Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions. MLB betting tips for each day's slate of games will also be added in the morning. MLB game odds are provided by ESPN BET
, and all fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.
Note: All information is accurate as of the time of publication. For updates, including what you might have missed from last night, as well as any breaking news that might impact today's MLB slate, be sure to check out the latest fantasy baseball news.
Jump to: Pitching notes | Hitting notes | Betting tips
Reliever depth chart | Start a new league
Pitchers to stream on Saturday
This could be the last time LHP Nick Lodolo is eligible for the streaming section as his rostership will likely exceed the 50% threshold guiding the selections. In his previous outing, Lodolo posted seven scoreless innings in Coors Field, allowing just two hits while fanning nine. Next up is a home date with the Washington Nationals who tote the sixth-lowest wOBA and seventh-highest strikeout rate facing left-handers.
The New York Mets handle velocity as well as any team in MLB, but they struggle facing off speed stuff and pitches with a wrinkle. St. Louis Cardinals RHP Erick Fedde is having command and control issues, though he's the type of pitcher that can keep the Mets offense off balance. Look for Fedde to get back on track, beginning with Friday's home date against the Mets.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Tomoyuki Sugano appears more comfortable lately, with a 2.37 ERA and 0.84 WHIP over his last three starts. He punched out only 12 batters in those 19 frames but issued just one free pass while yielding no homers. Sugano is in a great spot to stay on a roll at home against the Kansas City Royals. The Royals don't fan much, but their HardHit% is among the lowest in the league, feeding into Sugano's strength.
Pitchers to avoid on Saturday
Milwaukee Brewers LHP Jose Quintana is 4-0 with a 1.14 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. However, he's only racked up 15 strikeouts while walking eight. A 2.61 BABIP and 93.8% left on base mark are suppressing his ERA below his 4.31 xFIP and 4.65 SIERA. On Friday, Quintana has a home matchup with the Chicago Cubs and the lineup sporting the third highest wOBA and lowest strikeout rate with a lefty on the hill.
Hitters to stream on Saturday
Last season, the Seattle Mariners tied for the league lead in strikeout rate. So far this season, they're fanning at a rate just a tick higher than league average. The club sports the fifth highest wOBA in the league, fueling the sixth most runs per game. The Mariners can pad those numbers on Saturday with a road date in Arlington where the Texas Rangers will send LHP Patrick Corbin to the hill. Jorge Polanco, Ben Williamson and Mitch Garver are the Seattle bats to target.
Betting tips
Best/worst pitcher/hitter matchups and betting projections are generated by THE BAT X, a 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. Betting projections for every player, team, and game can be found at EV Analytics.
Note: Expected Value is a measure of how good a bet is, factoring the probability that it will win versus the odds the book is providing. If you were to wager $1.00 100 times on a bet with an Expected Value of $25, you would win some and you would lose some, but in the end you would expect to come away with $25 in profit on your $100 investment.
Because odds typically do not get set until the previous day's games are completed, betting tips will be added in the morning.