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    Fantasy Baseball: Week 13 pitcher Start 'Em & Sit 'Em

    Fantasy baseball expert William Dubiel previews every starting pitching matchups for the upcoming week, with start and sit calls for every game.
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    Unless you've got a roster stacked with high-end pitchers you'll start against any matchup, you'll probably need to keep a close eye on the schedule as you get ready to set your lineup for the upcoming week. You'll need to know which of your starters have bad matchups, which are set for two starts in the upcoming week, and which fringe-y options might just be worth going out to grab on waivers. 

    Which is why you'll definitely want to check out SportsLine's weekly pitching Start 'Em & Sit 'Em chart from William Dubiel. A 15-year Fantasy veteran, Dubiel got his start in Fantasy baseball and has done work for Rotoballer, Metro US and multiple other outlets during his career. He was named the No. 4 MLB Ranker for the 2017 MLB season, so if there's anybody who can give you an edge in your Fantasy baseball league, it's him.

    Now, he's helping you set your pitching lineup each week. William goes through every starting pitcher matchup for the upcoming week, making start and sit picks for each game. Here are some of William's calls for Week 13:

    • The Rangers second-ranked offense might be one of the biggest surprises so far in 2019, but their starting pitching has been equally eye-opening. While veterans like Mike Minor and Lance Lynn are reviving some of their former dominance, 23-year-old Ariel Jurado is flashing potential for the first time in his young career. As of this writing he's rattled off four straight quality starts with one more opportunity against the Reds on deck this weekend. His most recent came in the always-dangerous Fenway Park against the Red Sox fourth-ranked offense. While there isn't single standout peripheral stat to point to in regards to Jurado's recent productivity, his entire resume is proof-positive that he's capable of being a decent MLB starter for the long haul. Jurado's 19.2 K% and 6.8 BB% are modest but certainly usable, and he's added more than a full mile per hour on his fastball from the 12 MLB appearances he had last year. His 3.02 ERA is backed by a 4.35 SIERA, so while he's pitching above his baseline right now, there isn't anything to indicate he can't be useful. He gets the White Sox bottom-10 offense this week and is a great streaming option who may have some sticking power on your team. 
    • Merrill Kelly's been eating his Wheaties, because he's on one of the hottest runs in the MLB right now. Over his last three starts, he's thrown at least seven or more innings while allowing just two total earned runs (0.81 ERA in that span). He was credited with the win in all three and struck out 18 in that span as well. As a prospect Kelly never had any kind of elite strikeout stuff, but he's always done a terrific job keeping the ball in the yard, which is always an asset. So far in 2019 he's more than merited his position in the Diamondbacks rotation, giving his team a chance to win almost every time he's on the bump (with a few rookie clunkers mixed in). He'll have to carefully navigate the Rockies' fifth-ranked offense on Monday, but his second start against the Giants has him a firm two-start option this week, especially with both games at home. 
    • Andrew Heaney missed all of April and most of May dealing with an elbow issue, and in the three starts he's made since his return he's experienced some predictable shakiness. His first two starts were solid (5 IP, 2 ER and 6 IP, 3 ER) while his third left plenty to be desired (5.2 IP, 5 ER). He allowed two home runs in each of those three starts, too. I'm less concerned about that given that he also struck out 28 batters while walking just three. That's the strikeout stuff that made Heaney such a valuable Fantasy asset in 2018, where he struck out 180 batters in 180 innings. The homers have been a bugaboo for his entire career, and I don't see that changing any time soon. But you'll take that damage given how prolific he is in the strikeout department. This week he faces off against a Toronto offense that's bottom-five in the MLB in scoring and top-10 in strikeouts — plug him in and enjoy.
    • In April and May of this year, Shane Bieber was ripping off quality starts with ease. He threw one of the most incredible games of the season against the poor Orioles on May 19th, a complete game shutout with 15 strikeouts. Since then it's been a mixed bag — he's had two solid starts and two stinkers. Bieber's strikeout stuff is undeniable — he keeps hitters off-balance with an aggressive 93-MPH fastball and a wipeout slider as his putaway pitch. I am certainly not condemning Bieber moving forward, but I am pretty wary of his start this week against the Rangers. That offense ranks second in the majors for scoring, and with Bieber's last outing lasting just 1.2 IP (vs. NYY) I don't feel confident in starting him this week, especially in Roto formats where ratios count. I have him as a "sit" this week, and while I completely understand the "start your studs" mentality and the upside, I wouldn't just set him and forget him this week as we've done for most of 2019.

    So, how will you know which other pitchers to start and which to avoid? ... Join SportsLine right now to get access to the tools and date that can help you make the right decision!

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    William Dubiel

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