Fantasy Baseball: 5 Pitchers to Stream for Week 12

Brad Peacock, Houston Astros

Starts: 6/19 at Oakland Athletics, 6/24 at Seattle Mariners
ESPN ownership: 27 percent

In many ways, Brad Peacock is like the Incredible Hulk to Zack Wheeler's Bruce Banner, with the strikeout upside amplified (checkout that 37% strikeout rate in just under 23 innings as a starter) but even worse problems with control and longevity. Indeed, Peacock's walked almost five batters per nine as a starter, and that flagging command of the strike zone has left him averaging just over four innings per start in his first five appearances in the Houston Astros rotation.

But Peacock's tendency to surrender free passes is counterbalanced by his one absolutely elite pitch, a wicked 80 mph slider that has earned a 20% swinging-strike rate, contributing to a jaw-dropping 14.3 strikeouts per nine (K/9) during his stint in the rotation. Even if he can't make it through five against Oakland, he has an outside shot of contributing major strikeouts against a team that's lived near the top of the strikeout-rate leaderboard all season.

Meanwhile, the Mariners have been very tough on righties, but their struggles against the slider should ensure that, barring an absolute collapse in command, Peacock has a good a shot as any widely-available pitcher to approach 15 strikeouts this week, even if the longevity issues make his chances of tallying Wins and Quality Starts rather slim.