A couple of star-studded offenses are treated to a seven-plus game week thanks to the completion of a previously suspended game. Only a pair of teams draw the dreaded five-game week next week. The remaining 26 squads hover in the middle with eight teams playing seven games and 18 playing six games.

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Notable Matchups

Braves @ Blue Jays (2), vs. Orioles (3)
Atlanta is one of the aforementioned unlucky teams with just a five-game week next week. On the plus side, they’ll pick up the services of a designated hitter for two games at the Rogers Centre to start the week, and matchups against Jaime Garcia, Alex Cobb, and David Hess are quite favorable for their hitters.

Tigers @ Reds (2), @ Indians (3)
The Tigers are the other unlucky squad with only five games next week. In addition to playing fewer games than all but one other team, the Tigers will be without the services of the designated hitter for their two-game series in Cincinnati, and pitching matchups with Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer stand out as especially unfavorable.

Yankees @ Nationals (2), vs. Mariners (3), @ Rays (3)
The Yankees are at the other end of the games-played spectrum than the two five-game week teams. It’s not quite a true eight-game week for the Yankees because one of the listed games is actually the continuation of a previously suspended game that’s tied three to three entering the bottom of the fifth. The Yankees are home for just three of their seven-plus game schedule next week, although, they’re no slouches on the road with a .225 ISO and .334 wOBA away from home this year, according to FanGraphs.

Nationals vs. Yankees (2), vs. Orioles (3), vs. Phillies (3)
The Nationals are the other club with the sorta bonus contest next week. They’re home for all of their games, and the suddenly more healthy offense that recently got back the likes of Adam Eaton and Daniel Murphy looks quite fearsome on paper. They project to face at least six right-handed probable pitchers.

Orioles @ Nationals (3), @ Braves (3)
It’s the rare week for an American League club in which they won’t be able to utilize a designated hitter in any of their games. The Orioles head to a pair of National League ballparks for a couple of three-game series. Additionally, the pitching matchups which include a showdown with Max Scherzer are tough.

Marlins @ Giants (3), @ Rockies (3)
Miami’s two road series are at polar opposite ends of the run-scoring environments. AT&T Park in San Francisco is just one spot higher than Marlins Park and has the third lowest park factor for runs, but Coors Field remains far and away the most hitter-friendly venue in “The Show.” Overall, the two series represent a bump in value for Miami’s hitters. The handedness of the probable pitchers opposing the Marlins next week is split right down the middle, three lefties and three righties. In leagues with daily lineup changes, Justin Bour makes for a strong start against the two right-handed probable pitchers at Coors Field and one at AT&T Park, but depending on the alternatives on teams in leagues with weekly lineup changes, he’s potentially benchable in those formats.

Athletics @ Padres (2), @ White Sox (4)
A couple of games in San Diego to open next week will force the A’s to surrender the services of a designated hitter. That’s the only bad news next week, though, as the pitching matchups aren’t overly daunting and split two lefties and four righties.

Rockies vs. Mets (4), vs. Marlins (3)
These are the weeks that it’s all about if you’re rostering Rockies hitters. They’re home for a couple of series and a full complement of seven games overall. Colorado’s team wOBA of .340 at home is the fourth highest in the Bigs. After facing Jacob deGrom on Monday next week, the sledding should be quite easy. The handedness of projected pitchers tilts toward southpaws with the Rockies slated to face four lefties and three righties. Despite his sub-Mendoza Line average, with seven games at home and four against left-handed pitchers next week, Ian Desmond is a viable option in leagues as shallow as 12-team mixers that utilize a CI, five outfielders, and/or a utility spot. Since 2015, he’s hit .280/.333/.455 with 18 homers and 17 stolen bases in 466 plate appearances against southpaws. He’s also been useful in the power/speed departments this season with a dozen homers and seven stolen bases.

