Speaker 1Baseball has always been a game of inches, now it's also a game of seconds. T-Mobile and MLB have teamed up to bring ABS Challenge to all 29 ballparks across the US. This isn't a minor upgrade, this is the most significant new technology in the history of the sport. And it's powered by T-Mobile. With every pitch thrown, ABS Challenge uses real-time precision to verify the call, giving them the support they need. No delays, no guesswork, just accuracy at the speed the game demands. Thanks to ABS Challenge, T-Mobile is helping power the moments that define the game. When performance and reliability are non-negotiable, MLB turns to T-Mobile. That's not a coincidence. That's what happens when the most innovative network in the country powers the most data-driven sport in the world. T-Mobile powers MLB's most ambitious technology, and America's best network powers your connection to baseball. Home or away, every pitch, every game, every day. T-Mobile, it's better over here. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights. Are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. T-Mobile, best mobile network in the U.S. According to Ookla Speed Test, based on analysis by Ookla of Speed Test Intelligence Data First Half 2026. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission. Hey, before we jump back into the show, let's take a quick break. But not just any break. This is a refreshing break with Snapple. We all know about Snapple's iconic real facts, so let's take a minute to go over some of my faves. Snapple real facts, 14-17. Before 18-19. Before 18-59, baseball umpires sat behind home plate in rocking chairs. Snapple real facts, 14-83. More than 100 baseballs are used during a typical professional baseball game. Snapple real fact, 2-53. The first TV remote control introduced in 1950 was called Lazy Bones. Snapple real fact, 21-05. Professional athletes used to perform in vaudeville in the off season. So grab a Snapple, take a second, and enjoy the moment. Because let's be honest, this might be the most refreshing part of your life. Snapple, make your break more interesting. All right, now let's get back to the show. Wake 25 sleepers and two-star pitchers, up next on Fantasy Baseball Today Express. Welcome into FBT Express on Saturday, September 5th. I am Frank Sample, joined by Scott White, and we will start things off with the schedule. 28 teams with six games, only two teams with seven games. Those are the Braves and the Phillies. What about the Rockies? All six games are on the road. Bad. At the Yankees and at the Tigers. Starters sit these fringe two-star pitchers. Troy Melton gets the Twins and the Rockies in Detroit. But, you know, Melton's been melting down a little bit.
Speaker 2Yeah, melted snowman over here a little bit. Though the velocity was up in his latest start, I believe, which was an encouraging sign. Even though the results weren't the greatest. He had his best stretch earlier this year when the velocity was up. Look, one of the matchups is really good, and the other one against the Twins doesn't feel like a bad matchup to me. So, I think Troy Melton, you're probably going to want to run him out there for those two starts.
Speaker 1What about Yuri Perez, home against the Mets and the Dodgers? He has really struggled over his last two.
Speaker 2Yeah, they've been really bad. Struggled with walks again in one of the two matchups. The Dodgers, which, in theory, is dangerous. We'll see how Shohei Ohtani's looking at that point. It may be less dangerous by the time it comes up. Even so, I would have a hard time justifying Yuri Perez outside of points leaks.
Speaker 1Joey Cantillo is at the Orioles and at the Twins.
Speaker 2Yeah, he has had some real rough starts lately. I think I'd pass on him.
Speaker 1Grayson Rodriguez. Has pitched better in the second half here. He is at the Red Sox and at the Nationals.
Speaker 2He hasn't pitched that much better, and those are some tough matchups. Nationals, not as much as they used to be, but I was looking at the game log recently, surprising how many runs they've scored in some of those games. So, I think I'd steer clear of Grayson Rodriguez.
Speaker 1All right, Bubba Chandler gets the Chicago two-step. He's at the White Sox and at the Cubs.
Speaker 2Bubba Chandler, just say no.
Speaker 1And Chase Burns, I will just point out, moving forward, his starts are going to be shorter. So, it does look like there's two starts on the schedule, but do not use Chase Burns this upcoming week, or really for the rest of the season, I would say.
