Hammer

Ambulance Chasers Week 3 – Misery Loves Company

August 6, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Injury Report |

by:

The Cardinals, Marlins, and Phillies have born the brunt of the misery in this young baseball season thus far with Covid outbreaks and cancelled games.  This week, we’ve got a group of other teams that are getting put through the ringer with your more traditional injury issues…..”injuries classic” we’ll call it.  We’ve also lost some more big time arms for the remainder of the season as the herd starts to thin here.

Mike Soroka is out for the season after suffering an achilles injury in his latest start.  It’s a brutal blow for the young righty, and even a bigger blow for the Braves, who are now in a real crunch for arms.  This solidifies Touki Toussaint and Sean Newcomb’s spots in the rotation, but the rest of the rotation couldn’t really be worse shape given the recent DFA of Mike Foltynewicz and Cole Hamels still ailing.  Without a trade, it’s hard to see any potential fill in being roster worthy here.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Learn more about our 2025 Fantasy Baseball Subscriptions!

The best daily/weekly player rankings/projections (hitters, starters, and relievers) for each of the next 7-10 days + next calendar week starting Friday. Kick-ass DFS lineup optimizer and projections for DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo!.

I don’t have enough spam, give me the Razzball email newsletter!

Weekly Razzball news delivered straight to your inbox.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

See all of today’s starting lineups

# MLB Starting Lineups For Sun 8/3
ARI | ATH | BAL | BOS | CHC | CHW | CLE | COL | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | LAD | MIA | MIL | MIN | NYM | NYY | PHI | PIT | SD | SEA | SF | STL | TB | TEX | TOR | WSH | ATL | CIN | OAK
MattTruss

FanDuel: Missing Pearson

August 6, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, DFS, Fanduel | 1 Comment

by:

It’s days like Thursdays where we are thankful that FanDuel only requires us to pick one starting pitcher.  The pickings are slim in this five game slate and the pitchers are mediocre at best.  There is only one starter today that I have a high degree of confidence in and that is Nate Pearson ($7,500).  As a Braves fan, I hate going against this offense, but facts are facts and the fact is, the Braves are striking out…a lot.  As of this writing they have an 18 strikeout lead over the next closest team, the Mets.  So, while the offense might be a little scary to face, the DFS bills are paid by way of the K and Pearson should end up with plenty.  Ozzie Albies is out of the lineup now too, which gives me even more reason to like Pearson.  Not to mention, when you see the other options, you may have to keep from laughing out loud.

New to FanDuel? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well, be sure to read our content and subscribe to the DFSBot for your daily baseball plays. Just remember to sign up through us before jumping into the fray. It’s how we know you care!

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Reds Shop For Pitchers At Tejay Max

August 6, 2020 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 259 Comments

by:

It’s 1993. Funny man and lady slayer, Billy Crystal hosts the Oscars; Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time becomes a bestseller because guys buy the book to put on their shelves to be a lady slayer like Billy Crystal, and a mother and father fawn over a newborn: “What do you want to name him?” “I like the name Tejay.” “I think it’s an abbreviation.” “Does it have to be?” And with that Tejay Antone was brought into the world. Yesterday, he announced himself with a start vs. the Indians of 4 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners (4 BBs), 4 Ks, ERA at 2.08, but the line might not do it justice. He had a solid number of called/swinging strikes in yesterday’s game, and his 83 MPH slider, and 80 MPH curve really dips off the table from his 96 MPH fastball. Honestly, he looked to me like a great bullpen arm, or, if he can command his stuff, a high-upside starter. I kinda drooled at some of his offerings. Don’t think he’s there yet for mixed leagues, outside of favorable Streamonator matchups, but he went from off my radar, to definitely on it. As T.J. Lavin would say to a mirror, “You’re killin’ it, Teej!” Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Stash List Volume 2: Top Ten Prospects Who’ll Soon be Rookies

August 5, 2020 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 43 Comments

by:

I’d been thinking this would be a Sunday feature, but that’s partly because alliteration is word-weed for the brain, and Sunday Stash List feels like a party and mainly because I thought making the list once a week might naturally accommodate the list’s inherent turnover. 

Well this week brought a bit more turnover than the typically three-day window, so we’ll reshuffle the stashes like a 70’s skin flick and bump prospect news to Sunday.

