Day baseball is back! After a couple of days with everything under the lights, Wednesday offers seven matinees, beginning at 1:15 PM ET with the Marlins visiting the Cardinals. Wednesday also features several elite arms, highlighted by Zack Wheeler leading the Phillies into Chavez Ravine to challenge Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.
Gerrit Cole will again be under the microscope with MLB's recent edict on eliminating foreign substances to increase spin. However, please realize if he has an off night, it is just as likely because he's facing the juggernaut Blue Jays lineup than anything else.
Remember to get your lineups set early. Here are the standard array of pitchers and hitters to help you play at full strength, even including a special bonus pick. As always, everyone's rostership level is below 50%.
Pitching
Tarik Skubal (L), rostered in 32% of ESPN leagues, Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals: Over his last seven efforts, Skubal has posted a 3.32 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. Granted, that's too much, but 56 strikeouts in those 38 innings have mitigated the damage. Homers have also been an issue for the lefty; however, the Royals sport the seventh lowest home run rate in the majors.
Ryan Yarbrough (L), 52%, Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox: Yarbrough is pacing towards a career best campaign. Admittedly, it's far too early to make statements of this nature, but after yielding at least five runs in half of his six April outings, getting to this point entailed a huge turnaround. Specifically, since the calendar turned to May, the soft-throwing lefty has registered a 2.56 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, though he's administered nine homers in those 38 2/3 innings. As is often the case in small sample, Yarbrough wasn't as bad appeared in April and he's not as good as his numbers suggest since.
Ross Stripling (R), 7%, Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees: A common mistake, especially in leagues with liberal lineup transaction is allowing early impressions to cloud judgement as the season unfolds. Stripling's scant rostership is a perfect example. After a May 19 outing against the Red Sox, the former Dodgers swingman sat with a 7.20 ERA and 1.76 WHIP. In the ensuing four starts, Stripling has recorded a 2.38 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He's faced the Astros, Rays and Boston in that span, so it's not a matter of softer competition.
Brady Singer (R), 21%, Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers: At this point, it should be Pavlovian. Wake up and check to see who is pitching against Detroit, and if they're available, add them. There are two teams with a worse weighted on base average (wOBA), but no lineup fans as much as the Tigers. Singer has been generous with base runners, but he's only surrendered five homers while punching out 69 in 65 stanzas.
Cole Irvin (L), 24%, Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels: Some downplay the relevance of a quality start since three earned runs in six innings is a 4.50 ERA and there is nothing quality about that. That said, there needs to be some boundary and the average quality start is much better than a 4.50 ERA. From a fantasy sense, quality starts are important, especially in points leagues since innings are a major component of the scoring. All this is a setup to point out Irvin has compiled seven quality starts in his 13 outings so he's a sneaky points league stream, especially at home.
Bullpen
Just as you think you know the answer, Rays' skipper Kevin Cash changes the question. Just as it appeared Diego Castillo was settling back into ninth-inning duties, Cash used him in the eighth on Monday night with Peter Fairbanks collecting the save. Both relievers, along with J.P. Feyereisen are candidates for high-leverage work. All three also provide solid ratio support with strikeouts.
For the latest team-by-team closer situations, please consult our Closer Chart.
Hitting
Catcher -- Victor Caratini (S), 3%, San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies (LHP Kyle Freeland): In a lineup as stacked as the Padres, it's tough finding someone available for pickup. With a series in Coors Field, it is worth the effort, elevating Caratini to one of the top plays on the board.
First Base -- Joey Votto (L), 31%, Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers (RHP Freddy Peralta): After a pair of 0-for-4 efforts after coming off the IL, Votto carried five-game hitting streak into Tuesday's slate, including three homers and 11 RBI.
Second Base -- Brendan Rodgers (R), 10%, Colorado Rockies vs. San Diego Padres (LHP Blake Snell): Colorado's treatment of prospects has long been a fantasy bane, with Rodgers the most recent example. With Trevor Story off the IL, the club will reportedly play the 24-year-old infielder at second and third base. It isn't a sure thing he'll be in the lineup, but with the platoon bump, it's worth checking to see if Rodgers is active.
Third Base -- Jason Vosler (L), under 1%, San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (RHP Merrill Kelly): Vosler has stepped up since helping to fill in for Evan Longoria. Working as the lefthanded hitting side if a third base platoon, Vosler has slashed .278/.350/.722 over the past ten games, swiping a base as well.
Shortstop -- Jose Iglesias (R), 7%, Los Angeles Angels at Oakland Athletics (LHP Cole Irvin): After returning from the IL, Iglesias went 0-for-10 in his first two games. Since, he's .355/.375/.548 over seven games. The heater has elevated the slick-fielding shortstop to the five-hole. On average, fantasy production drops off significantly from the sixth spot on down so streaming a batter in the top-five spots should be a priority.
Corner Infield -- Daniel Vogelbach (L), 4%, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Cincinnati Reds (RHP Tyler Mahle): Mahle is having the breakthrough season many anticipated, though he's still generous with the long ball. Meanwhile, Vogelbach has discovered his power stroke hitting out of the two-hole as he's left the yard three times over the past week, also swatting three doubles in that span.
Middle Infield -- J.P. Crawford (L), 18%, Seattle Mariners vs. Minnesota Twins (RHP Bailey Ober): Brandon Crawford's renaissance season 600 miles down the West coast is grabbing all the fantasy headlines, but there's another Crawford crushing it in June. The Mariners shortstop has slashed .373/.443/.569 this month and has been rewarded with a promotion to leadoff. It certainly doesn't hurt to enjoy the platoon bump on an unproven hurler.
Outfield -- Jake Fraley (L), 20%, Seattle Mariners vs. Minnesota Twins (RHP Bailey Ober): Normally, the approach is featuring 10 batters from 10 teams wherever possible. However, Fraley's recent exploits deserve their own space, especially since like his teammate Crawford, Fraley is in a great spot. The 26-year-old fly chaser has slashed .370/.485/.704 in the previous nine games leading into Tuesday's action, also swiping a air if bases.
Outfield -- Edward Olivares (R), under 1%, Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers (LHP Tarik Skubal): The Olivares shuffle has stopped again in Kansas City as the Royals needed some reinforcement with Andrew Benintendi on the IL. Olivares has performed well in his brief stints with the big club and should see regular playing time for at least another week while Benintendi convalesces.
Outfield -- Gilberto Celestino (R), under 1%, Minnesota Twins at Seattle Mariners (LHP Justus Sheffield): Rookies Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff have split time in the space but with a lefty on the hill, it's Celestino's turn for the spotlight. The 22-year-old freshman is keeping center field warm for Byron Buxton. He started off slow, going 0-for-12 in his first four games, but hit safely in four of the next five, including his first career homer on Monday.
Outfield -- Jesus Sanchez (L), 3%, Miami Marlins at St. Louis Cardinals (RHP Johan Oviedo): In part because of feeling guilty about including a pair of Mariners, but mostly because Sanchez is one of the games brightest prospects, here is a bonus blurb. The 23-year-old rookie saw a bit of action last season but recorded just one hit in 25 at bats. However, after slashing .349/.400/.643 to begin the season with Triple-A Jacksonville, Sanchez is back in The Show. It's unclear how much he'll play, but if he's in Wednesday's lineup, don't hesitate to add him to yours.