Pitching Matchups and Returns from Injury
Several pitchers are set to take the mound on Sunday, July 26, with some returning from stints on the injured list. Ranger Suárez, a pitcher, is making his first start in three weeks. He holds a 3.15 ERA and a 2.66 fielding independent, with 9.6 strikeouts and 0.6 home runs allowed per nine innings. The main question surrounding his return is whether he will pitch deep enough into the game to secure a win. His FIP stands at 2.60, with a 9.56 K/9 rate and a 0.49 HR/9 rate. He faces the Toronto Blue Jays, a team that ranks last in runs scored.
Another pitcher, Jacob deGrom, boasts a 10.94 K/9 rate, though his 3.32 FIP is partly due to a higher rate of home runs. At home, his HR/9 rate is 0.9. He is scheduled to face the Seattle Mariners, who are 29th in runs scored. Both Suárez and deGrom are listed at the same salary.
Framber Valdez, a pitcher, is looking to rebound after a challenging start. His 4.57 ERA would be his highest since 2019, but he maintains a HR/9 rate below 1.00 and a groundball percentage over 50.0. He will be pitching against the Kansas City Royals, a team that has been averaging an MLB-worst 3.7 runs per game and is currently without Bobby Witt Jr., who is on the injured list. The Royals’ starting pitcher for the game was listed as “to be announced” as of Saturday night, with Luinder Avila expected to pitch in some capacity. Avila has a 4.86 ERA, though this figure is influenced by one outing where he allowed eight runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Connor Prielipp, a pitcher, is also returning from an injured list stint. He has a 5.00 ERA, but his 3.89 fielding independent suggests potential positive regression, with 1.1 home runs allowed per nine innings and 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings. He will face an Athletics lineup that ranks 24th in road scoring, averaging 4.1 runs per game.
Key Offensive Matchups and Player Performances
In offensive news, Freddie Freeman, with three hits on Saturday, has a .299 average and could reach .300 for the first time since 2023. His road OPS is 1.002, and he will face Freddy Peralta, who enters the game with a 5.40 ERA.
Jackson Chourio, a player, has an .890 OPS against left-handed pitchers and an .841 OPS at home. He will be up against Kyle Freeland, who has an 8.28 road ERA, and right-handed batters have accounted for 56 of the 64 home runs he has allowed since 2024.
Tim Tawa, a right-handed batter, has struggled against left-handed pitchers but has a .465 slugging percentage against right-handed pitchers. He has also recorded an .886 OPS over the last three weeks. He faces Miles Mikolas, who has a 4.68 K/9 rate and a 5.60 ERA, along with a 1.93 HR/9 rate. Mikolas’s overall ERA is 5.60, with 1.9 home runs allowed and 4.7 strikeouts per nine innings, though these numbers improve to a 4.67 ERA with 1.6 home runs allowed per nine innings over his past 19 appearances.
Jake Cronenworth, a left-handed second baseman, had three times on base on Saturday, including a stolen base. He is matched against Janson Junk, who has a career 4.93 ERA and has allowed left-handed batters to hit .320 against him in recent seasons.
Team Stacks and Pitching Challenges
The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to face Jameson Taillon of the Cubs. Taillon has a 4.74 road ERA since 2024, and a 6.21 road ERA this year. He recently returned from injury and conceded four runs and two home runs in 4.1 innings. The Pirates are noted as one of MLB’s top offenses. Key players for the Pirates include Bryan Reynolds, a switch-hitter with an OPS above .800 against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers, and a .968 OPS in Pittsburgh this year. Brandon Lowe, a left-handed second baseman, has 21 home runs and 21 doubles through 96 games, with a .525 slugging percentage against right-handed pitchers. Ryan O’Hearn has an .867 OPS against right-handed pitchers and a .950 OPS at home.
The Marlins will play against Walker Buehler of the Padres. Buehler had a strong June but has an 11.88 ERA in July. His overall road ERA is 6.05, and left-handed batters have hit .290 against him over the last two years. The Marlins’ lineup includes Otto Lopez, who is batting .331 with 27 doubles, 20 stolen bases, and six triples. He has an .814 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. Liam Hicks has a .279 average with 14 home runs and an .884 OPS against right-handed pitchers, and an .869 OPS at home. Kyle Stowers, despite dealing with injuries, had two times on base on Saturday and has 32 extra-base hits this season, with a .980 OPS against right-handed pitchers last season.
The Washington Nationals, who lead the league in scoring with 5.5 runs per game, will face Kohl Drake, who is making his second career MLB appearance after posting a 6.92 ERA in 17 minor league appearances. The Boston Red Sox lineup is averaging more than 5.2 runs per game since the All-Star break and will face Kevin Gausman, who has allowed at least five total runs in four of his past six starts, raising his ERA to 4.51. The Atlanta Braves offense ranks fourth in road run production with five runs per game and will face Shane Baz, who has a 4.05 ERA with eight strikeouts and 3.2 walks per nine innings. The New York Yankees lineup is averaging just 3.3 runs per game over its past 29 contests and will face Cristopher Sánchez, who has a 2.65 ERA overall with 10.2 strikeouts and 1.7 walks per nine innings.
The Sunday DFS slate features 12 games, with the first starting at 1:35 p.m. EDT.
Source: rotowire.com
