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          Fantasy baseball Thursday advice: Add DJ Herz to your streaming mix

          DJ Herz is widely available and is a strong streaming option for Thursday. Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
          • Mike Sheets
          Sep 12, 2024, 11:35 AM ET

          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 has been 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

          Add DJ Herz to your streaming mix

          The Washington Nationals, currently 14.5 games out of the National League wild-card race, are on pace to be the next NL team officially eliminated from playoff contention. There haven't been many positive takeaways for the Nats' pitching staff, which ranks 25th in MLB with a 4.36 ERA this season, but DJ Herz''s emergence as one of the team's top hurlers is certainly noteworthy.

          Through 16 starts in 2024, Herz owns a solid 3.82 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He has held opponents to two or fewer earned runs eight of his last nine starts. However, the 23-year-old's real strength lies in his ability to miss bats. With 93 strikeouts over 75 1/3 innings, he holds an impressive 28.9% strikeout rate, a mark that would rank seventh-highest in baseball if he had enough innings to qualify.

          Against the Miami Marlins at home, Herz is an easy streaming option for Thursday's eight-game slate. The Marlins have been the worst team in the NL this year versus left-handed pitching (75 wRC+), ranking bottom-four in both walk rate (6.7%) and ISO (.122). Herz is available in 95% of ESPN leagues.

          What you may have missed on Wednesday

          By Todd Zola

          • Houston Astros 2B Jose Altuve left yesterday's game early due to discomfort in his right side. He appeared to hurt himself on a swing in the fifth inning. Altuve completed the at-bat, but did not come out for the sixth. The club was already shorthanded with OF Chas McCormick out as a result of a sore wrist. McCormick ran into the outfield wall on Tuesday. It's unclear whether either player will start this afternoon when the Astros try to avoid being swept in the finale of their three-game home series against the Oakland Athletics.

          • Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber was scratched from last night's lineup due to a sore elbow. He seemingly suffered the injury Tuesday night while diving back to the bag on a pickoff throw. The Phillies were also without J.T. Realmuto for the fifth game in a row as the backstop is nursing a knee contusion. The club is off today and is hopeful that both Schwarber and Realmuto can return tomorrow for the opener of a home series against the New York Mets.

          • Arizona Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly had to exit last night's start due to left hamstring cramps. Kelly completed four innings before leaving. The injury isn't considered serious, but the right-hander has previously experienced the issue. He's tentatively expected to make his next start, currently slated for next Monday.

          • The Diamondbacks went on to defeat the Texas Rangers 14-4. A save was credited to LHP Jordan Montgomery after he hurled three scoreless frames against the team he helped beat the Diamondbacks in last season's World Series. It's been an otherwise frustrating season for the southpaw, starting with his late signing, then his poor pitching performance between multiple injuries.

          • The Atlanta Braves placed RHP Reynaldo Lopez on the 15-day IL because of right shoulder inflammation. Lopez experienced shoulder tightness during his Tuesday start, mustering just one inning before exiting. The Braves were hopeful that Lopez could avoid missing so much time with so little of the season remaining, but they've now made the move. A logical replacement is RHP Ian Anderson, who hasn't appeared in the majors since 2022. Anderson pitched in the minors on Tuesday night, so he lines up perfectly to take Lopez's spot. Anderson has spent most of the season with Triple-A Gwinnett where he's posted a 4.27 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Control has been an issue, which is common for those recovering from Tommy John surgeries.

          • Los Angeles Dodgers OF Teoscar Hernandez was finally back in action last night. He had missed the previous four contests due to an ankle contusion, incurred after being hit by a pitch last Friday.

          Everything else you need to know for Thursday

          • Frankie Montas (11% rostered in ESPN leagues) has shown across-the-board improvement since joining the Milwaukee Brewers at the trade deadline. Before the trade, he posted a 5.01 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 7.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 across 19 starts. Since being acquired by the Brewers, he has made seven starts, putting up a 3.92 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 9.7 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9. Fire him up as a streaming option Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, whose offense is limping to the finish line, posting an 84 wRC+ and 28.6% strikeout rate over the last month.

          • The Texas Rangers plan to call up Kumar Rocker (4% rostered) to make his major league debut Thursday against the Seattle Mariners. Rocker, who is making his way back from Tommy John surgery, has pitched across three minor league levels this season. He concluded with two starts at Triple-A Round Rock, where he allowed two runs and fanned a whopping 18 batters over 10 innings. Reports indicate that the organization aims to limit the 24-year-old to around 50 total innings this season, meaning he'll likely make only two or three starts with the Rangers before being shut down. While his fantasy impact this year will be limited, those in keeper and dynasty leagues should take notice.

          • Gavin Williams (12%) has had a rollercoaster season. Two starts ago, he pitched seven innings of one-run ball against the Kansas City Royals. However, in his last outing, he failed to get past the first inning, surrendering five runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers in just 2/3 of an inning. Nevertheless, an upcoming start Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays looks promising for the 25-year-old right-hander. Not only have the Rays ranked bottom-five in MLB with a 77 wRC+ over the last 30 days, but they have also struck out at a 26.3% clip, making this a high-upside matchup for Williams.

          • Rookie Hayden Birdsong has made 12 starts for the San Francisco Giants this season, but the results have been more bad than good. The 23-year-old has been tagged for a 5.19 ERA, including a bloated 6.1 BB/9 and 1.73 HR/9. Milwaukee Brewers hitters should capitalize on this matchup. While William Contreras (99%) and Willy Adames (91%) are rostered in nearly all leagues, Brice Turang (67%), Jackson Chourio (66%), Rhys Hoskins (26%), and Garrett Mitchell (1%) remain widely available.

          • Betting tip of the day: Take over 5.5 strikeouts (-140) for Sonny Gray of the St. Louis Cardinals in his afternoon matchup versus the Cincinnati Reds. Gray has piled up at least six strikeouts in 12 of his last 13 starts. Additionally, the Reds are fanning at a 25% clip against right-handed pitching this season, the fourth-highest rate in MLB.

          Starting pitcher rankings for Thursday

          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.

          Hitting report

          Plan ahead in fantasy baseball with help from our Forecaster projections. Each day, we will provide an updated preview of the next 10 days for every team, projecting the matchup quality for hitters (overall and by handedness) as well as for base stealers.

          Best sub-50% rostered hitters for Thursday

          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.

          Worst over-50% rostered hitters for Thursday

          THE BAT X's Best Stacks for Thursday