With the season in full swing, it is important to look at some important storylines and aspects this week to be ahead of the curve and gain an edge on your league mates.
Here are 20 things around the world of fantasy baseball to watch for Week 12.
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Tools
- Weekly Fantasy Baseball Content
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Baseball 20 Things to Watch: Week 12
Fantasy Baseball Week 12 Schedule Notes
- The following teams have just five games this week:
- Cleveland Guardians at CIN, at TOR
- Cincinnati Reds vs. CLE, at NYM
- The following teams have seven games this week:
- Baltimore Orioles at TB, vs. ATL, vs. PHI
- New York Yankees at KC, at BOS
- Tampa Bay Rays vs. BAL, vs. CHC, at ATL
- Chicago White Sox at SEA, at ARI
- Kansas City vs. NYY, at LAD
- Minnesota Twins vs. COL, vs. OAK
- Oakland A’s at SD, at MIN
- Seattle Mariners vs. CWS, vs. TEX
Cade Povich (SP – BAL) vs. Spencer Schwellenbach (SP – ATL)
This is a really fun matchup with two pitching prospects who have recently been called up by their respective clubs. Cade Povich is the Orioles’ top pitching prospect who struggled in his debut but has good stuff and a lot of upside if he can harness his command and control. Spencer Schwellenbach is a top Braves pitching prospect who has struggled in his first two starts, but he is a lot more raw, having skipped AAA to get to the Majors.
Spencer Horwitz (1B, DH – TOR)
Spencer Horwitz was called up by the Blue Jays to try to inject some life into Toronto’s lineup. Horwitz doesn’t have the typical power you see from a first baseman, but he has average power with a good hit tool and a great eye at the plate. He was walking at a 17% rate in AAA and seems to be carrying that over to his first few games in the Majors. If he can keep it up, he might end up hitting at the top of what should be a good lineup in Toronto.
Hurston Waldrep (SP – ATL)
Hurston Waldrep was another Braves pitching prospect who was called up after just one start at AAA this season. He was fantastic in AA, throwing 49.1 innings with a 2.92 ERA and about a strikeout an inning. He has very good stuff but can struggle with command and control. He was rocked in his first start, allowing seven earned runs on Sunday. He gets a decent matchup versus the Rays next, which will be a chance for him to show he belongs in the Majors.
Tyler Locklear (1B, 3B – SEA)
With Ty France hurt, Tyler Locklear has been brought up from the minor leagues to take over first base duties. He was hitting .293/.404/.520 with nine home runs and four stolen bases between AA and AAA. He could be an everyday player until France gets healthy, but it is important to see if he is playing every day and where in the lineup he is hitting.
Justyn-Henry Malloy (3B, OF – DET)
Justyn-Henry Malloy has been called up with the demotion of Spencer Torkelson. Malloy is an interesting prospect who has a good amount of pop in his profile but struggles with consistent contact and is not a good defender. He does have a great understanding of the strike zone and can pile up the walks, but if he can make good contact and struggles defensively, he may find himself on the bench or back in AAA.
Connor Norby (2B, OF – BAL)
Connor Norby is another top-100 prospect who has been called up recently. There has been a lot of hype around him, but he profiles mostly as an accumulator. With Jorge Mateo out with a concussion, he has an opportunity to accumulate, but if he is not playing every day, he doesn’t have a ton of value.
Heliot Ramos (OF – SF)
Heliot Ramos has been on fire since being called up by the Giants, hitting .314/.405/.533 with six home runs and a stolen base in 121 plate appearances. Ramos has started hitting at the top of the lineup recently, which is great for his fantasy value, but he is striking out at a 30% clip, which is concerning. Ramos was a top prospect at one point but never lived up to the hype. We need to see if this is just a hot streak or something more.
Adam Mazur (SP – SD)
Adam Mazur is a Padres pitching prospect who got called up this last week to fill in while Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish are on the injured list (IL). Mazur doesn’t have the prospect pedigree other recent call-ups have, but he has an opportunity right now and a nice matchup this week versus a struggling Mets offense. He looked good in his first start before getting torched in his second start, so this third one may decide how long he is up for.
Joey Loperfido (2B, OF – HOU) and Kyle Tucker (OF – HOU)
Kyle Tucker went on the IL with an injury and the Astros brought back Joey Loperfido to take his spot. Loperfido was very good in AAA this season, hitting .264/.357/.576 with 13 home runs and eight stolen bases. He had a pretty good short stint in the Majors as well. Tucker is expected back late in the week, so Loperfido may not be up for long unless he tears the cover off the ball.
The Mets’ Bullpen
The Mets’ bullpen continues to be a mess with Drew Smith the latest reliever to register a save. With Adam Ottavino, Reed Garrett and Jake Diekman also in tow, this is turning into a committee that will be hard to predict. It may stay that way until Edwin Diaz returns from the IL.
12-15. Streaming Options
Casey Mize (SP – DET) vs. WAS
Casey Mize has been up and down this season, but he faces a Washington lineup at home that is one to take advantage of.
Simeon Woods Richardson (SP, RP – MIN) vs. OAK
Simeon Woods Richardson has been great this season and faces a terrible Oakland offense that has been struggling.
David Peterson (SP, RP – NYM) vs. MIA
David Peterson has been really good since getting re-called and faces a punchless Miami offense that no one is afraid of.
Jake Irvin (SP – WAS) at DET
Jake Irvin has been surprisingly good this season. While I think he will regress, this is a matchup that doesn’t scare me in a good park.
16-20. Two-Start Options
Albert Suarez (RP, SP – BAL) vs. ATL, vs. PHI
Albert Suarez is now in the rotation with the Orioles losing both John Means and Dean Kremer to injuries. He has pitched well this season between the rotation and the bullpen, but this is a tougher set of matchups on the docket. At least the games are at home, so I like him as a good streaming option.
Jose Soriano (RP, SP – LAA) at ARI, at SF
Jose Soriano has been up and down throughout the season with a 3.64 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched. He can go deep into games, but sometimes the control gets him into trouble. This isn’t a tough set of matchups versus a struggling Arizona offense and a bad Giants one. Both games are in friendly parks, so I am probably rolling with Soriano and hoping we get the good version.
Chris Paddack (SP, RP – MIN) vs. COL, vs. OAK
Chris Paddack has been in a bit of a rough stretch, but he has also had a brutal schedule recently, facing the Yankees twice, the Guardians, the Rangers and the Royals in his last six starts. He has one of the easiest possible two-steps this week with the A’s and Rockies away from Coors, so you are likely using him in all formats.
Tylor Megill (SP – NYM) vs. MIA, vs. SD
Tylor Megill has been pretty great since returning from the IL, throwing 17 innings over three starts with a 3.18 ERA and 20 strikeouts. He has a tough matchup at the end of the week, but a fantastic one to start it, and both are at home. I think he should be used in most formats this week just for the start against the Marlins.
Spencer Arrighetti (SP – HOU) at SF, vs. DET
Spencer Arrighetti was supposed to have a two-start week last week, but he got pushed back after leaving his start with a minor calf issue. He lines up for a much better set of matchups here against a Giants team and a Tigers team that are lackluster offensively. He has struggled with walks but has also gotten unlucky in the strand rate and batting average on balls in play (BABIP) departments. While his lack of control is concerning, these are matchups I would roll with in deeper formats.
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