RealTime Fantasy Sports - Dimes Best Ball 632 (2024)

We’ve hit the stretch run with Week 24 ushering in the final month of the regular season. For those making a push for a fantasy baseball title, starting the right pitchers going forward could be key. Let’s look at the matchups for five projected two-start pitchers and what they could mean for their fantasy value.

Corbin Burnes, Baltimore Orioles: vs. CWS, vs. TB

Burnes had a disastrous month of August. He gave up at least five runs in four of his five starts, posting a 1.60 WHIP along the way. That’s in stark contrast to his 1.13 WHIP for the season. He has posted a WHIP of 1.07 or lower in each of the last three seasons, so this has certainly been an unusual stretch for him.

Even with his recent struggles, Burnes has a 3.23 ERA and a 3.69 FIP for the season. His strikeout rate of 22.3 percent this year has been a disappointment, but he has still been one of the more reliable starters in baseball. This is a great opportunity for him to get back on track with the White Sox and Rays on tap. The White Sox have scored the fewest runs in baseball, while the Rays are tied for the second-fewest runs scored. Put aside his recent struggles and make sure that Burnes is still locked into fantasy starting lineups.

Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres: vs. DET, vs. SF

When Musgrove made his return from injury, the Padres initially eased him back into action. He threw just 63 pitches in his first start back, 73 pitches in his second start and 75 pitches in his third start. Despite his limited pitch count, he still shut out the Mets over seven innings in that 75-pitch outing. The good news for fantasy managers is that he was effective despite his pitch restrictions, allowing a total of just one run across those three outings.

The most encouraging step for Musgrove came in his last start Wednesday against the Cardinals. He threw a total of 94 pitches, giving up three runs over six innings. Expect him to have a normal workload going forward, providing a boost to his fantasy value. The Tigers and Giants both rank inside the top 10 in baseball in terms of most strikeouts, so Musgrove carries plenty of upside into both matchups.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona Diamondbacks: vs. LAD, at HOU

Rodriguez was one of the Diamondbacks’ big offseason additions, but he didn’t make his debut until August because of a shoulder injury. In each of his first three starts since coming back, he logged at least five innings and allowed three or fewer runs. He did have two favorable matchups against the Rockies and Marlins, who have two of the worst lineups in baseball. In his fourth start, he was touched up for five runs over 5.1 innings by the Mets on Wednesday.

Two more rough matchups await Rodriguez for Week 24. The Dodgers have scored the fourth-most runs and they have the third-highest OPS in baseball. The Astros are no slouches, either, producing the 10th-highest OPS. While patient fantasy managers who held on to Rodriguez are happy that he has returned, he’ll need to be benched in most formats this week.

Brayan Bello, Boston Red Sox: at NYM, vs. CWS

Bello couldn’t have looked much better in his last outing, breezing through eight scoreless innings against the Blue Jays. He allowed just two hits and one walk, striking out nine batters along the way. That marked the third time over his last four starts that he logged at least six innings and allowed one or no runs.

As good as Bello has looked lately, he’s not much more than a viable streaming option in most leagues. He has a 4.66 ERA that is backed by a 4.38 FIP and his strikeout rate is only 22.1 percent. For his career, he has a 20.8 percent strikeout rate and a 1.42 WHIP. Still, this could be a week in which he is worth streaming in 12-team and deeper leagues. The Mets have a .752 OPS on the road, but a more modest .727 OPS at home. The White Sox are atrocious, so his second outing could be a piece of cake.

David Festa, Minnesota Twins: at TB, at KC

Festa missed a lot of bats coming up through the minors. He produced a 30.4 percent strikeout rate at Double-A last year and a 34.9 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A this year. His 4.89 ERA and 4.14 FIP with the Twins this season aren’t great, but his 28.7 percent strikeout rate and 1.20 WHIP are encouraging. Most of the damage done against him came in his first two starts. Since then, he has a 3.06 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over seven outings.

Not only do the Rays have problems scoring runs, but they have also struck out the seventh-most times in baseball. Facing the Royals in Kansas City is another matter. They have the fifth-highest home OPS in baseball. Still, with his strikeout upside, Festa is worth streaming in 12-team and deeper leagues.

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, SportsLine and RotoWire. Mike was also a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.