RotoBaller continues to bring you a complete list of the coming week's pitching matchups, as well as expert advice on whether to sit or start each pitcher. This advice is based on a variety of factors- quality of the opponent, recent starts by the pitcher, ballpark, batter vs. pitcher matchups, and much more. RotoBaller has assembled all this information into one handy cheat sheet for fantasy owners to use to dominate their leagues.
For example, it is with much regret that we are sitting Rays right-hander Chris Archer for both of his starts this week - Monday vs. Baltimore, and Saturday at Toronto. Ever since his 12-strikeout gem on Opening Day, Archer has looked very hittable and, allowing 30 hits and 11 walks in 19.2 innings. With a season ERA over 7.00, and with matchups against two of the American League's best offenses (third and fourth in runs scored, as of this publication), we feel that the safe bet is to sit Archer until he straightens himself out. Is it possible that Archer breaks out in one of those starts and you miss out on another stellar start? Sure. We want to minimize risk as much as possible; better to sit him and miss out on a good start than start him and watch him get hit around again. It's expert advice like this that helps fantasy owners have the most success, and you'll find even more in our Start/Sit Recommendations for Week 4.
Fantasy baseball is all about value, as well. Here are some starters that should be a good value play- someone you can add to your roster for this one start, then immediately put back onto the waiver wire. Those pitchers include Cleveland's Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Twins, Houston's Mike Fiers and Scott Feldman on Friday and Saturday at Oakland (in that spacious ballpark), Pittsburgh lefty Jeff Locke against the Reds on Saturday, and Miami' Tom Koehler on Sunday against Milwaukee.
Another piece of advice that is obvious but still worth saying: start the good pitchers against the bad teams. These are the starts where owners are most likely to rack up those excellent starts that change the whole momentum of a fantasy season. Owners of Jake Arrieta, for example, took advantage of this in his no-hitter against the Reds. Some pitchers this week in similar situations: the Mets' Noah Syndergaard against the Reds (Monday), David Price of the Red Sox against the Braves (Tuesday), Washington's Max Scherzer against the Phillies (Wednesday), the aforementioned Arrieta against the Brewers (Wednesday), Indians ace Corey Kluber against the Phillies (Friday), and Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw against the Padres (Sunday).
SP Matchups & Start/Sit Recommendations
Be sure to check back for analysis on pitchers making two starts this week (for H2H leagues), as well as updated player rankings and waiver-wire options. And remember: this stuff changes. Check back during the week for continuous updates to this list to get the most accurate information possible!
PROBABLE PITCHERS - MONDAY (4/25/16) | ||||
GAME | VISITING STARTER | START/SIT | HOME STARTER | START/SIT |
CHW@TOR | Chris Sale SP | CHW | Start | Marcus Stroman SP | TOR | Start |
OAK@DET | Kendall Graveman SP | OAK | Sit | Jordan Zimmermann SP | DET | Start |
BOS@ATL | Rick Porcello SP | BOS | Sit | Julio Teheran SP | ATL | Sit |
CIN@NYM | Raisel Iglesias SP | CIN | Sit | Noah Syndergaard SP | NYM | Start |
BAL@TB | Kevin Gausman SP | BAL | Sit | Chris Archer SP | TB | Sit |
NYY@TEX | Nathan Eovaldi SP | NYY | Sit | Cole Hamels SP | TEX | Start |
