Next week marks the end of June, and the All-Star Game is around the corner. However, it’s a full slate of normal action. Six teams play only five games while eight are at the other end of the schedule spectrum with seven. The remaining 16 teams play a half-dozen games. A few teams from each tier are featured in the notable matchups section below. The hitter notes section is filled with injury updates, including news on the forthcoming return of a couple of the game’s premier sluggers. The pitcher notes section rounds things out with news on a handful of hurlers.
Import your team to My Playbook for instant Lineup & Trade advice
Notable Matchups
Red Sox vs. White Sox (3), vs. Yankees (2)
The bad news for gamers rostering Red Sox hitters is they’re one of the clubs playing only five games. The good news is the first three are at hitter-friendly Fenway Park (1.100 park factor for runs, third highest in MLB), and, as a couple of readers politely reminded me, the last two games are in London. There isn’t much information available regarding the converted soccer pitch being used for baseball in London, but last May, Billy Witz revealed the projected field dimensions in a piece for the New York Times which you can read here. In short, it should play as a homer-friendly venue.
Reds at Angels (2), vs. Cubs (3)
The Reds are another of the five-game teams next week, and they’ll add the services of a designated hitter to their lineup for the first two games at Angel Stadium of Anaheim before returning to their homer-friendly (1.205 for taters) home confines for three. One probable pitcher remains uncertain for next week, but the other four are left-handed pitchers. The short week coupled with the handedness of the opposing starters sap the fantasy usefulness out of Jesse Winker, Derek Dietrich, and Joey Votto. On the flip side, Eugenio Suarez gets a bump from all the southpaws on tap. In 550 plate appearances against lefties since 2016, he has a .290/.394/.540 slash line, per FanGraphs.
Yankees vs. Blue Jays (3), at Red Sox (2)
The Yankees will soon boast a fully healthy and extremely loaded lineup (more on that to come), and they’ll do so next week against a Charmin-soft collection of opposing pitchers. The short week is a bummer, but that’s the only negative to report on the Bronx Bombers’ fantasy outlook.
Indians vs. Royals (3), at Orioles (3)
Cleveland’s offensive performance early in the season could have been set to Yakety Sax, but they’ve hit .252/.327/.459 — good for a 103 wRC+ that’s middle of the pack — over the last 30 days. Don’t expect them to slow down next week with three games at home (1.095 park factor for runs and 1.040 for homers) with favorable pitching matchups before traveling to Baltimore for three against mediocre to bad pitching.
Brewers vs. Mariners (3), vs. Pirates (3)
The Beer Makers will imbibe on home brew next week for a six-pack — I swear I’m done with the beer puns — in their hitter-friendly (1.019 for runs and 1.104 for homers) park. It gets better, though. Out of the five expected probable pitchers (with one matchup TBD), Trevor Williams has been the best this year with a 4.12 ERA. In other words, the matchups are tantalizing.
Athletics at Cardinals (2), at Angels (4)
The A’s will be on the road for all six of their games next week, starting with two in a National League park in St. Louis. Khris Davis has played three games in the outfield this year, but that was before he spent time on the IL in late May with a hip injury. He actually first sustained the ailment making a catch in foul territory when he crashed into a railing, playing through it for a couple of weeks before aggravating it. This is all a winded way of saying it wouldn’t shock me if the A’s erred on the side of caution and held Davis out of the lineup for at least one of the games without a DH.
Rockies at Giants (3), vs. Dodgers (4)
The Rockies open next week with three games in the most difficult park to reach the seats in (0.688 park factor for homers at Oracle Park) before closing the week with four at Coors Field against the visiting Dodgers. They’re projected to face at least four southpaws (Drew Pomeranz, Madison Bumgarner, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Clayton Kershaw). The seven games and four in Colorado offset the difficulty of pitching matchups and three at Oracle Park.
Dodgers at Diamondbacks (3), at Rockies (4)
The Dodgers also play seven games next week that include four at Coors Field. They’re projected to face only one southpaw. All of their hitters get a pick-me-up from Colorado, and Joc Pederson stands out as the primary beneficiary of the righty-heavy pitching layout.
Hitter Notes
Andrelton Simmons (SS – LAA)
The Angels got outfielder Justin Upton back earlier this week, and Simmons’ return might not be far behind either. The slick-fielding shortstop began a rehab assignment with rookie-level Orem, but his rehab will be slowed after playing with a noticeable limp Wednesday night. Maria Torres of Los Angeles Times tweeted that there’s still a “good chance he’ll rejoin the team next week.”
