loading...
League Logo
NBA
League Logo
NBA
League Logo
MLB
League Logo
NHL
League Logo
NFL
All
    loading...

    Fantasy Baseball: Week 18 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.
    Hero Image

    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 19:

    • Jaime Barria has only received a few looks in the Angels rotation this year, but he's quietly had a better season than his overall numbers indicate. He managed an encouraging 3.41 ERA across 129.1 innings as a rookie last season (26 starts) and appeared to be on his way to mid-range Fantasy usability. However, his 2019 ERA sits at an unsightly 6.63 through 38 innings, including just four starts. That number is weighed down by two absolutely horrific starts, and isn't indicative of his overall performance. He allowed 7 ER in just 1.2 innings against Kansas City (!) in late April, and then got touched up for 10 ER in just 3.2 innings against Seattle last week. Take those two starts out, and Barria has a shiny 3.03 ERA this season. He's striking out hitters at a better clip than last year while also cutting back on walks, and with a two-start week against two bottom-third offenses (Detroit and Cleveland) I really like him as a streamer with long-term potential.
    • Zac Gallen is the latest in a long line of Miami Marlins blue-chip prospects, and in his limited time in the bigs this year he's lived up to the hype. As of this writing, Gallen has an impressive 2.76 ERA through 29.1 innings to go with a stellar 28.0% strikeout rate. He's coming off a dominant start against the White Sox, in which he twirled seven innings of shutout ball with nine strikeouts, so understandably Fantasy owners are going to be hesitant to take him out of their lineups. With the mighty Minnesota Twins on the horizon though, I'm preaching patience. Gallen has done an excellent job keeping the ball in the yard so far, having allowed just two homers in his first six starts. The Twins haven't cared about any trends like that — they have 20 more homers than any other team in baseball. It's only a matter of time before Gallen's ugly 12.0% walk rate catches up to him, and if there is any offense in baseball that can do damage quickly, it's the Twins. Given it's a one-start week, I'd advise waiting to see how Gallen handles this genuine challenge.
    • The Yankees brought Big Maple to the Big Apple to act as a bona fide top-end starter, and despite flashes of that greatness they haven't gotten that performance consistently. He's had seven or more strikeouts in eight of his 17 starts, and while his 4.20 ERA certainly isn't indicative of an ace, it's not horrendous. His decent start to the season has been erased in recent weeks, as he's been struggling with location for more than a month. Paxton's last win came on June 21st — since then, he's walked 11 while surrendering seven homers in just 25.2 innings of work. I don't feel comfortable watching him try to figure it out against the Red Sox, despite his start this week coming at home, where his ERA is a full lower than on the road. 

    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!

    GET VEGAS EXPERT PICKS FOR NFL, MLB, NBA, CBB, GOLF, NHL, HORSE RACING AND MORE - PLUS ADVANCED COMPUTER SIMULATIONS, WINNING TOOLS, AND MORE!

    JOIN NOW
    William Dubiel

    Share This Story