Welcome fantasy friends and foes to Week 8 of the 2022 Fantasy Baseball Season.

This holiday weekend is more than another day off from work or school. Its purpose is to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We should thrive on supporting their grieving families and loved ones left behind. We will never forget! Thank you!

Getting back to fake baseball, let’s thrive on finding what to watch out for in Week 8 in Fantasy Baseball.

1. Four teams will play eight games in Week 8

The Chicago Cubs welcome their NL Central rivals Milwaukee Brewers for three games to start the week, and then they will get the St. Louis Cardinals for five games at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. This week, the Minnesota Twins will play all eight games on the road against the Detroit Tigers (5) and the Toronto Blue Jays (3). The Detroit Tigers and the St.Louis Cardinals will also be very busy, with eight games on the schedule this week.

2. Week 8 Schedule Highlights

A dozen teams are playing seven games in Week 8, with the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and the Texas Rangers enjoying home cooking. In contrast, the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals will be homesick all week. Of the 14 teams playing six games this week, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Toronto Blue Jays get to stay home all week.

3-6. Two-Start Pitchers to Stream

Aaron Ashby (SP – MIL)
The 24-year-old left-hander steps into the rotation spot vacated by Freddie Peralta, who will miss significant time with a shoulder strain. After being shuffled between the bullpen and the starting mound, Ashby should settle himself into the Brewers rotation for the immediate future. Ashby owns a 0-3 record, but he does have a 2.91 ERA and 10.3 K/9 while yielding an above-average .205/.318/.276 slash line. The caveat with the southpaw is his outrageous 5.3 BB/9 which needs to improve in his matchups against two middling offenses of the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres. Nevertheless, I have faith in the left-hander, and so should fantasy managers.

Erick Fedde (SP – WAS)
The Washington Nationals right-hander has been quite effective since the calendar turned to May. In his five May starts, Erick Fedde is 2-1 with a 1.95 ERA and 1.27 WHIP across 27.2 innings. In Week 8, Fedde takes on the New York Mets and the Cincinnati Reds. Fedde saw the Mets in his first start of the 2022 season. He pitched five innings, gave up two earned runs, and struck out five in a no-decision, so we should not be afraid of the Mets’ offense for Fedde. The Reds are a bottom-tier offense, which makes me believe that Fedde continues his May production next week.

Jakob Junis (SP – SF)
Jakob Junis is an ideal streaming option. He is barely rostered, and fantasy managers can add him and start the right-hander this week for his two starts against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Miami Marlins. Junis is going through a career surge in San Francisco with a 1-1 record, a 3.97 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, and a 14/4 K/BB ratio across 22.2 innings. Junis is worth consideration as a Week 8 deep streaming option.

George Kirby (SP – SEA)
The prized pitching prospect has exhibited tremendous upside in the first four starts of his MLB career. George Kirby is averaging a strikeout per inning and has pitched to a 4.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. In addition, Kirby has exhibited excellent control with a 2.4 walk percentage. The 24-year-old right-hander takes on the bottom seven offenses in the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers this week. Kirby is a quickly advisable start this week.

7. Yankees lose their closer, but no need to panic

Even though the New York Yankees are leading the American League East and have the best record in the AL, they continue to receive setbacks with one of the top team payrolls in baseball. The Yankees bullpen took another significant hit with lefty closer Aroldis Chapman hitting the injured list with left Achilles tendonitis. The flame-throwing southpaw displayed chinks in his armor with a 3.86 ERA and 1.643 WHIP even though he has produced nine saves this season. His inconsistency led to Yankees manager Aaron Boone utilizing more arms out of the bullpen.

Chapman joins Jonathan Loaisiga and Chad Green on the injured list. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel in the Yankees bullpen with the emergence of fill-in closer Clay Holmes and the versatile Michael King (2.96 ERA and 12.5 K/9). This season, Holmes has made 23 appearances and owns a 4-0 record with an 0.36 ERA and 0.69 WHIP, and a 1.40 FIP. Holmes has produced an impressive 26/2 K/BB ratio. He is enjoying a dominant 2022 season and has saved the Yankees with his six saves as a so-called fill-in. Holmes has not allowed a run in his last 22 appearances. His 24 scoreless innings streak is the longest of his career and the longest in the majors this season

8. The Bronx Bombers lose their slugging OF

The Yankees also suffered a significant blow to their offense, with Giancarlo Stanton being placed on the injured list with right ankle inflammation. Luckily, an MRI showed no damage to his Achilles, but Stanton continues his injury streak in a Yankee uniform. Stanton was hitting .285/.339/.525 with 11 dingers and 35 RBI, and his absence places a massive hole in the Yankees lineup. The Yankees will try to fill the gap with a mix of the returning Joey Gallo and try to fit in Miguel Andujar in the outfield. They also added some depth by signing former All-Star Matt Carpenter. All stop-gap measures while they await the return of their slugging outfielder.

9. The Rays continue to develop starting pitchers

The Tampa Bay Rays are similar to a revolving door for pitchers. They continue to crank out productive pitchers through superior scouting and coaching. The latest pitcher developed for the Rays is Jeffrey Springs, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox this past offseason. Springs has been utilized out of the bullpen for most of his MLB career. The southpaw only registered two MLB starts up to this season, both of which were in his 2018 rookie season for the Texas Rangers. With multiple injuries to the Rays rotation, the left-hander stepped into the rotation and has emerged as a valuable starter this season. Springs has produced a 1-2 record in his five starts with a 2.35 ERA and 0.87 WHIP. He owns a 22/4 K/BB ratio and has surrendered a .195/.233/.342 slash line. The rich get richer, and Springs will look to continue his momentum this week when he takes on the Texas Rangers, who are only hitting .230 against left-handers this season.

