It’s Sunday, so you know what that means! It’s time to take a look at the interleague matchups for the upcoming week and determine how it will affect our fantasy lineups. Obviously, with the National League not adding the designated hitter spot, we’ll have to examine American League teams that lose that luxury for a series. On the other hand, when a National League team travels, what fantasy players stand to gain some value? You’ll find that and more here at Fantasy Alarm!
This week, we are treated to two interleague matchups, both of which feature an American League team heading to National League Park. So, what hitters stand to lose some at-bats, in lieu of the pitcher stepping into the batter’s box? Let’s dive in.
Athletics @ Diamondbacks (4/12-4/13)
With Oakland heading to Arizona for a quick two game set, I wouldn’t diminish the fantasy value too much of any Oakland hitter. Oakland’s lineup is rather set, and slow starts by Mitch Moreland and Seth Brown have had these two bouncing back and forth as the team’s primary designated hitter. If Moreland doesn’t DH, I’m hard-pressed to believe that Oakland takes Matt Olson out of the lineup. Brown could get some at-bats in the outfield, but overall, there’s no major gains here. Plus, it’s just a two-game series.
Winners: None
Losers: Mitch Moreland , Seth Brown
Indians @ Reds (4/16-4/18)
I am very curious as to how this one plays out. Franmil Reyes is a tried-and-true designated hitter, as he has yet to play a single inning in the outfield yet this season. Last year, he played just five innings in the outfield. So, will we see Reyes in the outfield for the weekend series against the Reds? I think we might. Reyes adds so much power to the team’s lineup that they should try to get him in the lineup. I mean, can they really afford to take him out? Outside of Reyes, José Ramírez and Eddie Rosario , the lineup lacks pop and excitement. They will be facing two righties and outside of Eddie Rosario , no Cleveland outfielder is locked into playing time.
I would leave Reyes in your lineup, however, because he will most definitely serve as a pinch-hitter at the very least. The big thing here is that if Cleveland gives Reyes sometime in the outfield, that would be massive for his fantasy value, because he could get closer to gaining outfield eligibility, and fantasy managers can feel more confident in future interleague matchups.
Winners: Potentially Franmil Reyes
Losers: Potentially all outfielders not named Eddie Rosario
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Jacob Wilson went 4-for-5 and hit his fourth and fifth homers Tuesday as the A’s crushed the Dodgers 11-1.
He was on base all five times up, as he also reached on an error. So much of Wilson’s contact is rather weak that it’s always unexpected when he muscles up and hits a ball 380 feet, but he’s definitely demonstrated that he’s capable. He’s up to .363/.389/.512 for the season after tonight. He has 58 hits, yet just 41 hard-hit balls. His barrel and homer totals are also equal, though the league as a whole has a little more than twice as many barrels as homers.
Jeffrey Springs limited the Dodgers to one run in seven innings to earn his fifth win Tuesday.
Springs is definitely on the short list of the league’s most frustrating pitchers to date. He’s now beaten the Mariners, Padres, Rangers and Dodgers, yet he’s also given up seven runs in a loss to the White Sox, and neither his 4.27 ERA nor his 36/21 K/BB in 46 1/3 innings is very impressive at all. He remains a tough play in mixed leagues at the moment.
Landon Knack was tagged for five runs in 4 2/3 innings Tuesday in a loss to the Athletics.
Knack struck out eight, but he gave up seven hits, two of them homers to take his first loss after two victories this season. He should stay in the rotation for now and face the Diamondbacks next time out.
Nick Kurtz hit his first major league homer and doubled Tuesday after being dropped to ninth in the A’s lineup.
Kurtz’s homer was a 415-foot blast off J.P. Feyereisen in the eighth. Two innings previous, he had a 363-foot flyout that would have been a homer in eight ballparks. His double was also legit, leaving his bat at 110.6 mph. Kurtz is worth considering in leagues in which he was dropped.
Michael Conforto doubled three times against the Athletics on Tuesday.
It’s the first time in his career that Conforto has doubled three times. There were no soft ones tonight, either, as his hits left the bat at 106.1, 103.7 and 109.5 mph. As much as he’s struggled this season, it seems like a good sign, especially coming on a night that no one else in the Dodgers lineup had much luck.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first career walkoff homer against Kenley Jansen in the bottom of the ninth as the Padres beat the Angels 6-4 on Tuesday.
The 430-foot homer, which also played Elias Díaz, was Tatis’s 11th of the season. Tatis also walked and scored in the Padres’ two-run rally that tied the game in the eighth. His 11th homer puts him in a tie for eighth in the majors. He’s also eighth with his .963 OPS.