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.
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Pitchers to stream on Sunday
Sean Manaea is Sunday's top ranked streamer, but he's more of a safe play than an option to make up a lot of ground when the New York Mets challenge the Milwaukee Brewers in American Family Field. Manaea limits walks and homers but doesn't pile up strikeouts. The Brewers don't rely on the long ball, but they don't strikeout out much versus left-handers. The outcome is likely going to be low scoring, but without the points juice provided by a bunch of punch outs.
Slade Cecconi is emerging as the latest Cleveland Guardians pitcher to take the next step under their tutelage. After a slow start to the season, the righty posted a 3.36 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over his last 67 games. His strikeouts are light, but he exhibits solid command and control, with the stuff to miss more bats as he continues to develop. Cecconi doesn't line up to pad his strikeout total against a Chicago White Sox lineup that puts the ball in play, but they aren't very productive with the second lowest wOBA in the league facing right-handers.
Zack Littell was impressive in his Cincinnati Reds debut, limiting the potent Chicago Cubs offense to one run over seven innings while racking up eight punchouts. Next up is a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup sporting an above average strikeout rate, helping fuel the least productive offense in the league facing right-handers.
Today's best matchups for pitchers
Seattle Mariners pitchers vs. Rays hitters
Offense: B | Park: A+ | Umpire: D | Temperature: D | Wind: C | Home
The average pitcher would post a 3.73 ERA in this matchup.
San Francisco Giants pitchers vs. Nationals hitters
Offense: B | Park: C | Umpire: C | Temperature: B | Wind: D | Home
The average pitcher would post a 3.95 ERA in this matchup.
Texas Rangers pitchers vs. Phillies hitters
Offense: D | Park: A | Umpire: C | Temperature: B- | Wind: C | Home
The average pitcher would post a 4.11 ERA in this matchup.
Today's worst matchups for pitchers
Toronto Blue Jays pitchers vs. Dodgers hitters
Offense: F | Park: F | Umpire: C | Temperature: D | Wind: D | Away
The average pitcher would post a 6.02 ERA in this matchup.
Houston Astros pitchers vs. Yankees hitters
Offense: F | Park: B | Umpire: C | Temperature: D- | Wind: C | Away
The average pitcher would post a 5.37 ERA in this matchup.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers vs. Blue Jays hitters
Offense: D | Park: F | Umpire: C | Temperature: D | Wind: D | Home
The average pitcher would post a 5.11 ERA in this matchup.
Hitters to stream on Sunday
Jack Kochanowicz sports the fourth highest ERA among pitchers compiling at least 100 innings this season. His ERA estimators are a bit better, but he's still a below average hurler. The Los Angeles Angels have no better options, so they keep sending him to the hill. The Detroit Tigers aren't complaining as they face the Angels at home. Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter are solid options for those needing to make up hitting points.
Hitters to avoid on Sunday
On a slate with fewer options, Brayan Bello may have made the streaming cut for the Boston Red Sox finale in Petco Park against the San Diego Padres. However, as effective as he's been, Bello's strikeouts have been pedestrian, and the Padres have one of the lowest strikeout rates in the league. That said, Bello has excelled at run prevention, so the better fantasy approach is limiting exposure to Padres' hitters on the final scoring day of this transaction period.
Today's best matchups for hitters
Kansas City Royals LHB vs. Twins pitchers
SP: A+ | Bullpen: A | Park: B | Umpire: D | Framing: C | Temperature: B | Wind: B | Away
The average hitter would post a .359 wOBA in this matchup.
Baltimore Orioles LHB vs. Athletics pitchers
SP: A | Bullpen: A+ | Park: B | Umpire: C | Framing: B | Temperature: B | Wind: C | Home
The average hitter would post a .352 wOBA in this matchup.
Detroit Tigers LHB vs. Angels pitchers
SP: A | Bullpen: B | Park: C | Umpire: B | Framing: B | Temperature: A | Wind: D | Home
The average hitter would post a .350 wOBA in this matchup.
Today's worst matchups for hitters
Texas Rangers RHB vs. Phillies pitchers
SP: F | Bullpen: B | Park: F | Umpire: C | Framing: C | Temperature: C | Wind: C | Home
The average hitter would post a .258 wOBA in this matchup.
Tampa Bay Rays RHB vs. Mariners pitchers
SP: F | Bullpen: B | Park: F | Umpire: B | Framing: F | Temperature: B | Wind: C | Away
The average hitter would post a .260 wOBA in this matchup.
Boston Red Sox RHB vs. Padres pitchers
SP: F | Bullpen: F | Park: C | Umpire: C | Framing: C | Temperature: C | Wind: C | Away
The average hitter would post a .278 wOBA in this matchup.
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.
Today's top home run prop bets
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | OVER 0.5 HR (+400)
Projection: 25% chance of this bet hitting, with a $22.95 EV
One reason to bet this: Guerrero has seen an increase in his exit velocity on fly balls recently; just compare his 98.1-mph average over the last two weeks to his seasonal average of 94.9-mph.
Brent Rooker | OVER 0.5 HR (+350)
Projection: 24% chance of this bet hitting, with a $7.19 EV
One reason to bet this: Based on Statcast data, Rooker is in the 88th percentile for hitting ability per my projected Expected wOBA (xwOBA) this year at .355.
Today's top pitcher prop bets
Slade Cecconi | UNDER 4.5 K (+105)
Projection: 57% chance of this bet hitting, with a $17.16 EV
One reason to bet this: My projection system profiles Guaranteed Rate Field as the second-worst field in baseball for strikeouts.
Ryan Bergert | UNDER 4.5 K (-155)
Projection: 71% chance of this bet hitting, with a $25.67 EV
One reason to bet this: My projection system profiles Target Field as the seventh-worst venue in the game for strikeouts.
Davis Martin | UNDER 4.5 K (-165)
Projection: 72% chance of this bet hitting, with a $26.04 EV
One reason to bet this: The weather forecast projects the third-most suitable hitting weather of all games on the slate today, as it relates to temperature and humidity.
Today's Top YRFI/NRFI Bets
Blue Jays @ Dodgers | YRFI (-110)
Projection: 57% chance of RUN with a $9.22 EV
Angels @ Tigers | YRFI (-115)
Projection: 54% chance of RUN with a $0.95 EV
Red Sox @ Padres | NRFI (-125)
Projection: 56% chance of NO RUN with a $1.00 EV