Three weeks. That’s the one thing that separates the contenders from the pretenders as we reach the do-or-die portion of the 2023 fantasy baseball season. From this point on, the recommended players for addition to the roster will consist almost entirely of those who can help over the next seven days.
But this week I also found a few pitchers who could stay in the lineup the rest of the way.
Pepiot has been stellar in four starts since joining the Dodgers rotation, posting an ERA of 0.86 and a WHIP of 0.52. Included in those numbers is a dominant start last time out, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Pepiot should be active in all competitions for his next start, which will come Wednesday at home against a Padres team that is seeing their postseason hopes fade.
What makes Pepiot even more appealing is that in his last three starts, he will play the Tigers (29th in OPS) twice and then the Giants (30th in OPS in the second half).
Williams (Monday) and Quantrill (Tuesday) each open the week with a Giants lineup that ranks last in second-half OPS by a wide margin. Williams is having a solid rookie year (3.34 ERA, 9.3 K/9 rate), while Quantrill has allowed two runs in 12 innings since returning from the IL on September 1.
The Yankees may have found a quality starter late in their lost season, as King has posted a 1.08 ERA and 21:3 K:BB ratio in four games since joining the rotation on August 24. And his past two starts have been against teams (Astros, Brewers) currently in a postseason spot. King doesn’t have any easy opponents ahead of him (Red Sox, Blue Jays), but he may have the talent to silence those teams.
With a career 3.81 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, a healthy Means is too talented to be on waivers as he readies to return from Tommy John surgery. The left-hander is scheduled to make his 2023 debut at home against the Cardinals on Wednesday, and he joins Pepiot and King as the players in this article to stick around for the rest of the season.
Williamson (4.20 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) falls just short of the talent level for a mainstay, but he fits in well as a streamer. That’s the case this week when he works on the road against a Tigers team that ranks 29th in baseball in OPS. Those in the weekly trade leagues should be even more interested, as the southpaw is set to make a pair of positive starts (MIN, PIT) next week.
Those needing saves in shallow leagues should immediately add May. The right-hander has the sole role of closer on an A-team that has been playing better baseball lately, which has led to May collecting seven saves since August 24. And in their final six series of the season, Oakland will face four opponents. who are out of the play-offs or have already secured a place.
Managers will want every part of the Cubs lineup over the next three days as they play a series at Coors Field against a Rockies staff that ranks last in home ERA by more than a full run. The right-handed Gomes is a great infectious streamer during the series as Rockies start as lefties in two of the games, which is his favorite matchup.
Nolan Jones (1B/OF, Colorado Rockies, 55%)
Jones could be a game-changer in shallow leagues this week as he takes his exciting mix of power and speed to seven games on his attacking home turf. Jones has hit .295 with seven home runs and nine swipes in 38 home games this year and should be in every league. See if it’s still available.
At this point in his career, Blackmon is largely unplayable on the road. But the story is much different for games at Coors Field, where the veteran hit .308 with five home runs in 43 games. Managers in 12-team leagues would like to start Blackmon for his seven home games this week.
Managers in weekly leagues and those thinking ahead in daily formats should be ready to load up on the Giants for their upcoming four-game series at Coors Field. Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, 55%) is the obvious option, but Yastrzemski is a good player in deeper leagues. The lefty swinger does best against righties, which will be his matchup against the starter in three of the four games.
With 18 home runs and five steals in 296 career at-bats, Velazquez is quickly becoming the definition of a stat stuffer. The guess here is that the youngster will go deep sometime in the next three days as the Royals face a White Sox staff that has posted a 5.48 ERA in the second half.
