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.
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant
- Fantasy Baseball Lineup Assistant
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
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:
- Chicago White Sox vs. BAL, at KC
- Detroit Tigers at MIN, vs. MIA
- Kansas City Royals at CLE, vs. CWS
- Minnesota Twins vs. DET, at TOR
- Miami Marlins vs. CIN, at DET
- Cincinnati Reds at MIA, vs. LAA
- Colorado Rockies vs. HOU, at SD
- San Diego Padres at PIT, vs. SD
2. Konnor Griffin (SS, OF – PIT)
Top prospect Konnor Griffin made his debut last week, hitting a double in his first at-bat. Since then, he has struggled, going 0-for-11. The Pirates have been on a roll, and they should give him plenty of rope to get acclimated, but he has very little pro ball experience, so there may be a steep learning curve.
3. Spencer Arrighetti (SP – HOU)
With Hunter Brown hitting the injured list (IL), Spencer Arrighetti is likely to rejoin the Astros’ rotation. Arrighetti has been amazing through two starts in Triple-A, throwing 8.1 scoreless innings with a 42% strikeout rate. However, he is still struggling with control. There is a ton of upside, but we need to see if he can limit the walks.
4. Emmet Sheehan (SP – LAD)
Emmet Sheehan was a popular pitching target in drafts this season, but he had a drop in velocity late in spring and has struggled in his first two starts. He has a lot of talent, but if the velocity doesn’t return, he may not be in the Majors long.
5. Jacob Misiorowski (SP – MIL) vs. Garrett Crochet (SP – BOS)
Sometimes you just want to sit down and watch a great game, and one of the best pitching matchups of the week is Jacob Misiorowski heading to Boston to take on Garrett Crochet and the Red Sox.
6. The Angels vs. Lefties
The Angels have struggled mightily versus left-handed pitching the last two seasons, and they have three on the docket this week: Chris Sale, Brandon Williamson and Andrew Abbott. This is a good time to get those pitchers in your lineup.
7. Kodai Senga (SP – NYM)
Kodai Senga was great in spring training and in his first start. Then, all of a sudden, in the last inning of his Sunday start, his velocity dipped from 97 to 93-94 miles per hour (MPH). This is concerning for a pitcher who has struggled with injuries in his career. We need to watch his velocity in his next start.
8. Rays Closer Chaos
The Rays seemed to have settled on Griffin Jax as their closer in spring, but have since gone with a committee. Bryan Baker seems to be the top option, but Jax, Ian Seymour and Kevin Kelly are also in the mix.
9. Royals Closer Chaos
With Carlos Estevez hitting the IL, the Royals need a new closer. Lucas Erceg seems to be the logical choice, but he is also their best reliever, and they like to use him in the most high-leverage spots, which could open the door for Matt Strahm.
10. Giants Closer Chaos
Closer Ryan Walker has struggled out of the gate and recently pitched the sixth inning this weekend. Keaton Winn or Caleb Kilian could be next up. We need to keep an eye on this.
11-14. Streaming Options
Eric Lauer (SP, RP – TOR) vs. MIN
Eric Lauer has pitched well and faces a bad Twins team at home.
Michael Wacha (SP – KC) vs. CWS
Michael Wacha is a steady starter and gets a great matchup at home.
Seth Lugo (SP – KC) vs. CWS
Seth Lugo struggled last season, but looked good in his first start and gets the White Sox at home.
Randy Vasquez (SP – SD) vs. COL
Randy Vasquez has been great with added velocity this season and he faces a Rockies team that struggles in their first series away from home.
15-20. Two-Start Options
Casey Mize (SP – DET) at MIN, vs. MIA
With the emergence of so many young starting pitchers, a lot of people forgot about how talented Casey Mize was in drafts. He doesn’t have the massive upside of other former top prospects, but he is still just 28, and the floor is very safe. He has two nice matchups this week, so you are using him in most formats.
Noah Cameron (SP – KC) at CLE, vs. CWS
Noah Cameron is another pitcher who doesn’t have the flashiest profile, but he does have a pretty safe floor. These are two good matchups versus unimposing offenses, so you should be using him in most formats.
Tanner Bibee (SP – CLE) vs. KC, at ATL
Tanner Bibee dealt with a shoulder issue in his first start, but he rebounded fantastically against the Dodgers, allowing just one run on two hits and two walks, while striking out four in four innings. The shoulder issue is still a little worrisome, but he has a good floor and some decent upside. These aren’t matchups you are running away from, so he is usable in a lot of formats this week.
Taj Bradley (SP – MIN) vs. DET, at TOR
Rostering Taj Bradley is like Charlie Brown trying to kick a football; sometimes you are going to fall on your butt. However, he looks about as good as he has in the Majors, and there is a ton of upside in his arm. There is some risk, too, and these are two tough matchups on paper. However, both the Tigers and Blue Jays offenses have started slowly, so the upside here might be worth the risk.
Andrew Painter (SP – PHI) at SF, vs. ARI
Andrew Painter looked great in his debut, especially with his command and control, which were issues with him last season in the minors. He has two decent matchups this week and should get a lot of run support for win upside.
Jose Soriano (SP – LAA) vs. ATL, at CIN
Jose Soriano’s first two starts went very well, and there have been some noticeable improvements in his control. However, he still allows a lot of contact, which can get him out of innings quickly, but also can get him in trouble if his defense doesn’t pick him up. Soriano has a tough park to go into at the end of the week, which makes him somewhat risky.
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