George Bissell has been writing for Rotoworld since 2018. He previously wrote for Baseball Prospectus.
Top pitching, stacks options for Tuesday games
The junior circuit steps into the spotlight Tuesday evening with a pair of intriguing matchups that offer plenty of intrigue for fantasy managers. It’ll be the Rangers aiming to break out the brooms and sweep a back-and-forth slugfest of a series against the Orioles, while the Astros and Twins will wrestle for control of their respective best-of-five series in a pivotal Game 3 in Minnesota.
Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins, ALDS Game 3, 4:07 p.m. ET
Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers, ALDS Game 3, 8:03 p.m. ET
There are no weather concerns for either contest and the lone outdoor contest in Minnesota will feature unseasonably warm temperatures in the mid-50’s.
None
Gray and Eovaldi are easily the top options. Gray tossed five shutout innings against the Blue Jays in his first outing of the postseason after finishing the regular season as one of the top pitchers in the American League, especially from a run-prevention standpoint.
Meanwhile, Eovaldi's postseason success continued Wednesday with an eight-strikeout gem against the Rays to propel the Rangers to a Wild Card Series upset win. The 33-year-old veteran right-hander boasts a pristine 2.90 ERA and 49/8 K/BB ratio across 49 2/3 innings (12 appearances, seven starts) in the playoffs dating back to 2018.
Cristian Javier, Astros RHP, at Twins: $7,300
We’ve witnessed it before in the postseason from Javier, so it wouldn’t be shocking at all to see him spin a gem on the road in Minnesota. The 26-year-old right-hander, who has yet to make an appearance this postseason, holds a stellar 2.20 ERA and 48/16 K/BB ratio across 32 2/3 innings (14 appearances, two starts) in the postseason since 2020. Minnesota's lineup has been sizzling hot in the playoffs, but they're also incredibly strikeout prone, which could set up Javier to succeed.
Rangers vs. Orioles (RHP Dean Kremer)
Kremer was a serviceable back-end starter for the Orioles during the regular season but has been thrust into a more prominent role in the postseason following an injury to veteran southpaw John Means. The 27-year-old righty posted a pedestrian 4.12 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 157/55 K/BB ratio across 172 2/3 innings (32 starts) this season and also gave up 27 homers during that span.
If there's a pitcher to stack against Tuesday, it's Kremer by a considerable margin. Obviously, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Adolis García are the most notable names to consider, but Robbie Grossman, Evan Carter and Mitch Garver should also be under consideration for stacking purposes as well.
Pitching and lineup options for start of playoffs
We made it, folks. After a six-month grind to reach the postseason, fantasy managers will be treated to a quartet of intriguing playoff matchups as the AL and NL Wild Card Series get underway on Tuesday afternoon.
There's a batch of light-to-moderate rain passing through Minnesota this afternoon, which might be enough to trigger a late start or in-game delay. There's enough of a gap for the Blue Jays and Twins to get a game in before the heavy precipitation arrives later this evening. Still, this amplifies some of the risk for utilizing both Kevin Gausman and Pablo López.
MLB Wild Card Preview: Expect Surprises
Carlos Correa, Twins SS (plantar fasciitis) -- Correa has been on the shelf since mid-September following a plantar fasciitis flare-up in his left foot, but it sounds like he has a strong chance to be ready.
Jorge Polanco, Twins 2B (ankle) -- Polanco is expected to be ready after dealing with right ankle soreness in the final weekend of the regular season.
Royce Lewis, Twins 3B (hamstring) -- The Twins hope to bring Lewis back in a DH-only type role, but that decision is unlikely to be finalized until some point prior to first pitch.
Byron Buxton, Twins OF (hamstring) -- Buxton is the least likely to return, but he is making progress from a right hamstring strain and could be an option at some point.
Jose Siri, Rays OF (hand) -- Siri has progressed to taking live batting practice and could be an option Tuesday. He’s been out since mid-September with a fractured right hand.
Luke Raley, Rays OF (neck) -- Raley might be ready in time for the opener as he continues to recover from a neck strain that he suffered a couple weeks ago during a pregame collision during batting practice.
