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          Fantasy Baseball Forecaster for Week 22: Sept. 4-10

          Max Scherzer of the Texas Rangers. Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images
          • Tristan H. Cockcroft
          Sep 4, 2023, 07:38 AM ET

          The fantasy baseball playoffs are here!

          In ESPN leagues, head-to-head playoffs begin with fantasy's Week 22, with the final four weeks of the season split into two-week semifinal and championship matchups. This week marks the first of the two-week semifinals, extending through the games on Sept. 17 (Sunday of Week 23). The winners of those matchups will then square off in the championship round, which begins Sept. 18 (Monday of Week 24) and runs through Oct. 1 (Sunday of Week 25).

          Congratulations if you've advanced and are in the running for a league title!

          Monday gives us earlier start times to Week 22, with a game scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET, seven games beginning before 4:30 p.m. ET and 22 of the 30 teams scheduled to play. Before you head out for your holiday activities, make sure your lineups are set.

          One of next week's highlight series is Seattle Mariners at Cincinnati Reds, a three-gamer which begins Monday. It will mark the Cincinnati return of ex-Reds Luis Castillo and Eugenio Suarez, traded to the Mariners in July and March 2022, but it will also mean that ex-Mariners Jake Fraley and Noelvi Marte will face their former club, with each of these meetings the first since their respective trades. Both teams, by the way, remain contenders in their respective leagues' playoff races.

          Speaking of players visiting their former cities, we'll have an unusual such example when the Cleveland Guardians bring Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez back to Anaheim to face the Los Angeles Angels during a four-game weekend series. Giolito is even aligned to make a start against the Angels, with whom he played for five weeks.

          Finally, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, both in the heat of a three-team race for the American League West title alongside the aforementioned Mariners, square off for a three-game series at Globe Life Field to begin the week. The two teams, which went all-in on playoff contention at the trade deadline, currently have the ex-New York Mets that they acquired, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, aligned to face each other during the Wednesday series finale.

          Lineup lock times

          Scheduling quirks for Week 22

          Starting pitchers for Week 22

          Hitting charts for Week 22