After a successful Saturday slate, we have a fun Sunday card to break down. Teams know they’re in the season’s stretch run, and winning on Sunday is as important as ever. Many of these series are split going into their Sunday showdowns, and many of these contenders can’t afford to lose any series at this point. You know these teams will be full tilt in every game from here on out, so let’s get into this exciting card!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
After a successful Saturday slate, we have a fun Sunday card to break down. Teams know they’re in the season’s stretch run, and winning on Sunday is as important as ever. Many of these series are split going into their Sunday showdowns, and many of these contenders can’t afford to lose any series at this point. You know these teams will be full tilt in every game from here on out, so let’s get into this exciting card!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
Starting Pitcher Strategy
It will be tough to fade the cash game options on this slate! We have two aces in can’t-miss spots, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see each guy score a dominant quality start. What’s interesting is if you want to ride both of them or pair them with one of our GPP options. Our two GPP players are both on scorching runs right now, and either would be a solid pairing with one of the cash game studs we’re about to mention!
Cash Game Recommendations:
Justin Verlander (HOU) at DET
Verlander getting traded back to Houston is simply unfair. This future Hall-of-Famer won a Cy Young there last season and has returned to that form since changing uniforms. JV has a 2.38 ERA and 1.11 WHIP since June 14. He’s also coming off a season-high 55 FanDuel points in his most recent start and could duplicate that against Detroit. The Motor City Kitties rank in the bottom four in OBP, OPS, xwOBA, and K rate.
Luis Castillo (SEA) vs. KC
It will be tough to fade Castillo with the way he’s mowing down opposing teams. The Mariners righty has a 3.15 ERA and 1.04 WHIP this year, scoring at least 40 FanDuel points in 14 starts this year. That total should be easy to reach against the Royals, with KC ranked 27th in runs scored, 29th in OBP, and 25th in wOBA. That’s why Castillo enters this matchup as a -250 favorite!
GPP Recommendations:
Jordan Montgomery (TEX) at MIN
Montgomery was unfortunate not to pick up a win in his most recent start, but he’s been going off for months. The Rangers lefty has allowed two runs or fewer in 11 of his last 14 starts, generating a 2.18 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in that superb stretch. It’s not like the Twins have a terrifying lineup, with Minnesota ranked 20th in OBP and 19th in wOBA.
Graham Ashcraft (CIN) at ARI
Ashcraft was one of the worst pitchers in baseball through the opening two months, but he’s flipped the script since the All-Star break. The Reds righty has nine quality starts in his last 10 outings, tallying a 2.35 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in that span. That’s the best stretch of this youngster’s career, and he gets to face an Arizona team with one of the worst offenses since the All-Star break.
Top Lineup Stacks
Greinke was one of my favorite pitchers growing up, but that statement alone shows you how old this guy is. With age comes ineffectiveness, and that’s what we’ve seen recently. The veteran has a 5.34 ERA this year while posting one of the worst strikeout rates in the sport. That’s scary against a scorching Seattle lineup, with the Mariners averaging 7.1 runs across their last 10 games. There’s a chance Alex Marsh starts here as well, but that doesn’t matter since he has a 5.56 ERA and 1.60 WHIP.
Thor used to be one of the most talented pitchers in baseball, but injuries have derailed his career. The Guardians pitcher hasn’t been getting anyone out, amassing a 6.42 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. That’s the guy we’ve seen for a few years now, and he’ll surely struggle against a talented Toronto lineup that ranks seventh in OBP.
Baltimore Orioles (vs. Ty Blach)
The Orioles were in here yesterday, and we must go back to the well against Colorado. The Rockies rank 29th in ERA and WHIP, sending out Ty Blach here. The lefty has a 6,81 ERA and 1.68 WHIP since the 2019 season. That’s bad news with all of these bludgeoning Baltimore bats, especially since many of these guys thrive from the right side of the plate.
Core Studs
| POS |
PLAYER |
DK SALARY |
FD SALARY |
| OF |
Julio Rodriguez (SEA) |
$6,000 |
$4,500 |
| OF |
Kyle Tucker (HOU) |
$5,900 |
$4,000 |
| OF |
Juan Soto (SD) |
$5,700 |
$3,400 |
| SS |
Trea Turner (PHI) |
$5,400 |
$3,200 |
| C |
Adley Rutschman (BAL) |
$5,500 |
$3,000 |
- J-Rod struggled through the opening months, but he’s the hottest hitter in baseball right now. The elite prospect has a .377 AVG, .654 SLG, and 1.051 OPS across his last 29 games. He’s also got 12 steals in that span, ranked as the top-position player in fantasy in that stretch. If we’re stacking against Greinke, J-Rod needs to be our first piece of the puzzle.
