Not all weeks are created equally. Some weeks are slow without too much competition above the fold in the sports section of your newspapers…(I know, I’m dating myself). But other weeks, there’s a battle for every column inch…this is one of those weeks.
The NHL and NBA playoffs have just begun. The Celtics inexplicably lost at home as a 15-point favorite. Lebron James and his Lakers are down 0-3 to the defending NBA champion Nuggets. The Boston Bruins are experimenting with an unconventional goalie rotation instead of just riding the hot hand.
The NFL has unofficially kicked off the 2024-25 season in Detroit, at the draft. It began Thursday Night in front of nearly 300,000 people, watching the Bears take Caleb Williams first overall…followed by Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye. Aside from those three QBs, it was a record-breaking night, with 23 offensive players taken, and six QBs taken with the top 12 picks. Happy to say my mock predicted it.
Baseball is an afterthought this week. But, regardless of what else is going on in the sports world, if you play fantasy baseball, you can’t just ignore a week, or it could lead to your demise.
In looking at probable pitchers next week, there are four decent options who should be available in your leagues:
Bryse Wilson, Milwaukee Brewers:
Wilson is the classic swing-man. Of his eight appearances, he’s made two starts and his overall stats have been solid. He’s done enough to stay in the Brewers rotation for now. He’s 2-0 with 15Ks in 18 innings. He has an extremely solid 1.00 WHIP and 3.50 ERA. He’s facing off against the Rays and Cubs this week.
Landon Knack, Los Angeles Dodgers:
The 26-year-old lefty has made two starts this season for the Dodgers and has earned the right to stay in the rotation. He is 1-1 with one quality start, and has struck out nine batters in 11 innings. He has a 1.00 WHIP and 3.27 ERA so far.
Bailey Falter, Pittsburgh Pirates:
Falter may be a sneaky great pickup. The 27-year-old has made five starts and has pitched extremely well. He has a 2-1 record with two quality starts. And although he’s only struck out 18 batters in 27 innings, he’s sporting fantastic ratios. He’s definitely doing a great job pitching to contact, with only a 0.89 WHIP to go along with a 3.33 ERA.
Jameson Taillon, Chicago Cubs:
Now in his second season with the Cubs, Taillon has found something. It seems the 32 yr old is settling in with Chicago. This is similar to the pattern he made with the Yankees. He had a rough inaugural season with the Bronx Bombers, only to settle down in year two. He went from an 8-6 record and 4.31 ERA to 14-5 and 3.91 ERA. Last year with the Cubs he was 8-10 with a 4.84 ERA. So far this season he is 2-0 in his two starts with a 1.69 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. He obviously won’t keep up this pace, but if he ends the year with similar numbers to his 2022 season with the Yankees, you’ll be fine.