MLB Weekly Preview: July 11 – 24

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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Scroll right to the part of the MLB Weekly Preview you need in just one click!
Below, you will find an interactive table of contents. Simply click on the section of the article you wanna read and boom.. presto… alakazam. Check back daily for updates… bottom of article covers post-ASB weekend games!!!

As always, if there are any requests for information I can provide or a player/team/topic you would like me to cover in an adjoining article, drop a line in Discord or hit me up on Twitter, @Rob_Povia.

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MLB GAME BREAKDOWN GRID

NOTES: Eight divisions… 32 teams… countless coaches. No, this is not MLB I’m referencing (at least, not yet). This is a light description of Jeff Mans’ NFL Coaching Breakdowns, which will be hitting these pages for our NFL Draft Guide tomorrow (7/11). Over this past week, I had the distinct pleasure of reading every syllable of the 60k+ words and charts. You see, I also fancy myself an editor, and this was my task. I’m sure as shit ready for my drafts, I’ll tell ya. I’m also sleep-deprived, hungry, and fit for a new brain. However, we are at a key week of the fantasy baseball season with the All-Star break looming, and no matter what, I’m here for our subscribers. So, here are the nuts and bolts to dominate in Week 15!

Five-Game Teams: BAL, LAA, LAD (the latter two get a jumpstart on the break, playing a two-game set in Anaheim that wraps on Saturday, 7/16)

A Few Areas to Target

They’re Greaaaaaaat(ish)!
Tigers play eight games to wrap up their first-half schedule (@KC – 4; DH 7/11, @CLE – 4). Once again, Riley Green is in play (29% rostered in redraft, 92% dynasty). Royals also play eight since they too have an adjoining four-game set (DET – 4, @TOR – 4; see below). The Italian Nightmare has been more of a wet dream so far, but I’m willing to stick with Vinnie Pasquantino for another week heading into the break. MJ Melendez has been cold, as well. However, he’s still making solid contact over the past two weeks with a solid walk rate. Stick with him, too!

Central 8
Joining Detroit and KC is the Southside of Chicago (@CLE – 4; DH 7/12, @MIN – 4) and the Guardians of Cleveland (CHW – 4, DET – 4). In the AL Central, only Minnesota plays fewer than eight games with their measly six. Six of the White Sox games are against right-handed starters, which is a bummer for a righty-laded offensive lineup. But Gavin Sheets (1%, 26%) is coming off an oppo-taco, driving in three, and could keep the good times rolling this week. Despite the RvR, your Pale Hose studs get a boost from the voluminous schedule. Plus, nobody has been stopping José Abreu lately (rocking a 14-game hit streak as of 7/9). Also, it’s setting up for an epic final week of the first half for Andrés Giménez – eight probable right-handed starters! ?

Riding a Rocky Mountain High Into the Break
Rockies play seven games at Coors Field (SD – 4, PIT -4) before the All-Star break. And just in time for Kris Bryant to be raging hot. KB has hit four homers over his last five games, hitting .375 for July. After a rocky start (I’m the worst), his season slash line is .299/.358/.477. Here are the pitching matchups:

• Sean Manaea (LH)
• Mike Clevinger (RH)
• Joe Musgrove (RH)
• Blake Snell (LH)
• José Quintana (LH)
• Mitch Keller (RH)
• Bryse Wilson? (AAA – RH)

A mixed bag to be sure, but the Rockies have had the highest wOBA (.349) in home games this season, according to FanGraphs. Jam your Rox hitters in and consider streaming Connor Joe (59%, 85%).

O Canada
The Blue Jays will be eager to return home after losing eight of their last nine games coming into 7/10. While being home all week presents advantages for Toronto (PHI – 2, KC – 4), our focus here are the visitors. Or, more appropriately, the “non-visitors.” Players who are not vaccinated can’t travel to Toronto and will be placed on the restricted list, which is often announced the morning of first game.

For the Phillies, we now see why they shifted Zack Wheeler before Kyle Gibson last week, as the prior will start the second game in Toronto, while the latter takes the hill in Miami to begin the next series. Does this mean Gibby is unvaccinated? Possibly, but he may have just needed the rest, too. We’ll see on 7/12 if he’s placed on the restricted list (although the team may not have to, as starting pitchers who threw within four days of the team’s trip to Canada are an exception). Aaron Nola was acknowledged as unvaccinated last year when placed on the COVID-19 IL, so no surprise he starts in St. Louis before the trip. When asked whether or not the full team will be available for the series, interim manager Rob Thomson said he will address the situation when the team is in St. Louis.

