Week 23 Start/Sit Matchups - Starting Pitchers

You know what it is--it's my updated starts/sits column for Week 23! Your friendly neighborhood @Roto_Dubs is back again this year with his weekly starting pitcher matchups. This is our fifth year now writing this weekly column, helping fantasy baseball managers pick the best pitchers weekly. Below are the projected starting pitching matchups for Week 23, and […]

Tommy Pham Unlikely To Play Wednesday

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said outfielder Tommy Pham (groin) is dealing with a groin issue and is unlikely to play on Wednesday. The team is hoping he can return on Friday. Pham had two hits, including a triple, one run, one RBI and a strikeout in five plate appearances on Tuesday. While he […]

C.J. Cron is Back in the Lineup Tuesday

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman C.J. Cron is back in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Cron was given the day off on Monday, but has been absolutely unstoppable at the plate against left-handed pitchers. Cron is hitting .289/.360/.504 with six home runs and 15 RBI off lefty pitchers this […]

Are You For Real? Surprising SP Starts (Week 23)

Welcome to our surprising starts series. Every week we’ll be going over a few surprising starting pitcher performances around the majors to determine whether these starts were smoke and mirrors or something more. This week we saw a pair of veteran lefties put up some good starts against NL central opponents. We also saw a […]

Ji-Man Choi Homers Monday Versus Toronto

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi showed off his biggest asset for fantasy Monday versus the Blue Jays. He would blast a 451-feet homer to finish off the scoring in the game. It was only his sixth HR of the season but if he kept up his pace over what is often considered a […]

Tommy Pham Opens Scoring Monday Versus Toronto

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Tommy Pham struck the first blow of the game Monday versus the Blue Jays. His first-inning single drove in the first run of the game and the Rays were never caught. Pham would score later in the game off of a wild pitch. His batting average could use work but he […]

Matt Duffy Drives in Two Runs Monday Versus Toronto

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Matt Duffy had his second multi-RBI game in three days Monday versus the Blue Jays. He would go 2-for-4 which brought him to .299 for the season. He also drove in two runs, like he did Saturday. Duffy could become the first qualifying batter to hit .300 for the Rays […]

Kevin Kiermaier Produces In Return To Lineup Monday

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (back) returned to the lineup Monday versus the Blue Jays. He would go 3-for-4 which actually raised his seasonal batting average over .200. He would score a run and drive one in during the 7-1 victory. Kiermaier has teased fans for years with plenty of raw talent but an […]

Mallex Smith Has Good Game In Return Monday

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith (illness) was activated and started in the leadoff spot Monday. He would reach on an infield single that drove in the eventual game-winner and then came around to score later that inning. Before the illness, Smith had been batting .385 since August 5 when he was moved to the […]

Yonny Chirinos Throws Seven Strong Innings Monday

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Yonny Chirinos bounced back from a slow start to dominate Monday versus the Blue Jays. He came into the game after the opener to start the second inning and immediately got into trouble. The Rays even got up another reliever. Chirinos got out of the inning with only one run […]

Nick Ciuffo Called Up And Starts Monday

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Ciuffo was called up from the minors Monday and started versus Toronto. His ascension was partially created by a bad break for Adam Moore who was detained at the border due to a passport issue. Manager Kevin Cash says he plans to play Ciuffo "a lot". He is considered the […]

Ryne Stanek To Open Up Again Tuesday

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryne Stanek will serve as the opener for the second straight game against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. Stanek opened against Toronto in the win on Monday and struck out one in a clean inning of work. He's unlikely to go very deep again on Tuesday and can be ignored for […]

Willy Adames is Sitting on Monday

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Willy Adames (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Adames will get the day off to rest since he's been slumping with the bat lately. Joey Wendle will play shortstop and bat fifth against righty Marcus Stroman. Wendle normally is leading off for […]

C.J. Cron is Out on Monday

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman C.J. Cron (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. It appears the Rays are giving Cron a day off, but he's been a excellent source of power for them this season. Ji-Man Choi will serve as the DH and bat third against […]

Jake Faria Likely To Return Tuesday

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jake Faria has been added to the taxi squad and is likely to be added to the active roster on Tuesday. Faria has a 4.84 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 46 K's in 57 2/3 innings over 13 outings (11 starts), but he was set back by an oblique injury midseason. Faria […]

