ CWS Felix Pena, LAA vs NYY @ KC Homer Bailey, KC @ TB vs LAA Erik Swanson, SEA @ SD vs TEX

Quick notes

Jack Flaherty (STL), Steven Matz* (NYM), Nathan Eovaldi (BOS), Brad Peacock (HOU), and Wade Miley*(HOU) all have two home starts this week. With the hot streak, the Houston Astros are on, I like both Astros pitchers.

Tyson Ross (DET), Spencer Turnbull (DET), Lance Lynn (TEX), Pablo Lopez (MIA), C.C. Sabathia* (NYY), Corbin Burnes (MIL), Mike Minor* (TEX), and J.A. Happ* (NYY), all have two away starts this week. I like C.C. Sabathia* (NYY) of the bunch this week at the Angels and Giants, two pitcher-friendly ballparks.

Pitchers to Stream for Week 4 (owned in less than 50% of Yahoo! leagues):

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Mike Minor*, Texas Rangers

Coming off a great shutout performance against the Angels at home, Minor has been on fire lately. He gets two pitcher-friendly ballparks in Week 4 (Oakland and Seattle) and has a 22/8 strikeout to walk ratio over his four starts this year. The Mets and Phillies have shown interest in trading for the lefty, which would add some more value going forward.

Vince Velasquez, Philadelphia Phillies

He gets the Mets on the road this week. The Mets are just 2-3 at home this year and Velasquez has allowed just three walks on the season so far. The Phillies have scored 99 runs so far and I plan on seeing them with the lead early in this one.

Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers

Another starter I like at Citi Field. Woodruff has an impressive 26 strikeouts in 21 innings of work this season so far. He has only allowed six walks during that time…I like what I’m seeing.

Ivan Nova, Chicago White Sox

Nova gets the Orioles in Baltimore. The Orioles have just one win at home to date and just plain stink lately. Meanwhile, in his last start against the Yankees, Nova walked one while striking out five. This is a bit of a reach, but I like the matchup.

Click here to read the Week 4 Hitting Planner

Pitchers to Avoid for Week 4

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Colorado Starters at home

The Rockies are 0-5 at home this year. Yikes.

The Rockies have an 8.20 ERA as a team at home this year. Double yikes.

The Rockies have a league-low 31 strikeouts at home this year. Triple yikes.

All things not good! Avoid the Rockies at home until proven otherwise.

J.A. Happ*, New York Yankees

Happ is winless in four starts. Granted his last start against the Red Sox was his best so far, and the strikeouts are there, but he has given up at least one home run and five hits in each of his four starts. I’m avoiding him for at least one more start, especially on the road.

Eduardo Rodriguez*, Boston Red Sox

Rodriguez is coming off his strongest start, at home, against the O’s. He has been poor on the road, giving up at least five runs (and one home run) and sixteen hits to date. The Red Sox are a mess right now, and I don’t their starters at home to perform well. I’m avoiding.

Rick Porcello, Boston Red Sox

The same thing applies for Porcello. He has yet to last five innings and is winless in his first three starts. His WHIP is 3.00 and he has given up at least six hits in each of his starts this season. I don’t trust Porcello yet, and neither should you.

Thank you for the read everyone. As always, I will make sure to post on Twitter with updates as I see them about starters around the league. Follow me @LuftCT.

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