NOTE: This ranking is focused on redraft impact of players who’ve yet to debut in 2020. It’s a snapshot of all the information I can synthesize as of today.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
TheTinDoor

Charting the Future: Hitter $ Value Changes

August 5, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball | 8 Comments

by:

In a typical season, after less than two weeks fantasy owners are (trying) to exercise patience. With a 6-month season stretching out in front of us, we have plenty of time to assess changing player skills, see roles slowly evolve, or react to injuries. In this 60-game sprint of a season, all that is out the window. The owner who can assess what’s different today, and react the quickest, will win this season. That may mean cutting a high draft pick, or trading for an unexpected source of power. It all starts by assessing what’s changed in just 12 days.

I’m analyzing Rudy’s pre-season and rest-of-season projections (Razzball/Steamer), with custom dollar values based on a standard roster, 12-team mixed league. The specific dollar values aren’t as important as the relative changes: who’s value has gone up/down, in less than two weeks?

Below, I’ve charted all players who’s value has changed by $2+ since the preseason:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Butters

FanDuel: Dominating With Donovan

August 5, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, DFS, Fanduel |

by:

Now here’s a surprise, Donovan Solano (2B: $3,300) is red hot and even though the G-men aren’t the strongest supporting cast he has found a way. The top part of the order can lead to good things no matter who you are or what the rest of the team looks like. The average is sky high and shockingly he’s near the top of the league in delicious RBIs. Mix that all together and we have a supreme sundae. Coors is just the cherry on top. Let Donovan take you to the promised land. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Luis Navidad Prospecto Patino y Felicidad

August 5, 2020 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 295 Comments

by:

For as batshizz crazy 2020 is, I will say that it is exciting. Maybe exciting isn’t the right word. Maybe batshizz crazy is the right thing to say, and leave it at that. Every day we have another rookie callup and I’m here for it, even if it might lead to roofies and waking up to wonder why a member of al Qaeda is making a lampshade out of your back skin. “Que quiero mi torso…lampshade?” Al Qaeda, “We don’t speak Spanish.” So, yesterday the Padres called up Luis Patino. My mom is always telling people about her kitchen cabinets’ faux patina, so this must be good. Check it out: Here he is in Prospect Itch’s top 25 prospects for 2020 fantasy baseball. Also, Prospect Hobbs wrote about 1200 words in his Luis Patino fantasy. I’m jazzed like hands and psyched like a shrink! Here’s a small snippet from PH’s post, “Even with just two refined pitches (and another two in the making), Patino has completely baffled right-handed hitters, as they produced a meager .163/.259/.220 slash against him in 2019. Clearly, Patino could step into a big league bullpen tomorrow and be elite. Like, ya know, the opposite of whatever Grey is.” Oh, man, cmon! So, is this the end of Joey Lucchesi of the Doing Crimes To Your Fantasy Team Crime Family? Not sure, but even if Patino is a long man in the bullpen, he’s worth a flyer in leagues 12-team mixed and deeper, depending on needs. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Son

Bear or Bull: The Missing O in D_n_van S_lan_

August 4, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, Bear or Bull | 9 Comments

by:

I was cruising down the Razzball Player Rater streets last night. Aaron Judge. I am standing. Dansby Swanson. Delicious. Trevor Story. An enjoyable read. Then my head swiveled to the tv, as Wheel of Fortune returned from commercial. D_n_van S_lan_ was the puzzle. Pat, I’d like to buy a vowel. I’d like to buy an O. Yes, Donovan Solano is the numero nueve player on the rater! .484/.500/.710 slash with a home run, 13 RBI, and .226 ISO. Where did the O come from? And can it continue?

Solano is 32 years old, 5′ 9″ 195 pounds, and bats from the right side. He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as an international free agent back in 2005, which feels like six months ago, and spent seven years in their minor league system. He clubbed a total of 10 home runs in 2382 plate appearances. D_n_van S_lan_ indeed. He stole a few bases each season, the batting average fluctuated from .209 to a high of .317. The ISO surpassed .100 only two times. The walk rate never exceeded 8.3% while the strikeout rate was always good, routinely in the 10-15% range.