Luis Arraez, Marlins 2B (ankle) -- Arraez is expected to return after missing the final seven regular-season game with a left ankle injury. The central issue here is how effective he’ll be at the plate, especially if his ankle isn’t 100 percent. We’re unlikely to have any clarity until we see him in game action, so fantasy managers should proceed cautiously when considering him for Tuesday’s slate.
Trea Turner, Phillies SS (elbow) -- Turner sat out Sunday's regular-season finale with a minor elbow issue and is expected to be good to go.
Minnesota boasts a potent lineup, but they also led the majors in strikeouts, which makes it a tasty matchup for Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman, who led the American League with a whopping 237 strikeouts. If there's an obvious building block, it's Gausman.
Glasnow, López, Wheeler and Burnes also represent strong options Tuesday. The Diamondbacks, who posted a lackluster .672 OPS over the final month of the season, don’t look like a major obstacle for Burnes, who should get plenty of run support from Milwaukee's offense.
Jesús Luzardo, Marlins LHP, at Phillies: $6,800
If there’s a potential vulnerability for the Phillies, it’s that most of their biggest over-the-fence power threats are left-handed -- Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper being the most notable. The Phillies have been among the better teams against southpaws, but Luzardo offers enough strikeout potential to mitigate the risk of an implosion, and hasn't faced Philadelphia since July 9. The 26-year-old southpaw is coming off a 10-strikeout gem in his final regular-season start, and easily represents the most promising low-cost starting pitcher Tuesday.
Brewers vs. Diamondbacks (RHP Brandon Pfaadt)
With Arizona forced to play until virtually the conclusion of the regular season to secure a spot in the postseason, they’re ostensibly forced to hand the ball to Brandon Pfaadt on Tuesday. The 24-year-old right-hander has pitched much better of late, allowing three earned runs or fewer in nine of his final 12 starts.
However, he's also surrendered a staggering 2.06 homers per-nine across 96 innings -- the sixth-worst mark of any pitcher with at least 90 innings. Combined with Milwaukee’s hitter-friendly American Family Field, Pfaadt is the obvious target for fantasy managers to stack against Tuesday.
It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that the Brewers most likely need to do some damage against Pfaadt if they’re going to win the series.
Your best pitching and stacks options in MLB slate
It's a fully-loaded 15-game Friday featuring a jam-packed 13-game main slate for DFS purposes, which means there are plenty of intriguing pitchers and lineup stack options for fantasy managers to consider.
New York is our most likely trouble spot with lingering rain showers in the forecast throughout the evening. There’s a chance Phillies-Mets gets an early postponement, but there’s also a chance the two clubs will wait to see if they can get the game in. We’ll see, but this one looks extremely risky.
Chas McCormick, Astros OF (back)
McCormick is day-to-day with a lower back contusion entering Friday’s series opener against the Diamondbacks.
Nolan Schanuel, Angels 1B (knee)
Schanuel has missed a pair of contests with a left knee contusion and should be considered day-to-day heading into Friday’s series opener against the Athletics.
Yandy Díaz, Rays 1B/3B (hamstring)
Díaz has sat out two straight games with right hamstring tightness. With a playoff spot already locked in, there’s no reason for the Rays to take any chances, but he should be ready to return to action at some point this weekend to get ready for the postseason.
Luis Arraez, Marlins 2B (ankle)
Arraez has missed four straight contests since twisting his left ankle last Saturday on the dugout steps at Loan Depot park. He remains day-to-day for the moment, but fantasy managers shouldn’t count on him being ready for Friday’s critical matchup against the Pirates.
Brandon Nimmo, Mets OF (shoulder)
Nimmo will miss the last couple games of the regular season due to an AC joint injury in his right shoulder.
Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals 1B (back)
Goldschmidt has sat out a couple games this week due to back tightness.
With Nathan Eovaldi likely still facing some workload limitations and Joe Ryan in line for a tough matchup in Coors Field’s high-octane offensive environment, Zac Gallen and Dylan Cease are probably the best options for the main slate.
Gallen bounced back from a pair of rough outings by racking up eight strikeouts over six shutout frames against the Yankees in New York. He'll close out an extremely impressive regular season with a tough matchup against the Astros, who are also still fighting to secure a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, Cease will lock horns with the Padres in Chicago and is coming off a dominant outing against the Red Sox where he struck out 11 over seven shutout frames.
