Skenes could win some leagues

With just over two weeks left in the regular season, it’s time to make a push for a fantasy baseball title. Week 26 brings some two-start pitchers who could help fantasy managers improve in their standings. Let’s highlight five of them and what their matchups could mean for their fantasy value.

Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates: vs. CHC, vs. ATH

Skenes was cruising in his last start, posting eight strikeouts over five scoreless innings against the Orioles. He gave up just two hits and did not walk a batter. However, he was pulled after throwing only 64 pitches. The star righty has already logged 178 innings this season, so it might have been a case of the Pirates trying to limit his workload, given that they have long been out of the playoff picture.

Matchups don’t really mean much for Skenes. He has a 1.92 ERA that is backed up a 2.52 xERA. His WHIP sits at 0.92, while his strikeout rate is 29.4%. The only thing that can hold him back is the Pirates deciding to be cautious with him down the stretch. Even with that being a possibility for when he faces the Cubs and Athletics, he can still provide significant fantasy value.

Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees: at MIN, at BAL

Rodon has been a rock for the Yankees, recording a 3.11 ERA and a 3.29 xERA. After making 32 starts last season, he has made 30 starts this year. That marks the first time in his career that he has recorded back-to-back seasons with at least 30 starts. Heading down the stretch, he has given up two or fewer runs in each of his last seven outings.

The Twins and Orioles both rank inside the bottom-10 of baseball in runs scored. The Orioles have been especially bad against left-handed pitchers, recording a .670 OPS against them. In his last meeting with the Twins, Rodon allowed one run and had five strikeouts over seven innings. When he faced the Orioles, he gave up two runs and recorded seven strikeouts across six innings. Sit back and enjoy the ride with Rodon this upcoming week.

Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles: at CWS, vs. NYY

Bradish has made three starts since returning from injury. He allowed two or fewer runs in each of them, racking up 21 strikeouts over 17 innings. He has done a good job of limiting hits, giving up just 12 of them. That has been an area of success for him throughout his time in the majors, allowing 290 hits over 342 2/3 career innings.

Bradish will begin Week 26 by facing a White Sox team that has scored the fifth-fewest runs in baseball. The Yankees are far more dangerous, but they have struck out the fourth-most times in the league. Their biggest strength is their ability to hit home runs. Bradish usually does a good job of limiting those, allowing 0.9 HR/9 for his career. Don’t let a matchup against the Yankees scare you away from starting Bradish in fantasy.

Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs: at PIT, at CIN

Horton has made 10 appearances since the All-Star break and he didn’t allow more than two runs in any of them. During that span, he posted a 0.84 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP. He also gave up just two home runs over 53 1/3 innings. The downside with him for fantasy purposes is that he doesn’t miss a ton of bats, leaving him with a 20.0% strikeout rate for the season.

While strikeouts haven’t been plentiful for Horton, he could have an easier path to acquiring them in Week 26. The Pirates have struck out the eighth-most times in baseball, while the Reds have the ninth-most punchouts. Even more exciting for those who roster Horton is that the Pirates have scored the fewest runs in baseball. Look for Horton to continue his recent run of success.

Jack Leiter, Texas Rangers: at HOU, vs. MIA

Leitier came up through the minors with a lot of hype. In his first full season in the majors, he has posted a 3.81 ERA over 26 starts. However, his 4.64 xERA indicates that he probably hasn’t pitched all that well. After missing a ton of bats in the minors, he only has a 23.0% strikeout rate this year. His 11.3% walk rate has also contributed to his lackluster 1.31 WHIP.

Given his lack of strikeouts and unimpressive WHIP, Leiter is very much a matchup-dependent option in fantasy. The Astros might have some big names in their lineup, but they have scored the sixth-fewest runs in baseball. In two previous starts against them this year, Leither has allowed six runs and posted 10 strikeouts over 12.1 innings. The Marlins matchup will be in Texas, where Leiter has a 1.19 WHIP and a 22.1% strikeout rate. If Leiter is still available in your league, he might be worth the risk.

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.