Yandy Diaz (1B/3B – TB)
The Rays hoped Diaz would only need a couple of days of rest after exiting Sunday’s contest with right hamstring discomfort, but they ultimately opted to put him on the IL. The move was made retroactive to Monday. He’ll first be eligible to return next Thursday, and manager Kevin Cash hopes he’ll return when first eligible while avoiding any lingering issues with the injury.
Scooter Gennett (2B – CIN)
Gennett began a rehab assignment Monday. He’ll reportedly play five games at the Single-A level before jumping to Triple-A for an indefinite period of time. The length of his Triple-A stay will depend on how long it takes him to shake off the rust and regain his timing after a lengthy layoff. Manager David Bell has already confirmed Gennett will be Cincinnati’s starting second baseman upon his return, pushing one of the offseason’s best signings, Dietrich, into a reserve role. This year alone, Dietrich has played first base, second base, one inning of third base, and left field. His thump should earn him a few starts a week around the diamond, so he’s not an immediate cut in standard or deeper leagues upon Gennett’s return.
George Springer (OF – HOU)
Jose Altuve made his much-anticipated return to the Astros Wednesday, and Springer began a rehab assignment Thursday for Double-A Corpus Christi. The expected length of his rehab assignment hasn’t been divulged, so gamers will want to keep their eyes and ears open for news over the weekend. A return next week certainly seems plausible.
Joey Gallo (1B/OF – TEX)
Gallo began a rehab assignment Wednesday night. He’s no longer bothered by the left oblique strain that sent him to the IL, and a return to the active roster is right around the corner. Gamers will want to be sure he doesn’t suffer a setback, but even those with weekly lineup settings should get the green light to use him next week.
Aaron Judge (OF – NYY)
The once banged-up Bronx Bombers have been adding healthy bodies of late, and Judge will be the latest to rejoin their lineup Friday night. Get him back into fantasy lineups immediately.
Trevor Story (SS – COL)
Story went on the IL Thursday with a sprained thumb. He suffered the injury sliding into second base on Wednesday night. Nick Groke of The Athletic tweeted that there was no serious structural damage and Story won’t need surgery, but he’ll miss multiple weeks.
Pitcher Notes
Craig Kimbrel (RP – CHC)
Kyle Hendricks (SP – CHC)
Kimbrel made his debut as a member of the Cubs organization Tuesday, working a perfect inning in just eight pitches and tallying a strikeout for Triple-A Iowa. He will throw again Friday. More should be known about when he’ll join the Cubs after that appearance, but a return next week appears possible, if not probable. Kimbrel, barring his own injury, will certainly be with the Cubs before Hendricks is back with the parent club. Hendricks is on the IL with a shoulder impingement. It’s unclear how much time he’ll miss, but general manager Jed Hoyer stated they’ll “try to take it slowly.”
Sean Manaea (SP – OAK)
Manaea threw a bullpen session on Thursday. As long as he doesn’t suffer any ill effects from it, he will soon begin a rehab assignment. The lefty is on the mend from shoulder surgery last September to repair a torn labrum. Shoulder injuries tend to be trickier to bounce back from than elbow injuries, so gamers should temper expectations. Still, he’s a stash option in deeper leagues who could climb to a standard-league candidate quickly with a solid rehab showing.
Dallas Keuchel (SP – ATL)
It didn’t take long for the veteran southpaw to get up to speed and ready to help the Braves. Keuchel made two minor league starts, building up to 106 pitches in his most recent tune-up turn for Double-A Mississippi last Saturday. He yielded 11 hits in that outing along with a walk and four strikeouts in seven innings of three-run ball. He should be rostered universally, but he’s not a must-start option in his 2019 big-league debut.
Luis Severino (SP – NYY)
Severino is scheduled to throw off of a mound on June 25 or 26. How he responds to mound work will be an integral step in firming up a timetable for his return. Of course, things can go fine before a later setback, but it’s an important step in Severino’s recovery. A return in late July or August can be used as a soft expectation for gamers assuming no further hiccups.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | SoundCloud | Stitcher | TuneIn
Import your team to My Playbook for instant Waiver Wire advice
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.