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Welcome RotoBallers to my fantasy baseball start/sit article for the week ahead, September 4 - September 10. This week's article will focus on Jasson Dominguez, Ronny Mauricio, Jack Flaherty, Michael Kopech, Jake Fraley, Lars Nootbaar, Matt Olson, and Rafael Devers.
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-racking 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, September 4 - September 10!
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Crosstown Call-Ups
Jasson Dominguez (OF) vs. Ronny Mauricio (SS)
Our first comparison is between two highly-touted prospects who have recently been called up for New York teams. Jasson Dominguez hadn't played much at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but had an impressive .419/.514/.581 slash line. Ronny Marucio had shown power and speed all season long with Triple-A Syracuse, slashing .292/.346/.506 with 23 home runs and 24 stolen bases. Which player is more worth a roster spot down the stretch?
Both players are actually too new to be in the tool, but both will face tougher matchups on Sunday. The Mets will face a tougher matchup against George Kirby, while the Yankees will be at the scuffling Cristian Javier. As such, Dominguez gets the edge for Sunday.
Looking ahead to Week 24, both teams will draw a favorable slate. The Yankees will play three games against the Tigers and three against the Brewers, while the Mets will play two at the Nationals and three at the Twins. Both are scheduled to face three lefties.
Mauricio has hit lefties much better than Dominguez throughout their time in the farm systems. The Yankees do get one more game, but Dominguez's playing time may be limited this week due to the lefty-heavy schedule. Both players offer intriguing power and speed fantasy upside, but Mauricio gets the nod for the following week.
Desperate Streamers
Jack Flaherty vs. Michael Kopech
Our next comparison is between two starters whom fantasy managers may be forced to stream in a last effort to earn a playoff berth. Jack Flaherty has been mostly underwhelming since joining the Orioles, posting a 6.41 ERA and 24.4% strikeout rate in four starts. Michael Kopech has been very inconsistent this season with a 5.08 ERA and a 22.8% strikeout rate in 25 starts. Which one is the less-risky bet?
RotoBaller gives Flaherty a slight recommendation for Sunday. Kopech draws the better matchup, as he does have the projection edge in strikeouts. Flaherty has a better chance for a win and is expected to pitch longer into the game with a slightly better ERA and WHIP.
Flaherty is slated for a tough matchup next week at the Red Sox, while Kopech will face the Tigers again on the road. Both players are again only desperate shots in the dark, but Flaherty does now play on a much better team than Kopech and has sprinkled in strong starts throughout the season. Walks and home runs have truly been crippling for Kopech. While walks have been an issue for Flaherty as well, they haven't been nearly as bad.
While I would not recommend either player unless truly necessary, I do think that Flaherty has a better chance of turning in a decent start for fantasy managers than Kopech.
Recently-Returning Outfielders
This comparison is between two solid outfielders who have recently returned from the injured list. Jake Fraley has been an overall fantasy contributor this season with a .269/.349/.476 slash line, 15 HR, 63 RBI, and 20 steals. Lars Nootbaar has also helped in all facets, slashing .279/.380/.447 with 12 HR, 39 RBI, and eight stolen bases. Which of these players should fantasy managers slot back into their lineups?
Fraley receives a slight recommendation for Sunday. Both will face decent matchups but Fraley draws the better one. Ultimately, Fraley's high projected batting average, slugging percentage, and stolen bases give him the edge. But both are solid choices in points leagues.
The Reds will have a six-game homestand the following week with three games against the Mariners and three against the Cardinals. The Cardinals will play three games at the Braves before heading to Cincinnati. The Reds are scheduled to face two lefties while the Cardinals will face three.
Both players have hit righties better, but Fraley has really struggled against lefties with a .147 batting average. Despite this, Fraley offers more value in roto leagues given his higher HR and SB counts, which also carries over into points leagues. This and the better matchups give the edge to Fraley for the following week.
Slumping Sluggers
Matt Olson (1B) vs. Rafael Devers (3B)
Our final comparison is between two top fantasy players who have really disappointed lately. Matt Olson managed a mere .357 slugging percentage with no HR over the final two weeks of August, while Rafael Devers wasn't much better with a .356 slugging percentage and one HR. Fantasy managers will likely feel compelled to start both, but which one has the better chance to pick it up for the fantasy playoffs?
RotoBaller gives Olson a slight recommendation for Sunday despite drawing the tougher matchup. Olson's higher slugging projection seems to be the deciding factor, but Devers has higher projections in batting average. Given the recent lack of power from both, I would probably lean toward Devers.
The Braves have a great slate the following week with three games against the Cardinals and three against the Pirates. On the other hand, the Red Sox will face three at the Rays and three against the O's. The Braves will face two lefties and the Red Sox will face one, which doesn't really impact either player.
Both players have been slumping recently, so the decision ultimately comes down to the matchups. In this case, the Braves have some of the best matchups of the week, making Olson my pick.
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