Mallex Smith Back From DL

The Tampa Bay Rays activated outfielder Mallex Smith (illness) from the disabled list on Monday. Smith should immediately go back to a starting role on Monday and should be owned in most fantasy leagues, mainly for his speed. Smith has hit well this year, batting .307/.377/.433 with two homers, 31 RBI, 50 runs scored and […]

Statcast Hitter Analysis - Exit Velocity Risers/Fallers (Week 23)

Even if you know very little about Statcast, you know exit velocity. Even the most hardened, old-school baseball announcer has at least incorporated this term in his vernacular, if nothing else related to sabermetrics. As the second half progresses, we'll take another look at this important stat by examining the last month's worth of data […]

Jose Alvarado Saves His Seventh Game Sunday

Tampa Bay Rays reliever Jose Alvarado finished out the game Sunday versus Cleveland. He would come in with the tying run on-deck so he qualified for a save opportunity. Alvarado would allow a two-run hit but otherwise finished out the game to earn his seventh save of the season. In fact, the two runs were […]

C.J. Cron Hits His 26th Homer

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman C.J. Cron showed off the power that is his main value Sunday versus Cleveland. He would drill a solo homer to put the team up 2-0. The drive was his 26th of the season. He has surpassed his previous best total for a season by 10 already. He is batting […]

Joey Wendle Stays Hot

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Joey Wendle continued a recent upward trend to his offense Sunday versus the Indians. He would hit a ground-rule double to open the scoring in the key seventh inning. Wendle then was drive in shortly afterward. He also made several great defensive plays that ought to help his case to […]

Brandon Lowe Beats Up Cleveland Sunday

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Brandon Lowe remained scorching Sunday versus Cleveland. He first homered to open the scoring in the game to make it 1-0. He then slammed a deep double to drive in two runs during the seventh inning to make the game 6-0. The double looked to be mere icing on the cake […]

Ryan Yarbrough Wins 13th Game

Tampa Bay Rays reliever Ryan Yarbrough continued his reign as the king of the relief victory in 2018 on Sunday versus the Indians. He came in after the opener and went five innings allowing only one run. He would earn the win to move his amazing season total to 13. He is the first pitcher […]

Mallex Smith Likely Back Monday

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith (illness) has rejoined the team Sunday. The rumors and probability suggest he should be activated Monday. He has been out due to a nasty infection that had him hospitalized for a few days. Smith had been batting .385 since August 5 when he was moved to the lead-off spot […]

Week 23 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets

Happy Birthday to me, Rotoballers! But I guess most of you don’t care so much about my birthday. While that is quite hurtful, I get it. No hard feelings. I’ll go cry to my beautiful fiancée and stare at my multiple fantasy championship belts. That’s right, multiple belts. How’d I get multiple belts from different […]

Kevin Kiermaier Feeling Better

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (back) said his back "feels a little bit better today," but he wasn't in the starting lineup on Sunday after dealing with back spasms on Saturday. He's hoping he can rejoin the lineup on Monday, but he's day-to-day and might not play on the turf in Toronto. Kiermaier is […]

Greg Allen (OF, CLE) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Greg Allen was an afterthought for most fantasy managers, as he seemed like just another speed option that provided zero power with a mediocre batting average. He is doing his best to change people’s opinion with his second-half performance. During that time (79 at-bats), […]

Joey Wendle (2B/3B/OF, TB) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Since June 28, Tampa Bay Rays utility man Joey Wendle has failed to record a hit in just eight of 50 games played, and one of those was just a pinch-hit appearance. A two-hit night on Saturday gave him 19 such efforts […]

The Cut List (Week 23): Time to Let Go?

Welcome to Week 23 of the Cut List. Corey Dickerson, Michael Conforto, Maikel Franco, and Max Kepler should be cut in all standard league formats as we head into playoff time. You should be scouring the free agent list so you can put yourself in the best position to win each day. Believe me, the […]

Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 37% of leagues ANALYSIS: Patience is key, particularly with young sophomore players. Realistically, it isn’t patience as much as it is striking while the iron is hot in this case. Very few managers likely held onto Mancini during his rough patches this season (May-July). Mancini has rewarded those been […]

Week 23 Waiver Wire - Second Base (2B) and Shortstop (SS)

It’s September, which means that children are back in school where they belong, football is back (yawn), and both the summer and the fantasy baseball season are winding down. With trade deadlines in the rearview mirror, the waiver wire is your only mechanism for improvement as we move into the home stretch and/or playoffs. Every […]