Look for our fantasy baseball starting pitcher rankings, hitter upgrades and downgrades daily to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions and for MLB betting tips. MLB game odds are provided by ESPN BET, and fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.
Note: This file will be updated with any overnight pitching changes or weather-related game postponements, along with the addition of the latest MLB game odds as of the indicated time of publication.
Double the Fun
The San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies will play a single admission doubleheader on Saturday, adding icing to an already loaded slate. The games are in Oracle Park, which takes away some of the benefits to batters, but there are still ample reasons to look to the twin bill to fortify fantasy lineups.
The Giants are giving the nod to SP Blake Snell (73.6% rostered) in the opener. Even though he's only available in around one of four ESPN leagues, it's worth checking. The 2023 NL Cy Young Award winner has turned his season around with three straight solid outings, collecting a quality start over the last two.
The Rockies tote the eighth lowest wOBA and second highest strikeout rate on the road versus left-handers. The Rockies are even weaker facing righties with the fourth worst wOBA and third highest strikeout rate away from home against righthanders. This renders lands Giants SP Hayden Birdsong (2.9% rostered in ESPN leagues) among the top steaming options on the ledger.
The Giants will be favored for both ends of the doubleheader, yielding more of a chance for their relievers to log saves and holds. Camilo Doval is the Giants closer with 18 saves in 21 chances. Ryan Walker (5.4% rostered) has arguably pitched better than Doval. He has 18 holds along with 65 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings. Tyler Rogers leads the club with 20 holds, but he has notched just 34 punchouts in 48 2/3 innings. The Giants are also the better targets for batters as they deploy platoons at many positions, and the Rockies will likely send a pair of righties to the hill.
The best options to appear twice are 1B LaMonte Wade Jr. (4.9% rostered), OF Micheal Conforto (13.1% rostered) and SS/OF Tyler Fitzgerald (12.4% rostered). Saturday's action begins at 3:07 p.m. ET with the first of five matinees, which included the 7:05 p.m. ET start of the doubleheader.
What you missed on Friday
The Los Angeles Dodgers are expecting to be without 1B Freddie Freeman through the weekend. Freeman was scratched from Friday's game so he could fly home and attend to some personal business. Last night, Cavan Biggio filled in at first base and is likely to do so again today and tomorrow.
New York Mets SP Kodai Senga made his long-awaited 2024 debut last night. He limited the Atlanta Braves to two runs over 5 1/3 innings fanning nine. However, Senga hurt his calf when he hurriedly got out of the way when an infield pop up was hit over the mound. He's scheduled for an MRI today.
The Texas Rangers reported that OF Evan Carter has been shut down from baseball activities. He's been out with lower back soreness. Carter is scheduled to see a specialist, at which time his status will be clarified and a course of action put in place.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Rowdy Tellez had to leave last night's contest in the third inning with back spasms. Tellez was hit in the hand by a pitch in the first inning, so he may also have to deal with lingering soreness in the area. He's considered day-to-day.
Los Angeles Angels OF Mike Trout received some encouraging news as it turns out the knee soreness he experienced forcing him to shut down his rehab assignment is only tearing of scar tissue emanating from meniscus surgery on his knee earlier in the season. Trout is expected to resume his rehab assignment soon, with a hopeful return by mid-August.
Everything else you need to know for Saturday
Snell is the day's top ranked starter, with the next three all checking in as possible streaming selections. Heading the list is Atlanta Braves SP Spencer Schwellenbach (9.6% rostered). Schwellenbach will toe the rubber in Citi Field for an NL East tussle with the New York Mets. The rookie is coming off a start in which he fanned a career-high eight hitters in six innings, but he also surrendered four homers. Schwellenbach should benefit from working in the top pitching venue in the league while facing a Mets offense whose production is below average at home.
Next up is Seattle Mariners SP Bryan Woo (38.7% rostered). Woo draws a weak Chicago White Sox lineup, albeit on the road. Woo is still trying to return to the form he exhibited before missing time with a hamstring injury. He displayed progress in his first start after the break, limiting the Houston Astros to two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, fanning five while issuing no walks. Woo is in a great spot to build on the effort since he's facing the team with the league's poorest wOBA versus right-handers.
