This article is part of our The Z Files series.
Among the best advice I have ever received in my 20-plus year career writing about fantasy baseball is the very first.
Think about what you'd want to see when you go to a site and write about that.
Easy enough. Those words have served me well. I was doing some prep in a couple leagues and started putting together some team schedules since we're at the point decisions can be made based on that. Ding! If I want the information, others may as well.
What follows are a couple charts. The first displays the total number of games per team over the final three weeks, broken into home and away. The number of doubleheader games is included. Note, this is the number of seven-inning games, not doubleheaders. Lastly, the probable starters for Monday, Sept. 7, is listed since they're the only pitchers on track for five more starts assuming standard five days rest. Others can get the extra start if they work on short rest.
| GAMES | HOME | AWAY | DH games | Monday Pitcher | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI | 19 | 12 | 7 | 2 | Zac Gallen |
| ATL | 20 | 10 | 10 | 0 | TBD |
| BAL | 20 | 7 | 13 | 2 | |
| BOS | 18 | 6 | 12 | 2 | |
| CHC | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | Kyle Hendricks |
| CIN | 19 | 10 | 9 | 2 | |
| CLE | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | Zach Plesac |
| COL | 20 | 9 | 11 | 2 | Kyle Freeland |
| CWS | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | |
| DET | 20 | 8 | 12 | 2 | Michael Fulmer/Daniel Norris |
| HOU | 20 | 7 | 13 | 2 | TBD |
| KC | 19 | 10 |
Among the best advice I have ever received in my 20-plus year career writing about fantasy baseball is the very first.
Think about what you'd want to see when you go to a site and write about that.
Easy enough. Those words have served me well. I was doing some prep in a couple leagues and started putting together some team schedules since we're at the point decisions can be made based on that. Ding! If I want the information, others may as well.
What follows are a couple charts. The first displays the total number of games per team over the final three weeks, broken into home and away. The number of doubleheader games is included. Note, this is the number of seven-inning games, not doubleheaders. Lastly, the probable starters for Monday, Sept. 7, is listed since they're the only pitchers on track for five more starts assuming standard five days rest. Others can get the extra start if they work on short rest.
| GAMES | HOME | AWAY | DH games | Monday Pitcher | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI | 19 | 12 | 7 | 2 | Zac Gallen |
| ATL | 20 | 10 | 10 | 0 | TBD |
| BAL | 20 | 7 | 13 | 2 | |
| BOS | 18 | 6 | 12 | 2 | |
| CHC | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | Kyle Hendricks |
| CIN | 19 | 10 | 9 | 2 | |
| CLE | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | Zach Plesac |
| COL | 20 | 9 | 11 | 2 | Kyle Freeland |
| CWS | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | |
| DET | 20 | 8 | 12 | 2 | Michael Fulmer/Daniel Norris |
| HOU | 20 | 7 | 13 | 2 | TBD |
| KC | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | Brad Keller |
| LAA | 18 | 7 | 11 | 0 | |
| LAD | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | |
| MIA | 25 | 15 | 10 | 8 | Jose Urena |
| MIL | 21 | 12 | 9 | 6 | |
| MIN | 18 | 9 | 9 | 2 | Michael Pineda |
| NYM | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | David Peterson |
| NYY | 20 | 10 | 10 | 0 | Jordan Montgomery |
| OAK | 23 | 10 | 13 | 8 | TBD |
| PHI | 24 | 8 | 16 | 10 | Zack Wheeler |
| PIT | 21 | 10 | 11 | 4 | |
| SD | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | Dinelson Lamet |
| SEA | 20 | 12 | 8 | 4 | Marco Gonzales |
| SF | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | Kevin Gausman |
| STL | 26 | 12 | 14 | 12 | Johan Oviedo |
| TB | 19 | 10 | 9 | 2 | TBD |
| TEX | 21 | 11 | 10 | 2 | Kolby Allard |
| TOR | 20 | 14 | 6 | 2 | TBD |
| WAS | 21 | 14 | 7 | 6 | TBD |
St. Louis may have 26 more games, but 12 will only be seven innings. It's not a sure thing Cardinals batters get more plate appearances the rest of the way. Not to mention, they, along with the Tigers are only scheduled to play 58 games. The clubs will make up those two contests only if they're necessary to determine playoff berths.