Speaker 2I'd be willing to consider it for two starts. You know, maybe there are a couple four-inning starts and he gets a lot of strikeouts, except the matchups are the Dodgers and the Brewers this week in those two starts. So, I'm not saying it's a flat no in categories leagues, but I'm not doing it.
Speaker 1Let's slide over to the two-star pitchers that you are looking to add and stream in week 25. Who are they?
Speaker 2I mean, the ones we keep touting every week, top two, Jacob Lopez and Andrew Painter. I think they're beyond just must-add at this point. They're pretty close to must-start, and that's especially true since each of them is lined up for two starts this week. Jacob Lopez, especially, he gets the Blue Jays and the Mariners. Can't ask for much better matchups than that for a guy who has dominated recently. And then, Andrew Painter gets the Astros and the Braves. Those matchups aren't quite as favorable, but he's looked good enough that I'd still be thrilled to run him out there for the two starts. Hayden Wesneski has been good since returning. Uh, not in a way that has me totally convinced, he's startable. He does have one really good secondary offering, but it hasn't translated to a lot of whiffs on the whole. And, uh, you know, the walks have been high, yet the whips have been really low. Bottom line, he's making two starts while on a good run, Hayden Wesneski, at Philadelphia, at Tampa. Not the greatest matchups, but, you know, two-star pitcher who's on a nice run. Landon Roop gets the Cardinals and the Padres. Those are some favorable enough matchups. His last two turns have been pretty good. I think he's still pretty risky for whip, especially, but I like those two matchups for Roop. And then kind of the deep league choice here, available in 78% of CBS Sports Leagues, is Connor Prelip, who was decent last time out, and he gets the Tigers and the Guardians. You got to like those matchups.
Speaker 1All right, let's take a quick break. We'll be back right after this. Baseball season is in full swing, and there's no better place to be than Calchi, America's number one football team. Atlanta is currently trading at 7% to win it all, meaning a $100 trade pays out over $1,200 with a win. On Calchi, you're trading against other people in a live market. No house, no odds makers. And as the odds move, you can buy in or out any time throughout the postseason. Download the Calchi app and use code "FAN" to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. K-A-L-S-H-I, Calchi, trade on anything. 18 plus odds to win this season. Purchase only, restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Calchi products are not available in all jurisdictions. Prices, values, and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see calchi.com/regulatory. Welcome back, FBT Express, and we are here previewing week 25. Let's move over to the one-start streamer pitchers. Scott, who do you like here for the upcoming week?
Speaker 2I sent you some names, but I've changed the names. So I'm glad you didn't list them off. Tyler Mallee is my top choice against the Phillies. Now, this will be interesting because prior to this week 25 start against the Phillies, he's going to get a start over the weekend against the Phillies. So depending how that goes, it might change my stance. Back-to-back starts against the Phillies here for Mallee. But he's looked great since joining the Braves, has cut down on the cutter, is missing a lot more bats. He's been bankable enough that I, in theory, like him against the Phillies. Again, we'll see how this weekend's start goes. Walbert Irenia had a mini bumpy stretch there, really just a couple starts that were shaky. Bounced back in a big way last time out. He gets the Nationals, who still rank second in runs scored. But again, they don't have nearly the personnel they did earlier this season. And I'd feel okay about a ground ball specialist like Irenia against them. But Cal Quantrill had a big start Thursday, two hits and seven shutout innings against the Rays. And now in his last eight starts, 125 VRA, .76 whip, 8.5K per nine. Cal Quantrill is on some kind of run. I don't think he's a great pitcher, but his next matchup is against the Mariners in Seattle. The best lineup to face, the best venue to pitch in. I think we got to consider starting with Cal Quantrill. Dustin May, a lot of ups and downs lately, but he gets the Reds, and they're a really weak lineup right now. Got to take advantage of that. And finally, Brandon Young against the Guardians. He's been pretty reliable all year in a way I don't totally get. He has a slider with a good whiff rate, but his most recent start Thursday got a bunch of whiffs with his splitter, double-digit whiffs with just that pitch. And so if he gets a second, missing offering going there, Brandon Young, then he might really be on to something obviously Guardians is a good matchup.
