It is vital to look at important fantasy baseball storylines and aspects this week to be ahead of the curve and gain an edge on your league mates. We have 20 such fantasy baseball storylines for you to monitor. This guide will help you navigate the waiver wire, pinpoint potential streamers and more.
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20 Fantasy Baseball Things to Watch
1. Schedule Notes
- Zero teams play just five games this week.
- The following teams play seven games this week:
- Minnesota Twins vs. SEA, at DET
- Seattle Mariners at MIN, at TEX
- Atlanta Braves at NYM, vs. PHI
- New York Mets vs. ATL, at PIT
- Chicago Cubs at STL, at HOU
- St. Louis Cardinals vs. CHC, at CLE
2. Chase Burns (SP – CIN)
Chase Burns is the Reds’ top prospect and one of the top pitching prospects in all of Major League Baseball. He is expected to make his debut this week versus the Yankees. Burns has been amazing in the Minors, throwing 66 innings between three levels with a 1.77 ERA and 89 strikeouts.
A lot will come down to his ability to command his amazing stuff, so we need to see how he does that, especially in a difficult home park.
3. Michael Toglia (1B, OF – COL)
Michael Toglia has returned to the Majors and has started hot, hitting .292/.346/.667 with three home runs and a stolen base in his first six games back. Unfortunately, he has struck out at a 31% clip. That has always been his issue. Toglia struggles with consistent contact, but if he can keep the strikeouts in check, he could have a massive upside.
4. Bailey Ober (SP – MIN)
Bailey Ober has been up and down this year, but he has been on a rough stretch recently. The biggest issue has been reduced velocity. Last season, he averaged 91.7 miles per hour (MPH). That number has dropped by over one MPH this season.
Ober was back up to 90.7 MPH in his last start, which is better, but still below what we saw last season. Without that velocity, he just isn’t the same pitcher.
5. Trevor Rogers (SP – BAL)
Trevor Rogers is returning to the Orioles’ rotation after the injury to Cade Povich. Rogers has shown the ability to be a good starter when healthy and his mechanics are right, but he has struggled in the Majors and Minors over the last two seasons.
Rogers has a shot to stick in the rotation if he can pitch well. He has a two-start week to prove himself.
6. Jacob Misiorowski (SP, RP – MIL) vs. Paul Skenes (SP – PIT)
If you like pitching and want to see two of the brightest young starters in the game, Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes are scheduled to face off against each other on Wednesday. Both are amazing young talents. We should just sit back and enjoy what should be a great pitching duel.
7. Gary Sanchez (C, DH – BAL)
With Adley Rutschman on the injured list (IL), Gary Sanchez is going to pick up a lot of playing time moving forward. He isn’t the player he was early in his career, but there is a lot of pop in the bat still. Sanchez provides a cheap option for homers in deeper formats from a position that doesn’t always offer a ton of power.
8. Max Scherzer (SP – TOR)
Max Scherzer is expected to be activated from the IL after missing most of the season with a thumb injury. He has pitched well in the Minors, but he hasn’t thrown many innings, so we need to see how deep he can pitch and whether he can be as effective as he has been in the past.
9. Didier Fuentes (SP – ATL)
Didier Fuentes made his debut this week and struggled a bit, but he is one of the Braves’ top pitching prospects. He has an amazing fastball, but he doesn’t have great secondary pitches to rely on yet. Fuentes will get a chance to stick and has a tough matchup versus the Mets this week.
10. Phillies Closer Chaos
The revolving door of the closer role for the Phillies is still rotating. It seems to be a committee between Orion Kerkering, Jordan Romano and Matt Strahm. The Phillies tend to just go with the hot hand or matchups, but we need to see if one of these three eventually takes the reins.
11-14. Streaming Options
Charlie Morton (SP, RP – BAL) vs. TEX
Charlie Morton has been great as of late and is facing a struggling Rangers offense.
Landen Roupp (SP, RP – SF) vs. CWS
Landen Roupp has great stuff, but has been up and down this season. He faces a terrible White Sox team, which is always a great team to stream against.
Brandon Pfaadt (SP – ARI) vs. MIA
Brandon Pfaadt looked better in his last three starts and is facing a terrible Marlins team at home.
Shane Baz (SP – TB) at KC
Shane Baz has struggled recently, but he debuted a new pitch that might be able to turn his season around. He has a good matchup in a good park, so he is an interesting streaming option.
15-20. Two-Start Options
Justin Verlander (SP – SF) vs. MIA, at CWS
Justin Verlander came back from the IL last week and pitched decently. He is not the pitcher he once was, but he can still deliver usable innings. He is close to a must-start this week, though, as he has two amazing matchups against two of the worst teams in baseball.
Eduardo Rodriguez (SP – ARI) at CWS, at MIA
Eduardo Rodriguez’s overall line is dreadful, but he is finally healthy and is facing two of the worst teams in the Majors. If you can’t use him for this set of matchups, you never will.
Chad Patrick (SP – MIL) vs. PIT, vs. COL
Chad Patrick has quietly been really good this season, throwing 79.2 innings with a 3.50 ERA and 76 strikeouts. He is facing two terrible offenses, including the worst team in baseball in the Rockies, who struggle on the road.
Shane Smith (SP – CWS) vs. ARI, vs. SF
Shane Smith has been amazing this season and might be the frontrunner for the American League Rookie of the Year award. He has a tough matchup to start the week and an easier one to end it, but you are using him in just about every format until he slows down or regression hits.
Stephen Kolek (SP, RP – SD) vs. WSH, at CIN
Stephen Kolek has quietly been very good this season, recording a 3.59 ERA and 37 strikeouts across 52.2 innings. He has easy matchups to start the week but a tougher one at the end of the week in a bad park, so there is some risk here. However, Kolek has been good enough to warrant taking a risk on him.
Mitchell Parker (SP – WSH) at SD, at LAA
Mitchell Parker has been up and down this season, but he is facing two struggling offenses in the Padres, who have been the second-worst team in baseball in OPS over the last 30 days, and the Angels, who are 23rd. He can struggle with control, which leads to problems, but these matchups are good enough to consider risking it.
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