We’re finally into the stretch run of the season. At this point, there are only about 30-35 games for each team, and it’ll be fun to see who sneaks into the postseason. These weekend series are as crucial as any because it’s a good time for these clubs to prove where they stand. We’re seeing some teams swiftly fall out of the race, and others creep back in. With that in mind, let’s look at the pitchers for this Saturday slate!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
We’re finally into the stretch run of the season. At this point, there are only about 30-35 games for each team, and it’ll be fun to see who sneaks into the postseason. These weekend series are as crucial as any because it’s a good time for these clubs to prove where they stand. We’re seeing some teams swiftly fall out of the race, and others creep back in. With that in mind, let’s look at the pitchers for this Saturday slate!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
Starting Pitcher Strategy
Three pitchers stood out like a sore thumb, and then it was really challenging to find a fourth guy. After some research, I stumbled into a former reliever amid the best stretch of his career. He’ll be our final pick in the GPP section, but let’s start with one of the best pitchers over the last decade!
Cash Game Recommendations:
Max Scherzer (TEX) at MIN
Mad Max wasn’t great for the Mets, but he’s been going off ever since he joined the Rangers. The right-hander has scored at least 39 FanDuel points in nine of his last 12 starts, totaling a 2.35 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 10.9 K.9 rate across his last five outings. That’s the ace we’ve become accustomed to, and we love that he faces a Minnesota team with the worst K rate against righties!
Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs. SD
Peralta was pitiful through the opening months, but something has clicked since the All-Star break. The Brewers righty has a 3.44 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 13.1 K/9 rate since June 2. That strikeout stuff has made him one of the best pitchers in fantasy, scoring at least 37 FD points in seven of his last eight outings. This righty-heavy Padres lineup is far from scary, sporting a .714 OPS against right-handed pitchers.
GPP Recommendations:
Zack Wheeler (PHI) vs. STL
It’s wild that St. Louis has fallen so far, but this is one of the worst teams in baseball. The Cardinals rank in the middle of the pack in every offensive statistic. That’s terrifying against a pitcher like Wheeler, who’s got a 3.17 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 9.4 K/9 rate since June 3. When he faced a much better Cards team last season, Wheeler pitched seven scoreless innings in both of those gems. That’s why he will enter this matchup as a -200 favorite!
Chase Silseth (LAA) at NYM
It’s incredible just how good Silseth has been since entering this rotation. The former reliever allowed five runs in his most recent outing but had a 1.59 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 12.3 K/9 rate through his previous four starts. That’s an incredible run from such an affordable pitcher, and it’s not like the freefalling Mets are a concerning lineup.
Top Lineup Stacks
The Orioles will be a sneaky stack against this horrific Colorado pitching staff all weekend. The Rockies rank 29th in ERA and WHIP, throwing out Chris Flexen here. The Rockies righty was DFA’d earlier in the season and has a 7.18 ERA and 1.79 WHIP in what could be his last season at this level. The O’s have some cheap bats, too, which is strange since they rank seventh in runs scored.
The Reds have one of the most dynamic lineups in baseball, but they can be inconsistent at times because of their youth. We’re not worried about that here because they get a matchup with the soft-tossing Zach Davies. The D’Backs righty has one of the worst K rates in baseball, generating a 7.38 ERA and 1.62 WHIP this year!
Core Studs
- The White Sox season has been a nightmare, but it’s no fault of Robert. The outfielder is having a career year in Chicago, picking up 34 homers and 16 steals. He’s been even better against left-handers, totaling a .349 AVG, .622 SLG, and 1.022 OPS against them over the last three years. JP Sears has been struggling, maintaining a 6.91 ERA and 1.88 WHIP across his previous six starts.
- De Le Cruz has one of the worst K rates since his call-up, but this guy is a fantasy beast. The rookie is one of the league leaders in fantasy points per game, compiling 11 homers and 21 steals through just 67 games. He’s also been clobbering righties, registering a .832 OPS against them while recording 16 of his 21 steals.
- Gunnar is on his way to an AL Rookie of the Year, mainly because of a sensational second half. Henderson has a .277 AVG, .538 SLG and .865 OPS since the beginning of May. In addition, he’s just shy of a .900 OPS across his last 55 games, totaling a .866 OPS against right-handers since his call-up.
- It looks like Ohtani is done pitching, but he’s still one of the best bats in baseball. The two-way player leads the AL with 43 homers, accumulating a .415 OBP, .691 SLG, and 1.106 OPS against right-handers this year. That’s terrible news for Cookie Carrasco, collecting a 6.42 ERA and 1.65 WHIP.
Value Plays/Punts
- If you want a cheaper option for our Texas stack, look no further than Duran. He’s quietly had a lovely season for the Rangers, accruing a .812 OPS. He’s slaughtered southpaws all season, too, sporting a .373 OBP, .586 SLG, and .959 OPS against them. He’s also rolling, posting a .952 OPS across his last 11 outings.
- Any player with a sub-.200 average needs to be in the GPP section, but not many guys possess the power that Schwarber does. The leadoff hitter for Philly has 34 homers this year, giving him 112 bombs over the last three seasons. Most of that damage has come against righties, which is fantastic since Schwarbs squares off with a guy who has a 4.33 ERA and 1.42 WHIP since the start of last year.
- It’s been a rough season for Mullins, but that’ll happen when you’re on and off the IL. In any case, this has been one of the best fantasy producers over the last few years, making him an intriguing option against someone like Flexen. Over the last three years, Mullins has a .838 OPS against righties while picking up almost all of his steals against them.
- Guys like Matt McClain and De La Cruz get all the credit in Cincy, but Benson has been a remarkable rookie as well. In over 200 at-bats against right-handers, Benson has a .401 OBP, .534 SLG and .935 OPS. That’s all you can ask for from such an affordable player, and he’s a sneaky two-man stack with De La Cruz since these guys bat ninth and leadoff!
- It’s been a frustrating season for Adames, but the power-hitting shortstop is starting to find it. Over his last five fixtures, Adames has three homers and nine RBI en route to a 1.364 OPS. We don’t know much about Pedro Avila, but facing any inexperienced pitcher makes Adames enticing with how he’s raking.
Hitter Strategy
It will be imperative to pay up for some of the expensive pitchers mentioned above, so saving at the hitting positions will be critical. We feel like we have some great cheap stacks to build around, with the Orioles being the focal point of this slate. We genuinely believe Baltimore is in line to score double-digit runs, but they’re not the only offense we love. We also want to stack the Reds, Cubs, Phillies, Angels, White Sox, and A’s in this 7ET 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.