Speaker 1Sliding over to the hitters, the best matchups for this upcoming week, we have the Nationals, Tigers, Cardinals, White Sox, and the Padres. The worst hitter matchups, Astros, Reds, Cubs, Mets, and Twins. Scott, who are your favorite sleeper hitters for this upcoming week?
Speaker 2We got a lot of deep choices here. We'll get to them in a minute. Let's start, though, with Ty France, who's still available in like half of CBS Sports Leagues, even though he's got a batting average around 280, an OPS around 850. He's been great for a long time now. Oh, 290 batting average. I sold him short. Padres have the fifth best matchups, as you mentioned. I think Ty France might just be a fixture here unless you guys start adding him and make him ineligible for this list. TJ Rumfield. Now, he's an interesting choice because the Rockies are on the road all week, but the pitchers they're facing are in this pretty, pretty favorable schedule for hitters, and TJ Rumfield is one of the Rockies' hitters who doesn't seem to be that affected on the road. He's about as good there as at home. Also helps just one lefty on the schedule, and three of the games will be at Yankee Stadium, so we might see a couple home runs from Rumfield there. Bryce Eldridge is on a heater right now, and the Giants' matchups are middle of the road, not prohibitive. I think he's just starting. I think he's just starting to start a hot hand, especially since he has the kind of upside Eldridge has. Trio of athletics here. Lawrence Butler, Henry Bolte, Zach Gelof. Butler and Bolte especially have been hot, hot, hot. Gelof less so, but he just had a big game Thursday, seems to be picking it up again. What I like about the athletics this week is all their games are at home. Very favorable splits for all three of these players at home. In San Francisco. In Sacramento. And in Butler's case especially, the fact they're nothing but righties on the schedule helps. The reason why they're not one, two, and three in my sleeper hitters is because there are some tough pitchers in those six home games. But ultimately, I think the home slate wins out for them. Spencer Jones, the Yankees just missed being among the five best hitter matchups and have only one lefty on the schedule. And all six of their games are at home too. So you gotta like that for a left-handed slugger like Jones. And here are the three really deep options I was talking about. All available in 85% of CBS Sports Leagues or more. They are Mickey Gasper of the Red Sox. Eligible at catcher. Currently playing first base for them with Wilson Contreras sign-lined. And he has been putting up great numbers in that role. Getting on base a ton. Hitting for power. And Red Sox have some pretty favorable matchups this week against the Angels and Royals. But I think they're going to be a good matchup. Pitching staffs. Then you have Yohandy Morales. Check back after the weekend. Make sure he plays a lot. But so far, he's two for two in starts for the Nationals. Both against right-handed pitchers. Which I was skeptical about how much Yohandy Morales would play when he got called up. He's gotten some big hits already in those two games. Has a lot of power. Nationals have the most favorable hitter matchups. And finally, Thomas Sejaisi of the... He's startable. I think he's eligible for four different positions in CBS leagues. Only 3% rostered. And has taken over with all the injuries on the Cardinals infield. Already has a trio of home runs. Didn't have that big of a year in the minors. But a guy who's been up in the majors before. And probably been featured on the sleeper hitters list before. I think with the Cardinals having the third best hitter matchups and him being so hot. If you're really hurt in deeper leagues, Thomas Sejaisi. Thomas Sejaisi is somebody you need to look into.
Speaker 1All right. For more extensive fantasy baseball coverage, listen to our full-length podcast, Fantasy Baseball Today, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else podcasts are found. Thanks for listening to Fantasy Baseball Today Express. And we will be back again next week. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.
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