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.
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Fantasy Baseball 20 Things to Watch: Week 20
Fantasy Baseball Week 20 Schedule Notes
No teams following teams have just five games this week.
- The following teams have seven games this week:
- Miami Marlins vs. MIL, at COL
- New York Mets at STL, at COL, at SEA
- Philadelphia Phillies at LAD, at ARI
- Washington Nationals vs. SF, vs LAA
- Arizona Diamondbacks at CLE, vs. PHI
- San Francisco Giants at WAS, vs. DET
Jackson Holliday (2B, SS – BAL)
Top prospect Jackson Holliday has returned from the minor leagues and has hit well in his four games since, posting a .357/.438/.643 with a home run and six RBI. Holliday struggled in his first go around with the big league club but if he can get regular playing time and keep up what he is doing he could be a real difference-maker down the stretch.
Coby Mayo (1B, 3B – BAL)
Coby Mayo is another one of the Orioles’ top prospects and he has finally made his debut. He crushed AAA, hitting .301/.375/.586 with 20 home runs and four stolen bases in 77 games. Mayo has a ton of power but will need to hit to stay up on the loaded Orioles.
Jeffrey Springs (SP – TB)
Jeffrey Springs has made his season debut after returning from Tommy John surgery. He didn’t fair well in his first start, allowing two earned runs in 3.2 innings, but he was great in his rehab starts. Springs will need to be able to go five innings to qualify for wins, but there is a lot of upside in his arm.
More Prospects
As we get into August we will start to see teams bring up more and more prospects as they can manipulate their service time to not cost them rookie eligibility for next season. Some of these prospects will have big impacts down the stretch and staying on top of the call-ups can give you a big edge.
Eduardo Rodriguez (SP – ARI)
Eduardo Rodriguez is expected to make his season debut after missing the first half of the season with a shoulder injury. He has been a good pitcher when healthy, but we need to see if he is now and if he can go deep enough in games to qualify for wins.
Victor Scott (OF – STL)
Victor Scott is returning to the Majors for the Cardinals. He struggled in his first go around but was able to steal a ton of bases in AAA. Scott is most likely a reserve outfielder for now, but if he can make enough contact, he could find himself as a regular with the Cardinals.
Miguel Vargas (2B, OF – CWS)
Miguel Vargas was one of the big pieces traded in the three-team deal at the deadline between the Cardinals, Dodgers and White Sox. Vargas is a former top prospect who struggled to find a spot in Los Angeles, but now that he is in Chicago he should play every day. He has hit first or second in every game, but he will need to make more contact to keep hitting high up in the lineup.
Diamondbacks Closer Chaos
Paul Sewald has been struggling and has lost the closer role. It appears we may have a committee that includes recently acquired A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez, Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson.
Royals Closer Chaos
The Royals appear to be moving into a closer committee as well with James McArthur struggling. Newly acquired Lucas Erceg may be the favorite for saves right now, but McArthur and Hunter Harvey could also factor in.
Baltimore Closer Chaos
Craig Kimbrel has been struggling and the Orioles have added several good relief pitchers at the deadline including former Phillies closer Seranthony Dominguez. Yennier Cano seems like the most likely candidate to save games, but this situation feels fluid.
Streaming Options
Dean Kremer (SP – BAL) at TOR
Dean Kremer has been up and down this season, but he has been great on the road, allowing a 3.53 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 43.1 innings pitched. Toronto has struggled offensively this season, so this is a nice opportunity.
Martin Perez (SP, RP – SD) at MIA
The Marlins have been one of the worst teams in bases versus left-handed pitching this season and they are decimated offensively after the trade deadline.
Trevor Rogers (SP – BAL) at TOR
Trevor Rogers struggled in his first start with the Orioles, but now he gets the Blue Jays, who have struggled versus lefties this season.
Two-Start Options
Sean Manaea (SP, RP – NYM) at STL, at SEA
Sean Manaea has quietly been really good this season, allowing a 3.50 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 113 innings pitched. He has a tougher matchup versus a Cardinals team that has been better offensively, but a great one against a still struggling Mariners lineup.
Colin Rea (SP – MIL) at ATL, vs. CIN
This is crazy because I don’t think Colin Rea is a very talented pitcher, but he keeps making it work. While these seem like tough matchups, Atlanta has been struggling over the last month offensively and the Reds are away from home where they tend to struggle.
David Festa (SP – MIN) at CHC, vs. CLE
David Festa has looked much better in this stint with the Twins than he did in his first cup of coffee at the Major League level. There are questions about his command, but the stuff is really good. The matchups here are pretty good against a Cubs offense that has struggled most of the season and a Guardians lineup that has struggled as of late.
JP Sears (SP – OAK) vs. CWS, at TOR
I love JP Sears, but his command can be very spotty, which leads to home run problems. However, when the command is good, he is a really good fantasy pitcher in a good home park. He has two nice matchups here, so I am willing to risk the blowups in deeper formats.
Andre Pallante (RP, SP – STL) vs. NYM, at KC
Andre Pallante has been very good recently, allowing a 3.12 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 43.1 innings over his last eight starts. He doesn’t have a ton of strikeout upside, but his floor is pretty safe.
Hayden Birdsong (SP – SF) at WAS, vs. DET
Hayden Birdsong is re-entering the rotation after Alex Cobb was traded at the deadline. He has been great in his six starts, throwing 30.1 innings with a 2.97 ERA and 38 strikeouts. He has two nice starts this week versus bad offenses.
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