It's Cease with a slight edge over Gallen as the top option almost solely because of the matchup. Allan Winans would’ve been a sneaky option for fantasy managers, but he’s one of the top-priced starters Friday, thanks mainly to a tasty home matchup against the Nationals.
Nick Martinez, Padres RHP, vs. White Sox: $5,800
Martinez is unlikely to work deep, but he’s pitched brilliantly in the last few weeks. The 33-year-old swingman has a sublime 0.64 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 15/4 K/BB ratio across 14 innings (seven appearances, two starts) in September and finds himself in line for an extremely favorable matchup Friday night against a White Sox’ lineup that has compiled the worst OPS in baseball in September.
There isn’t massive upside, but Martinez should excel into the middle innings in Chicago. I’ll throw out Athletics right-hander Joe Boyle since he’s facing the Angels in his third big league outing. There’s significantly higher strikeout upside, but there’s also significantly more risk, given his limited sample size at the highest level. Still, both Martinez and Boyle make for intriguing low-cost options for fantasy managers.
Braves vs. Nationals (RHP Trevor Williams)
A great over-the-fence power lineup taking on a starting pitcher that has allowed the fourth-most homers in baseball is a prime stacking opportunity. The usual suspects are all in the mix for the Braves while someone like Eddie Rosario makes sense with a favorable platoon matchup.
Giants vs. Dodgers (RHP Lance Lynn)
Lance Lynn has surrendered more round-trippers than any pitcher in baseball. The Giants might be out of the playoff picture, but they have enough left-handed power bats to do some serious damage. It makes a ton of sense for fantasy managers to build around a couple left-handed bats from this lineup.
Great advice to help you build out your Tuesday lineups
With 16 games on tap for Tuesday evening, it’ll be a busy one for fantasy managers. However, there are plenty of attractive spots for both pitchers and hitters, which creates some stacking opportunities to build around.
There aren’t a ton of trouble spots, with the best chance for a possible early postponement being in Chicago where rain could trigger a late start. They’ll try to get it in, but the teams could opt for a doubleheader Wednesday or Thursday.
Luis Robert Jr., White Sox OF (knee)
Robert Jr. is day-to-day heading into Tuesday’s series opener against the Diamondbacks after being lifted from Sunday's series finale against the Red Sox with left knee soreness. There’s a chance he gets another night off with precipitation in the forecast on Tuesday night.
Bo Naylor, Guardians C (thumb)
Naylor sat out a pair of contests over the weekend after being lifted from Friday's contest against the Orioles with a right thumb contusion.
Michael Brantley, Astros OF (shoulder)
Brantley has been held out of Houston’s lineup for seven consecutive games due to shoulder soreness.
Yandy Díaz, Rays 1B/3B (hamstring)
Díaz is day-to-day entering Tuesday’s series opener at Fenway Park against the Red Sox after being removed from Sunday's series finale against the Blue Jays with right hamstring tightness.
Randy Arozarena, Rays OF (quad)
Arozarena sat out a pair of contests over the weekend following an early exit from Friday's game due to right quad tightness. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day entering Tuesday’s series opener against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks 2B/OF (illness)
Marte sat out Monday's series finale in New York after being scratched from Sunday's lineup due to illness. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day heading into Tuesday's series opener against the White Sox.
Luis Arraez, Marlins 2B (ankle)
Arraez sat out Sunday's series finale against the Brewers following an early exit from Saturday's contest after twisting his left ankle while going down the dugout steps at the conclusion of the eighth inning. There should be some clarity on his status heading into Tuesday's series opener against the Mets, but fantasy managers shouldn’t count on him being ready to return.
Jake Burger, Marlins 3B (quad)
Burger was removed from the sixth inning of Sunday’s series finale against the Mets due to right quad tightness, which has been a lingering issue for him over the past few days. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.
Brandon Nimmo, Mets OF (leg)
Nimmo sat out Sunday's game with lingering right leg soreness, but is expected to be ready for Tuesday's series opener against the Marlins.
Francisco Alvarez (finger)
X-rays came back negative after Alvarez made an early exit from Sunday’s series finale against the Phillies with a left middle finger contusion.
