Welcome to the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner (8/21 - 8/27).
We are now into the end of August and many head-to-head leagues are going into the playoffs and the Roto leagues are getting into crunch time. Your league most likely only has four to five weeks left in the season.
I am curious to know what format the majority of the readers play Fantasy Baseball. Do we have more head-to-head players than Roto League players?
I favor Roto leagues for no other reason than you get to play till the very end of the MLB season. You can try and grind out every statistical category to try and gain ground. There have been instances where I was able to climb from fourth to second in the last two weeks of the season in a Roto league.
I also don't hate on head to head leagues as there is a lot of intrigue and suspense in the playoffs of those leagues. But in my opinion, it doesn't tell a story of who the best team was all year long, as teams can get hot in the last few weeks of the season and win the championship. Let me know what format you play in and what format you prefer to play Fantasy Baseball.
Now let's get into the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner (8/21 - 8/27).
Also, be sure to check out Keith's rest of the season rankings to find other hitters to target this week.
2023 Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner (8/21 - 8/27)
MLB Schedule
| Team | Games | Home | Away | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI | 6 | 6 | 0 | TEX | TEX | CIN | CIN | CIN | CIN | |
| ATL | 6 | 3 | 3 | NYM | NYM | NYM | @SF | @SF | @SF | |
| BAL | 6 | 6 | 0 | TOR | TOR | TOR | COL | COL | COL | |
| BOS | 7 | 3 | 4 | @HOU | @HOU | @HOU | @HOU | LAD | LAD | LAD |
| CHC | 7 | 0 | 7 | @DET | @DET | @DET | @PIT | @PIT | @PIT | @PIT |
| CHW | 7 | 7 | 0 | SEA | SEA | SEA | OAK | OAK | OAK | OAK |
| CIN | 7 | 0 | 7 | @LAA | @LAA | @LAA | @ARI | @ARI | @ARI | @ARI |
| CLE | 6 | 3 | 3 | LAD | LAD | LAD | @TOR | @TOR | @TOR | |
| COL | 6 | 0 | 6 | @TB | @TB | @TB | @BAL | @BAL | @BAL | |
| DET | 6 | 6 | 0 | CHC | CHC | CHC | HOU | HOU | HOU | |
| HOU | 7 | 4 | 3 | BOS | BOS | BOS | BOS | @DET | @DET | @DET |
| KC | 6 | 0 | 6 | @OAK | @OAK | @OAK | @SEA | @SEA | @SEA | |
| LAA | 6 | 3 | 3 | CIN | CIN | CIN | @NYM | @NYM | @NYM | |
| LAD | 6 | 0 | 6 | @CLE | @CLE | @CLE | @BOS | @BOS | @BOS | |
| MIA | 6 | 3 | 3 | @SD | @SD | @SD | WAS | WAS | WAS | |
| MIL | 5 | 5 | 0 | MIN | MIN | SD | SD | SD | ||
| MIN | 6 | 4 | 2 | @MIL | @MIL | TEX | TEX | TEX | TEX | |
| NYM | 6 | 3 | 3 | @ATL | @ATL | @ATL | LAA | LAA | LAA | |
| NYY | 6 | 3 | 3 | WAS | WAS | WAS | @TB | @TB | @TB | |
| OAK | 7 | 3 | 4 | KC | KC | KC | @CHW | @CHW | @CHW | @CHW |
| PHI | 6 | 6 | 0 | SF | SF | SF | STL | STL | STL | |
| PIT | 7 | 7 | 0 | STL | STL | STL | CHC | CHC | CHC | CHC |
| SD | 6 | 3 | 3 | MIA | MIA | MIA | @MIL | @MIL | @MIL | |
| SEA | 6 | 3 | 3 | @CHW | @CHW | @CHW | KC | KC | KC | |
| SF | 6 | 3 | 3 | @PHI | @PHI | @PHI | ATL | ATL | ATL | |
| STL | 6 | 0 | 6 | @PIT | @PIT | @PIT | @PHI | @PHI | @PHI | |
| TB | 6 | 6 | 0 | COL | COL | COL | NYY | NYY | NYY | |
| TEX | 6 | 0 | 6 | @ARI | @ARI | @MIN | @MIN | @MIN | @MIN | |
| TOR | 6 | 3 | 3 | @BAL | @BAL | @BAL | CLE | CLE | CLE | |
| WAS | 6 | 0 | 6 | @NYY | @NYY | @NYY | @MIA | @MIA | @MIA |
Teams to Target
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are a team that I have highlighted in this space in the past. That was when they were in the midst of one the hottest offensive stretches in all of baseball.
While the team has cooled off a bit since that stretch, they have still been a team worth targeting. They are the beneficiaries of a super easy schedule this week.
First off they get seven games this week. They also get to face off against both the Tigers and the Pirates. Both teams rank near the bottom of the league in team ERA.
Both teams have also given up 1000 hits so far this year and which ranks in the top ten of the league. They also rank in the bottom half of the league in batting average against, while the Pirate's .259 average against are the top five worst in the league.
I am expecting the Cub's offense to start hitting again this week with the favorable matchups that lie ahead. Get those Cubs hitters in your lineups this week.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays were the best offensive team in the first half of the season, however, since then the bats have cooled off as of late. But things could be turning around for Tampa as August has been kind to them.
In the last 30 days, they rank in the top half of the league in team OPS and batting average. Their 110 runs scored in the last 27 games rank in the top half of the league as they are averaging over four runs a game.
The Rays get to play all six games at home this year, where their 322 runs scored are the sixth best this year and their 85 home runs at home also rank in the top 10.
They also get favorable matchups this week as they get to face off against the second-worst pitching staff in baseball when the Rockies come to town with their 5.52 team ERA. The Yankees also rank in the bottom half of the league in team ERA on the road as the Yankees will also come to town later in the week.
The Rays should continue to be a good source of offense this week, so get them in your lineups.
Team to Avoid
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies were once an offensive-minded team, that played in the most hitter-friendly park. Unfortunately, things have changed.
They are currently in the bottom third of the league in runs scored with barely over 500 runs scored. They are only averaging four runs a game for the season and have only hit the 23rd most home runs which is a telltale sign when you play half your games in arguably the most home-run-friendly park in the league.
To make matters worse they will be playing all six of their games this week on the road. The Rockies have only hit 59 home runs on the road this season which ranks in the bottom third of the league. Their team's .365 slugging% on the road ranks as the second worst in the league behind only Milwaukee.
If that wasn't enough to convince you to sit your Rockies hitters then the fact that they face Tampa Bay and Baltimore this week should be. Both Tampa and Baltimore have team ERA that sit at or below 4.00 which ranks in the top half of the league.
Please try to sit your Rockies hitters this week where ever possible.
To unlock the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner (8/21 - 8/27) players to start/sit and deep league targets, become an All-Access Member to get access to the Most Accurate Fantasy Baseball Rankings, DFS Projections, Custom Advice on Discord and more.
If you are already a member, sign in.
Be sure to check out more Fantasy Baseball content
