Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions. All fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.
Note: All information is accurate as of the time of publication. For updates, as well as any breaking news that might impact today's MLB slate, be sure to check out the latest fantasy baseball buzz.
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ESPN's 2026 Draft Guide | Betting notes for Monday
Pitchers to stream on Monday
In a landscape where "five-and-fly" is considered a solid outing, Trevor Rogers has logged at least six frames for nine straight outings. If it weren't for a pair of 5 2⁄3 innings efforts, the streak would be a dozen. The Baltimore Orioles southpaw has also excelled at run prevention with a 2.10 ERA and .97 WHIP over this span, while contributing 54 strikeouts in 55 2⁄3 innings. Rogers opens the week on the road against the Minnesota Twins, a lineup with the ninth-lowest wOBA facing left-handers.
It can be a risk to trust a pitcher returning from an extended absence, but Michael Soroka has been out since mid-June with a glute issue, not an arm injury. Furthermore, the Arizona Diamondbacks are confident enough to bring him back after just one rehab start. While the Colorado Rockies offense has improved, they are still a below-average unit on the road, especially coming off a homestand. Soroka may not match the level he was at pre-injury, but he should be good for a solid five frames.
In a statistical sense, regression is independent of the opponent; it factors out of the pitcher's control normalizing to the mean. Bryce Elder is a candidate for regression as demonstrated by his 3.69 ERA compared to the associated 4.17 xFIP and 4.38 SIERA. That said, impending regression is not enough reason to avoid a pitcher; the matchup is the driving force. Next up for Elder is a home date with the New York Mets, who sport the league's lowest wOBA facing right-handed pitching.
Pitchers to avoid on Monday
By acquiring Freddy Peralta at the trade deadline, the Tampa Bay Rays must feel they can get him back on track. He certainly is on the ideal team to right the ship, just not right away. Peralta's first game with the Rays was a road affair against the Colorado Rockies, and now he is slated to take the hill at Sutter Health Park. The Athletics Athletics are missing slugger Nick Kurtz, but they have other capable hitters. It's prudent to wait a little longer for Peralta to benefit from the swap.
Hitters to stream on Monday
Small sample size warnings apply, but Gabriel Hughes has been more effective in four home appearances compared to his pair of road starts. Overall, he's just not an intimidating pitcher, and his minor league numbers weren't any more optimistic. The Rockies are in the desert for a series against the Diamondbacks, whose hitters should enjoy a productive series opener. Lars Nootbaar, Nolan Arenado, Max Kepler and Ryan Waldschmidt are the chief targets.