2021 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Week 20 Two-Start Pitchers, Spot Starters & Hitter Streamers

Last Updated: Aug 30, 2021

Here are The Game Day’s Week 20 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: 2-Start Pitchers, Spot Starters, & Hitter Picks. Use Josh Shepardson’s Week 20 MLB Sleepers to fill out your fantasy baseball lineups with upside plays.

Week 20 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

Week 20 Fantasy Baseball 2-Start Pitchers To Add From Waiver Wire

Zach Thompson, Miami Marlins (28% rostered in Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues)

  • Start 1: at San Diego Padres
  • Start 2: vs. Chicago Cubs

Zach Thompson headlines my favorite two-start pitchers this week. While he hasn’t been much of a workhorse, averaging fewer than five innings per start, there isn’t much else to dislike about the rookie’s profile. The 27-year-old righty has held the opposition to three runs or fewer in all nine of his starts for the Miami Marlins, compiling a 2.53 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 24.3 K%, 9.0 BB%, 45.1 GB%, and 27.8 CSW% over 42 2/3 frames.

  • Zach Thompson fantasy baseball tip: The San Diego Padres provide a challenging first start on the road, despite the absence of superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. Thankfully, the Chicago Cubs are a Charmin-soft second matchup, especially at home. Gamers in leagues as shallow as 12-team mixers should roster Thompson this week.

Monkey Knife Fight Logo Play daily fantasy baseball with any of these Week 20 fantasy baseball sleepers on Monkey Knife Fight. New players get an Instant Deposit Bonus Match of up to $100 with the code TGD or by clicking this link. Avoid the sharks: Enjoy unique, user-friendly DFS games for MLB — using The Game Day’s Week 20 MLB Sleepers — and many other sports on Monkey Knife Fight.


Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers (48%)

  • Start 1: at Baltimore Orioles
  • Start 2: vs. Cleveland Indians

Casey Mize has a mouthwatering layout this week. The Baltimore Orioles rank 25th in wRC+ (85) against righties, while the Cleveland Indians aren’t much better at 22nd (88).

The No. 1 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft is enjoying a breakout in his second season. In his last seven starts lasting 33 and 2/3 innings, he’s tallied a 3.48 ERA, 4.38 SIERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 52.4 GB%. While the 24-year-old’s 17.6 K% during that stretch leaves something to be desired, his 27.1 CSW% hints at the potential for more strikeouts.

  • Casey Mize fantasy baseball tip: With a 3.12 ERA and 1.05 WHIP since the beginning of May, Mize has been a reliable starter for much of the season and is an option in leagues as shallow as 12-team mixers.

Steven Matz, Toronto Blue Jays (36%)

  • Start 1: vs. Los Angeles Angels (in Anaheim as a makeup game)
  • Start 2: at Seattle Mariners

Steven Matz will make a pair of road starts this week in pitcher-friendly parks against mediocre offenses. While his 4.30 ERA and 1.37 WHIP aren’t anything special, his 3.83 FIP and 3.8 K/BB ratio are a bit more promising. He’s also pitched better recently with a 2.70 ERA over his last four outings.

  • Steven Matz fantasy baseball tip: Matz isn’t as appealing of an option this week as Thompson or Mize, but he’s still a usable option in 14-team mixers or deeper formats.
Steven Matz Toronto Blue Jays SP

Steven Matz and the Toronto Blue Jays will look to remain hot this week after winning 8 of their last 10 games. (Image: USA TODAY)


Week 20 Fantasy Baseball Spot Starters To Add From Waiver Wire

Ross Stripling, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels (17%)

Similar to Matz, Ross Stripling has struggled a bit this season but has performed better lately. Since May 19, he has a 3.39 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 62:19 K/BB ratio over his last 13 appearances (12 starts) spanning 66 1/3 innings. Looking at those turns, he’s allowed two earned runs or less in 10 of those outings while typically logging 5-6 innings per start.

  • Ross Stripling fantasy baseball tip: I opted to highlight Stripling to feature a player on under 20% of rosters, giving gamers in deeper leagues a streamer option. Stripling’s a useful option in 14-team mixers or larger.

See our full 2021 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups list for Week 20.


Week 20 MLB Sleeper Hitters To Add From Waiver Wire

Harrison Bader, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (37%)

  • 3 Games at Pittsburgh Pirates
  • 3 Games at Kansas City Royals

Harrison Bader carried a 29.1 K% into this year for his career, suppressing his batting average to an ugly .234. He’s cut that mark all the way down to 18.1% this year, resulting in a batting average surge to .275. The 27-year-old brings some power and speed as well with nine homers and six steals in 204 plate appearances this season. He has soft pitching matchups this week, enhancing his fantasy baseball outlook for this scoring period.

Kolten Wong, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers (33%)

  • 4 Games at Chicago Cubs
  • 3 Games at Pittsburgh Pirates

The Milwaukee Brewers are one of the few teams with seven games scheduled for this week, five of which project to be against right-handed starters. That bodes well for the lefty-swinging Kolten Wong, whose career OPS is nearly 50 points better against RHP. Milwaukee’s leadoff hitter is a volume-driven suggestion.

Author

Josh Shepardson

Josh is a fantasy gamer of roughly 20 years and a fantasy pundit for more than 10 years. He's experienced in numerous season-long baseball and football league types and a daily fantasy sports grinder, too. Additionally, Josh is a recreational gambler who has a soft spot for futures and prop bets. He studied and completed his Bachelor's degree in Sport Management at the State University of New York at Cortland, and he remains in Central New York, residing in Auburn.

Related articles

Promotions

Get Up To $1,500 in Bonus Bets

5 stars

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets

5 stars

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets or $1k First Bet Safety Net

5 stars

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets

5 stars

Get A Bonus Bet Up to $1,000

5 stars

Bet $100, Get $100 in Bonus Bets Every Day for 10 days!

5 stars

Get A Bonus Bet Up To $250

5 stars

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, DC, IL, IN, LA, MD, MS, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY).

Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).

Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI).

All betting content on TheGameDay.com is exclusively intended for audience members 21 years and older who are permitted to gamble in legal states. The Game Day may earn revenue from site visitor referrals to betting services.

Responsible Gaming: Many sportsbooks offer ways to encourage responsible gaming, including the establishment of limits to deposits, spending, and time dedicated to betting.

The Game Day is a TGD Marketing Ltd. endeavor.