In the following MLB weekly preview, you will find a game breakdown for all 30 teams, two-start and overall pitching rankings and the latest IL info to dominate Fantasy Baseball…
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MLB GAME BREAKDOWN GRID
NOTES: Since this article is slated to publish on Father’s Day, I want to begin with a shout-out to all of the proud papas out there! Take a minute/hour/day away from your computer and/or mobile device and spend time with your kids and/or God-willing your Dad! As a commercial for fatherhood.gov says, “it only takes a moment to make a moment.” Hopefully, your papa or you aren’t as evil as this one. 😂 It’s a special Father’s Day, as we also celebrate Juneteenth. And in the spirit of both holidays, I will be spending time with my Dad as well as attending my niece’s high-school graduation. If you notice this article isn’t as “wordy” as it normally is – cause I’m usually a wordy *bleep* – this is why. Priorities are key in life, for time is not a given.
Five-Game Teams: TEX (PHI – 2, WSH – 3), WSH (@BAL – 2, @TEX – 3)
A Few Areas to Target
Brave Righties
Braves play seven games at home (SF – 4, LAD – 3) this week. While Truist Park has been playing slightly below average in home runs this season, the field has seen above-average runs scored and has the sixth-highest overall park factor. Furthermore, Braves hitters line up to face four left-handed pitchers and three right-handed pitchers. Not only is this good news for Ronald Acuña Jr., Dansby Swanson and a resurgent Austin Riley, but Adam Duvall (29% rostered in redraft, 70% dynasty) should benefit, as well. Finally, the visiting Giants’ bats gain a significant park upgrade, while LA’s park shift is rather neutral.
Pale Hose
White Sox play seven this week at home (TOR – 3, BAL – 4). However, all seven scheduled opposing starters are right-handed. For most teams, that creates an advantage for left-handed hitters, but this ChiSox lineup is deplete of lefties other than Yoán Moncada and Leury García, who switch. But these bats are hitting well right on right in 2022: Andrew Vaughn (.293/.365/.828, 5 HR), José Abreu (.260/.359/.779, 6 HR), Jake Burger (5 HR in 98 AB).
Hello Again
Brewers play seven games at home (STL – 4, TOR – 3)… we have a running trend here! While American Family Field is right at the mean for overall park factors, its HR factor is booming (115). This presents potential advantages for their power threats and positive park shifts for opponents. One such power threat is Rowdy Tellez (51%, 87%), who will face his old club at the end of the week. The Brew Crew will need his bat to be hot to keep up with a potent Jays lineup. In his favor, Milwaukee will face six out of seven RHP. Yelich and Narváez will enjoy this as well, but Jace Peterson is the big benefactor here and should see the lion’s share of the platoon.
Miami Vice
Marlins play seven with six home games (@NYM – 1, COL – 3, NYM – 3). The lone road game is the completion of a four-game series with the Mets on 6/20. The opponent pitching splits are four LHP / three RHP. Pretty down the middle, but Jorge Soler and Garrett Cooper (17%, 63%) should benefit. One guy who will take a hit this week is Jazz Chisholm. He is slashing .069/.069/.172 vs. lefties this year with zero home runs in 29 AB. Small sample, but it represents both a trend as well as an avoidance by the Marlins.
Battle for the Midwest
Cardinals play seven games this week (@MIL – 4, CHC – 3)… the only shame is I wish they played the Cubs for four games. As of 6/16, during a ten-game losing streak, Chicago pitchers were torched for 90 runs in the ten ball games (Cubs offense put up a measly 30 runs). As it is, the Cards piled up 32 runs in a five-game series that began the losing streak. They are officially the new Reds while that rotation is a mess. Cubs play seven games as well and all on the road (@PIT – 4, @STL – 3). Maybe getting away from the winds of Wrigley will help ease the load. Chicago also gets six out of seven RHP.
