Catchers to Stream for Week 5 (4/30 – 5/6)

(Photo by Jeff Chevrier/Icon Sportswire)

For some background on this article and the list of ineligible catchers, check out Week 2’s article. Chris Iannetta is under 50% owned, so he’s eligible this week.

Reviewing Last Week

It’s only Sunday so the week is not yet complete, but let’s look at how I did with last week’s streamers.

Austin Hedges (San Diego Padres)- 4/10, 5 RBI

A .400 AVG and 4 RBI gets the job done. I’d have liked you to at least cross the plate once, but you’ve gotta be happy with what you got.

Kurt Suzuki (Atlanta Braves)- 4/19, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

I don’t like that .211 AVG but the rest definitely helps. With assistance in each of R, HR, and RBI, I’m taking the W.

Christian Vazquez (Boston Red Sox)- 1/14

This is the only proper response to Christian Vazquez’s performance… I’ve got no choice but to take the L. He didn’t help you in ANYTHING. Should I take 2 losses?

Streaming Record: 6-3

Looking Forward

Before we get to this week’s streamers, a few injury notes:

• Salvador Perez is back this week. A great day for Kansas City, and therefore, the world.
• White hot Wilson Ramos was scratched today with a leg issue. Nothing serious here. He is day-to-day but should be back in the lineup soon. If you held the faith in Ramos past the first couple weeks, you’re reaping the rewards.
• Tyler Flowers returned last night and should split starts with Kurt Suzuki, which means I wouldn’t roster either until we see someone take the lion’s share of starts.

And now to the recommended streamers this week:

James McCann (Detroit Tigers)– The Tigers get a 7 game week, which should give McCann at least 5 starts, maybe 6 because he’s sitting today. The only difficult arms the Tigers face are Chris Archer and Blake Snell during their series against the Rays and Royals (I’m not that worried about facing Jakob Junis lately). McCann is slashing .314/.333/.571 over the last two weeks and hits .357 against Jason Hammel of the Royals, the only starter he’s set to face this week who he has significant ABs against. Fire him up.

Yan Gomes (Cleveland Indians)– Yan Gomes got me feeling like Ben Kenobi right now. Full disclosure, I don’t really love any streaming options past McCann, but I’m trying to give you at least one other option. Gomes has an easy week, facing Cole Hamels, Doug Fister, and Matt Moore of the Rangers, Jaime Garcia and an unnamed starter in a twin bill vs the Jays on Thursday, and CC Sabathia, Sonny Gray, and Jordan Montgomery. You’re counting right, that’s 8 games this week for the Indians, and 5 of those starts are scheduled against lefties, who Gomes hits .275/.322/.470 against for his career. I don’t see why he can’t give you a good week.

If you need a desperation play, I’d go with Jorge Alfaro, who has been off to an ice cold start, but maybe a trip to Miami is just what he needs to get the gears going. But Dave, he’s got 2 home runs so far. He does. He also has a 43.5% strikeout rate.