Rocking Folding Outdoor Chairs

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 overnight pitching changes and weather-related game postponements, along with the addition of the latest MLB game odds as of the indicated time of publication.

One of the driving points for managing a fantasy pitching staff is gauging opposing offenses. For example, avoid using a starting pitcher against the Atlanta Braves.

Avoiding the Braves lineup in April was smart, as they led the majors with 5.43 runs scored per game. The Braves' wOBA was .334, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers.

However, through Saturday's action, the Braves averaged only 3.23 runs per game in May, the third fewest in the league. The club's wOBA has been the seventh lowest this month.

The lesson here isn't to rely on recent data to make roster decisions. It's also not to trust the season-long numbers. This is one of those instances where math doesn't generate the definitive answer. There's too much variance in a small sample. There is usually a lot of turnover in longer samples, so the data is not an accurate reflection of the current lineup.

Fortunately, while every team gets hot or cold, it's usually straightforward to judge an offense as potent or less productive. It's rare that a team plays above its head or is mired in a rut for an extended period. But when teams do, roster management decisions can be a challenge.

For example, the Braves open the week at home with a doubleheader against the San Diego Padres. Reynaldo Lopez and Chris Sale will start for the home team, with the visitors handing the ball to Dylan Cease and Randy Vasquez. Cease is matchup-proof, but what about Vasquez (0.3% rostered in ESPN leagues)? Complicating matters is that the Braves are probably going to start most of their regulars for just one of the two games.

The fact that Vasquez is ranked last reflects how the Braves are typically more productive. It also accounts for how poorly Vasquez has fared in his short stints in the majors, along with some mediocre minor league numbers. Reserving him should be a no-brainer, but if that same conclusion was made for most of the month, it likely backfired.

This discussion would have been better if the starter in question was ranked closer to the middle of the pack. Regardless of the ancillary factors, trusting Vasquez in this spot is risky.

The takeaway is... don't assume anything. Take the time to research decisions, no matter how trivial they may appear. The key after doing so is to understand how to apply the observations. Above is an example of a case where there is no right answer. Consider all the factors (doubleheader, injuries, first day of the scoring week) and decide what is best for your team.

The opener of the Braves-Padres twin bill kicks off the Monday slate at noon ET. All told, there are 12 games on the docket, including the nightcap of the separate admission doubleheader in Truist Park.

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!

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.

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 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.