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          Fantasy baseball Wednesday pitchers: Arrighetti arrives as elite starter

          Spencer Arrighetti of the Houston Astros has a 2.77 ERA across his past nine starts. Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
          • Mike Sheets
          Sep 4, 2024, 11:30 AM ET

          Look for our fantasy baseball starting pitcher rankings, hitter upgrades and downgrades daily to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions and for MLB betting tips. MLB game odds are provided by ESPN BET, and fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.

          Note: This file will be updated with any overnight pitching changes or weather-related game postponements, along with the addition of the latest MLB game odds as of the indicated time of publication.

          Add Arrighetti in every league

          Over the last month, the Houston Astros, who currently hold a six-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West, have two starting pitchers who rank in the top-10 on the ESPN Player Rater. The first is Framber Valdez, who is rostered in nearly 100% of ESPN leagues. The second is Spencer Arrighetti, who is on just 31% of ESPN rosters -- a glaring oversight by fantasy managers.

          Arrighetti has been nothing short of dominant lately. He holds a 2.77 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across his last nine starts, with 71 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings (11.6 K/9). That includes three double-digit K performances in his last five outings. In fact, since Arrighetti registered his first 10-strikeout effort of the year on June 26, he ranks fourth in MLB with 86 strikeouts.

          On Wednesday, Arrighetti faces a Cincinnati Reds lineup that's struggled since the All-Star break, posting a 92 wRC+ and 24.2% K rate. The right-hander has delivered quality starts against multiple strong offenses lately -- Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies -- making this favorable matchup a breath of fresh air.

          If Arrighetti is still on the waiver wire in your league, don't leave him there.

          What you missed on Tuesday

          By Todd Zola

          The Texas Rangers learned that they'll be without two starting pitchers for the rest of the season. First, RHP Jon Gray was diagnosed with neuroma in his foot. He was slated to start tomorrow but is now shut down for the season. Next, it was reported that there won't be enough time left for RHP Tyler Mahle to recover from shoulder soreness. He'll end the season with just three starts, covering 12 innings. Mahle spent most of the season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Jack Leiter, Chad Bradford and Jose Urena should continue to garner starts until Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer join the Rangers' rotation.

          An MRI showed that Chicago Cubs LHP Justin Steele has left elbow inflammation. It was also revealed he has been experiencing the issue for a while. The club hopes that Steele can avoid the IL, but it's unclear when he may return to the mound.

          Atlanta Braves 2B Whit Merrifield was hit in the helmet with a 94-mph fastball last night. He was able to walk off the field on his own, then later cleared concussion protocol. Even so, Merrifield is scheduled for a CT scan, so his availability for tonight's home date with the Colorado Rockies is in jeopardy. Whitfield has been filling in for 2B Ozzie Albies. Albies participated in fielding practice yesterday but has not been cleared to swing the bat. The club hopes he can return in about two weeks.

          Philadelphia Phillies 1B/3B Alec Bohm missed his fourth straight game last night as he continues to deal with soreness in his left hand, stemming from a swing last Thursday. The Phillies don't expect him to suit up today when they wrap up a two-game series in Toronto, but they expect Bohm to return at some point in their weekend set in South Beach beginning tomorrow.

          Last night, New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes failed to convert a save for the fifth time in 13 chances since the All-Star break. He had posted five straight scoreless outings before his second half woes resurfaced in Arlington. The Rangers were down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, with the bases loaded and one out when Holmes surrendered a walk-off grand slam to rookie OF Wyatt Langford. With Mark Leiter Jr. also struggling, Luke Weaver could collect some ninth inning work.

          Everything else you need to know for Wednesday

          • Streaming pitchers is sometimes as simple as finding the hurler slated to face the Chicago White Sox, and that's exactly the opportunity that Albert Suarez (13% rostered in ESPN leagues) will have on Wednesday. Since the All-Star break, the White Sox have been the worst offense in baseball, posting an abysmal 64 wRC+ and a 25% strikeout rate. For his part, Suarez has stepped up his game over his last five starts, registering a 1.19 ERA and 0.96 WHIP during that span. That impressive stretch included matchups against the Red Sox and Astros, as well as an outing at Coors Field.

          • JP Sears (24%) has shined at times this season, but consistency has been a problem. Just looking at the last two months, he had seven starts in which he allowed two or fewer earned runs. Unfortunately, he also had two outings where he was tagged for at least seven runs. The good thing about streaming is that you get to pick your spots, and Wednesday's start against the Seattle Mariners is a good time to trust the Oakland left-hander. The Mariners have been below average versus left-handed pitching this season (94 wRC+), while their 26.7% strikeout rate is third-worst in baseball.

          • Judging by his 5% rostered percentage, Porter Hodge has completely flown under the radar despite his emergence as the Cubs' top reliever. The 23-year-old right-hander owns a pristine 1.80 ERA and 0.91 WHIP with 45 Ks across 35 innings, notching nine holds and three saves. Hodges makes for an easy pickup if you're searching for saves, holds, or even just quality ratios to slide into your lineup when you have an open roster spot.

          • It's been rough sledding lately for rookie Jonathan Cannon, who was hammered for a 6.31 ERA in August. Let's take advantage of the rookie's struggles on Wednesday by streaming Orioles bats. Cedric Mullins (52%), Jackson Holliday (46%), Ryan O'Hearn (35%), and Colton Cowser (26%) are all widely available plays with the platoon edge in this prime matchup.

          • It looks like Yu Darvish will return from the injured list and start on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. He has been sidelined since May 29 with a groin injury. After throwing 66 pitches in his last rehab outing, Darvish should be on track for 75-80 pitches in this one. He doesn't necessarily profile as a streaming option after such a long layoff, but he could certainly provide some value down the stretch, if healthy. Prior to the injury, the veteran right-hander posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 11 starts.

          • Betting tip of the day: Arrighetti is our top streamer today, and he's the player we're targeting for our betting tip, too. The right-hander is averaging 9.2 Ks per start over his past six outings, while the Reds strike out at a 24.8% clip against right-handed pitching, the fourth-highest mark in baseball. Take the over on 5.5 strikeouts (-120), and I'm good with taking over 6.5 Ks (+165), as well.

          Starting pitcher rankings for Wednesday

          Reliever report

          To get the latest information on each team's bullpen hierarchy, as well as which pitchers might be facing a bit of fatigue and who might be the most likely suspects to vulture a save or pick up a surprise hold in their stead, check out the latest Closer Chart, which will be updated every morning.

          Hitting report

          Plan ahead in fantasy baseball with help from our Forecaster projections. Each day, we will provide an updated preview of the next 10 days for every team, projecting the matchup quality for hitters (overall and by handedness) as well as for base stealers.

          Best Sub-50% rostered hitters for Wednesday

          Best and worst hitters from the day are generated by THE BAT X, a projection system created by Derek Carty using advanced methods like those used in MLB front offices, accounting for a variety of factors including player talent, ballparks, bullpens, weather, umpires, defense, catcher pitch-framing, and lots more.

          Worst Over-50% rostered hitters for Wednesday

          The BAT X's Best Stacks for Wednesday