- Tucker is quietly having an MVP-type season, collecting 25 homers, 95 RBI and 24 steals. He’s been even better recently, registering a 1.013 OPS across his last 39 games. We don’t want to fade him against Alex Faedo‘s 4.91 ERA.
- Soto also started slowly, but he’s been his usual dominant self since then. The former All-Star has a .413 OBP and .931 OPS since the end of April. He’s also got a .448 OBP and .983 OPS against right-handers since 2021, making him an easy play against Adrian Houser‘s horrible 1.46 WHIP.
- Here we are with another star who’s amid a superb stretch. Turner was terrible for most of the year, but he’s got a .348 AVG, .392 OBP, .652 SLG, and 1.044 OPS across his last 17 games. That hot run makes him an excellent option against Bailey Falter, with Trae tallying a .926 OPS against lefties since 2021.
- Rutschman is the best leader in baseball, and he’s genuinely a revelation at the catcher position. One thing that makes him so dominant is his sensational splits, sporting a .430 OBP and .921 OPS against left-handers this year. That’s terrible news for Blach and the rest of this rubbish Rockies pitching staff.
Value Plays/Punts
| POS |
PLAYER |
DK SALARY |
FD SALARY |
| 1B |
Ryan Mountcastle (BAL) |
$4,700 |
$3,200 |
| 1B |
Brandon Belt (TOR) |
$3,700 |
$2,900 |
| OF |
Teoscar Hernandez (SEA) |
$4,200 |
$2,700 |
| 1B |
Josh Bell (MIA) |
$3,600 |
$2,900 |
| OF |
Bryan Reynolds (PIT) |
$5,000 |
$3,400 |
- Mountcastle has been raking alongside Rutschman, and these two make for a lovely stack. Much like Adley, Ryan has been slaughtering southpaws all season. In nearly 150 at-bats against lefties, Mountcastle has a .393 OBP, .694 SLG and 1.087 OPS. Get both of these guys in there against the Rockies!
- Why does Belt remain so cheap? This guy always bats third against right-handers, and it’s easy to understand why. BB has a .364 OBP and .881 OPS against righties over the last three years. He comes into this majestic matchup amid some astounding form, accumulating a .389 OBP and .971 OPS since July 2.
- It’s been a disappointing season for Teo in Seattle, but he still bats third most times out. That lineup spot, paired with his recent form and price tag, makes him one of the best punt plays on this slate. Over the last two weeks, Teo has a 1.202 OPS, building off of what J-Rod is doing in front of him. That doesn’t even include his two homers and six RBI from Saturday, either! Not to mention, Hernandez has a .800 OBP, 1.333 SLG, and 2.133 OPS in 10 at-bats against Greinke.
- Bell has been a sneaky addition to the Marlins. Over his last 13 games, JB has a .370 OBP, .694 SLG and 1.064 OPS. That’s amazing from such an affordable player, and it’s not like we’re worried about Trevor Williams‘ 4.95 ERA and 1.49 WHIP.
- Reynolds has the best BvP numbers of any player on this slate. In 26 at-bats against Drew Smyly, Reynolds has a .364 AVG, .462 OBP, .682 SLG, and 1.144 OPS. That’s a large sample size of raking, but it’s less surprising since Reynolds has a .883 OPS across his last 31 games.
Hitter Strategy
We want to use Verlander and Castillo as our two pitchers, so it will be imperative to find some cheap stacks. That’s what we’ve done, with the Orioles and Mariners having a ton of value. It’s not like the Blue Jays are too expensive, but those aren’t the only offenses we love. We also want to use players from the Dodgers, Phillies, Cubs, Astros, Padres, and Reds. There are many good options between those teams, and squeezing in JV and Castillo shouldn’t be too difficult!
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Whether you’re new to fantasy baseball or a seasoned pro, our Fantasy Baseball 101: Strategy Tips & Advice page is for you. You can start with our Sabermetrics Glossary or head to a more advanced strategy – like Maximizing Your Potential in Multi-Lineup Contests – to learn more.
Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
