2017 Starters With Relief Eligibility
Although we predominantly promote daily fantasy baseball at sites like FanDuel and DraftKings we are still suckers like you and will enter into a season long fantasy league being run through Yahoo, ESPN or CBS.
If you are focussed on winning money at FanDuel or taking down one of the big cash tournaments at DraftKings (who we've partnered with) then this list of 2017 Starters with Relief Eligibility or SPARPs isn’t going to help you much. If you are still joining your buddies in a season long league then this is the list that you need to pay attention to.
...Or why not invite your buddies to try out Fantasy Baseball Games at FanDuel.com
Last year was complete proof of why using the strategy of relievers that become starters is valuable. Aaron Sanchez and Drew Pomeranz led quite a list of solid starting pitchers that many fantasy baseball players had in their relief pitcher slot and helped pad their pitching numbers.
If you are in a deep fantasy league instead of chasing saves for a big cost you are better of punting the save category and loading up on hard throwing setup guys and these pitchers that will be starters (at some point) in 2017 but were relievers last year and have dual eligibility.
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Here is our list of 2017 SPARPs:
Danny Duffy
Duffy lost out in a competition for a rotation spot last spring and started in the bullpen…That’s the best thing that could have happened to us fantasy baseball players! He is now eligible for a relief pitcher slot even after a fabulous year last year that has seen him basically become the ace of the Royals pitching staff in 2017. Think of Aaron Sanchez when you are looking at drafting him this year.
Dylan Bundy
Started 14 games last year but appeared in 36 in total. He is slotted as the 3rd starter for the Orioles. He has decent K/9 ratio and will start the full year so he will pad your numbers for K’s and wins.
Joe Biagini
Biagini will be a reliever for the 2017 MLB season but the Blue Jays may stretch him out and the first injury to one of the starting 5 will probably put Biagini in the rotation. As a reliever he should give you solid numbers and if he becomes a starter it will be a big bonus.
Andrew Triggs
Triggs looked solid as a starter last year albeit for only 7 starts. There is not a lot of history to go on for him so he is a speculation fantasy pick.
Luis Severino
Severino has the stuff to be a stud pitcher but was a huge disappointment last year. His last bunch of starts to end the year were solid and because he was in the bullpen with his struggles he will be eligible for both slots. Could be a nice high risk/high reward fantasy pick.
Mike Montgomery
Will compete for the 5th starter position so monitor how spring training goes. He had some solid starts last year but mostly worked out of the bullpen. He has been a starter in the minors so it’s not a foreign position for him.
Clay Buchholz
I don’t like Clay Buchholz - but with him moving to the National League he does have the advantage of hitters that have never faced him before and getting to face a pitcher 2-3 times a game. I wouldn’t build my fantasy baseball lineup around him but he could be a cheap starter to stash as a reliever.
Clayton Richard
Richard’s true value is that he is pitching in San Diego which is the ultimate pitchers ball park. He was horrible as a reliever last year and then was traded to the Padres and was a solid starter the last part of the year. He will be in the rotation in 2017 but be aware; the Padres will probably be a bad team so don’t expect a lot. Best used in very deep fantasy leagues.
David Phelps
I have no idea what the Marlins are going to do with Phelps in 2017. He posted solid numbers both as a starter and reliever and although their rotation could use him, it seems like they are slotting him back as a middle relief pitcher. His K/9 numbers will help you and he may get you more wins than a typical RP – then you just cross your fingers that the Marlins start to throw him out there every 5 days.
Others SPARPS consider for 2017
Raisel Iglesias, Patrick Corbin, Ivan Nova, Luis Perdomo, Jesse Chavez, Carson Fulmer, Jeff Locke, Michael Feliz, Drew Hutchison, Chris Devenski, Chris Heston, Chris Young, Josh Collmenter, Wade LeBlanc, Matt Andriesse, Matt Strahm
