We're at the unofficial midpoint of the season, and baseball will be back in action Friday. As we've noted in our last few articles, points leagues have to act with more urgency than more traditional roto formats, as only five matchups remain in the regular season in many head-to-head points leagues.
That makes it a good time to take a more specific and intentional approach to the waiver wire, focusing more on matchups rather than a more general skills-based approach. With that in mind, we'll look at some pitchers to target and fade down the stretch based primarily on their team's schedule across the next 28 days (starting Friday).
Find out which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
TARGET
Athletics – @ CLE, @ TEX, @ HOU, vs. SEA, vs. ARI, @ WSH, @ BAL, vs. TB
There aren't any perfect schedules, but there are several positives for A's pitchers. The first is that the majority of their games will come on the road and away from the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. They also face several of the weaker lineups in the league, including the Guardians, Rangers, Mariners and Nationals. Jeffrey Springs is one name that lines up particularly well with projected matchups against the Guardians, Astros, Mariners, Nationals and Rays.
Cleveland – vs. ATH, vs. BAL, @ KC, vs. COL, vs. MIN, @ NYM, @ CWS, vs. MIA
It's hard to envision a more desirable schedule for pitchers, with the Mets being the only
We're at the unofficial midpoint of the season, and baseball will be back in action Friday. As we've noted in our last few articles, points leagues have to act with more urgency than more traditional roto formats, as only five matchups remain in the regular season in many head-to-head points leagues.
That makes it a good time to take a more specific and intentional approach to the waiver wire, focusing more on matchups rather than a more general skills-based approach. With that in mind, we'll look at some pitchers to target and fade down the stretch based primarily on their team's schedule across the next 28 days (starting Friday).
Find out which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
TARGET
Athletics – @ CLE, @ TEX, @ HOU, vs. SEA, vs. ARI, @ WSH, @ BAL, vs. TB
There aren't any perfect schedules, but there are several positives for A's pitchers. The first is that the majority of their games will come on the road and away from the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. They also face several of the weaker lineups in the league, including the Guardians, Rangers, Mariners and Nationals. Jeffrey Springs is one name that lines up particularly well with projected matchups against the Guardians, Astros, Mariners, Nationals and Rays.
Cleveland – vs. ATH, vs. BAL, @ KC, vs. COL, vs. MIN, @ NYM, @ CWS, vs. MIA
It's hard to envision a more desirable schedule for pitchers, with the Mets being the only matchup worth actively avoiding. Slade Cecconi is widely available on both CBS and Yahoo and would be a pitcher to consider. This is also a good opportunity for both Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams to get on track.
Milwaukee - @ LAD, @ SEA, vs. MIA, vs. CHC, @ WSH, @ ATL, vs. NYM, vs. PIT
The Brewers are a more complicated case. The first reason is that we don't know exactly who will be in the rotation, as Nestor Cortes (elbow) is working his way back while Chad Patrick and Logan Henderson are lurking at Triple-A.
The team also alternates between good and bad matchups. That makes true game-by-game streaming the best way to handle the rotation, but there will be ways to exploit both the roster and the schedule.
New York Mets – vs. CIN, vs. LAA, @ SF, @ SD, vs. SF, vs. CLE, @ MIL, vs. ATL
The Mets' rotation is almost back at full strength, with Kodai Senga, Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea all recently returning from injury. Senga certainly won't be on the wire, but I'd expect some solid showings from the starting five with the Angels being one of the most strikeout prone teams in the league, while both Cleveland and Cincinnati are exploitable home matchups.
San Diego - @ WSH, @ MIA, @ STL, vs. NYM, vs. STL, @ ARI, vs. BOS, @ SF
The majority of the Padres' matchups are favorable, particularly immediately after the All-Star break, and their tougher tests come at home (namely the Mets). Like Cleveland's pitchers, this slate could offer the underachieving Dylan Cease a chance to deliver down the stretch and boost streaming opportunities for Randy Vasquez.
FADE
Boston - @ CHC, @ PHI, vs. LAD, @ MIN, vs. HOU, vs. KC, @ SD, @ HOU
It's debatable how many Red Sox pitchers should be rostered anyway, but this isn't a stretch in which I'd look to stream the likes of Brayan Bello or Lucas Giolito. Boston entered the All-Star break on a 10-game winning streak, but its opening three series of the second half will test the team, particularly the starting staff.
Los Angeles Angels - @ PHI, @ NYM, vs. SEA, vs. TEX, vs. CWS, vs. TB, @ DET, vs. LAD
The Angels are a borderline call because they do have stretches against exploitable offenses, particularly the series against the Mariners, Rangers and White Sox. However, both the beginning and end of the schedule are tough, which could make it difficult to consistently stream Jose Soriano and potentially even Yusei Kikuchi.
Minnesota - @ COL, @ LAD, vs. WSH, vs. BOS, @ CLE, @ DET, vs. KC, @ NYY
There are some spots to pick for Twins' pitchers, primarily for the starters that draw matchups against the Nationals, Guardians and Royals. However, there will be a lot more challenges due to a combination of tough matchups and tough venues, with the first week back from the All-Star break one to particularly avoid. Joe Ryan remains a locked-in starter, but none of the other current rotation members are trustworthy with this schedule.
St. Louis - @ ARI, @ COL, vs. SD, vs. MIA, @ SD, @ LAD, vs. CHC, vs. COL
The Cardinals go through the gauntlet of the NL West, a home matchup against Colorado being the exception, and also face their division rival Cubs. Given that tough stretch, borderline starters such as Erick Fedde, Matthew Liberatore and Andre Pallante are likely best left on the bench or waiver wire.