Additionally, we’ll have to stay tuned for Royals news as that series approaches.

UPDATE ⬇️

The 10 Kansas City Royals who are not vaccinated and will miss the trip to Toronto are: OF Andrew Benintendi, IF/OF Whit Merrifield, C M.J. Melendez, DH Hunter Dozier, SP Brad Keller, SP Brady Singer, CF Michael A. Taylor, OF Kyle Isbel, RP Dylan Coleman and C Cam Gallagher.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 13, 2022

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IMPORTANT PARK FACTORS

2022 Statistics

*Updated 7/2/22; Statcast data via Baseball Savant

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TOP TWO-START PITCHERS

IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE – SUPERSCRIPT NUMBER IS OVERALL RANK

1. Gerrit Cole¹ (CIN, BOS) ⬅️ Severino & Cole swap rotation spots as the latter goes on normal rest to give the prior more rest.
2. Aaron Nola⁸ (@STL, @MIA)
3. Max Fried⁹ (NYM, @WSH) ⬅️ Provided his health checks out fine for first start
4. Max Scherzer¹⁰ (@ATL, @CHC)
5. Dylan Cease¹³ (@CLE, @MIN)
6. Kevin Gausman¹⁵ (PHI, KC) ⬅️ Gausman didn’t feel all that great after latest bullpen. For now, he’s been pushed to 7/12 and would get two starts. However, José Berríos⁵⁹ could start on plenty of rest and get the two-start. Berríos gets the two-step.
7. Shane Bieber²⁰ (CHW, DET)
8. Logan Webb²¹ (ARI, MIL)
9. Sean Manaea²⁴ (@COL, ARI)
10. Spencer Strider³⁷ (NYM, @WSH)
11. Miles Mikolas³⁸ (PHI, CIN)
12. Luis Severino³⁹ (CIN, BOS)
13. Lance Lynn⁴¹ (@CLE, @MIN)

Other Options: Corey Kluber⁵⁸ (BOS, BAL), Alex Cobb⁷³ (ARI, MIL), Chris Sale⁷⁵ (@TB, @NYY), Trevor Rogers⁷⁶ (PIT, PHI), Merrill Kelly⁸⁰ (@SF, @SD), Cal Quantrill⁸³ (CHW, DET), Michael Pineda⁹⁰ (@KC, @CLE)

*Warning: All two-steppers are subject to change with ASB upcoming, especially those whose second trip to the bump occurs on Sunday.

Danger Zone: Mitch Keller¹⁰⁰ (@MIA, @COL), Matthew Liberatore¹¹² (LAD, CIN), Graham Ashcraft¹¹⁹ (@NYY, @STL), Josh Fleming^IL (BOS, BAL), Daniel Castano^NR (PIT, PHI), Daniel Lynch – Probable Return IL¹³⁸ & Kris Bubic^NR (DET, @TOR), Beau Brieske^NR (@KC, @CLE), Glenn Otto^NR & Spencer Howard^NR (OAK, SEA), Adrian Sampson^NR (BAL, NYM), Jason Alexander^NR (@MIN, @SF)

*Josh Winder^NR could pick up a second start (MIL, CHW) if Chris Archer¹¹³ doesn’t return from the IL before the break. Also in the same vein, Austin Gomber^NR will pick up a two-step (SD, PIT) if Antonio Senzatela^NR doesn’t return. However, I’d be more interested in the Gomber solo stream vs. PIT if it comes to fruition. UPDATE: Liberatore sent to minors on 7/13 after getting roughed up following an opener vs. LAD. The move presumably indicates Steven Matz will be activated to start last game before the break vs. CIN. (7/15) Castano shifts to the pen as Marlins are calling up Max Meyer to start this weekend. (7/16) Tigers will skip Brieske to manage his innings. Meanwhile, Aaron Ashby will pitch on three days’ rest.?

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STARTING PITCHER RANKINGS FOR JULY 11 – 17

Corbin Burnes (@SF) & Aaron Ashby (@MIN) swap spots in rotation to reorganize for ASB, and Frankie Montas of the A’s will be out until after the ASB, instead throwing two side sessions per a Ken Rosenthal report. He should start A’s first game after the break.

