Hello my FG Fam! I am wrapping up the vacation, but as promised, here is a condensed version of the MLB weekly preview so that I’m not leaving you hanging for a potentially important week…
In memory of John Cannella Sr.
As always, if there are any requests for information I can provide or a player/team you would like me to cover, drop a line in our VIP Chat Room or hit me up on Twitter, @Rob_Povia.
MLB GAME BREAKDOWN GRID
WEEKLY INTERLEAGUE OUTLOOK
Rivalry Series: None
TOP TWO-START PITCHERS
IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE – SUPERSCRIPT NUMBER IS OVERALL RANK
EXPECT FEWER OPTIONS ROS AS MORE TEAMS GO SIX-MAN
- Corbin Burnes3 (@SF, STL)
- Zack Wheeler8 (@WSH,
@MIA) ← Appears Philadelphia wants to give Wheeler an extra day of rest and push him to 9/6… well GD! Big blow for those aiming for the chip this week. He lines up for two next week now for those still playing, but let this be a warning of things to come. - Julio Urías10 (ATL, @SF)
- Robbie Ray15 (BAL, OAK)
- Charlie Morton16 (@LAD, @COL)
- Luis Castillo21 (STL, DET)
- Germán Márquez30 (@TEX, ATL)
- Alex Wood34 (
MIL, LAD) ← Placed on CVD-19 IL 8/30; has tested positive (symptoms unclear) and vaccination status will determine second start/how much time is missed - Austin Gomber37 (@TEX, ATL)
- Zac Gallen49 (SD,
SEA) ← Loses second start due to Luke Weaver returning to rotation on 9/1 - Cole Irvin54 (@DET, @TOR)
- Taijuan Walker58 (MIA, @WSH)
- Johnny Cueto60 (MIL, LAD)
- Zach Plesac63 (@KC, @BOS)
- Elieser Hernandez65 (@NYM, PHI)
- Corey Kluber72 (@LAA, BAL) ← Kluber will pitch in tandem with Andrew Heaney, at least for the first start.
Other Options: Chris Flexen74 (HOU, @ARI), Casey Mize75 (MIN, @CIN*), Josiah Gray82 (PHI, NYM), Chris Paddack84 (@ARI, HOU), Mike Minor89 (CLE, CHW), Drew Smyly92 (@LAD, @COL), Luis Patiño96 (BOS, MIN), Nick Pivetta105 (@TB, CLE), Patrick Corbin110 (PHI, NYM*), Bailey Ober129 (@DET, @TB), Tyler GilbertNR (SD, SEA), Luis Garcia31 (@SEA, @SD)
*Mize’s second start could go to Tyler Alexander (either spot or bulk following an opener). UPDATES: Minor bumped to 9/2; Corbin is likely to lose his second start due to 9/1 PPD; Ober loses second start with Randy Dobnak’s return plus a spot start by Joe Ryan; T. Alexander scheduled to pitch 9/3, so Mize’s second start looks on track; Garcia gets second start due to Zack Greinke going on CVD-19 IL.
Danger Zone: Jon LesterNR (@CIN, @MIL), Zach DaviesNR (@MIN, PIT), Chris EllisNR & Keegan AkinNR (@TOR, @NYY)
For a detailed breakdown of two-start pitchers who may be available on your waiver wire, check out Vlad’s FAAB Values!
STARTING PITCHER RANKINGS FOR AUG 30 – SEPT 5
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Sunday, September 5, 2021
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Taijuan Walker (RHP, NYM) | 7-9 | 3.89 | 4.48 | 4.42 | 4.29 | 22.3% | 8.3% | 39.2% | 41.4% | ||||||||
| Josiah Gray (RHP, WSH) | 0-2 | 4.73 | 4.71 | 4.17 | 4.03 | 26.7% | 9.3% | 34.9% | 55.8% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Keegan Akin (LHP, BAL) | 2-8 | 6.90 | 5.20 | 4.84 | 5.26 | 19.7% | 9.3% | 41.8% | 44.4% | ||||||||
| Corey Kluber (RHP, NYY) | 4-3 | 3.61 | 4.23 | 4.29 | 3.97 | 25.5% | 10.5% | 36.7% | 37.6% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Cole Irvin (LHP, OAK) | 9-12 | 3.74 | 4.92 | 4.91 | 4.92 | 15.6% | 5.2% | 39.4% | 38.6% | ||||||||
| Robbie Ray (LHP, TOR) | 10-5 | 2.71 | 3.21 | 3.14 | 3.39 | 31.9% | 6.2% | 42.8% | 41.9% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Zach Plesac (RHP, CLE) | 9-4 | 4.49 | 4.57 | 4.56 | 4.41 | 16.9% | 5.1% | 43.4% | 36.2% | ||||||||