In 2012, the Marlins invited Solano to spring training as a non-roster invitee. He played 93 games for the big club that season and had a .295/.342/.375 slash with 2 home runs, 29 runs, 28 RBI, and 7 stolen bases. The walk rate was 6.6% while the strikeout rate was 18.4%. The ISO was .081, while the BABIP was .357. Hmm, not bad, but I think we are beginning to see what kind of player Solano is Mehlano.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Canceled Games And How To Deal

August 4, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, All Podcasts | 2 Comments

by:

More canceled games early this week as the Cardinals quarantine at least for the early part of this week. As has become blatantly obvious the skill of winning this season will be maximizing your at bats and innings as much as you can. Grey and I chat a little around the best way to attack that depending on your format. It’s a year unlike any other and you’ll need to be more flexible than ever. After we run through the strategy portion we jump into the closer roles across the league and wrap-up with some of the recent call-ups (**cough-cough** Jo Adell). It’s another action packed week of the Razzball Baseball Podcast.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Richardo

Heads Up! H2H Categories Week 3 – The Full Monte

August 4, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Head-to-Head Leagues | 4 Comments

by:

What’s up, everybody? We’re working our way through the shortened season while trying to avoid the COVID potholes. The Marlins will be returning to action today albeit with 19 new players as 18 players tested positive and Isan Diaz opted right on out of that clubhouse. One silver lining is the Marlins are calling up Monte Harrison to the big league club. The power/speed prospect played just 58 games in 2019 after having wrist surgery following an injury diving for a ball in the outfield. Harrison still managed 9 homers and 20 stolen bases in AAA before the injury. That’s after putting up a 19HR/28SB performance in AA the year prior. The only knock on Harrison is his plate discipline as the Marlins prospect posted strikeout rates of 36.9% and 29.9% the last two years. Although he did manage to make gains in his walk rate, raising it to 10.2% last year. With Harrison getting the call and starting his service time, the Marlins have no reason to not give him at-bats. Monte Harrison is rostered in just 1.7% of ESPN leagues and 8% of CBS Sports leagues, so if your team needs a shot in the arm, grab him now as he could help out in both homers and stolen bases. Let’s take a look at some other players that may give you a head start on your competition.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
MattTruss

RCL & RazzSlam Update: The Week That Was, Week 1.5, 2020

August 4, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, Our Leagues, Razzball Commenter Leagues | 8 Comments

by:

Technically the first “week” was from (Re)Opening Day, July 23rd  to Sunday, July 26th, but that was just too short, with too few games and just didn’t feel right.  Instead, I’m going to combine that short week with this week to form week 1.5 of the Razzball Commenter Leagues.  How has the first week plus gone for you?  Are you overloaded on Blue Jays and Phillies like I seem to be everywhere?  Did you draft Roberto Osuna, Nick Anderson, Wade Davis and Mychal Givens as your closers?  Perfect!  Unlike in past seasons at a similar point in the season we can’t really say, “It’s still early” this season, because it’s already getting late!  If you are sitting in last and haven’t been trying to maximize those empty roster spots left by Mike Trout, Lourdes Gurriel and Rhys Hoskins, then it’s time to drop a would-be closer and start working that waiver wire like a boss.  This is where the RCL battle is won and lost.  We’ve already had races for more closers than I care to remember, the latest being Jairo Diaz and Ryan Pressly and we’ve had races for prospect call-ups in Nick Madrigal and Jo Adell.  Again, there can be no resting on your laurels this season, so set those Twitter notifications and hit the wire.  Let’s take a look at which RCL teams are getting an early jump on their league standings in part to streaming and batty-calling their butts off:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
NichFields

FanDuel: The Electric Jesús

August 4, 2020 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, DFS, Fanduel |

by:

As we continue to make our way through this Upside Down of a season, looking around at the game we love and have come to know so well, it’s the simple things in the game that can help bring us back: The crack of the bat, a spectacular defensive play, a big league debut.

While not quite his debut, Jesús Luzardo is making his first major league start tonight. We can all look forward to watching him pitch, but at $6,100 the electric, 22-year-old lefty may offer us something more and be the best DFS option for our lineups. Coming off extended relief appearances pitch count is a concern here; he needed 67 pitches to get through 3.2 innings on the 29th, and should be capped around 75 pitches, which, in combo, significantly discounts the likelihood of a quality start or win. Caveats aside, Luzardo has the potential to mow down a lineup and return great value. This season owes us some spectacular moments. Let’s hope this is one of them.

Keep reading below for more guaranteed* money-making** DFS picks.
*not guaranteed
**we’re definitely not promising this

New to FanDuel? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well, be sure to read our content and subscribe to the DFSBot for your daily baseball plays. Just remember to sign up through us before jumping into the fray. It’s how we know you care!

Please, blog, may I have some more?