Starting Pitcher Write-Ups – September 21st, 2026
With only 3 games, I figured I’d just write up the guys instead of doing the whole chart.
Keider Montero – DET facing WAS [Season wOBA vR: 9th | L30: 25th]
Montero will be following River Ryan so I’d much rather start him than Ryan in fantasy. Ryan’s had 23 and 39 pitches in two abbreviated MiLB outings since returning from the IL so I doubt he gets more than 50 pitches, if that. Montero has been limited to just 4 IP in each of his last three starts, but of course as a Follower that would be more than enough to qualify for a win, assuming the offense supports him. Because of that, this is a decent Win chase opportunity as well as a chance at some solid ratios for 3-5 IP.
Zebby Matthews – MIN at SFG [Season wOBA vR: 11th | L30: 14th]
Are you feeling lucky? Zebby is a total dice roll. He threw six shutout v. NYY last time out but allowed 9 ER in 7.3 IP across two starts before that. But before that, he ran off three straight strong outings, falling just an out shy of all 3 QS (1.29 ERA/.86 WHIP/18% K-BB). So which Zebby will show up tonight? SFG’s numbers do suggest a tough-ish matchup but remember that Rafael Devers’s electric hot streak plays a major role in that and he’s now out for the year. Additionally, Bryce Eldridge just hit the IL, too, so their two biggest left-handed forces won’t be there to prey on Zebby’s .788 OPS vL (just .691 vR). I’d run him in a lot of spots despite the risk.
Shane Baz – BAL hosting TOR [Season wOBA vR: 22nd | L30: 7th]
If you’re protecting ratios, Baz is scary (4 sub-50 Game Scores in his L7) but if you’re chasing Ks or just hoping to spike a gem, I can see running him. TOR is hot as of late, sitting 7th in wOBA over the last month, but they haven’t been particularly scary on the whole and Vlad Jr. is out of the lineup today.
Blade Tidwell – SFG hosting MIN [Season wOBA vR: 8th | L30: 9th]
Tidwell’s been up and down as a starter with a 5.04 ERA/1.24 WHIP in 8 starts since his recall. A pair of Duds and a near-Dud (4 IP/5 R but only 4 ER) have done the damage, but the other five are legitimately solid including his longest start of the year last time out (6.7 IP). I’d be down to run this in 15s and maybe a Hail Mary throw in 12s.
Trey Yesavage – TOR at BAL [Season wOBA vR: 19th | L30: 24th]
Yesavage is coming off the IL after an early-August leg injury and he lasted only 34 pitches in his lone rehab outing (2/3rds IP, 3 base runners, 1 BB, 0 K). I’m not sure we’ll get anything close to a full outing here and the results could be sketchy as well. He is slated for a 2-step (v. CIN on the weekend) so I could see running him in a weekly and hoping for the best, but my expectations are tempered here.
DJ Herz – WAS at DET [Season wOBA vL: 16th | L30: 8th]
Making his 2026 debut returning from an April 2025 TJ so I can’t really see running him anywhere.
I’m currently in 1st in a 5×5 roto, with a two-point lead. My ERA is 3.753, the next ERA is 3.754, and the guy right behind me in the standings is 3.791.
My WHIP is 1.1775, and next is the guy right behind me in the standings, at 1.1839.
I’m starting Baz because I need some breathing room in Wins: I have a one-win lead with 98. If he does “make a mess in the bed,” I’ll have to rely on the rest of my staff to pick him up over the rest of the week. But I’d be thrilled with a 6ip/3er effort (he’s done that or better in 7 of his last 14 starts) that gives me a chance for a W. He’s only allowed more than 3 er twice in that timeframe, with several sub-6-inning starts as well, so the “optimum” downside is 3-4 innings with like 8 baserunners and 4-5 runs, which is a gamble I’m willing to take for the chance at a W. Obviously it backfires if he gives up like 8 runs, but I’d hate to sit him and see him get a win and then I end up blowing the wins category by one.
My attitude in fantasy baseball is: if I added him to my team, he’s going to be starting. All year I’ve been doing crazy things like starting pitchers in Coors, running out my No. 8 starter against the Dodgers, etc., and it works out more often than not. Sometimes it doesn’t, but then again Christopher Sanchez gave up 9 runs to the Royals, so you never know.
OK, 10 minutes into the game and I may have lost this gamble… 3 runs on 5 baserunners, still only 1 out for Baz, already lost one point off my two-point lead.
He righted the ship!!!
Yeah, after five batters it was 3-0 but Baz ended up pitching 6-1/3 scoreless innings after that, but the early damage was too much for the W as he exited down 3-2. The gamble didn’t pay off, but it didn’t really hurt me either.