The next table lists the remaining series for each squad. It can be helpful when looking for pitchers or hitters to pick up earlier than others. *All games will be played in designated parks, but for one game, the visitors will be the home team.
| ARI | 1 at SF | 3 vs LAD | 3 vs SEA | 3 at LAA | 3 at HOU | 2 vs TEX | 4 vs COL | ||
| ATL | 3 vs MIA | 4 at WAS | 3 at BAL | 3 at NYM | 4 vs MIA | 3 vs BOS | |||
| BAL | 2 at NYM | 4 at NYY | 3 vs ATL | 5 vs TB* | 3 at BOS | 3 at TOR | |||
| BOS | 2 at PHI | 4 at TB | 3 at MIA | 3 vs NYY | 3 vs BAL | 3 at ATL | |||
| CHC | 1 vs STL | 3 vs CIN | 3 at MIL | 2 vs CLE | 3 vs MIN | 4 at PIT | 3 at CWS | ||
| CIN | 3 at CHC | 3 at STL | 4 vs PIT | 3 vs CHW | 3 vs MIL | 3 at MIN | |||
| CLE | 4 vs KC | 3 at MIN | 2 at CHC | 4 at DET | 4 vs CWS | 3 vs PIT | |||
| COL | 3 at SD | 3 vs LAA | 2 vs OAK | 4 vs LAD | 4 at SF | 4 at ARI | |||
| CWS | 2 at PIT | 3 vs DET | 4 vs MIN | 3 at CIN | 4 at CLE | 3 vs CHC | |||
| DET | 1 at MIN | 2 vs MIL/2 at STL | 3 at CWS | 2 vs KC | 4 vs CLE | 2 at MIN | 4 at KC | ||
| HOU | 5 at OAK* | 2 at LAD | 3 vs TEX | 3 vs ARI | 3 at SEA | 4 at TEX | |||
| KC | 4 at CLE | 3 vs PIT | 2 at DET | 3 at MIL | 3 vs STL | 4 vs DET | |||
| LAA | 3 at TEX | 3 at COL | 3 vs ARI | 3 vs TEX | 1 vs TEX | 2 at SD | 3 at LAD | ||
| LAD | 3 at ARI | 2 vs HOU | 3 at SD | 4 at COL | 3 vs OAK | 3 vs LAA | |||
| MIA | 3 at ATL | 6 vs PHI | 1 vs PHI | 3 vs BOS | 5 vs WAS | 4 at ATL | 3 at NYY | ||
| MIL | 2 at DET | 3 vs CHC | 5 vs STL | 3 vs KC | 3 at CIN | 5 at STL* | |||
| MIN | 1 vs DET | 2 at STL | 3 vs CLE | 4 at CHW | 3 at CHC | 2 vs DET | 3 vs CIN | ||
| NYM | 1 vs PHI | 2 vs BAL | 3 at TOT | 3 at PHI | 3 vs ATL | 3 vs TB | 4 at WAS | ||
| NYY | 3 at TOR | 4 vs BAL | 3 vs TOT | 3 at BOS | 4 at TOR | 3 vs MIA | |||
| OAK | 5 vs HOU* | 4 at TEX | 2 at SEA | 2 at COL | 3 vs SF | 3 at LAD | 4 vs SEA* | ||
| PHI | 1 at NYM | 2 vs BOS | 6 at MIA | 1 at MIA | 3 vs NYM | 4 vs TOR* | 4 at WAS | 3 at TB | |
| PIT | 2 vs CWS | 3 at KC | 4 at CIN | 5 vs STL* | 4 vs CHC | 3 at CLE | |||
| SD | 3 vs COL | 4 vs SF | 3 vs LAD | 3 at SEA | 2 vs LAA | 3 at SF | |||
| SEA | 1 vs TEX | 2 at SF | 3 at ARI | 2 vs OAK | 2 vs SF | 3 vs SD | 3 vs HOU | 4 at OAK* | |
| SF | 1 vs ARI | 2 vs SEA | 4 at SD | 2 at SEA | 3 at OAK | 4 vs COL | 3 vs SD | ||
| STL | 1 at CHC | 2 vs MIN/2 vs DET | 3 vs CIN | 5 at MIL | 5 at PIT* | 3 at KC | 5 vs MIL* | ||
| TB | 2 at WAS | 4 vs BOS | 2 vs WAS | 5 at BAL* | 3 at NYM | 3 vs PHI | |||
| TEX | 1 at SEA | 3 vs LAA | 4 vs OAK | 3 at HOU | 3 at LAA | 1 at LAA | 2 at ARI | 4 vs HOU | |
| TOR | 3 vs NYY | 3 vs NYM | 3 at NYY | 4 at PHI* | 4 vs NYY | 3 vs BAL | |||
| WAS | 2 vs TB | 4 vs ATL | 2 at TB | 5 at MIA | 4 vs PHI | 4 vs NYM |
Good luck down the stretch. As always, I'm happy to help with any pickup or lineup decision posted in the comments.