Bull Durham
Yankees play seven games this week (@TB – 3, HOU – 4) and could face up to three lefties if Tampa Bay opts to call up Josh Fleming to fill in the opening created by Drew RasmussenIL. Despite Fleming rocking a 6-0 record with a 0.98 ERA in six starts since being sent down to Durham, this is not Triple-A, and the Yanks murder left-handing pitching: 33 HR (first, MLB), .748 OPS (eighth), .200 ISO (second), .324 wOBA (ninth) and 113 wRC+ (eighth). Shane McClanahan and Framber Valdez are no easy task, and Verlander has found the Fountain of Youth despite taking one of the chin last time out, but I don’t see the other arms “announcing their presence with authority.”
Playing the role of Crash Davis will be Jose Trevino (6%, 28%), who can help those who are ailing in two-catcher leagues. But we know the real benefactors here… Judge, Donaldson and Stanton, among others. And don’t shy away from playing Anthony Rizzo, as he has handled the same handedness well over his career and has four long flies against lefties this year.
BP Session
Padres play seven games at home this week (ARI – 3, PHI – 4). Petco has been its usual stingy self to hitters this season, significantly below average in home runs despite an early spike this season. This is a bummer for all parties involved, but less so for the home squad. First, they’re one of only 10 teams playing a week-high seven games (18 play six games). Second, the opposing pitchers are average at best, especially when you get to the pen. Arizona’s and Philadelphia’s bullpens are prime-time targets. As a result, Luke Voit (36%, 79%) is a suggested streamer again this week.
IMPORTANT PARK FACTORS
2022 Statistics
*Updated 6/19/22; Statcast data via Baseball Savant
TOP TWO-START PITCHERS
IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE – SUPERSCRIPT NUMBER IS OVERALL RANK
- Gerrit Cole1 (@TB, HOU)
- Corbin Burnes2 (STL, TOR)
- Shane McClanahan7 (NYY, PIT)
- Max Fried11 (SF, LAD)
- Dylan Cease13 (TOR, BAL)
- Nestor Cortes22 (@TB, HOU)
- Yu Darvish23 (ARI, PHI)
- Logan Webb28 (@ATL, CIN)
- José Berríos30 (@CHW, @MIL)
- Tony Gonsolin39 (@CIN, @ATL)
- Miles Mikolas42 (@MIL, CHC)
- Joe Ryan48 (CLE, COL)
- Lance Lynn54 (TOR, BAL)
- Tyler Mahle55 (LAD, @SF)
- Spencer Strider57 (SF, LAD)
- Noah Syndergaard59 (KC,
SEA) ⬅️ Will be treated like Ohtani (one start per week) and will pitch on Monday…
Other Options: Aaron Ashby60 (STL, TOR), Trevor Rogers65 (@NYM, NYM), Jack Flaherty67 (@MIL, CHC)
*Ashby is currently DTD with left forearm tightness, or fatigue, depending on who you ask. However, he had a successful between-start throwing session on 6/18. What’s not good to go are these matchups. Don’t mean to be a broken record, but STL kills lefties (.337 wOBA, sixth – 120 wRC+, fourth – .429 SLG, eighth), and then there’s the Jays. Depending on league format, you may wanna sit this one out when coupled with early-exit risk (Goes on IL retroactive to 6/17). As for Rogers, how often do you see a two-step against the same team?! Well, we will have two this week along with David Peterson (see Pov Special). It’s a shame Rogers is so lost right now because the way to attack my Mets is with left-handed arms. Maybe this will be a pick-me-up, but facing the same team twice kills the buzz. You’re most likely starting Flaherty.
Danger Zone: Marco Gonzales73 (@OAK, @LAA), Anthony DeSclafani90 (@ATL, CIN), James Kaprielian101 (SEA, @KC), José Urquidy103 (NYM, @NYY), Alex Faedo131 & Beau BrieskeNR (@BOS, @ARI), Zach Davies136 (@SD, DET), Aaron CivaleNR (@MIN, BOS), Rich Hill141 & Josh WinckowskiNR (DET, @CLE), Jordan LylesNR (WSH, @CHW), Daniel CastanoNR (COL, NYM), Austin Gomber73 (@MIA, @MIN) Ryan FeltnerNR (@MIA, @MIN)
*Starting Urquidy will take balls of steel (aka sheer stupidity)! UPDATE: Gomber is being moved to pen. As a result, Feltner will remain in the rotation and pick up two starts.
