It is vital to examine key fantasy baseball storylines and aspects this week to stay 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:
- Houston Astros vs. SEA, vs. TEX
- Seattle Mariners at HOU, vs. SDP
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. SFG, at LAA
- San Francisco Giants at LAD, at ATH
2. Ryan Waldschmidt (OF – ARI)
Ryan Waldschmidt is a top-50 prospect who made his debut last week for the Diamondbacks. He has a decent hit tool and good power and speed.
Waldschmidt hit .289/.400/.477 with three home runs and six stolen bases in 34 games in AAA before his call-up. He has started well in his first few games, and we need to see if he can keep it going.
3. Spencer Jones (OF – NYY)
Spencer Jones is a powerful outfield prospect for the Yankees who was brought up after Jasson Dominguez hurt himself last week. He had 11 home runs in AAA this season, but was striking out at a 32% clip.
If Jones can make enough contact, he could hit a ton of home runs in Yankee Stadium, but we need to see if the Yankees let him play full-time, considering his swing-and-miss issues.
4. Lucas Giolito (SP – SD)
Lucas Giolito signed a deal with the Padres and is expected to come up at the end of the week to make his season debut after stretching out in the minors the last two weeks.
Giolito hasn’t been great in the minors, with a 6.55 ERA in 11 innings across three starts. He does have 12 strikeouts, though, and he was good last season when he was on the mound. We need to see what Giolito can do in the Majors.
5. Giants Catchers
The Giants traded away defensive wizard Patrick Bailey last week to the Guardians, which leaves Daniel Susac and Jesus Rodriguez as their two main catchers moving forward.
Both are young and have upside, but we need to see what the split behind the plate will be and if they will get plate appearances at other positions.
6. Robby Snelling (SP – MIA)
Robby Snelling was called up and made his debut last week. He is a top-100 prospect and was great in AAA, but he can struggle with control, as he did in his first start.
Snelling needs to find the zone and limit walks or else his stay in the Majors will be short.
7. The Return of Bryce Miller
Bryce Miller is expected to be activated from the injured list (IL) this week after missing the first six weeks of the season with an oblique injury.
Miller was fantastic in 2024, but struggled last season. Reports are that his velocity is back up and he looks more like the stud he previously was, but the Mariners’ rotation is stacked, so we need to see if he can stick.
8. Reds’ Closer Chaos
With Emilio Pagan going down with a hamstring injury, the Reds need a new closer. The options are Pierce Johnson (who got a save over the weekend), Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft.
We need to see if someone emerges or if this is a committee. With how much Pagan was struggling before the injury, one of these three could hold the job for a while.
9. Angels’ Closer Chaos
The Angels need another closer after letting go of Jordan Romano, and no one has emerged as of yet. Ryan Zeferjahn got a save recently, but the Angels have Kirby Yates activated from the IL. Sam Bachman has also pitched well.
10-14. Streaming Options
Nick Martinez (SP, RP – TBR) vs. MIA
Nick Martinez has been very good this season and has a nice matchup at home, where he has a 1.53 ERA this season.
Sean Burke (SP – CWS) vs. KCR
Sean Burke has pitched well so far this season and is facing the worst road team in baseball.
Ty Madden (RP – DET) vs. TOR
Prospect Ty Madden is filling in for Tarik Skubal. He has pitched well so far in his two outings. Madden has a decent matchup at home versus a Blue Jays team that has struggled on the road.
Connor Prielipp (SP – MIN) vs. MIA
Since being called up, Connor Prielipp has thrown 19 innings with a 3.32 ERA and 21 strikeouts. He has a good matchup against a mediocre Marlins offense at home.
Foster Griffin (SP, RP – WSH) at CIN
Foster Griffin has been great so far and is facing a Reds team that is struggling a ton.
15-20. Two-Start Options
Michael Soroka (SP, RP – ARI) at TEX, at COL
Michael Soroka has been up and down this season, throwing 37 innings with a 4.14 ERA and 42 strikeouts. He has been great, aside from one atrocious start against the Brewers.
Soroka has two good matchups this week. Even though one is in Colorado, you are using him in most formats this week.
Bailey Ober (SP – MIN) vs. MIA, vs. MIL
Bailey Ober has pitched well for the most part, but his skills are very scary. He is throwing 89 miles per hour (MPH) this season, and if he can’t overpower hitters, eventually the ball will start flying.
Ober has a good matchup at the start of the week and a terrible one against a very good team in the Brewers, who make a ton of contact. He is worth the risk when pitching well, but it may fall apart quickly.
Brandon Sproat (SP – MIL) vs. SD, at MIN
Brandon Sproat has good stuff, but he has struggled with command and control. He has two good matchups this week. He is still getting strikeouts, so he is worth the risk in deeper formats, but there is a lot of risk if he can’t find the zone.
Roki Sasaki (SP – LAD) vs. SFG at LAA
Roki Sasaki has struggled this season, but he has been better as of late, and these are very good matchups against a terrible Giants team and an Angels squad that has been much worse versus righties so far.
Jack Flaherty (SP – DET) at NYM, vs. TOR
Jack Flaherty has struggled this season, but he is getting strikeouts, and he has two great matchups versus a struggling Mets team and a Blue Jays team that hasn’t been very good this year against righties.
There is risk if Flaherty struggles with walks again, but the upside is worth risking it in these matchups.
Joey Cantillo (SP, RP – CLE) vs. LAA, vs. CIN
Joey Cantillo has been good so far this season, throwing 39.1 innings over eight starts with a 3.43 ERA and 37 strikeouts. He has a tougher matchup versus the Angels and then a good one against the Reds, so he is worth using in most formats.
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