Fantasy baseball pitcher rankings, lineup advice for Sunday's MLB games (2024)

Look for our fantasy baseball starting pitcher rankings, hitter upgrades and downgrades daily to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions and for MLB betting tips. MLB game odds are provided by ESPN BET, and fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.

Note: This file will be updated with any overnight pitching changes or weather-related game postponements, along with the addition of the latest MLB game odds as of the indicated time of publication.

To the rescue

It's only Memorial Day weekend, but if the season ended today, the Tampa Bay Rays would miss the playoffs. They're averaging only 3.96 runs per game, the seventh lowest in MLB. Just as concerning is a 4.45 ERA, the eighth worst in the league. Injuries have contributed to both, but the pitching is especially hurting.

To that end, Taj Bradley has been a welcome addition to the Rays rotation. The right-hander was shut down in mid-March after being diagnosed with a pectoral strain. His 2024 debut was delayed until May 10. Bradley has made three starts, the first against the New York Yankees, then two against the Boston Red Sox. He was solid in the first two, though the Red Sox got to Bradley his last time out. He began the game fanning eight of the first nine hitters, but then he was bit by the long ball. Even so, Bradley has fanned 23 with only three free passes in 18 innings, all against AL East foes.

Reinforcements should soon be joining Bradley. Shane Baz completed a rehab assignment then was assigned to Triple-A Durham to continue recovering from Tommy John surgery and a subsequent oblique issue. Opening day starter Zach Eflin is out with a lower back injury, with an early June return date. In the meantime, the Rays are counting on Bradley to keep the club afloat.

On Sunday, Bradley has a home date with the Kansas City Royals. It's not the easy game some may perceive as the Royals are averaging the seventh most runs per game in the league, fueled by the eighth best wOBA. Even so, Tropicana Field is a hitting downgrade so look for Bradley to rebound from his last start and keep the Royals offense in check, justifying his No. 3 overall ranking among today's probable starters.

Everything else you need to know for Sunday

• Set your alarms, there is an early 11:35 a.m. ET first pitch in the Motor City with the Detroit Tigers hosting the Toronto Blue Jays. Casey Mize gets the node for the Tigers with Yusei Kikuchi (62.1% rostered in ESPN leagues) getting the early wakeup call for the Blue Jays. Kikuchi's rostership is a bit north of the typical 50% cutoff, but it's low enough to be worth checking availability, especially on the last day of the head-to-head scoring period. Kikuchi has recorded six quality starts in 10 outings, fueled by 61 punchouts in 58 frames. The southpaw has surrendered four homers all season. The Tigers sport the third lowest wOBA facing left-handed pitching.

• The Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers game initially scheduled for 1:40 p.m. ET in The Great American Ballpark has been moved up to 12:10 p.m. ET. There are storms forecast later in the afternoon, triggering the earlier start.

• The vaunted Seattle Mariners rotation is still solid, but it hasn't performed up to its lofty expectations. Recently, SP Bryan Woo (37.2% rostered) has provided a spark. His debut wasn't until May 10 as the sophom*ore right-hander was nursing elbow inflammation. In three starts since his return, Woo has yielded just one run in 15⅔ innings. He has fanned 15 while issuing only two free passes. Next up is a road affair in the nation's capital with the Mariners visiting the Washington Nationals. Over the first two months, the hosts check in with the 10th lowest wOBA with a righty on the hill, landing Woo as one of the top streaming options on the docket.

• The early ERA for SP Brendan Pfaadt (22.1% rostered) is misleading. His 4.05 ERA is deemed a bit high according to the associated 3.60 xFIP and 3.51 SIERA. The second year righty has been victimized by a 61.4% left on base mark. The Arizona Diamondbacks will give the ball to Pfaadt on Sunday for their home affair with the Miami Marlins. Pfaadt's ERA should begin its descent facing a lineup toting the fourth lowest wOBA with a righty on the hill.

• The Cleveland Guardians lead the American League Central and are doing so without ace SP Shane Bieber. A surprisingly productive offense is partly responsible, as is the performance of their makeshift rotation, including Ben Lively (7.5% rostered). Lively will take the hill in Anaheim to face a Los Angeles Angels lineup with a below average wOBA and above average strikeout rate facing right-handed pitchers. Lively has fanned a respectable 38 in 38 frames since joining the rotation in mid-April.

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Starting pitcher rankings for Sunday

Reliever report

To get the latest information on each team's bullpen hierarchy, as well as which pitchers might be facing a bit of fatigue and who might be the most likely suspects to vulture a save or pick up a surprise hold in their stead, check out the latest Closer Chart, which will be updated every morning.

Hitting report

Plan ahead in fantasy baseball with help from our Forecaster projections. Each day, we will provide an updated preview of the next 10 days for every team, projecting the matchup quality for hitters (overall and by handedness) as well as for base stealers.

Best sub-50% rostered hitters for Sunday

Best and worst hitters from the day are generated by THE BAT X, a projection system created by Derek Carty using advanced methods like those used in MLB front offices, accounting for a variety of factors including player talent, ballparks, bullpens, weather, umpires, defense, catcher pitch-framing, and lots more.

• Dylan Moore (SEA, LF -- 10%) at Patrick Corbin

• Mitch Garver (SEA, C -- 12%) at Corbin

• J.P. Crawford (SEA, SS -- 46%) at Corbin

• Lars Nootbaar (STL, CF -- 19%) vs. Javier Assad

• Ryan Mountcastle (BAL, 1B -- 34%) at Garrett Crochet

• Jorge Polanco (SEA, 2B -- 5%) at Corbin

• Josh Bell (MIA, 1B -- 31%) at Brandon Pfaadt

• Mitch Haniger (SEA, LF -- 5%) at Corbin

• Jorge Soler (SF, RF -- 48%) at Sean Manaea

• Luis Garcia Jr. (WSH, 2B -- 10%) vs. Bryan Woo

Worst over-50% rostered hitters for Sunday

• Oneil Cruz (PIT, SS -- 53%) vs. Chris Sale

• Adolis Garcia (TEX, RF -- 97%) at Pablo Lopez

• Evan Carter (TEX, LF -- 61%) at Lopez

• Ryan Jeffers (MIN, C -- 73%) vs. Nathan Eovaldi

• Ian Happ (CHC, LF -- 63%) at Sonny Gray

• Jonah Heim (TEX, C -- 61%) at Lopez

• Jeff McNeil (NYM, 2B -- 56%) vs. Logan Webb

• Cedric Mullins (BAL, CF -- 62%) at Garrett Crochet

• Luis Campusano (SD, C -- 51%) vs. Clarke Schmidt

• Dansby Swanson (CHC, SS -- 64%) at Gray