With Justin Steele scuffling of late and other high-priced options like George Kirby and Bobby Miller facing a challenging opposing lineup and a daunting ballpark, respectively, Kevin Gausman and Zach Eflin are the consensus top starting pitching options Tuesday.
Gausman, who has two double-digit strikeout performances in two of his last three outings, faces a rebuilding Yankees’ lineup comprised of unproven rookies. It’s the type of favorable matchup that should enable him to pile up a prodigious strikeout total. Meanwhile, Eflin has been one of MLB's most consistent pitchers in his Rays debut, compiling a career-best 3.44 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 182/24 K/BB ratio across 172 2/3 innings (30 starts). He'll square off against a Red Sox' lineup that ranks 27th with a calamitous .684 OPS in September.
Fantasy managers searching for an alternative in the upper-echelon section of the starting pitcher price range should consider Bailey Ober almost entirely because of an extremely tasty home matchup against the Athletics. The 28-year-old right-hander is unlikely to work too deep into the contest, but he's allowed two earned runs or fewer in back-to-back starts since September 15. At this juncture it’s difficult to recommend Giants top prospect Kyle Harrison, especially given his recent inability to keep the ball in the yard, but he possesses arguably the highest strikeout potential of any pitcher on this slate.
Paul Blackburn, Athletics RHP, vs. Twins: $6,700
Typically, we try to target starting pitchers against the Athletics in this space, but Blackburn is one of the more appealing under-the-radar options Tuesday since there isn’t much risk of a blow-up. The 29-year-old righty has allowed two earned runs or fewer in nine of his 12 starts since the All-Star break back in mid-July. With a playoff spot already locked up, there's a chance most of Minnesota's regulars get the night off -- especially with some potential rain in the forecast -- to ensure they're healthy and ready to go next week.
Dodgers vs. Rockies (TBD)
One of the best offenses at Coors Field is an appealing stacking proposition, so load up on Los Angeles sluggers. The Rockies haven’t revealed their pitching plan for Tuesday’s twin bill yet, so it be a bullpen game in the nightcap. Regardless of who Colorado throws, there’s a strong likelihood the Dodgers do serious damage.
Rangers vs. Angels (LHP Reid Detmers)
Winners of six consecutive games, the Rangers will square off against Angels southpaw Reid Detmers. The 24-year-old southpaw has pitched extremely well of late, but Texas has plenty of dangerous right-handed bats. As they showed Monday, the Rangers are also capable of doing serious damage against Los Angeles’ relievers as well.
Check out the top PrizePicks and Underdog choices
With only four games on tap, Monday’s slate is one of the smallest of the entire marathon baseball season. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some interesting player prop bets out there with several aces toeing the rubber for potentially the final time in the regular season.
The NL Cy Young Award front-runner faces a struggling Giants’ lineup in his penultimate start of the season. The 30-year-old southpaw has notched at least eight strikeouts in eight of his last 10 starts since July 30 and is facing a San Francisco lineup that lacks a ton of right-handed pop besides Wilmer Flores.
Castillo faced the Astros on May 5 and July 7, with only eight punch outs in 14 innings. The 30-year-old right-hander has eclipsed eight strikeouts in three consecutive outings and is making arguably his most important start of the season. But Houston's lineup is stellar against right-handed pitching and is one of the least strikeout-prone units in baseball. Castillo likley will pitch well, but his track record tells us he won't miss a ton of bats in this matchup.
Verlander faces the Mariners for the first time this season as the clubs continue to jostle for a postseason berth. The 40-year-old right-hander has eclipsed seven strikeouts in just four of nine outings since returning to Houston at the trade deadline, but Seattle has the second-most Ks in MLB. Verlander’s ability to consistently work deep into games, combined with the Mariners’ strikeout propensity, gives him a real shot at reaching this lofty number.
The Giants are technically still alive in the Wild Card picture, but they’ll need Webb to come through against the Padres. San Diego’s star-studded lineup doesn’t strike out a ton, and Webb isn’t known for missing a ton of bats, but he’s certainly capable of reaching at least five in his most important outing of the year.
