Who Should I Start? Fantasy Baseball Start/Sit Decisions for J.P. France, Hunter Greene, J.P. Crawford, Jorge Polanco, more

September 10, 2023

Quickly get start 'em sit 'em advice for Who Should I Start fantasy baseball lineup questions from 9/11 - 9/17 (2023). Connelly tells you who to start and sit.

Welcome RotoBallers to my fantasy baseball start/sit article for the week ahead, September 11 - September 17. This week's article will focus on J.P. France, Hunter Greene, J.P. Crawford, Jorge Polanco, Clayton Kershaw, Grayson Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, and Christian Yelich.

Whether you are prepping to set your weekly lineups or determining who to play in a pivotal daily matchup, choosing who to start vs. sit is one of the most nerve-racking and potentially frustrating aspects of fantasy baseball. Fortunately, there is a free solution available at RotoBaller. The Who Should I Start Tool allows you to quickly compare any two players and receive fantasy projections for today, tomorrow, or the current week.

The tool provides rankings, projections, recent news, and schedules side-by-side to aid in your decision-making. The tool defaults to ESPN scoring, but the Premium version within Team Sync will automatically use your league's scoring and roster settings when making recommendations. Each week, I will use the tool to review a few interesting start/sit comparisons for the final day of the period and preview the following week. Hopefully, this series will help both daily fantasy managers end their weeks strong and also get them comfortable with routinely using the tool during the week to make tough roster decisions. Let's get into some start vs. sit comparisons for the week ahead, September 11 - September 17!

Sunday Streamers

J.P. France vs. Hunter Greene

As we get further into the fantasy playoffs, our first comparison is between two potential starters to finish the week. J.P. France has quietly put together a decent rookie season with a 10-5 record, a 3.72 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 17.7% strikeout rate. Hunter Greene (illness) has been very erratic with a 4.75 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and 29.8% strikeout rate but has plenty of upside. Which pitcher gives fantasy managers the better chance to end the week strong?

RotoBaller gives France a recommendation for Sunday. Despite facing a tougher matchup, France has the projection edge in wins, losses, innings pitched, earned runs, and WHIP. Part of this may have to do with Greene not having pitched since August 30 due to being on the COVID-19-related injured list.

Looking ahead to Week 25, France will likely draw a favorable matchup at the Royals, while Greene will likely face a middling matchup at the Mets. Both pitchers have been inconsistent over their last three starts. While Greene offers a much greater strikeout upside, France offers a higher chance for a quality start. 

The decision for next week may come down to league format, but fantasy managers could get crushed in ERA and WHIP with Greene despite the strikeout potential. Neither is all that inspiring at this time. France offers a higher floor overall and has a much better matchup, giving him the edge for the following week.

Strong Middle Infielders

J.P. Crawford (SS) vs. Jorge Polanco (2B)

Our next comparison is between two middle infielders who have been strong all season. J.P. Crawford has slashed .266/.382/.428 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI. Jorge Polanco may be eligible at a number of positions and has also hit well, slashing .261/.344/.466 with 12 HR, 41 RBI, and four stolen bases. Which MI can offer a bigger boost to fantasy managers' lineups over the next week?

RotoBaller gives Polanco a slight recommendation for Sunday. Polanco draws the better matchup against the Mets, compared to Crawford at the Rays. The projections are pretty close overall, but Polanco has the clear edge in projections for runs scored, batting average, and slugging percentage.

The Mariners will face tougher matchups the following week with three games against the Angels and three against the Dodgers. The Twins will face a mixed bag, with three games against the Rays and four at the White Sox.

Both players have hit for power lately, but Polanco has hit .280 in September compared to .242 for Crawford. Both offenses have hit well, but the Twins have been one of baseball's hottest offenses in September. The team and individual performance makes Polanco the player to roster for next week.

Old Reliable vs. Young Stud

Clayton Kershaw vs. Grayson Rodriguez

At this point in the season, fantasy managers may have to consider turning away from reliable but lower-ceiling players. Clayton Kershaw has been excellent once again this season but has failed to pitch more than five innings since the end of June and has a 20.5% strikeout rate in that period. On the other hand, Grayson Rodriguez has been outstanding in the second half and has tossed five consecutive quality starts. Which of these pitchers can offer the most impact when it matters most?

Kershaw may not end up starting Sunday depending on how the Dodgers decide to manage their rotation, but this comparison is still worthwhile for the following week. The veteran Kershaw is still dealing with lingering shoulder issues after missing time in the middle of the season. While he has pitched well when on the mound lately, the time of the season has come when fantasy managers are at the mercy of teams managing workloads for the playoffs.

Rodriguez may have his workload limited by way of a six-man rotation, but he has been outstanding and the O's likely need him to help the team finish the regular season strong. Kershaw has had years of injuries at this point. It would not be surprising if the Dodgers only had him pitch sporadically the rest of the way to have him as close to healthy as possible for the playoffs.

It is worth noting that Rodriguez will face a tough matchup Sunday at the Red Sox, followed by another tough matchup against the Rays. However, fantasy managers can have a higher confidence that he will actually pitch in the following week. While Kershaw may be the preferred option in a vacuum given his excellent career track record, Rodriguez seems to be the safer pick given the current season situation.

Slumping Outfielders

Randy Arozarena vs. Christian Yelich

Our final comparison is between two high-end fantasy outfielders who have underperformed lately. Randy Arozarena has managed just a .167/.286/.233 slash line with no HR, two RBI, and two stolen bases in September. Christian Yelich (back) has been even worse with a .125/.241/.167 slash line, no HR, two RBI, and no steals. Which one of these players has a better chance to turn things around quickly?

RotoBaller gives Yelich a slight recommendation for Sunday, assuming he makes his way back into the lineup. Both will face tough matchups, which doesn't bode well overall. The projections are close, but Yelich's small projection advantages add up.

The Rays have decent matchups the following week, with three games at the Twins and four at the Orioles. The Brewers will face better matchups with four games against the Marlins and three against the Nationals. This decision is tough, but Arozarena has looked a bit better than Yelich, with a 14.3% walk rate and 22.9% strikeout rate in September compared to a 13.8% walk rate and 41.4% strikeout rate.

It can be tough to decide what to do with slumping studs in the fantasy playoffs. Usually, they are too risky to sit. Arozarena's schedule will be tougher next week, but his approach at the plate has been more sound than Yelich's. As such, I have more faith that Arozarena can get things back on the right track sooner.

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis