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Fantasy baseball pitcher rankings, lineup advice for Tuesday's MLB games

Everything you need to know to place your MLB bets and set fantasy baseball lineups for Tuesday.

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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.

Trusting those difficult to trust

At this point we know a lot about Boston Red Sox RHP Nick Pivetta, and investing in his statistical services might not be for everyone in fantasy baseball. Pivetta, who came up with the Phillies in 2017, showed flashes of excellence over parts of four seasons there, but also frustrated many with his inconsistent ways. Pivetta emerged as a somewhat reliable fantasy asset in 2023, but much of his best work came in relief. Pivetta finished with a 4.04 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, each setting career marks, and many fantasy managers liked Pivetta going into this season.

Pivetta is slated to make his Fenway Park season debut Tuesday versus the Rays, and fantasy managers might have mixed emotions about trusting him. Pivetta's first two starts, at Seattle and Oakland, went well. He permitted one run over 11 innings, striking out 13. Then he hit the injured list with a right elbow strain. Pivetta came off the IL last week and the Braves hit him hard in their place for seven hits and five runs, including three home runs, over four innings. Not surprisingly, Pivetta became one of the most dropped pitchers in ESPN standard leagues.

Fantasy managers should know what they are getting from Pivetta, 31, and for points formats, it tends to be more positive than negative, because volume matters. Sure, the 4.84 career ERA and 1.34 WHIP fail to excite, but this is a durable starter who struck out 175 or more hitters in each of the past three seasons. Pivetta will give up his share of runs, for sure, but volume is there, and he misses bats. His career numbers versus the Rays generally mirror his overall career stats, with a 4.56 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. He has one win over 10 starts.

One could make the case entering this season for Pivetta as a top-50 fantasy starting pitcher, or they could simply want little part of the annual roller-coaster ride. There are no right answers! Pivetta was terrible to start last season, with a 6.30 ERA over his first 40 innings. Then he thrived in relief as a multi-inning option, and even when he returned to the rotation, his workload was inconsistent. The ability is there, though. Pivetta might end up with 175 strikeouts again this season, so be careful about dumping him. Expect just about anything when he faces the Rays.

Everything else you need to know for Tuesday

There is one day game on Tuesday's schedule, with the Phillies and Mets finishing a brief two-game series in New York at 1:10 p.m. ET, before resuming their acquaintances with an exhausting travel day south to Philadelphia for a looming two-game set there. Yeah, it doesn't seem to make much sense. RHP Aaron Nola certainly knows about his opponent, as he will make his 27th career start against the Mets, looking to lower his 3.40 ERA and 1.13 WHIP against them. RHP Jose Butto has an 8.36 ERA over three starts against the Phillies, but he is off to a solid start overall this season. San Diego Padres RHP Dylan Cease joins Nola atop the Daily Notes pitching leaderboard, and it is hard to bet against Cease. He is among the league leaders in ERA (2.19), wins (5) and strikeouts (60) as he proves his 2023 season with the pathetic White Sox was the aberrant one. In fact, Cease, who finished as runner-up for the 2022 AL Cy Young award, is among the betting leaders for the NL Cy Young award, according to ESPN BET. It certainly would not be strange to see another hurler earn the award in both leagues. LHP Blake Snell achieved the feat only last season, becoming the seventh pitcher to do so. Cease, who faces a downtrodden Rockies team in San Diego, could join the group. Detroit Tigers RHP Reese Olson remains available in more than 90% of ESPN standard leagues, perhaps because of that notable goose egg in the win column, but do not blame Olson. His 2.52 ERA is among the leaders, and Olson has not permitted more than two runs in a game in more than a month. Olson should have beaten the Guardians last week, but the bullpen could not hold a lead. Olson averages only 11.3 fantasy points per outing, thanks to tepid rates in innings and strikeouts, so he is not among the top 60 starting pitchers in ESPN standard scoring, but he is pitching well, gets a sweet streaming matchup with the Marlins, and wins likely are coming.

It's not too late to start a free fantasy baseball league. Leagues drafted this week will start scoring fresh the following Monday. Come and join the fun!

Starting pitcher rankings for Tuesday

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. 

Best sub-50% rostered hitters for Tuesday

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. 

Joc Pederson (ARI, LF -- 4%) vs. Hunter Greene Jeremy Pena (HOU, SS -- 45%) vs. JP Sears Nathaniel Lowe (TEX, 1B -- 20%) vs. Ben Lively Mark Canha (DET, LF -- 11%) vs. Ryan Weathers Rhys Hoskins (MIL, 1B -- 37%) vs. Quinn Priester Lars Nootbaar (STL, CF -- 21%) at Reid Detmers TJ Friedl (CIN, CF -- 32%) at Slade Cecconi Andy Ibanez (DET, 2B -- 0%) vs. Weathers Tommy Pham (CHW, LF -- 1%) vs. Mitchell Parker Jarren Duran (BOS, CF -- 49%) vs. Aaron Civale Worst over-50% rostered hitters for Tuesday Michael Busch (CHC, 3B -- 65%) at Chris Sale Ryan McMahon (COL, 3B -- 52%) at Dylan Cease Colton Cowser (BAL, RF -- 65%) vs. Chris Bassitt Cody Bellinger (CHC, CF -- 95%) at Sale Cal Raleigh (SEA, C -- 72%) vs. Michael Wacha Ian Happ (CHC, LF -- 77%) at Sale Jeff McNeil (NYM, 2B -- 62%) vs. Aaron Nola Jordan Westburg (BAL, 2B -- 79%) vs. Bassitt Salvador Perez (KC, C -- 92%) at Logan Gilbert Teoscar Hernandez (LAD, RF -- 83%) at Keaton Winn