Welcome fantasy friends and foes to Week 13 of the 2022 Fantasy Baseball Season.
I never believed in unlucky numbers especially the stigma of the number 13. You make your own luck and you can start by looking at what to watch for in Week 13 of the 2022 Fantasy Baseball Season.
Let the Fireworks begin as I prepare you for this week with 20 things to watch for in Week 13.
1. Week 13 Schedule Highlights
We will see 12 teams play six games this week, with the Milwaukee Brewers (19-15) and the San Diego Padres (21-16) playing all six at home. The remaining 18 teams will play all seven games this week, with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and the Los Angeles Dodgers all enjoying home cooking in Week 13.
2. Mookie Betts returns this week and maybe at 2B?
The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed Mookie Betts back to the lineup on Sunday after the 29-year-old was sidelined since June 16 due to a cracked rib in a collision with teammate Cody Bellinger. The former AL MVP was hitting .273/.349/.535 with 17 home runs and 40 RBI, in addition to six stolen bases this season. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested that Betts could play second base initially because it’s an easier throw for Betts, and he doesn’t like to play designated hitter.
Betts is no stranger to second base, playing 46 innings last season at 2B, but that causes a domino effect in the Dodgers lineup. Having Betts at second base pushes the .291 hitting Gavin Lux into a seeming utility role while Tayce Thompson and Eddy Alvarez continue to platoon in right field for the Dodgers. This is a significant coup for fantasy managers who roster Betts. Deploying Betts at second base is a massive upgrade at a weak position at elite options. Without Betts, the Dodgers increased their NL West lead to 4.5 games. Watch that lead increase with the Dodgers welcoming their best hitter back into their daily lineup.
3. The Royals have a new 1B
Vinnie Pasquantino got a loud ovation from #Royals fans before his first major league at-bat.
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Stream: https://t.co/wRIUzeqrQD#Royals pic.twitter.com/oqSChGtBpw— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) June 29, 2022
The trade of disappointing veteran first baseman Carlos Santana opened the door for the “Italian Nightmare” to be promoted and take over as the Kansas City Royals first baseman. Vinnie Pasquantino is the Royals’ No. 3 prospect who has produced a .950 OPS or better each full year as a pro. The left-handed slugger was hitting .280/.372/.576 in 69 games, ranking first in homers (18), total extra-base hits (36), and RBI (67) in the International League. More impressively, Pasquantino produced a higher walk rate (12.5%) than strikeout rate (12.2%) at Omaha. He hit his MLB home run on Friday against the Detroit Tigers but is off to a slow start to his big league career, hitting .167 in his first 12 MLB at-bats.
4. The emergence of Jon Gray
1.40 ERA over his last 4 starts ? pic.twitter.com/AVA7EWsNRz
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) June 29, 2022
Jon Gray has won three consecutive starts and has only given up three earned runs across 19.2 in those three victories. His overall numbers of 4-3 with a 3.89 ERA are not that impressive, but his production in June is what propels MLB and fantasy teams to victory. So jump on the Jon Gray bandwagon now.
5. Kenley Jansen placed on IL with irregular heartbeat
The veteran right-hander has managed an irregular heartbeat for a long time, including undergoing a cardiac ablation in 2012 and corrective heart surgery in 2018. The Braves placed their closer on the 15-day injured list with an irregular heartbeat. Jansen spent his first 12 MLB seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and signed with the Braves in March. The three-time All-Star is 4-0 with a 3.58 ERA, and 20 saves this season.
The Braves believe this will be a short IL stint, but with Jansen out, the team will now turn to a pair of southpaws to close out games, Will Smith or A.J. Minter. Braves manager Brian Snitker mentioned that he would utilize both relievers to close out games, who are a combined 2-for-7 in save opportunities this season. Smith, last year’s closer who finished with 37 saves last season, has a 3.19 ERA and 9.3 K/9 across 31 innings this season. Minter has only allowed only six earned runs over 32 innings this season. Both southpaws will be among the most added as we head into Week 13.
6-8. Who are the next prospects to make a big-league impact?
Brayan Bello (SP – BOS)
Brayan Bello has emerged as the hottest pitching prospect in the minors. Bello started his 2022 season, dominating AA hitters to a 1.60 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with an 11.2 K/9 across 33.2 innings in six starts. A promotion to Triple-A Worchester didn’t faze the 23-year-old right-hander. He is 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with a 12.6 K/9 across nine appearances. His next promotion will result in Bello taking the mound at Fenway Park, where he will assist a potent Red Sox starting rotation currently ranked seventh in the league. It is not a matter of if but a question of when we will see Bello pitching for the Red Sox this season.