10. Looking for saves? See Dany Jimenez

Another testament to not investing essential draft capital in saves, Dany Jimenez has emerged as the go-to guy in the Oakland A’s bullpen. Jimenez has come out of nowhere to be a perfect 10-for-10 in saving opportunities with a 1.89 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. Jimenez has also produced a 2.04 FIP with a 9.9 K/9. He possesses a 94 mph fastball and combines an 81.7 mph wicked slider that has produced a fantastic 46.1 percent whiff rate with hitters hitting .051 against a pitch he throws 60 percent of the time. However, the A’s will not win many games, so Jimenez will have limited save opportunities. Nevertheless, Jimenez is the only reliever to receive a save opportunity since the calendar hit May, so the right-hander will garner all save opportunities while producing elite ratios.

11-13. Week 8 Elite Pitching Matchups

Michael Kopech (SP – CHI) vs. Kevin Gausman (SP – TOR)
Michael Kopech has been excellent in his eight starts this season. The young right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. Kopech has been virtually unhittable to this point yielding only .122/.230/.158 slash to go along with a .167 BABIP. He has yet to give up a home run this season while surrendering a .185 xBA and a .331 xSLG. Do not let the 4-3 record for Kevin Gausman make you concerned. His underlying numbers are excellent, with a 2.25 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and a 1.32 FIP. Gausman is also producing an outstanding 65/5 K/BB ratio and has only given up one dinger across 56 innings in his nine starts.

Pablo Lopez (SP – MIA) vs. Logan Webb (SP – SF)
On Saturday, MLB and fantasy fans will be treated to a pitching duel between Pablo Lopez and Logan Webb at loanDepot Park. Lopez is 4-2 with 2.04 ERA and 202 ERA+ to go with a 9.5 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 across his nine starts. Giants’ right-hander Logan Webb is 5-1 with a 3.54 ERA and 3.14 xERA and has only coughed up two homers across his 53.1 innings this season.

Corbin Burnes (SP – MIL) vs. Joe Musgrove (SP – SD)
The Milwaukee Brewers welcome the San Diego Padres for four games in Week 8, and there will be a tasty matchup between two of the current top right-handers in baseball. Corbin Burnes toes the rubber for the Brewers and brings his 2-2 record with a 2.18 ERA and 0.87 WHIP while yielding an impressive .195/.245/.332 slash. Burnes will face off against Padres’ Joe Musgrove, who is 5-0 with a 1.90 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. Musgrove is yielding an equally impressive .211/.252/.342 slash. Grab your favorite adult beverage and enjoy this pitching duel.

14. How serious is the ankle injury for Brandon Woodruff?

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff felt discomfort in the fourth inning of his last start and then was taken out of the game in the fifth inning with right ankle inflammation. Woodruff received treatment on the ankle, and he is hopeful that his ankle will allow him to make his next scheduled start on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers already took a gigantic blow recently with right-hander Freddy Peralta diagnosed with a right shoulder strain, and he is expected to be out for a significant period. This has to be alarming for a Brewers squad that depends on their elite pitching, and to this point, the Brewers have been successful. They lead the NL Central with a 29-18 record and lead the division by 2.5 games over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers inserted left-hander Aaron Ashby into the rotation to take Peralta’s turn in the rotation. However, the potential loss of Woodruff will force the Brewers to dive deeper into their minor league pitchers. Stay tuned.

15-20. Hot or Not

Hot

Mookie Betts (OF – LAD)
Finally, we see the Mookie Betts that fantasy managers spent the first-round capital on this season. Betts is hitting .500/.591/1.115 with four homers and 10 RBI with 11 runs across his last 26 at-bats. Mookie Betts managers rejoice!

Trevor Story (2B/SS – BOS)
A familiar name to the weekly hotlist, the Red Sox infielder is writing his own story in Boston with four homers and 14 RBI with six runs across his previous 25 at-bats.

Martin Perez (SP – TEX)
Perez has posted consecutive quality starts with a 0.56 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP with 11 strikeouts across 16.1 innings. The veteran southpaw is off to a fantastic start with a 1.60 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in his nine starts this season.

Not

Jeimer Candelario (3B – DET)
The Detroit Tigers’ offense is offensive and third baseman Jeimer Candelario has done his part to contribute to the team’s bottom-three offense. Candelario has been scuffling at the plate lately, with only one hit in his last eighteen bats with eight strikeouts. After producing a .271/.351/.443 slash with 16 homers last season. Candelario was looked upon as a valuable CI option for fantasy managers. However, his slow start has enticed fantasy managers to move on from the Tigers infielder.

Mike Moustakas (1B/3B – CIN)
Mike Moustakas was on many deep sleeper lists coming into the season. Unfortunately, the veteran infielder has not lived up to expectations to this point of the season. Moustakas has been struggling to the plate to the tune of hitting .063 (1-for-16) with one run scored. As a result, the dream is over for fantasy managers who placed stock in Moustakas.

German Marquez (SP – COL)
The veteran Colorado Rockies starter is in the midst of a brutal start to the 2022 season. Marquez currently is 1-5 and owns a 6.30 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. In his last two starts, he pitched 12 innings, coughing up 17 hits, four walks, and nine earned runs. Yet, Marquez is somehow still rostered in 67 percent of ESPN leagues.

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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.