If you’re unfamiliar with this article series, each week I take a look at some hitting matchups you should take advantage of and some hitting matchups you should avoid, based on who the hitters will likely be facing on the mound.
So here’s who you should start and avoid in Week 15 (7/19-7/25) of the fantasy baseball season.
Notes: All pitching matchups mentioned here are based on projections as of this post’s publication. It is entirely possible that the actual matchups could change for any number of reasons. Keep in mind, this article is geared toward middle-of-the-road players, meaning you should be starting top-of-the-line bats regardless of the matchup. Always start your studs.
START
Detroit Tigers hitters – The Tigers have a seven-game week, starting with four games against the Rangers, who own the eighth-worst team FIP in baseball and closing with three games against the Royals, who own the fifth-worst team FIP in baseball. Robbie Grossman has been fairly hot lately, slashing .286/.500/.714 over the past two weeks and warrants a start this week.
Kansas City Royals hitters – The Royals only have five games this week, but some solid matchups. They start with a two-game series against the Brewers where they’ll miss both Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff in the rotation, and they close with three games against the Tigers, who own the third-highest team FIP in baseball. Michael A. Taylor has been hitting well lately, slashing .304/.407/.478 over the past two weeks and could be a sneaky good play this week.
Chicago Cubs hitters – The Cubs have a seven-game week this week, starting with four games against the Cardinals, who own the 11th-worst team FIP in baseball, and closing with three games against the Diamondbacks, who own the worst team FIP in baseball, so make sure you get your Cubs in your lineups this week.
Dominic Smith – The Mets have six games this week, half of which will be against left-handed pitchers. So far this year, Dom Smith has been hitting lefties well, slashing .329/.380/.471 against them.
AVOID
Colorado Rockies hitters – The Rockies have just five games this week, which already puts them at a disadvantage, and on top of that, three of those games will be against the Dodgers, who own the second-best team FIP in baseball. Now, their other two games this week will be at home in Coors Field against the Mariners, so definitely start your Rockies in those two games in daily leagues, but overall, with just two usable games the entire week, the Rockies are an avoid on the whole.
Baltimore Orioles hitters – The Orioles have six games this week, and while all six are at home in hitter-friendly Camden Yards, they’re poised to have some tough pitching matchups. They start the week with a three-game series against the Rays, who own the sixth-best team FIP in baseball, and they close with a three-game series against the Nationals where they’ll face Max Scherzer. The other two Nats games could be usable in daily leagues (though who knows what you’ll get with Patrick Corbin), but overall, I’d dodge most Orioles this week (this does not include Cedric Mullins, as I think he’s pretty much in the stud territory at this point).
Toronto Blue Jays hitters – The Blue Jays get six games this week, starting with three against the Red Sox, who own the eighth-best team FIP in baseball, and closing with three games against the Mets (in New York, where the Jays will notably lose their DH), who own the fifth-best team FIP in baseball.
Michael Conforto – As I mentioned, half of the Mets games this week will be against lefties, and that’s bad news for Conforto, who is a career .226/.314/.392 hitter against lefties.
Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)