It is important to look at some important storylines and aspects this week to be ahead of the curve and gain an edge on your fantasy baseball leaguemates.
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20 Fantasy Baseball Things to Watch
1) Week Schedule Notes
- No teams have just five games this week!
- The following teams have seven games this week:
- Toronto Blue Jays at MIN, at TB
- Minnesota Twins vs SEA, vs TOR
- Pittsburgh Pirates at STL, vs CIN
- St. Louis Cardinals at PIT, vs LAD
2) Payton Tolle
Tolle is a top pitching prospect who made his 2026 MLB debut after Sonny Gray hit the IL last week. Tolle looked fantastic before the Red Sox bullpen blew the win for him. He has four pitches including an elite fastball with good command. We need to see if he looks just as in his second start.
3) JR Ritchie
Ritchie is a top 100 prospect who made his debut this week, throwing seven innings with a 2.57 ERA and seven strikeouts in the victory. The Braves have said he will stay up in the Majors after Spencer Strider returns and have moved Reynaldo Lopez to the bullpen, but we need to see if he can keep his rotation spot or will also move to the bullpen.
Strider is expected to return from the IL this week, but we need to see what version of him we get. Do we get the guy who was throwing 95 last season or the one who was throwing 97 mph pre-injury? Can he be as effective with reduced velocity?
Yesavage is expected to be activated from the IL to make his season debut. The top prospect has amazing stuff, but lacks good control. We need to see if he can attack the zone and how deep into games he can go.
6) Coby Mayo
Mayo is a former top prospect who has struggled in his previous call-ups to the Majors. So far this season had looked like more of the same until last week when he hit three home runs in three games. Mayo has always had a ton of power, but we need to see if he can make consistent enough contact, especially on breaking pitches to stay in the Majors.
7) Angels Closing Chaos
The Angels designated Jordan Romano in a surprise move on Sunday leaving them without a closer. Kirby Yates is still on rehab assignment but may be back soon, but in the meantime, it looks like Drew Pomeranz and Sam Bachman are the lead candidates to close.
8) Athletics Closer Chaos
It appeared as if Joel Kuhnel was taking command of the Athletics closing committee and then Jack Perkins got two saves last week. We need to see if Perkins is now taking command or if this is just a messy committee.
9) Cubs Closer Chaos
Caleb Thielbar was looking like he was going to be the closer while Daniel Palencia was out with injury, but then he got injured himself. Now the Cubs are in search of another fill-in closer and there are a lot of options including Ben Brown, Corbin Martin, Phil Maton and Jacob Webb. Who will emerge?
10) Blue Jays Closer Chaos
Jeff Hoffman has struggled all season and it appears he has lost the closer’s job in Toronto. Louie Varland got the most recent save, but Tyler Rogers could also factor in.
11-14. Streaming Options
Seth Lugo at SEA – Lugo has quietly been very good this season and heads to a great pitching park in Seattle for a nice matchup against the Mariners.
Andrew Painter vs SF – Painter has had very good stuff so far this season and is facing a struggling Giants team.
Justin Wrobleski at STL – Wrobleski has been fantastic in spite of low strikeout numbers this season. He faces a bad Cardinals offense in a good pitcher’s park this week and could win his fourth game this season in four starts.
Braxton Ashcraft vs CIN – Ashcraft has been pretty good so far, but the Reds are really struggling offensively, especially away from home.
15-20. 2-Start Options
Peter Lambert at BAL, at BOS – Lambert has quietly been very good and he is facing a mediocre offense in Baltimore and a reeling team in the Red Sox.
Chad Patrick vs ARI, at WAS – Patrick has been pretty good in spite of lackluster strikeout numbers this season. He has tougher matchups versus teams that can hit well, but until he falters, you should be using him in most formats.
Luis Castillo at MIN, vs KC – Castillo has struggled some this year, but the underlying numbers suggest he is who he always has been, which is a reliable, safe starter that should be used in good matchups and you do not get much better than the Royals and Twins.
Connor Prielipp vs SEA, vs TOR – Prielipp is a top prospect who debuted last week and looked very good in his debut. He has great stuff but can struggle with control. He has a good matchup to start the week and a mediocre one to end it so he is a decent gamble with upside.
Steven Matz at CLE, vs SF – Matz has been up and so far this season, but these are two very good matchups, including a start against the Giants, who have been the worst team in baseball versus left-handed pitching.
Casey Mize at ATL, vs TEX – Mize has been fantastic so far this season, mixing and matching well. He has a tough matchup at the beginning of the week, but a much easier one at the end to wrap up the week.
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