Sandoval has been one of the unluckiest pitchers from a run-prevention standpoint and faces a scary Rangers lineup. The 26-year-old southpaw has given up at least five runs in three of his last four outings and will contend with several challenging right-handed sluggers, including Marcus Semien, Adolis García, Josh Jung and Mitch Garver. It's an extremely tough matchup, especially with Texas desperately needing a W to maintain their AL West lead, so fantasy managers should expect them to come out and do some damage.
Our top choices for your MLB lineup construction
With just over one week left in the regular season, there are still plenty of intriguing storylines to monitor, and compelling matchups with serious playoff implications, on tap for Friday’s jam-packed 15-game docket.
In addition to a pivotal showdown in the heart of Texas between the Mariners and Rangers, there’s a critical South Beach face-off between the Brewers and Marlins that will have immense playoff scenario ramifications.
There are a few intriguing stack options and low-cost savvy starting pitching options for savvy fantasy managers to speculate on, which should make for an exciting evening of late-season baseball.
There's a potential in-game delay in Washington with rain in the forecast for later in the contest. There's risk for starting pitchers here, but not enough to avoid this matchup.
Royce Lewis, Twins 3B (hamstring)
Lewis sat out Wednesday afternoon’s matinee against the Reds following an early exit Tuesday with left hamstring tightness. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day heading into Friday’s series opener against the Angels.
Brandon Lowe, Rays 2B (knee)
Lowe was lifted from the ninth inning Thursday against the Angels after fouling a ball off his right knee earlier in the contest. It doesn’t sound like a serious concern, but it’s a situation worth tracking closely ahead of Friday’s showdown against the Blue Jays.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays 1B (knee)
Guerrero Jr. is day-to-day with right knee inflammation after undergoing an MRI Wednesday night that didn’t reveal structural damage. The 24-year-old slugger appeared as a pinch-hitter Thursday against the Yankees, which seems to suggest that he could be ready to return this weekend.
Luis Arraez, Marlins 2B (ankle)
Arraez has missed two games since being scratched from Tuesday’s lineup after suffering a left ankle sprain during pregame infield drills. It sounds like he’ll be a game-time decision for Friday’s critical series opener against the Brewers.
Jake Burger, Marlins 3B (quad)
Burger is day-to-day heading into Friday’s series opener against the Brewers after being lifted from Wednesday’s game against the Mets with right quad tightness.
Christian Yelich, Brewers OF (back)
Yelich has missed 12 of Milwaukee's last 13 games due to an ongoing lower back issue, so it’s nearly impossible to forecast when he’ll be ready to return at this juncture. He’s too risky to roll with during Friday’s series opener in Miami.
DJ Stewart, Mets OF (wrist)
Stewart has missed two straight games due to left wrist soreness and should be considered day-to-day for the moment.
Ha-Seong Kim, Padres 2B/3B (abdomen)
Kim has missed four straight games due to abdominal tightness, but it sounds like he could be ready for Friday’s pivotal series opener against the Cardinals.
Willson Contreras, Cardinals C (wrist)
Contreras will miss the remainder of the regular season after undergoing an MRI on Thursday that revealed left wrist tendonitis.
Pablo López is aiming to rebound on Friday night with an extremely favorable matchup against a floundering Angels’ lineup on the heels of one of his worst outings of the season in which he gave up five runs over five innings last Saturday against the White Sox. It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that Los Angeles’ lineup is the worst in baseball at the moment with a .684 OPS over the last 30 days, which ranks fifth worst in baseball during that span.
Framber Valdez has been phenomenal of late for the Astros and finds himself squaring off against a Kansas City lineup that ranks 22nd in baseball this season with a pedestrian .710 OPS against left-handed pitching. The 29-year-old southpaw has allowed three earned runs or fewer in five consecutive starts since August 25 and allowed just one run (zero earned) over seven frames his last time out against the Royals in Kansas City on September 17.
Shane Bieber makes his return to Cleveland’s starting rotation following a two-month absence due to right elbow inflammation and shouldn’t have any workload restrictions when he takes the ball on Friday night in a tough spot against the Orioles.
