There are a few quirks in this week’s schedule that fantasy baseball managers must consider. Included is a Monday doubleheader between division rivals and a few teams with rare off-day placement.
Let’s dive into the matchup and ballpark ratings for all 30 MLB teams with the Week 22 Hitting Planner. In most cases, this information will not change how you view a star player. But with so many moving parts over the last few weeks in the way of trades and players getting called up to the Majors, there are lots of hitters whose matchups we can take advantage of this week.
More great Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire | Weekly SP Rankings | Pitching Streamers | Two-Start Pitchers | Hitting Planner | Lineup Analysis | MLB Injury Report | Risers and Fallers | Prospect Report | Advanced Stats | Under the Radar | Overvalued & Undervalued
Week 22 Schedule Notes
The week begins Monday afternoon when the Chicago Cubs host the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Once upon a time, the Cubs were leading the National League Central Division by a decent margin. However, since a June 18 postponement in Chicago (ironically, the makeup game being played on Monday), the Brewers have gone 39-9. During that stretch, they have scored 6.6 runs per game. I think it’s safe to say you should start your Brewer regulars this week.
We know the winds at Wrigley Field can dramatically impact the offensive outlook of a game from day to day. However, I would continue to ride the hot hands and hot bats of the Brew Crew, especially in an eight-game week. The Cubs also play eight games, making their regulars recommended starts as well.
For those in daily leagues and/or leagues where you can switch hitters mid-week, there are a couple of abnormal days off to keep in mind. Following a two-game set on Monday and Tuesday, the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox are both idle on Wednesday before beginning four-game sets on Thursday.
St. Louis begins their series at Tampa on Thursday, also. However, there’s a three-game set with an off day on Saturday due to a scheduling conflict. They sure do love their Rays baseball down in Tampa. The Cardinals and Rays still play six games for the week, as do the Orioles and Red Sox. But hitters on St. Louis and Tampa will only play twice during the weekend slate as a result of Saturday’s off day.
Week 22 Starting Pitching Matchup Notes
The Pittsburgh Pirates get the second-best offensive matchup rating in the Week 22 Hitting Planner. They face the veteran starting staff of the Toronto Blue Jays to open the week. The trio of Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, and Chris Bassitt has all been solid for the AL East-leading Blue Jays. But none have been elite, and all have struck out less than a hitter per inning.
Avoid overreliance on Pirates hitters early in the week if you have better options. However, they face Colorado over the weekend. The Rockies’ pitching staff is the rising tide that lifts all boats. Yes, these games will be played in Pittsburgh. No, it doesn’t matter. Colorado’s masterful triumvirate of Antonio Senzatela, Kyle Freeland, and Austin Gomber has a combined 5.59 ERA with 28 home runs allowed in 143.1 innings – wait for it – on the road this season.
The Seattle Mariners face four lefties among their six games this week. This could present a mixed bag for fantasy managers. Seattle has gone with a top of the order of Randy Arozarena, Cal Raleigh, and Julio Rodriguez in recent weeks. Those three should continue to be excellent options at the plate. Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez should be fine as well.
But the lower half of the lineup could be affected. Lefties Dominic Canzone and Cole Young have performed very well of late. However, they may lose some playing time to Dylan Moore and Donovan Solano. Mitch Garver may steal a few plate appearances from Jorge Polanco as the team’s designated hitter. Most of these players will cannibalize each other this week, making them all dicey starts.
Week 22 Ballpark Effects Notes
Steinbrenner Field in Tampa may have been designed to replicate Yankee Stadium, but the ballpark effects clearly say otherwise. While Yankee Stadium increases home runs, it is generally a neutral ballpark overall. The three-year rolling averages give Yankee Stadium an overall factor of 101 (meaning one percent above normal) for left-handed hitters. For righties, the overall factor is 99. If you only use this year’s data, those numbers are 103 for lefties and 95 for righties. It has been the polar opposite at Steinbrenner Field. Through the venue’s first 62 games, the park has an overall factor of 94 (second-lowest) for lefties and 107 (fifth-highest) for right-handed hitters. The Rays are home this week, but host just five games, with two against left-handed pitchers. It may not be the best week to start your left-handed Rays hitters.
Colorado Rockies hitters simultaneously have the best ballpark rating and worst starting pitching matchup rating in the Week 22 Hitting Planner. Situations like these are challenging for many fantasy managers to navigate. I tend to focus more on pitching matchups than ballparks, but I can certainly understand wanting to get four games’ worth of at-bats in Coors Field.
Brenton Doyle has finally shown signs of last year’s breakout season. He has a 1.025 OPS since the All-Star break. I would continue running him out there. And Hunter Goodman has been a godsend at the catcher position. It is hard to endorse many other Rockies hitters, however. The decision of whether or not to start the rest of the Rockies will probably depend on your other available hitters.
Week 22 Hitting Planner
| Team | Games | Home | Road | v. LHP | v. RHP | LHB | RHB | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 102 | 105 | 4.5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4.58 | |
| ATH | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 97 | 96 | 3 | 6 | 7.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 4.33 | |
| ATL | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 99 | 100 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 4.83 | |
| BAL | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 104.7 | 100.7 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 5.08 | |
| BOS | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 103.3 | 100 | 3.5 | 6 | 5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.33 | |
| CHC | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 97 | 98.6 | 3.5/5.5 | 3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 4 | 6.5 | 4.75 |
| CHW | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 99 | 99 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 7 | 3 | 5.00 | |
| CIN | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 99.5 | 104 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 6 | 5.5 | 5.33 | |
| CLE | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 100 | 101 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 3 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.92 | |
| COL | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 107.3 | 106.6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4.5 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 3.93 |
| DET | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 99 | 100 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 3 | 5 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 4.33 | |
| HOU | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 101.3 | 100 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.29 |
| KC | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 99.6 | 101.1 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 3 | 5 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 4 | 4.57 |
| LAA | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 97 | 103 | 5 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 5.00 | |
| LAD | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 105.1 | 107 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7.5 | 5 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 6.36 |
| MIA | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 103 | 99 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5.5 | 4 | 5 | 4.92 | |
| MIL | 8 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 96.6 | 96.4 | 4.5/5 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 6 | 4.44 |
| MIN | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 100 | 100.5 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 7 | 5.42 | |
| NYM | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 100.5 | 100.5 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4.5 | 5.25 | |
| NYY | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 98.7 | 101.7 | 4.5 | 3 | 5 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 4.17 | |
| PHI | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 103 | 99 | 2.5 | 6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 5.17 | |
| PIT | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 101 | 98 | 4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 5.83 | |
| SD | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 96 | 99 | 3.5 | 6 | 4.5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4.29 |
| SEA | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 98 | 94 | 2.5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 4.25 | |
| SF | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 96 | 98.1 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 6 | 4 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 4.57 |
| STL | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 98.5 | 103 | 4 | 4 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.50 | |
| TB | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 94 | 107 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 3.5 | 5 | 4.70 | ||
| TEX | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 98.7 | 101.6 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 4 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4.93 |
| TOR | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 102 | 98.5 | 2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 6 | 4.5 | 4 | 4.25 | |
| WAS | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 102.5 | 100 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 4.33 |
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