There’s a game on at 8 AM my time today. That’s hard to fathom, but the early birds better be ready to rise since it’s a London game. That matchup won’t be featured in this article, though, because everyone else plays a regular Sunday schedule. We have all but four teams to talk about because there’s a Sunday Night Game we’re fading as well. With that said, let’s look at the arms for this Sunday slate!

Starting Pitcher Rankings

Starting Pitcher Strategy

We didn’t have many pitchers we liked yesterday, but that left us with way too many options today. The only issue is that many of those studs face challenging matchups. Guys like Zach Wheeler, Max Scherzer, Charlie Morton, Dylan Cease, Marcus Stroman, Jon Gray, George Kirby, and Gerrit Cole all missed the cut because we can’t trust them against some of the best offenses in baseball. There were still some high-end choices in great matchups, though, and we’ll feature those guys in the cash game section!

Cash Game Recommendations:

Tyler Glasnow (TB) vs. KC

Glasnow allowed six runs in the first inning in his most recent start but has been the stud we love outside of that. He had a 3.43 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 11.1 K/9 rate through his first four starts, scoring at least 28 FanDuel points in all of those. We expect him to be even better than that going forward, providing a 2.75 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over the last four years. It’s not like facing KC is concerning, with the Royals ranked 28th in runs scored, OPS, and wOBA. That’s why Glasnow is a -250 favorite in this magical matchup.

Corbin Burnes (MIL) at CLE

Burnes was also lit up in his most recent start but is too good to fade in a matchup like this. Over the last three years, CB has a 2.62 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 34 percent K rate. That’s why he’s in the Cy Young race every year and should cruise in this fantastic matchup. Cleveland ranks 26th in OPS, 27th in runs scored, and 28th in xwOBA. Burnes threw eight no-hit innings in their last matchup while striking out 14 batters!

GPP Recommendations:

Eury Perez (MIA) vs. PIT

This kid looks terrific. Perez has a 1.54 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through eight starts in his rookie season. He’s only allowed one total run across his last five starts and could keep that going against Pittsburgh. The Pirates rank 29th in K rate on the year and have the second-fewest runs in the league since the beginning of May. We also don’t mind that Perez is projected to be a -180 favorite in this spot.

Yusei Kikuchi (TOR) vs. OAK

Kikuchi has some high upside, and this is the sort of matchup where he could show it. The A’s have the worst lineup in baseball, ranked last in runs scored, OBP, OPS, and xwOBA since the start of last year. That’s big news since Kikuchi has allowed two runs or fewer in five straight starts, amassing a 2.81 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 10.2 K.9 rate in that span. Not to mention, he’s a -290 favorite in this game.

Top Lineup Stacks

Toronto Blue Jays (vs. Luis Medina)

• Home (Rogers Centre)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9.5 Runs/TOR -280

We had Toronto in here yesterday, and we’re going right back to them. This is one of the best lineups in baseball, and there’s no chance that the worst pitching staff in the league will slow them down. Medina has been a significant part of those atrocious averages, accruing a 7.01 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. We’d be shocked if the Blue Jays don’t score at least five runs.

Atlanta Braves (vs. Ben Lively)

• Road (Great American Ball Park)
• Value: Low
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 11 Runs/ATL -180

The Braves have the best lineup in the NL. Atlanta ranks Top 3 in runs scored, BA, OBP, and home runs, getting to hit in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks around here. They’re also facing a pitcher who’s amid some negative regression, generating a 6.17 ERA and 1.59 WHIP across his last four starts.

San Francisco Giants (vs. Ryne Nelson)

• Home (Oracle Park)
• Value: High
• Risk: Medium
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/SF -130

Don’t look now, but the Giants are one of the hottest teams in the league. They’ve only lost one game over the last two weeks and rank near the top of every offensive category in that span. That’s massive because many of these guys are way too cheap and get to face a pitiful pitcher here. That’s Nelson, accumulating a 5.31 ERA and 1.52 WHIP.

Core Studs

• Acuna could be the top recommendation on every slate, and we’d be right almost every day. This guy is leading all eligible players with 12.4 DraftKings points per game. Hitting atop this amazing Atlanta lineup will do that, but it’s backed by his 16 homers, 33 steals, and a .329 average.
• We had Bo in here yesterday, and we’re going right back to him. This guy has been one of the best stat-stuffers in baseball since his call-up, providing runs, RBI, homers, and steals at an unbelievable pace. He’s also got an average above .300 this year and shouldn’t have any issues against a pitcher with an ERA above 7.00.
• Machado is starting to get going. Manny has a .329 AVG, .557 SLG, and .908 OPS across his last 17 outings. That’s right on par with the player we’ve seen for nearly a decade, and he should keep it going against a lefty with a 1.41 WHIP. Machado has a .408 OBP, .561 SLG, and .969 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor this year!
• Wade made his return to the lineup on Friday, and that’ll have him hitting atop one of our favorite stacks of the day. This has been San Fran’s best bat this year, tallying a .416 OBP and .877 OPS since the opening weekend of the season. That’s a large sample size of dominance, and it looks even better since he has a .427 OBP and .908 OPS against right-handers.
• Trout hitting in Coors Field sounds like a cheat code. We’d like him if he faced Nolan Ryan in Coors, but facing Austin Gomber is incredible. Not only does that give Trout the advantage from the right side, but Gomber has a 7.25 ERA and 1.64 WHIP.

Value Plays/Punts

• Joc Jams has always been a favorite of ours whenever he gets to face a right-hander. The Blonde Basher has a .387 OBP and .904 OPS against right-handers this year. That’s what we’ve seen throughout most of his career, and it should continue since he faces one of the worst starters on this slate.
• Ramirez is one of those platoon gems for the Rays. This guy has been clobbering left-handers all season, collecting a .389 AVG, .667 SLG, and 1.067 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor. That makes him $1,000 too cheap on both sites, especially since he squares off with a southpaw who’s sporting a 5.20 career ERA and 1.54 career WHIP.
• Grichuk has quietly had a great season in Colorado. The outfielder has a .294 AVG, .359 OBP, and .795 OPS. The reason we love him today is that he faces a lefty at home. Grichuk has a .884 OPS against left-handers this year and a .894 OPS at home.
• Harris was one of the worst players in baseball through the opening two months, but he’s found something since the start of June. The 2022 Rookie of the Year has a .448 AVG and 1.191 OPS across his last 15 outings. That’s scary in a hitters haven like GABP, especially since he faces a righty due for some negative regression.
• Hernandez had 57 homers and 18 steals in the previous two years, and we’re seeing him creep closer back to that stud. Over his last 17 fixtures, Teo has totaled a .417 OBP, .662 SLG, and 1.078 OPS. That has him in the heart of this Seattle lineup every day, and we certainly don’t mind that he faces a TBD for the Orioles here.

Hitter Strategy

This is an exciting slate to build lineups. We didn’t have many pitchers we loved yesterday, but there are way too many to pick from today. There are also many players who are excellent values, which should make lineup construction a breeze. The offenses we want to exploit include the Rays, Braves, Blue Jays, and Rockies. Angels, Mariners, Phillies, Red Sox, White Sox, Padres, and Giants. There are plenty of options to choose from on those teams, and things should open up because it’s a Sunday slate.

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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.