It’s an extremely tough road matchup Friday night against the Astros, who tagged him for five runs over six innings on Saturday in his previous start, but there’s an argument to be made the Cole Ragans has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since the All-Star break, posting a microscopic 2.28 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 76/19 K/BB ratio across 59 1/3 innings (10 starts). The 25-year-old southpaw’s stratospheric strikeout upside makes him an interesting option for fantasy managers despite the challenging matchup.
Sawyer Gipson-Long, Tigers RHP, vs. Athletics: $7,700
Gipson-Long finds himself in line for an extremely favorable matchup on Friday night when he faces off against the rebuilding Athletics in pitcher-friendly Oakland. The unheralded 25-year-old right-hander has allowed just three runs on six hits with a 16/3 K/BB ratio across 10 innings over a pair of starts since receiving the call to the majors. He may not be a household name, but it’s a phenomenal matchup and he offers enough strikeout potential to be a worthwhile gamble for fantasy managers in this one.
Braves vs. Nationals (LHP Patrick Corbin)
The best offense in baseball against a pedestrian southpaw is the obvious foundational building block for fantasy managers on Friday evening. There’s no platoon advantage for Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies, but they’ve been so hot of late that it’s difficult to justify leaving them out of the lineup mix.
Yankees vs. Diamondbacks (RHP Brandon Pfaadt)
The combination of hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium and homer-prone rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt have the potential to lead to some fireworks. Aaron Judge would be the preferred centerpiece, but Gleyber Torres, Anthony Volpe and DJ LeMahieu also make sense in this matchup.
Dodgers vs. Giants (LHP Sean Manaea)
Los Angeles has enough lefty-mashing platoon options to stack their lineup advantageously against the division-rival Giants on Friday evening with a red-hot J.D. Martinez, who has homered four times in his last four games, headlining the stacking options in this one. Fantasy managers should also consider lower-cost options like Enrique Hernández, Chris Taylor and Amed Rosario as well.
Analysis to help you with your lineup construction
It’s a fully loaded 15-game slate Tuesday evening with several potential stacking opportunities on tap and a quartet of ace-caliber pitchers toeing the rubber. Get your popcorn ready, folks.
After a tumultuous summer filled with weather-related issues, there are zero trouble spots, which is a relief for fantasy managers.
Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles 1B (shoulder)
Mountcastle has missed five straight games and is day-to-day after an MRI came back clean on his left shoulder following his removal from Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals with left shoulder discomfort.
Carlos Correa, Twins SS (foot)
Correa made an early exit from Monday's series opener against the Reds after re-aggravating the plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The 28-year-old has been playing through the ongoing issue for months at this juncture, but there's a possibility he'll require a few days off to recover. He's day-to-day.
Luke Raley, Rays OF (neck)
Raley missed two games over the weekend with neck stiffness following Saturday's on-field collision during batting practice. He's day-to-day heading into Tuesday’s series opener against the Angels.
Christian Yelich, Brewers OF (back)
Yelich has missed nine of Milwaukee's last 10 games, including Monday’s series opener against the Cardinals, with a lower back issue. There’s a possibility he’ll wind up on the injured list if he’s unable to get back in the lineup this week.
Bryan De La Cruz, Marlins OF (ankle)
De La Cruz has missed three consecutive games since being removed from Friday’s game against the Braves with right ankle discomfort. He's day-to-day.
Brett Baty, Mets 3B (groin)
Baty appears likely to avoid a trip to the injured list, but missed his fifth straight game during Monday’s series opener against the Marlins. He had an MRI Thursday that revealed a mild left groin strain. He's day-to-day, but there’s zero incentive for the Mets to rush him back at this late juncture of the season.
Ha-Seong Kim, Padres 2B/SS (abdomen)
Kim sat out Monday’s series opener against the Rockies after being scratched from Sunday’s lineup due to abdominal tightness. The Padres have yet to settle upon an official diagnosis, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for the moment, but there’s a strong possibility he’s going to get some extra time off to rest and recover.
Strider, Castillo, Snell and Gallen are the headliners, as all will finish at or near the top of Cy Young balloting. Strider possesses the strikeout upside to warrant the top spot. But Snell has a tasty home matchup against a Rockies’ lineup that typically struggles outside of Coors Field as he looks to cement his status as NL Cy Young front-runner. Gallen can make noise in a critical division matchup against the Giants after being lit up for six earned runs his last time out against the Mets. Castillo has been about as consistent as it gets, despite not boasting massive strikeout totals, as he looks to propel the Mariners back to the postseason with an extremely favorable matchup against the Athletics.