STARTING PITCHER RANKINGS FOR JUNE 20 – 26
UPDATE: Joe Musgrove3 (CV19 IL) will start on 6/23 vs. PHI.
MLB WEEKLY PREVIEW | INJURED LIST REPORT
Besides names that may already be listed, here is the latest injury news on a few of your fantasy studs. I will update you early in the week.
Mookie Betts – 10-day IL, Cracked Right Rib
Betts has a cracked rib and will go on the injured list, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Saturday. After being a late scratch on 6/17 with a right rib contusion, Betts was once again taken out of the Dodgers’ lineup on 6/18 after the outfielder continued to experience soreness in the area resulting from a collision he had with Cody Bellinger in the outfield on 6/15. No word on how long the 29-year-old outfielder will be on the shelf.
Bryce Harper – DTD, Blister
Harper’s maladies are adding up this season! With no surprise due to an off day on 6/20, he missed a third consecutive game (the first was just sitting in the nightcap of a doubleheader before the blister arose). According to interim manager Rob Thomson, the blister is infected and is getting treatment. The team is hoping he can rejoin the lineup for the series opener against the Rangers.
Yordan Alvarez – DTD, Undisclosed
Alvarez suffered an undisclosed injury on his swing while hitting into a double play in the seventh inning on 6/18. There were no other immediate updates available from manager Dusty Baker postgame.
Wander Franco – 10-day IL, Right Quad Strain
Some good news… Franco started his minor-league rehab assignment on 6/18 as the DH for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Rays. Franco tripled in his first at-bat and finished 1-for-4 with a strikeout. If all goes well this week, he could rejoin the Rays for this weekend’s series against the Pirates, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Kris Bryant – 10-day IL, Back
Bryant took batting practice at Coors Field for the third straight day and is nearing a Minor League rehab assignment, according to manager Bud Black.
Jorge Polanco – 10-day IL, Back (Retro 6/13)
Ok, that’s enough of the good news… back to the bad. Polanco has been dealing with back soreness for the better part of two years and will need to be shut down for at least ten days. His MRI was clean, so not all bad news here other than we will be minus his services.
Nathan Eovaldi – 15-day IL, Back
Eovaldi’s progression from lower-back inflammation has been slower than the Red Sox expected, and he might not be activated as soon as he is eligible on 6/24, according to manager Alex Cora. If he cannot return this week, Josh Winckowski will get a second start (DET, @CLE). EO may see his good friend Chris Sale in both pitchers’ attempts to make it back to a major-league mound. Sale will start his rehab assignment by pitching two innings in the Complex League on 6/20.
Joe Musgrove – CVD-IL
Details of his condition and whether he is exhibiting symptoms or has tested positive were not immediately available.
POV SPECIAL – SP STREAMS OF THE WEEK
→ Roansy Contreras82, RH PIT (CHC, @TB; 10.5% rostered in redraft, 74% dynasty) – Contreras hit his first bump in the road last time out against St. Louis and has given up six earned runs over his last nine innings. However, I like these two matchups this week to revitalize his strikeout touch. Chicago has struck out at the 10th-highest rate against right-handed pitching (23.4%), while Tampa Bay has the fourth-highest rate (25%). He should be rostered in more leagues and by you if in need of an arm.
Honorable Mentions: Kyle Gibson70, RH PHI (@TEX, @SD; 69%, 90%), David Peterson104, LH NYM (MIA, @MIA; 8%,45%) – Gibson falls slightly ahead of our roster cutoff for streaming, but I have noticed him let go in a few leagues, and his roster percentage is down on ESPN. I like rolling pitchers vs. former teams, albeit, Gibson was only a Ranger for a season and a half. Peterson is another option in case Gibson is unavailable, but beware of the “double-start curse.” *Paternity alert for Peterson (see note below in Daily Pitching Matchups).
Solo Start: Alex Cobb72, RH SF (CIN; 21%, 80%), Keegan Thompson88, RH CHC (@PIT; 30%, 48%)
For more streaming options on the mound AND at the plate, visit Ray’s FAAB Values!