Triston Casas (1B – BOS)
The Boston Red Sox has another prospect we should see this season in slugging first baseman Triston Casas. Unfortunately, Casas has been out the past few weeks with a high ankle sprain but has resumed fielding work and will likely return by the end of this month. Once healthy, Casas will probably get the opportunity to unseat Bobby Dalbec, who is struggling to keep his batting average above the Mendoza Line. Casas is a slugging first baseman who will make noise as the everyday first baseman in the Red Sox lineup later this summer.
Max Meyer (SP – MIA)
The Miami Marlins prospect is recovering from ulnar nerve irritation and just resumed throwing. Meyer will be on the fast track to Miami this season, especially if the rumblings of a Pablo Lopez trade become a reality. The third overall pick of the 2020 Draft has shown flashes of being a dominant pitcher, including producing a 10.2 K/9 across 50 innings of work this season.
9-11. Full Stream Ahead
Alex Cobb (SP – SF) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
The veteran right-hander is coming off his most impressive outing of the season. Cobb earned the victory against the San Diego Padres by striking out 10 batters and giving up two earned runs across five innings. He will look to carry that momentum with a date against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who own the second-worst batting average in baseball.
Yusei Kikuchi (SP – TOR) vs. Oakland Athletics
Kikuchi has been mediocre at best for the Blue Jays this season. However, he is coming off one of his better starts of the season, in which he went six innings to gain the victory against the Tampa Bay Rays. The southpaw surrendered one earned run while striking out eight to bring his record to 3-4 on the season. In Week 13, the left-hander has a juicy matchup against the Oakland A’s. The A’s are the worst-hitting team in the league and struggle versus left-handers making Kikuchi a viable streaming option this week.
David Peterson (SP – NYM) vs. Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are another lineup that struggles against southpaws to the tune of a .214 batting average. In Week 13, the Marlins will face off against New York Mets left-hander David Peterson, who is 5-1 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Peterson has surrendered three earned runs or less in five consecutive starts and looks like a good bet to do it again in Week 13.
12-14. Two-Start Recommendations
Dylan Bundy (SP – MIN)
Bundy has always been an inconsistent fantasy pitcher, although he has been pitching well. The Twins right-hander has given up two earned runs or less in three consecutive starts and gets to take on the Chicago White Sox and the Texas Rangers this week. Bundy faced off against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in April, where he pitched five scoreless innings and held the White Sox hitters to four hits while striking out four with zero walks in getting the victory. Bundy will try to duplicate that effort and take on a Rangers lineup that ranks in the bottom third in the league.
Johnny Cueto (SP – CWS)
His 2-4 win-loss record might be concerning to some, but don’t shy away from the veteran right-hander this week. Cueto owns a 3.33 ERA and 1.17 WHIP and has given up three earned runs or less in six consecutive starts. Cueto will attempt to continue that streak when he takes the mound against the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers this week.
Noah Syndergaard (SP – LAA)
Syndergaard is not the dominant right-hander we witnessed in flashes when he was with the New York Mets. However, he is still a good fantasy option, especially this week against two-plus matchups against the Miami Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles. Syndergaard is 5-6 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, and he is what he is now, which is a deep streaming option.
15-20. Hot or Not
Hot
Rowdy Tellez (1B – MIL)
Rowdy Tellez has been on one heck of a power surge. The left-handed slugger had five dingers, scored six runs, and knocked in 12 runs in 21 at-bats last week.
Kyle Schwarber (1B, OF – PHI)
Another lefty slugger who has been mashing the ball lately. Schwarber slashed .292/.346/.708, hit three homers while knocking in 10 runs, and even stole a base across 24 at-bats this past week.
Cristian Javier (SP – HOU)
Javier continues his excellent 2022 season with two outstanding starts this past week. Javier gained two wins and only surrendered one earned run and one hit while striking 27 batters across 14 innings. Javier will attempt to continue to stay hot when he takes the mound at Minute Maid Park against the bottom five offense of the Kansas City Royals.
Not
Yoan Moncada (3B – CWS)
Moncada hasn’t helped fantasy managers much since his return; last week was no different. He went 2-for-14 with a run scored and two RBI last week.
Christian Walker (1B – ARI)
There is plenty of risk/reward to rostering Christian Walker. While he has 19 home runs this season, he is a black hole in your lineups when he is not producing long balls. Unfortunately, that was the case last week. Walker only had one hit in 16 at-bats but did produce six walks and scored five runs to give fantasy managers some production.
Corey Kluber (SP – TB)
The veteran right-hander has been highly inconsistent this season, and he was rocked in his two starts last week. Kluber gave up 12 hits, and seven earned runs across 8.1 innings of work which produced a dismal 7.56 ERA. Kluber takes the mound against the Boston Red Sox next week, who have won seven out of their last 10 games.
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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.