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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.

Wander Franco – 10-day IL, Hamate, Right Wrist
The 21-year-old shortstop suffered the injury after fouling off a 101mph pitch from Reds starter Hunter Greene. Rays manager Kevin Cash speculated that Franco sustained a hamate injury, which could require 6-8 weeks of recovery, but the team won’t know the severity of the injury until meeting with Dr. Douglas Carlan in St. Petersburg on 7/11. Surgery is on the table ?

Jeffrey Springs – 15-day IL, Lower Right Leg Tightness (Retro 7/7)
No wait, there’s more bad news for the Rays. Springs will not miss as much time as Franco, but he will be out through the All-Star break thanks to an injury he picked up in his last start against Boston. Springs’ timetable for return is unclear at this time. Josh Fleming, who had been pitching well for Triple-A Durham and tossed a decent game in Boston on July 4th (5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K), will fill in for Springs.

Starling Marte – DTD, Lower Left Groin Tightness
Marte was removed from his game on 7/9 in the fourth inning under some mysterious circumstances. No evidence in the game pointed towards injury, but Gary Cohen of SNY later revealed the reasoning. Marte was out of the lineup on 7/10 while he received an MRI. Imaging results have not been revealed as of yet. However, we do know the current status of teammate James McCann, who also went down to injury. He has a left oblique strain, according to Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News, and should miss multiple weeks, again. Tomas Nido vaults to the top catcher, and Pat Mazeika (not rumored power-hitting backstop Francisco Álvarez) will be summoned. Twenty years old people with a whopping 21 Triple-A plate appearances!

Rafael Devers – DTD, Lower Back Pain
Devers is expected to miss his second straight game on 7/10 after exiting his team’s contest two days earlier against the Yankees after four innings due to low back pain. He had already missed two games last week due to back and lower right hamstring tightness. There’s a chance he can return on 7/11 for the opener of a four-game series against the Rays as the team tries to avoid an IL stint.

Tyler O’Neill – 10-day IL, Hamstring Recovery + Left Wrist Contusion
O’Neill (left hamstring strain) was due to be activated off the injured list on 7/8, but he was hit by a pitch during a Minor League rehab game and was diagnosed with a left wrist contusion. X-rays on the wrist were negative, but the team is planning on conducting more testing for potential ligament and tendon damage. According to President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak, the club will know more about O’Neill’s prognosis by 7/11.

#Rays place Baz on IL due to right elbow sprain; will have to rest for a month and then be reevaluated to determine a timeline for his return

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) July 14, 2022

Per #Rays: “Baz experienced right elbow discomfort while playing catch on Tuesday. He was evaluated today by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas. He will receive an injection, rest and rehab for at least the next four weeks.”

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) July 14, 2022

POV SPECIAL – SP STREAMS OF THE WEEK

→ Josiah Gray⁴⁹, RH WSH (SEA, ATL; 48% rostered in redraft, 94% dynasty) – Second trip is a tough matchup but offers substantial K upside. 7/12 PPD pushes Gray a day & misses second start.

Honorable Mentions: David Peterson⁶⁷, LH NYM (@ATL, @CHC 26%, 66%), Chris Flexen¹³¹, RH SEA (@WSH, @TEX; 37%, 65%) NOT Ditto⬆️… Flexen will pitch on short rest, but it will most likely be a short outing.

Solo Start: Mitch White⁸⁷, RH LAD (@STL; 4%, 33%) – I broke down White last week.

For more streaming options on the mound AND at the plate, visit Ray’s FAAB Values!

DAILY PITCHING MATCHUPS

But first, here are our hitters’ schedules for July 21-24…

Twins will only play seven games from 7/21 – 7/31.
Mets will only play eight games from 7/21 – 7/31.
AL-Only league players like this schedule; many AL teams play more than three games.
Yankee bats get five games away from Yankee Stadium, but they’re still in the good hitting environment of Camden Yards (DH @HOU, 3 @BAL). Triples are way up in Minute Maid Park, but too bad NYY has a mere six on the season.

Sunday, July 24, 2022
*Not Confirmed

This is the first guy ever to propose to his girlfriend during a 25-3 baseball game, according to Elias Sports Bureau and the Guinness Book of World Records pic.twitter.com/Cp1tbYDdTE

— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) July 23, 2022