2023 Fantasy Baseball Breakout Pitcher: Can Freddy Peralta Be A Top-10 Starting Pitcher?
With our breakout hitter in the books, it’s time to turn our attention to starting pitching.
With our breakout hitter in the books, it’s time to turn our attention to starting pitching.
With Opening Day right around the corner, we’re very close to the end of our preseason content schedule (and actual in-season content is coming soon!!). If you’ve missed anything, you can catch up on sleepers, busts, prospects, draft strategy, and more on our MLB home page. There’s a ton of good stuff from our staff on there that will help you get ready for your fantasy baseball drafts – and beyond.
With fantasy baseball draft season in full swing, I’ve had the opportunity to put quite a few mock drafts under my belt. I’ve tried out a few different strategies and have landed on a few that seem to be producing teams I like. I’ve also been drafting different players to see how I feel about them versus the players I passed up in that round.
Ok, so we’ve covered middle relievers. And we’ve covered how to approach closers in the draft strategy article (spoiler: draft one or two elite closers and then dumpster dive in the middle and later rounds of your draft). But let’s throw some actual names into the mix here.
Opening Day is less than three weeks away (and maybe even closer than that depending on when you’re reading this)! And that means it’s officially time to start buckling down on fantasy baseball draft strategy.
Saves can be one of the most annoying categories in fantasy baseball due to the volatility of both the statistic and the players who rack them up. An elite closer with a high strikeout rate can serve as a cheat code for your fantasy team, but one quick injury can quickly cause a top pick to turn into a wasted pick (anyone getting Aroldis Chapman flashbacks?).
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been playing fantasy baseball on the same platform for your entire fantasy existence. If you’re even more like me, you’re wary of change (I more or less eat the same thing for breakfast every day that I have for the last 10 years). Why am I talking about fantasy baseball platforms and being wary of change? Because the fantasy baseball platform I’ve been on for 20 years made changes! *insert freakout here*
One of the best parts of Spring Training is the position battles. While some players come to camp with a starting job, many others are going to have to fight their way for regular playing time. That uncertainty makes things tough as we approach our fantasy baseball drafts, but it also gives us a potential leg up if we pay more attention to these battles than our league mates.
I’ve been playing fantasy baseball long enough to have a print-out of a 1993 draft my seventh-grade friends and I did (and then had to upload to CompuServe!), but I’m also old enough to remember literally RUNNING to my computer to pick up Mike Trout once I saw he was called up. For anyone else who can remember picking up Trout that season, they’ll also remember how they (more than likely) won their fantasy baseball league because of that waiver add.
As baseball’s importance in our cultural landscape has been slipping, the folks in charge of Major League Baseball have seemingly been asleep at the wheel. They’ve watched their ratings slip as the NFL has taken over as America’s new pastime (obsession?) and haven’t really addressed any fan complaints about the game.
By Matt Brandon NBA
By Nick Roberts MLB
By Mark Morales-Smith NFL
By Mark Morales-Smith NFL
By Matt Brandon MLB
By Nick Roberts MLB
No trends today. |
No trends today. |
Japan’s prime minister met the team upon their return home and did the Lars Nootbaar pepper grinder
@michael_schlact
“It’s people who are growing up worlds apart from you but have the same dream I had and now my son has
@SophiaMinnaert
#Raiders roster move: - Signed free-agent DT John Jenkins Jenkins joins the Raiders for his 11th NFL season after spending
@RAIDERS_PR
‘We all know what time it is’: Heat’s late, crucial stretch brings Nets next
Sun-Sentinel
⚾️ RETWEET TO WIN ⚾️ Just hit that RT button for a shot to win an autographed baseball from our Opening Day starter
@Mariners
Within here, Matt wonders if the Phillies might have interest in Darin Ruf
@TimBritton
Edouard Julien crushed another ball to the opposite and this one is a big homer more than halfway up the scoreboard in left-
@dohyoungpark
Cardinals had formal combine interview with Utah OL Braeden Daniels
Cards Wire
Signed, sealed and delivered 🙌 We have signed unrestricted free agent DT John Jenkins »
@Raiders
At 6-7, he’s on pace to be the tallest player in NHL history to score 50 goals and/or 100 points in a season and set a new
@ryan_s_clark
Pirates GM Cherington re: Bryan Reynolds contract situation: "Right now I don't have anything to report, and I think most of
@RobBiertempfel
Max Scherzer stretched out to 100 pitches on the dot in his final spring tune-up against the Rays
@AnthonyDiComo
#Raiders roster move: - Signed free-agent DT John Jenkins Jenkins joins the Raiders for his 11th NFL season after spending
@RAIDERS_PR
Cardinals had formal combine interview with Utah OL Braeden Daniels
Cards Wire
Signed, sealed and delivered 🙌 We have signed unrestricted free agent DT John Jenkins »
@Raiders
