I don't know how I always seem to write up the worst pitching slates, and this may be the worst I've written all year. There is very little to like, but we can still try to find some small edges here. Hitters are much easier given games at Coors Field, Great American Ball Park and six pitchers with a context-neutral ERA over 5.00 to target.
If you haven't yet read my primer on how weather can give you a massive edge in fantasy baseball, be sure to check that out now, as it will help provide context for my player evaluations each week.
Here are Tuesday's choices to bolster your fantasy squad, with everyone available in at least half of all ESPN leagues.
Pitching
Adrian Houser (R), 13%, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: Houser doesn't work very deep into games, but the work he does give you should be solid today against the worst offense in baseball, which traded away one of its best hitters (Adam Frazier) at the trade deadline.
Patrick Corbin (L), rostered in 48% of ESPN leagues, Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies: Corbin hasn't been good this year, but the 4.54 xFIP is way better than the 5.78 ERA. That's it. That's the whole pitch. The matchup is okay, we're expecting positive regression, and that's it. That's the best we have on this slate.
Jose Suarez (R), 4%, Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers: After posting a 7.99 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in his first two seasons, spanning 83 1/3 innings, Suarez has settled in this season, earning a regular spot in the Angels rotation. His peripherals are a tad below average but should still ought to be enough against a weak Texas Rangers offense. With a closed roof, this projects to be the best pitching "weather" of the slate.
Luis Patino (R), 11%, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Seattle Mariners: Patino is fully built up and will also get to face a bottom-third offense today. And he'll do it at home in the elite pitching confines of Tropicana Field, which adds to its pitcher-friendliness with a closed roof. That gives it the fourth-highest air density today.
Bullpen: With the matchup in Tampa Bay so favorable today, both in terms of environment (great park and great weather for pitching) and a weak opposing offense, Rays relievers look like strong streams. The closer situation is a bit uncertain, but if you're speculating for saves, Andrew Kittredge (rostered in 20% of ESPN leagues) may be the preferred choice. If you're more about ratios, Drew Rasmussen (sub-1% rostered) is the team's best reliever for both ERA and strikeouts, so he'd be your guy. Kittredge is their second-best for ERA, though, so don't worry too much if you decide to go that route and chase a save also.
For the latest team-by-team closer situations, please consult our Closer Chart.
Hitting
Catcher -- Mitch Garver (R), 35%, Minnesota Twins at Cincinnati Reds (RHP Tyler Mahle): The Twins get a big park upgrade today going into baseball's No. 3 park for overall offense and its top by far for home runs. Mahle's spin has been way down since the ban on sticky substances, making this a solid matchup for a catcher with a great bat.
First Base -- C.J. Cron (R), 44%, Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs (RHP Zach Davies): Cron remains in Coors following the trade deadline, yet he still remains far too lowly-rostered for his talent level. A below-average, pitch-to-contract pitcher like Davies does not profile well in Coors, so get in on Cron while you can.
Second Base -- Rougned Odor (L), 6%, New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles (LHP Alexander Wells): The Yankees beefed up lineup puts Odor towards the back now, but Wells is the weakest pitcher on the slate and the plate appearance, RBI and run opportunities should still be there given how good this offense is now. It's possible he sits this one out given it's a lefty-on-lefty matchup if DJ LeMahieu is healthy for this game, but he'd be the top non-Coors option if he's in there.
Third Base -- J.D. Davis (R), 25%, New York Mets at Miami Marlins (LHP Braxton Garrett): While this is a pitcher-friendly environment, Davis would hold the platoon advantage against a well below-average hurler. It's yet to be seen where he'll bat with Javier Baez now in the mix, but he had been hitting cleanup against lefties previous to that, so he ought to find himself in a good spot regardless.
Shortstop -- Kyle Farmer (R), 31%, Cincinnati Reds vs. Minnesota Twins (RHP Kenta Maeda): Maeda hasn't been especially sharp this year, and he gets a big park downgrade going into Great American today. 80-degree temperatures give this game the fourth-best hitting weather, and Farmer has been hitting third the last four games.
Corner Infield -- Patrick Wisdom (R), 33%, Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies (LHP Kyle Freeland): Wisdom goes into Coors Field and will get to face a lefty with a wide platoon split and a low strikeout rate, making this about the perfect matchup for him. Contact will be easier to make, and it will go farther. He's among the top overall options today.
Middle Infield -- Jazz Chisholm (L), 52%, Miami Marlins vs. New York Mets (RHP Taijuan Walker): This is more about talent and batting order than anything else. Jazz is a solid leadoff hitter with good power/speed combo. He'll hold the home field and platoon advantages today and gets a slight plus matchup for stolen bases.
Outfield -- Austin Slater (R), 2%, San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks (LHP Madison Bumgarner): Slater will hold the platoon advantage against MadBum today, who is kind of a shell of his former self, now ranking among the day's most exploitable pitchers. It's also a nice park upgrade for Slater, who is available nearly everywhere.
Outfield -- Tyler O'Neill (R), 59%, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves (LHP Max Fried): This may be pushing the rostership threshold a bit, but O'Neill really ought to be owned in over 90% of leagues, so I'm going to mention him, especially in such a good spot. Fried is an overrated pitcher, and O'Neill will hold the platoon advantage against him.
Outfield -- Justin Upton (R), 25%, Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers (RHP Jordan Lyles): Lyles is amongst the bottom five pitchers on this slate, and his small platoon split makes the righty-righty nature of this matchup more palatable for Upton.