Alex Cobb, Giants RHP, vs. Diamondbacks: $7,500
Cobb will take the ball against the division-rival Diamondbacks after receiving a couple extra days of rest due to an ongoing right hip issue, which cropped up shortly after throwing a 131-pitch complete game against the Reds back in late August.
The 35-year-old has put together arguably his strongest season in nearly a decade, compiling a 3.62 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 130/36 K/BB ratio across 149 1/3 innings (27 starts). Fantasy managers searching for an alternative outside of the consensus top four starting pitchers for Tuesday's slate should strongly consider Cobb as a low-cost alternative with the upside to spin a gem against a division rival in Arizona.
White Sox vs. Nationals (RHP Jackson Rutledge)
Fantasy Sports Logic's Contrarian Edge Optimizer is all over the White Sox as they face Nationals pitching prospect Jackson Rutledge, making his second MLB start. The 24-year-old rookie was lit up for seven runs on 10 hits over 3 2/3 innings Wednesday in his big-league debut against the Pirates.
The White Sox' bats should be able to do damage in Washington, which makes loading up on hitters like Luis Robert Jr., Tim Anderson, Andrew Benintendi, Eloy Jiménez, Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets an appealing strategy.
Guardians vs. Royals (RHP Alec Marsh)
It will ostensibly be a bullpen game for Kansas City, with Marsh likely making a bulk relief appearance, which sets up Cleveland's lineup in a favorable spot to take advantage following Monday's unexpected late-inning collapse. José Ramírez is the obvious building block, but low-cost alternatives like Josh Naylor, Andrés Giménez, Gabriel Arias, Kole Calhoun, Will Brennan and Bo Naylor make a ton of sense as well.
Padres vs. Rockies (RHP Ryan Feltner)
It’s a must-win for the Padres against Feltner, who is making his first appearance since mid-May, when he was hospitalized after suffering a skull fracture on a line drive. It’s phenomenal to see the 27-year-old right-hander healthy and ready to compete again, but it’s a tough spot to be thrown into, even if it’s away from Coors Field. It would be surprising to see San Diego’s bats go cold in this one after scoring 11 runs on 15 hits during Monday’s series opener.
The best PrizePicks and Underdog selections on Monday's slate
With just 11 games on tap Monday, there aren’t a ton of interesting matchups for fantasy managers to target. However, there are plenty of intriguing props, including a pair of conservative strikeout totals for both Freddy Peralta and José Butto.
Peralta has been on an absolute heater of late, allowing three earned runs or fewer in 10 of 11 starts since the All-Star break, while also notching at least nine strikeouts in six of those outings. He’ll take the ball against a Cardinals’ lineup that ranks 27th with a .689 OPS in 25 games over the last month. They're not the most aggressive bunch, but Peralta should be able to coax enough swings and misses to reach at least seven punch outs.
Butto has posted at least five strikeouts in three consecutive outings since rejoining New York's pitching mix on August 15. He'll face a surging Marlins' lineup, but they’ve been pedestrian overall against right-handed pitching with a .710 OPS, which ranks 21st in baseball.
Hernández is batting .304 against left-handed pitching and is 2-for-5 against southpaw JP Sears, who will take the ball in Oakland. There aren't a ton of stacking options for fantasy managers, but loading up on Seattle's right-handed batters seems like a strong decision.
It's possible the biggest risk to Seager not hitting this number is that all of his hits will go for extra bases against a Red Sox' pitching staff that wrapped up an extremely taxing series over the weekend in Toronto. Boston faces a Texas team that remains in the hunt for a playoff spot and desperately needs this game after being swept by the Guardians. Fantasy managers should expect Seager to show up for this one.
De La Cruz is one of the most intriguing talents in baseball but is mired in an extended slump, batting .192 (30-for-156) with just four homers and 12 steals in 41 games since August 1. He possesses the raw talent to put together a monster performance, but that'll be a tall order against Minnesota right-hander Joe Ryan, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four consecutive starts since returning from the injured list back on August 26.
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}