CLE@MIN | Danny Salazar SP | CLE | Start | Tommy Milone SP | MIN | Sit |
PIT@COL | Jeff Locke SP | PIT | Sit | Jorge de la Rosa SP | COL | Sit |
STL@ARI | Jaime Garcia SP | STL | Start | Zack Greinke SP | ARI | Start |
KC@LAA | Ian Kennedy SP | KC | Start | Garrett Richards SP | LAA | Start |
HOU@SEA | Doug Fister SP | HOU | Sit | Taijuan Walker SP | SEA | Start |
MIA@LAD | Wei-Yin Chen SP | MIA | Sit | Ross Stripling SP | LAD | Sit |
SD@SF | Drew Pomeranz SP | SD | Sit | Madison Bumganer SP | SF | Start |
PROBABLE PITCHERS - TUESDAY (4/26/16) | ||||
GAME | VISITING STARTER | START/SIT | HOME STARTER | START/SIT |
PHI@WAS | Vince Velasquez SP | PHI | Sit | Joe Ross SP | WAS | Start |
CHW@TOR | John Danks SP | CHW | Sit | R.A. Dickey SP | TOR | Sit |
BAL@TB | Ubaldo Jimenez SP | BAL | Start | Jake Odorizzi SP | TB | Sit |
BOS@ATL | David Price SP | BOS | Start | Matt Wisler SP | ATL | Sit |
CIN@NYM | Brandon Finnegan SP | CIN | Sit | Bartolo Colon SP | NYM | Start |
OAK@DET | Rich Hill SP | OAK | Sit | Mike Pelfrey SP | DET | Sit |
MIL@CHC | Jimmy Nelson SP | MIL | Sit | Kyle Hendricks SP | CHC | Start |
NYY@TEX | Luis Severino SP | NYY | Sit | A.J. Griffin SP | TEX | Sit |
CLE@MIN | Cody Anderson SP | CLE | Start | Ricky Nolasco SP | MIN | Sit |
PIT@COL | Gerrit Cole SP | PIT | Start | Chad Bettis SP | COL | Sit |
STL@ARI | Carlos Martinez SP | STL | Start | Shelby Miller SP | ARI | Start |
KC@LAA | Edinson Volquez SP | KC | Start | Jered Weaver SP | LAA | Sit |
HOU@SEA | Dallas Keuchel SP | HOU | Start | Nathan Karns SP | SEA | Sit |
MIA@LAD | Tom Koehler SP | MIA | Sit | Clayton Kershaw SP | LAD | Start |
SD@SF | James Shields SP | SD | Start | Johnny Cueto SP | SF | Start |
PROBABLE PITCHERS - WEDNESDAY (4/27/16) | ||||
GAME | VISITING STARTER | START/SIT | HOME STARTER | START/SIT |
SD@SF | Andrew Cashner SP | SD | Sit | Jeff Samardzija SP | SF | Start |
PHI@WAS | Jeremy Hellickson SP | PHI | Sit | Max Scherzer SP | WAS | Start |
CHW@TOR | Jose Qunitana SP | CHW | Sit | Marco Estrada SP | TOR | Sit |
ATL@BOS | Bud Norris SP | ATL | Sit | Steven Wright SP | BOS | Start |
BAL@TB | Chris Tillman SP | BAL | Start | Matt Moore SP | TB | Sit |
CIN@NYM | Jon Moscot SP | CIN | Sit | Matt Harvey SP | NYM | Start |
OAK@DET | Sonny Gray SP | OAK | Start | Justin Verlander SP | DET | Start |
MIL@CHC | Taylor Jungmann SP | MIL | Sit | Jake Arrieta SP | CHC | Start |
NYY@TEX | C.C. Sabathia SP | NYY | Sit | Martin Perez SP | TEX | Sit |
CLE@MIN | Josh Tomlin SP | CLE | Start | Kyle Gibson SP | MIN | Sit |
PIT@COL | Jonathon Niese SP | PIT | Sit | Jon Gray SP | COL | Sit |
STL@ARI | Adam Wanwright SP | STL | Start | Patrick Corbin SP | ARI | Start |
KC@LAA | Chris Young SP | KC | Sit | Nick Tropeano SP | LAA | Sit |
HOU@SEA | Collin McHugh SP | HOU | Sit | Hisashi Iwakuma SP | SEA | Start |
MIA@LAD | Jarred Cosart SP | MIA | Sit | Scott Kazmir SP | LAD | Start |
PROBABLE PITCHERS - THURSDAY (4/28/16) | ||||
GAME | VISITING STARTER | START/SIT | HOME STARTER | START/SIT |
OAK@DET | Chris Bassitt SP | OAK | Sit | Anibal Sanchez SP | DET | Start |
MIL@CHC | Zach Davies SP | MIL | Sit | Jon Lester SP | CHC | Start |
PIT@COL | Juan Nicasio SP | PIT | Sit | Tyler Chatwood SP | COL | Sit |
PHI@WAS | Aaron Nola SP | PHI | Sit | Gio Gonzalez SP | WAS | Start |
CHW@BAL | Carlos Rodon SP | CHW | Sit | Yovani Gallardo SP | BAL | Sit |
ATL@BOS | Jhoulys Chacin SP | ATL | Sit | Clay Buchholz SP | BOS | Start |
STL@ARI | Michael Wacha SP | STL | Start | Rubby de la Rosa SP | ARI | Sit |
MIA@LAD | Jose Fernandez SP | MIA | Start | Kenta Maeda SP | LAD | Start |
