Week 9 of the Major League Baseball season features many games and intriguing matchups. Let’s look at some of the essential factors to consider before setting your fantasy baseball lineups with this week’s Hitting Planner.
Week 9 Schedule Notes
There is no shortage of MLB action this week. A dozen teams play a full seven-game slate, while the other 18 teams play six. Monday features 12 games, with only six teams idle to start the week. That is the most games played on a Monday since the first week of the season back in March. There are no day games on Monday, so fantasy managers should be able to set lineups without many obstacles in the way of player uncertainty. We could see a few more players getting a day off this week, especially with most teams in action next Monday for Memorial Day. Even if a regular player sits for a game this week, fantasy managers should get plenty of bang for their buck in Week 9.
Starting Pitching Matchups
Several elite pitchers appear back to their old selves after some early struggles. One notable pitcher among this group is Jacob deGrom. DeGrom threw less than 200 MLB innings over the past four seasons, so it is not much of a surprise that it took a few starts for him to round into form. And in fairness, it’s not like his first five starts were bad. He had a 3.33 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts through five outings. But the Rangers right-hander has turned it up a notch of late. DeGrom has allowed just three total runs over his last four starts while striking out 27 hitters in 24 innings. DeGrom faces the New York Yankees in Week 9. But if you think about benching any of your prominent Yankees hitters this week, remember they travel to Colorado to close the week.
The Rockies feature some of the worst starting pitchers in the league. Each of their top-four starting pitchers in terms of innings pitched has an ERA of 6.15 or higher. All four have an xERA of 4.65 or higher, while three (Kyle Freeland being the lone exception) have a FIP and xFIP of 4.64 or higher. And while your first instinct may be to blame most of that on Coors Field, it is not like they thrive away from the high altitude of Colorado. Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, German Marquez, and Chase Dollander have combined for a 6.34 ERA on the road. But just for the record, Colorado plays at home for seven games this week. We should see plenty of crooked numbers allowed by the Rockies staff in Week 9.
Week 9 Ballpark Effects Notes
Coors Field is not the only locale where we will likely see plenty of scoring this week. Using a three-year rolling average for ballpark effects, Fenway Park is the second-most favorable park for left-handed hitters and is also quite favorable for righties. Like the Rockies, the Red Sox play a whole seven-game home week. They face some solid starting pitchers early in the week when they host the New York Mets. But they get a reprieve later in the week when they host the struggling staff of Baltimore. Fantasy managers should continue to start their Red Sox hitters in Week 9 confidently. The Orioles hitters should be in for a decent week as well. They face Boston four times, but will miss Garrett Crochet. Baltimore also avoids Freddy Peralta during their three-game set in Milwaukee.
Though we only have 21 games of data to go on, it sure looks like Sutter Health Park in Sacramento is a hitter’s haven. The Athletics’ temporary home has a 101 total park factor for lefties, while that number is 118 for right-handed hitters. For reference, Coors Field sits at 112. The Athletics also play seven home games in Week 9. Though they will face some tough pitching against the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, they begin the week with four games against the underwhelming staff of the Los Angeles Angels. Their hitters should continue to post above-average offensive metrics. The Phillies have about as good a draw as you can ask for from a ballpark perspective, traveling to Colorado and Sacramento. Even if Bryson Stott and Max Kepler sit versus lefties, they should be worth starting in Week 9.
Week 9 Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner
| Team | Games | Home | Road | v. LHP | v. RHP | LHB | RHB | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 99 | 101 | 4.5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 4.17 | |
| ATH | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 101 | 118 | 6 | 7 | 7.5 | 5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 5.07 |
| ATL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 101.5 | 100 | 5.5 | 7 | 4 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 4.75 | |
| BAL | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 102.4 | 99.9 | 5.5 | 6 | 5 | 5.5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5.43 |
| BOS | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 108 | 102 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 8 | 4.5 | 6 | 5 | 5.00 |
| CHC | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 104.5 | 101 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 5 | 3 | 4.5 | 4.83 | |
| CHW | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 97 | 99 | 4.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 5.25 | |
| CIN | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 103 | 100 | 4.5 | 6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4.83 | |
| CLE | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 99.3 | 100.1 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 3 | 4 | 6.5 | 4 | 2 | 4.07 |
| COL | 7 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 112 | 112 | 3.5 | 4 | 6 | 4.5 | 3 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 4.71 |
| DET | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 98.9 | 98.9 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 5 | 5.29 |
| HOU | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 99.3 | 101.7 | 5 | 6.5 | 5 | 5 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.14 |
| KC | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 98 | 100 | 4 | 5 | 3.5 | 4 | 6 | 3.5 | 4.33 | |
| LAA | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 99.3 | 111.6 | 6 | 6.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.71 |
| LAD | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 96.5 | 100.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3.5 | 4.33 | |
| MIA | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 101 | 101.5 | 5 | 6 | 4.5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5.58 | |
| MIL | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 99 | 97.6 | 6 | 5 | 6.5 | 6 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 6 | 5.21 |
| MIN | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 101 | 103 | 5.5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3.5 | 4.83 | |
| NYM | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 101.5 | 100.5 | 6 | 5 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4.75 | |
| NYY | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 106 | 106 | 6.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 6.5 | 8 | 9 | 6.08 | |
| PHI | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 106.5 | 115 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7.07 |
| PIT | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 102 | 98 | 4.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 3 | 5.5 | 4.71 |
| SD | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 99 | 100 | 3.5 | 4 | 7 | 6.5 | 4 | 4 | 4.83 | |
| SEA | 7 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 99 | 99.5 | 6.5 | 8 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 5.5 | 3 | 5.29 |
| SF | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 99 | 98.5 | 3.5 | 5 | 6 | 5.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5.25 | |
| STL | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 100 | 100 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4.33 | |
| TB | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 97 | 104 | 5.5 | 3 | 7 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.00 | |
| TEX | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 98.5 | 99.5 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6.5 | 5.75 | |
| TOR | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 97.5 | 102 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4.67 | |
| WAS | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 103 | 100 | 4 | 4.5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4.42 |