| Nick Pivetta (RHP, BOS) | 9-7 | 4.67 | 4.50 | 4.32 | 3.97 | 25.9% | 10.7% | 39.3% | 43.9% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Casey Mize (RHP, DET) | 7-7 | 3.59 | 4.41 | 4.48 | 5.09 | 18.9% | 7.1% | 40.1% | 32.5% | ||||||||
| Luis Castillo (RHP, CIN) | 7-14 | 4.30 | 3.72 | 4.11 | 3.70 | 23.5% | 9.5% | 37.9% | 25.1% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Griffin Jax (RHP, MIN) | 3-3 | 6.71 | 5.67 | 5.12 | 6.11 | 18.6% | 9.3% | 46.7% | 50.6% | ||||||||
| Luis Patiño (RHP, TB) | 4-3 | 4.24 | 4.93 | 4.47 | 4.12 | 23.7% | 9.0% | 38.0% | 50.3% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| BP Game* (PHI) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
| Elieser Hernandez (RHP, MIA) | 1-1 | 3.62 | 4.14 | 3.88 | 4.38 | 23.1% | 4.3% | 42.7% | 41.0% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Dylan Cease (RHP, CHW) | 11-6 | 3.82 | 3.86 | 3.63 | 3.59 | 30.8% | 9.2% | 35.9% | 45.0% | ||||||||
| Brady Singer (RHP, KC) | 3-9 | 4.87 | 4.29 | 4.44 | 4.50 | 22.0% | 9.7% | 37.0% | 28.5% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Jon Lester (LHP, STL) | 5-6 | 5.05 | 5.12 | 5.37 | 5.09 | 14.1% | 8.7% | 39.1% | 32.8% | ||||||||
| Corbin Burnes (RHP, MIL) | 9-4 | 2.27 | 2.39 | 2.64 | 1.96 | 34.6% | 4.8% | 31.3% | 30.9% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Wil Crowe (RHP, PIT) | 3-7 | 5.46 | 4.95 | 4.89 | 5.37 | 20.8% | 10.8% | 37.7% | 37.7% | ||||||||
| Zach Davies (RHP, CHC) | 6-10 | 4.91 | 4.88 | 5.20 | 5.88 | 17.6% | 10.7% | 43.2% | 32.5% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Charlie Morton (RHP, ATL) | 12-5 | 3.52 | 3.20 | 3.47 | 3.32 | 29.1% | 7.9% | 32.9% | 27.2% | ||||||||
| Ryan Feltner (RHP, COL) | 5-2 | 2.85 | 4.03 | — | — | 26.8% | 7.4% | — | 41.5% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Taylor Hearn (LHP, TEX) | 4-4 | 3.96 | 4.60 | 4.29 | 4.44 | 23.5% | 10.4% | 37.6% | 42.0% | ||||||||
| Janson Junk* (RHP, LAA) | 6-3 | 2.81 | 4.06 | — | — | 25.9% | 7.2% | — | 27.2% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Luis Garcia (RHP, HOU) | 10-6 | 3.23 | 3.68 | 3.59 | 3.67 | 28.8% | 7.5% | 38.1% | 41.8% | ||||||||
| Chris Paddack (RHP, SD) | 7-6 | 4.98 | 3.66 | 3.87 | 4.50 | 22.8% | 4.8% | 42.2% | 33.7% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Chris Flexen (RHP, SEA) | 11-5 | 3.52 | 4.50 | 4.65 | 4.32 | 16.4% | 5.0% | 39.7% | 35.1% | ||||||||
| Tyler Gilbert (LHP, ARI) | 1-2 | 2.93 | 4.83 | 4.97 | 3.12 | 17.9% | 8.9% | 33.3% | 39.0% |
| W/L | ERA | xFIP | SIERA | xERA | K% | BB% | HH% | FB% | |||||||||
| Walker Buehler (RHP, LAD) | 13-2 | 2.05 | 3.54 | 3.65 | 2.94 | 26.8% | 6.4% | 35.5% | 36.6% | ||||||||
| BP Game* (SF) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
STOLEN BASE TARGETS
If you have been paying attention to the new rule changes for minor league baseball, you can see the commissioner’s office desires a return of a long-lost element to the game… the stolen base. Let’s get ahead of the curve while also maximizing on the few pilferers of the dirt in 2021. Jack Kitchen (@JAXvicious), a long-time sub, reached out this offseason, asking if I could add a section on stolen base targets. As I have said from Day One of this column, your wish is my command!
So, I have imported one of the many fine tools we offer on our sister site, Elite Fantasy. Along with stolen base targets, our DFS MLB package offers daily articles and livestreams, a 24/7 chat, ownership projections and Fantasy Cruncher optimizer, BvP data, batter splits, park factors, umpire factors, weather reports and cheat sheets. The data alone is worth well over $1200! These weapons of mass destruction aid fantasy success in all formats, DFS and seasonal. JOIN TODAY!