” Bengals coach Zac Taylor remained coy on the possibility of adding Ezekiel Elliott
@SInow
The #Saints held a private workout today with South Carolina CB Cam Smith, per source
@TomPelissero
The New York #Jets have scheduled a pre-draft top-30 visit with UAB running back DeWayne McBride, a source tells @on3sports
@mzenitz
Eagles, S Terrell Edmunds agree to 1-year deal: How he fills gap in Philadelphia via @TheAthletic
@ZBerm
Source: #Texans signing veteran wide receiver-kick returner Steven Sims Jr
@AaronWilson_NFL
Complete breakdown Monday on @NFLDraftCBS
@spielman_rick
Talked so much about Bryce Young and Will Anderson yesterday I didn't get a chance to note DJ Fluker had a strong showing and
@MikeGarafolo
He’s attending, and he’s bringing his whole family
@bepryor
🏈💰Mike Gesicki contract incentives🏈💰 $350k for 46% of offensive plays $400k for 53% $400k for 60% $450k for 70%
@MikeReiss
Japan’s prime minister met the team upon their return home and did the Lars Nootbaar pepper grinder
@michael_schlact
“It’s people who are growing up worlds apart from you but have the same dream I had and now my son has
@SophiaMinnaert
⚾️ RETWEET TO WIN ⚾️ Just hit that RT button for a shot to win an autographed baseball from our Opening Day starter
@Mariners
Within here, Matt wonders if the Phillies might have interest in Darin Ruf
@TimBritton
Edouard Julien crushed another ball to the opposite and this one is a big homer more than halfway up the scoreboard in left-
@dohyoungpark
Pirates GM Cherington re: Bryan Reynolds contract situation: "Right now I don't have anything to report, and I think most of
@RobBiertempfel
Max Scherzer stretched out to 100 pitches on the dot in his final spring tune-up against the Rays
@AnthonyDiComo
Ramon Urias said he’ll hit in the cage but should be able to stay in lineup
@masnRoch
That's three homers in 20 Spring Training at-bats for @Twins No
@MLBPipeline
Max Scherzer's final line versus the Rays, his final spring training start: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
@timbhealey
Chase Anderson will stay in the organization and be in Louisville’s rotation, David Bell said
@ctrent
Max Scherzer's 100th pitch finishes off his 11th strikeout of the afternoon
@TimBritton
‘We all know what time it is’: Heat’s late, crucial stretch brings Nets next
Sun-Sentinel
How Steve Kerr helped Kings' Mike Brown smoothly shift in coaching career
CSN Bay Area
Stephen A. Smith Couldn’t Resist Screaming About Why The Knicks ‘Cannot Lose To Donovan Mitchell’ In The Playoffs
Dime Magazine
will try for a fifth straight 25+ point game, which would be the franchise's second-longest streak
@ChrisHerrington
you know the team had to sing a very special version of happy birthday for Myles Turner after shootaround
@Pacers
Grizzlies vs. Rockets Preview with @KellyIko & @kelwright:
@grindcitymedia
"'Debate' has degenerated into, 'Not only am I right, but you’re stupid
@TheAthletic
Anthony Edwards did not practice today, but not because of the ankle
@JonKrawczynski
The NBA has assessed a $35,000 fine to Dallas' Luka Doncic for rubbing his fingers together in an apparent money gesture in t
@TheSteinLine
The NBA has fined Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic $35,000 for making a money gesture toward referees on Wednesday night
@ShamsCharania
But Nassir Little has been upgraded to probable, so there’s that
@highkin
FAU basketball is in the Elite Eight for the first time ever, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is one of the thousands (millions
@ABLichtenstein
At 6-7, he’s on pace to be the tallest player in NHL history to score 50 goals and/or 100 points in a season and set a new
@ryan_s_clark
Karel Vejmelka is the first goalie off the ice for Arizona
@rboulding
Rick Bowness issued the #NHLJets a challenge — talk is cheap, let your play prove how badly you really want to make the pla
@WPGMurat
Ville Koivunen, a second-round pick of the #Canes in 2021, appears set to make his North American pro debut after his season
@WaltRuff
Coach Eakins' advice to young Ducks like Nikita Nesterenko
@AnaheimDucks
Johnson spoke about recovering quicker than expected after morning skate
@evanrawal
Blackhawks practicing today in Minnesota… - Kurashev out with upper-body injury from last night - Dickinson taking maintena
@BenPopeCST
#Avs Bednar says they still don't have a timeline on when he'll skate
@runwriteAarif
Pete DeBoer on Scott Wedgewood, who looked to be moving well at the optional practice today and was in good spirits afterward
@SaadYousuf126
Our #Bet99 poll question: What sticks out most when it comes to Andrei Kuzmenko's first season with the #Canucks
@DonnieandDhali
I guess the only way for Eric Staal to make headlines, in 2023, doesn’t involve being good at hockey
@titocurtis
According to Bednar, he's "hit and miss" right now
@rboulding
Week 22 |
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Matchup | Time | Pitchers | No games scheduled |
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Matchup | Time |
---|---|
BOS vs IND | 7:00 PM EST |
CHA @DAL | 8:30 PM EST |
CHI @POR | 10:00 PM EST |
DET @TOR | 7:30 PM EST |
GS vs PHI | 10:00 PM EST |
HOU @MEM | 8:00 PM EST |
LAL vs OKC | 10:30 PM EST |
MIL @UTA | 9:00 PM EST |
PHO @SAC | 10:00 PM EST |
SA @WAS | 7:00 PM EST |
Matchup | Time |
---|---|
ARI @COL | 9:00 PM EST |
BUF vs NJ | 7:00 PM EST |
CBJ vs NYI | 7:00 PM EST |