Mets @ Rockies (4), vs. Dodgers (3)
The Mets get a huge park-factor shift that favors their hitters for the first four games of next week in Colorado. That bumps up the value of their bats. The matchups in Coors Field are split 50/50 between lefties and righties. Out of the three healthy left-handed hitting outfielders for the Mets, Brandon Nimmo is my favorite next week, and I’d advocate starting him in leagues as shallow as 12-team mixers that start five outfielders with weekly lineup changes despite the fact the Mets will face at least a pair of left-handed starters.

Giants vs. Marlins (3), vs. Padres (4)
The Giants are home for a full complement of seven games next week. Yes, AT&T Park is an extremely pitcher-friendly venue, but don’t dismiss San Francisco’s usually fantasy-relevant hitters due to the location of their seven games next week. Surprisingly, the Giants rank fifth in wOBA (.336) at home.

Hitter Notes

Evan Longoria (SF)
Don’t count Longo among the aforementioned fantasy-relevant Giants who are startable next week. The veteran third baseman suffered a fractured fifth metacarpal, per John Shea. He’ll be out a few weeks, and he’s droppable in anything but extremely deep leagues (think bigger than a 14-team mixer).

Miguel Sano (MIN)
I wasn’t high on Sano entering the year, but I certainly didn’t foresee him earning a demotion this year. He wasn’t merely demoted to Triple-A Rochester, either. The Twins sent their struggling slugger down to High-A. There’s no reason to hold him in most re-draft leagues, and gamers in dynasty leagues are stuck in the unenviable position of having to wait his demotion out since his trade value couldn’t be any lower.

Ronald Acuna (ATL)
The Braves aren’t going to rush their uber-stud prospect outfielder back from his disabled list stint. He’s progressing from his knee injury, but the lack of a timetable for his return means Acuna should remain in a disabled list spot or glued to fantasy benches in leagues with weekly lineup changes.

Pitcher Notes

Julio Teheran (ATL)
While Acuna’s return date isn’t clear, Teheran’s is. The right-handed starter is expected to return to face the Padres on Sunday. As the linked article noted, Teheran’s velocity has been down this year, and it bottomed out at an average velocity of 87.5 mph in his last start on June 4, per FanGraphs. The 27-year-old struggled last year with a 4.49 ERA that was his worst in a full season in “The Show.” This year hasn’t exactly been a rebound season for him. He shouldn’t be trusted in his first start off the disabled list in any league, but if he pitches well and he’s not struggling to even touch 90 mph, he could be worth rostering in 14-team mixers or deeper leagues.

Trevor Cahill (OAK)
Cahill has been a popular tout of mine in Pitchers to Target in Deep Leagues, but he can’t seem to stay healthy. The 30-year-old right-hander is on the disabled list with a right Achilles tendon strain. Cahill’s been brilliant this year twirling a 2.77 ERA (3.03 FIP, 2.86 xFIP, and 3.04 SIERA), 0.99 WHIP, 5.9% BB%, and 25.0% K% in eight starts spanning 48.2 innings this year. If you have an open disabled list spot in even the shallowest of leagues, he’s a worthy stash. Gamers without the luxury of a disabled list and with shallow benches should — unfortunately — cut him in anything smaller than a 14-team mixer.

Zach Britton (BAL)
Last week, I highlighted Britton and noted he should be universally owned in advance of his return from the disabled list. He’s since been activated and made one relief appearance. I’ll double down on the fact he should be universally owned, however, he should also probably be kept on the bench for at least one more relief appearance after a shaky first appearance this year. Britton walked three hitters, but he avoided allowing any runs, struck one hitter out, and induced ground balls on all of the balls put in play against him. As one would guess from the three walks, control was an issue for him. He threw a first-pitch strike to just 40.0% of the batters he faced, and only 30.8% of his pitches were in the strike zone. The lefty with the bowling-ball sinker was sharp in his rehab appearances, so I’m optimistic he’ll shake the rust off in short order.

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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.