PROBABLE PITCHERS - FRIDAY (4/29/16) | ||||
GAME | VISITING STARTER | START/SIT | HOME STARTER | START/SIT |
ATL@CHC | TBD | John Lackey SP | CHC | Start | |
CHW@BAL | Matt Latos SP | CHW | Sit | Mike Wright SP | BAL | Sit |
CIN@PIT | Dan Straily RP | CIN | Sit | Francisco Liriano SP | PIT | Start |
CLE@PHI | Corey Kulber SP | CLE | Start | Charlie Morton SP | PHI | Sit |
NYY@BOS | Masahiro Tanaka SP | NYY | Start | Henry Owens SP | BOS | Sit |
SF@NYM | Jake Peavy SP | SF | Sit | Steven Matz SP | NYM | Sit |
TOR@TB | Aaron Sanchez SP | TOR | Start | Drew Smyly SP | TB | Sit |
LAA@TEX | Hector Santiago SP | LAA | Start | Colby Lewis SP | TEX | Sit |
DET@MIN | Shane Greene SP | DET | Sit | Phil Hughes SP | MIN | Sit |
MIA@MIL | Adam Conley SP | MIA | Start | Chase Anderson SP | MIL | Sit |
WAS@STL | Tanner Roark SP | WAS | Sit | Mike Leake SP | STL | Sit |
COL@ARI | Jordan Lyles SP | COL | Sit | Robbie Ray SP | ARI | Sit |
HOU@OAK | Mike Fiers SP | HOU | Start | Erik Surkamp SP | OAK | Sit |
KC@SEA | Kris Medlen SP | KC | Sit | Felix Hernandez SP | SEA | Start |
SD@LAD | TBD | Alex Wood SP | LAD | Start | |
PROBABLE PITCHERS - SATURDAY (4/30/16) | ||||
GAME | VISITING STARTER | START/SIT | HOME STARTER | START/SIT |
DET@MIN | Jordan Zimmermann SP | DET | Start | Ervin Santana SP | MIN | Sit |
WAS@STL | Stephen Strasburg SP | WAS | Start | Jaime Garcia SP | STL | Start |
ATL@CHC | Julio Teheran SP | ATL | Sit | Jason Hammel SP | CHC | Start |
HOU@OAK | Scott Feldman SP | HOU | Start | Kendall Graveman SP | OAK | Sit |
SF@NYM | Matt Cain SP | SF | Sit | Jacob deGrom SP | NYM | Start |
TOR@TB | J.A. Happ SP | TOR | Start | Chris Archer SP | TB | Sit |
CHW@BAL | Chris Sale SP | CHW | Start | Kevin Gausman SP | BAL | Sit |
CIN@PIT | Alfredo Simon SP | CIN | Sit | Jeff Locke SP | PIT | Start |
CLE@PHI | Carlos Carrasco SP | CLE | Start | Jerad Eickhoff SP | PHI | Sit |
MIA@MIL | Wei-Yin Chen SP | MIA | Start | Wily Peralta SP | MIL | Sit |
NYY@BOS | Michael Pineda SP | NYY | Sit | Rick Porcello SP | BOS | Sit |
LAA@TEX | Matt Shoemaker SP | LAA | Sit | Derek Holland SP | TEX | Sit |
COL@ARI | Jorge de la Rosa SP | COL | Sit | Zack Greinke SP | ARI | Start |
SD@LAD | Colin Rea SP | SD | Sit | Ross Stripling SP | LAD | Start |
KC@SEA | Yordano Ventura SP | KC | Start | Wade Miley SP | SEA | Sit |
PROBABLE PITCHERS - SUNDAY (5/1/16) | ||||
GAME | VISITING STARTER | START/SIT | HOME STARTER | START/SIT |
SF@NYM | Madison Bumgarner SP | SF | Start | Noah Syndergaard SP | NYM | Start |
TOR@TB | Marcus Stroman SP | TOR | Start | Jake Odorizzi SP | TB | Sit |
CHW@BAL | John Danks SP | CHW | Sit | Ubaldo Jimenez SP | BAL | Sit |
CIN@PIT | Raisel Iglesias SP | CIN | Sit | Gerrit Cole SP | PIT | Start |
DET@MIN | Mike Pelfrey SP | DET | Sit | Tommy Milone SP | MIN | Sit |
MIA@MIL | Tom Koehler SP | MIA | Start | Jimmy Nelson SP | MIL | Sit |
WAS@STL | Joe Ross SP | WAS | Start | Carlos Martinez SP | STL | Start |
ATL@CHC | Matt Wisler SP | ATL | Sit | Kyle Hendricks SP | CHC | Start |
CLE@PHI | Danny Salazar SP | CLE | Start | Vince Velasquez SP | PHI | Start |
LAA@TEX | Garrett Richards SP | LAA | Start | Cole Hamels SP | TEX | Start |
HOU@OAK | Doug Fister SP | HOU | Start | Rich Hill SP | OAK | Start |
COL@ARI | Chad Bettis SP | COL | Sit | Shelby Miller SP | ARI | Sit |
KC@SEA | Ian Kennedy SP | KC | Start | Taijuan Walker SP | SEA | Start |
SD@LAD | Drew Pomeranz SP | SD | Sit | Clayton Kershaw SP | LAD | Start |
NYY@BOS | Nathan Eovaldi SP | NYY | Sit | David Price SP | BOS | Start |
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