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Welcome RotoBallers to my fantasy baseball start/sit article for the week ahead, May 22 - May 28. This week's article will focus on Francisco Lindor, Willy Adames, DJ LeMahieu, Thairo Estrada, Lance Lynn, Dean Kremer, Christopher Morel, and Casey Schmitt.
Whether you are prepping to set your weekly lineups or determining who to play in a pivotal daily matchup, choosing who to start vs. sit is one of the most nerve-wracking and potentially frustrating aspects of fantasy baseball. Fortunately, there is a free solution available at RotoBaller. The Who Should I Start Tool allows you to quickly compare any two players and receive fantasy projections for today, tomorrow, or the current week.
The tool provides rankings, projections, recent news, and schedules side-by-side to aid in your decision-making. The tool defaults to ESPN scoring, but the Premium version within Team Sync will automatically use your league's scoring and roster settings when making recommendations. Each week, I will use the tool to review a few interesting start/sit comparisons for the final day of the period and preview the following week. Hopefully, this series will help both daily fantasy managers end their weeks strong and also get them comfortable with routinely using the tool during the week to make tough roster decisions. Let's get into some start vs. sit comparisons for the week ahead, May 22 - May 28!
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Slumping Stud Shortstops
Francisco Lindor vs. Willy Adames
Our first comparison is between two higher-end shortstops who have let fantasy managers down so far. Francisco Lindor and Willy Adames have provided near-identical stat lines to this point, with a noticeable lack of average and power. Fantasy managers may not have the depth to sit either, unfortunately, but which one has a better chance of turning things around in the coming days?
Lindor gets the recommendation for Sunday, although this decision is now made easier given that the Mets will be playing a doubleheader. The Mets are expected to face the tougher portion of the Guardians' rotation, but Adames will also have a tough matchup at the Rays. Even without the doubleheader, Lindor was given the nod due to his higher hit projection and lower strikeout projection.
Looking ahead to Week 9, the Mets have three games at the Cubs and three at the Rockies, while the Brewers have three against the Astros and four against the Giants. Both teams get one favorable series and one tougher one. The series at Coors Field for the Mets outweighs the extra game for the Brewers.
Both teams have been slumping offensively as a team, but Lindor has been relatively better lately compared to Adames. While the power still hasn't been there, Lindor has slashed a respectable .256/.310/.385 in May, whereas Adames has really struggled with a .164/.224/.279 slash line. As such, Lindor gets the Week 9 start. Further, fantasy managers may have a tough decision to make if Adames continues to struggle through the month.
Multi-Position Infielders
DJ LeMahieu (1B/2B/3B) vs. Thairo Estrada (2B/SS)
Our next comparison is between two players who fantasy managers can plug into numerous spots in their lineup. DJ LeMahieu has gotten off to a decent start while being eligible at almost every infield position. Thairo Estrada has brought everything to the table for the Giants and can fill either middle infield spot. Which utility man could help fantasy managers more in the near future?
RotoBaller gives LeMahieu the slight edge for Sunday. The only projection that stands out is that Estrada has the clear edge in stolen bases, which makes sense given their skill profiles. LeMahieu draws the better matchup against Hunter Greene in hitter-friendly Cincinnati, whereas Estrada will face a tough matchup in Jesus Luzardo in Miami.
Looking to the following week, both teams have tough matchups. The Yankees have a homestand with three against the Orioles and three against the Padres. The Giants will have three games at the Twins and four at the Brewers. The Yankees' matchups are a bit better and they get to play at home, but neither team's matchups are great.
The decision may come down to positional need, but Estrada has provided more in terms of counting stats this season, particularly in steals. LeMahieu has provided for fantasy managers, but his contributions have not been as exciting or as widespread as Estrada. Therefore, I like Estrada for Week 9.
Erratic Starters
Lance Lynn vs. Dean Kremer
A serious debate between starting Lance Lynn or Dean Kremer at the beginning of the season would have been laughable, but here we are. Lynn has had some solid starts but is 2-5 with a 6.66 ERA in his first nine starts. Dean Kremer got off to a rough start but has turned things around lately to bring his record to 5-1 with a 4.94 ERA. Which of these pitchers can fantasy managers trust more for the final day of the period?
Kremer gets the strong recommendation for Sunday. Lynn will face a cold Royals lineup at home, while Kremer will get the scuffling Blue Jays on the road. Kremer's recent hot streak is reflected in the projections, as Lynn has a higher projection in loss, hits, earned runs, walks, and WHIP. Lynn does have higher strikeout upside, but Kremer has the higher floor.
Lynn draws a better matchup in Week 9 at the Tigers, while Kremer draws a tough matchup against the Rangers. Both make me nervous for different reasons. The decision is more of a toss-up in points leagues, but I cannot commit to Lynn in a roto league given how many starts have blown up on him. While the matchup is tougher, I have more faith in Kremer to produce a decent start at this time.
Young Impact Hitters
Christopher Morel (2B/OF) vs. Casey Schmit (3B)
Our final comparison is between two young hitters who have recently been called up and are already making a difference. Christopher Morel has slashed .359/.390/.872 in his first 41 plate appearances, while Casey Schmitt has slashed .400/.400/.650 in 40 plate appearances. Both have served as a spark plug for their teams and fantasy managers, but which one could provide more in the coming days?
RotoBaller gives Schmitt a slight recommendation for Sunday. Schmitt will face the tougher matchup in theory at Jesus Luzardo, but he has crushed lefties in the early going. Morel gets the slight projection edge in RBI, home runs, and stolen bases, but his high strikeout rate offsets that.
The Cubs draw better matchups, with three games against the Mets and three against the Reds. The Giants will have three games at the Twins and four at the Brewers. Morel has more plate discipline issues than Schmitt, but he does offer a higher power/speed upside. I think both are decent starts for the week, but will give the edge to Morel.
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