- Saturday's 15-game slate kicks off at 2:10 PM ET with 36-year-old veteran Johnny Cueto and the Chicago White Sox hosting the Detroit Tigers and Garrett Hill, who will be making his second career start. Cueto (16% rostered) has experienced a career rejuvenation on the South Side, posting a quality start in seven of his 10 outings and now faces a lineup with the second-lowest wOBA versus righthanders, with the sixth-highest strikeout rate. Hill (2%) limited the Cleveland Guardians to two hits and one run in his MLB debut and now faces a White Sox offense recording the fourth-lowest wOBA with a righty on the hill.
- There are four more streaming targets, including Kyle Freeland (5%), Hunter Greene (30%), Dean Kremer (13%) and Devin Smeltzer (21%). Freeland has been solid on the road, sporting a 3.40 ERA and 1.21 WHIP outside of Coors Field. Next up is a date in the desert against a Diamondback offense with the fifth poorest wOBA on the hill. Greene and his dominant 28% strikeout rate are at home against a Rays lineup fanning 25% of the time against righthanders. Kremer is coming off his first poor effort of the season but should rebound at home against an Angels club whiffing at a league-high 27% clip against righties. Smeltzer has been quietly effective, registering a quality start in six of his prior eight outings. However, the Twins southpaw is a risk facing a Rangers lineup producing at an above average clip against lefthanders.
- Martin Perez continues to get by with smoke and mirrors as he's improved his control while inducing more grounders, helping to limit homers. Even so, his 4.4% HR/FB rate is due to regress, as is his 78% LOB mark. From a statistical sense, regression is independent of the opposing team, but on Saturday, Perez faces a Minnesota Twinslineup with some righthanded batters in a favorable spot to stream. They include Jose Miranda (2%), Gio Urshela (23%), Gary Sanchez (41%) and Kyle Garlick (<1%).
- Here are several more batters in a favorable spot to fortify fantasy hitting, with everyone enjoying the platoon edge: Christian Walker (54%), William Contreras (28%), Jake Meyers (2%), Jonathan Villar (3%) and Hanser Alberto (<1%). The Milwaukee Brewers lefties make for a sneaky stack against Pittsburgh Pirates righty Zach Thompson.
- Strikeout props are a fun way for fantasy players to dabble in the betting arena. As has been discussed a lot in this space over the first half of the season, taking the over may be more fun, but it's been a risky bet as much more can go wrong. That said, leaguewide, strikeouts are trending back up and Brandon Woodruff appears back to form after punching out 18 in 11 stanzas since coming off the IL. On Saturday, Woodruff should continue dominating against a Pirates offense with the second-highest strikeout rate against righthanders over the past month.
What you need to know for Saturday's MLB Games
- Thread starter biggins
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