Cincinnati Reds SP Andrew Abbott (31.2%) draws a road start against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have seemingly thrown in the towel after dealing OF Randy Arozarena to the Mariners. The trade benefits the lefty-throwing Abbott since Arozarena was one of the Rays top right-handed batters. Abbott hasn't pitched as well as his 3.19 ERA suggests as indicated by his 4.92 xFIP, 4.87 SIERA and 18.5% strikeout rate. However, Abbott has recorded three quality starts in his last four outings.
Arizona Diamondbacks SP Brandon Pfaadt (36.3% rostered) is quietly enjoying a solid sophomore season. His strikeout and walk rate are like last season's marks, but he's yielding homers at half the pace of last year. On Saturday, Pfaadt has a home date with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates sport the third lowest wOBA versus right-handers, fueled by the seventh worst home run rate in that scenario.
Betting Tip of the Day: The Philadelphia Phillies host the Cleveland Guardians today, with the Phillies implied runs total being the highest of any team on the Saturday slate. When the Phillies score, 1B Bryce Harper is usually from and center. Neither Harper, nor Guardians SP Carlos Carrasco display platoon splits, it still benefits Harper to enjoy the advantage. I'm taking Harper and the over on 2.5 Total Hits + Runs + RBIs (+110).
It's not too late to start a free fantasy baseball league. Leagues drafted this week will start scoring fresh the following Monday. Come and join the fun!
Starting pitcher rankings for Saturday
Reliever report
To get the latest information on each team's bullpen hierarchy, as well as which pitchers might be facing a bit of fatigue and who might be the most likely suspects to vulture a save or pick up a surprise hold in their stead, check out the latest Closer Chart, which will be updated every morning.
Hitting report
Plan ahead in fantasy baseball with help from our Forecaster projections. Each day, we will provide an updated preview of the next 10 days for every team, projecting the matchup quality for hitters (overall and by handedness) as well as for base stealers.
Best sub-50% rostered hitters for Saturday
Best and worst hitters from the day are generated by THE BAT X, a projection system created by Derek Carty using advanced methods like those used in MLB front offices, accounting for a variety of factors including player talent, ballparks, bullpens, weather, umpires, defense, catcher pitch-framing, and lots more.
Jorge Soler (SF, RF -- 44%) vs. Ryan Feltner and Tanner Gordon
Matt Chapman (SF, 3B -- 48%) vs. Feltner and Gordon
LaMonte Wade Jr. (SF, 1B -- 5%) vs. Feltner and Gordon
Michael Conforto (SF, RF -- 13%) vs. Feltner and Gordon
Heliot Ramos (SF, LF -- 39%) vs. Feltner and Gordon
Mike Yastrzemski (SF, RF -- 1%) vs. Feltner and Gordon
Brett Wisely (SF, 2B -- 1%) vs. Feltner and Gordon
Tyler Fitzgerald (SF, CF -- 12%) vs. Feltner and Gordon
Taylor Ward (LAA, LF -- 47%) vs. Mitch Spence
Brendan Rodgers (COL, 2B -- 3%) at Blake Snell and Hayden Birdsong
Worst over-50% rostered hitters for Saturday
Jordan Westburg (BAL, 2B -- 88%) vs. Michael King
Ryan McMahon (COL, 3B -- 55%) at Hayden Birdsong
Anthony Volpe (NYY, SS -- 77%) at Kutter Crawford
Royce Lewis (MIN, 3B -- 82%) at Tarik Skubal
Elly De La Cruz (CIN, SS -- 99%) at Zack Littell
Spencer Steer (CIN, 1B -- 96%) at Littell
Luis Robert Jr. (CHW, CF -- 81%) vs. Bryan Woo
Jeff McNeil (NYM, 2B -- 57%) vs. Spencer Schwellenbach
Adolis Garcia (TEX, RF -- 88%) at Kevin Gausman
Matt Olson (ATL, 1B -- 96%) at Tylor Megill