Kelly can produce well this week

Week 22 brings a packed schedule across baseball. That means several pitchers are lined up to make two starts each. Let’s highlight five of them and discuss what their matchups could mean for their fantasy baseball production.

Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins: vs. ATH, @ CWS

Ryan logged 6 2/3 innings in his last start, recording nine strikeouts and holding the Yankees to one run. That marked the eighth time in his last nine starts that he allowed two or fewer runs. After posting a 0.99 WHIP last season, he has a sparkling 0.92 WHIP this year. His 2.72 ERA is on pace to be the best mark of his career and it is backed by a 3.23 xERA.

Ryan has two favorable matchups coming his way for Week 22. The Athletics are tied for the seventh-most strikeouts in baseball and won’t have the advantage of facing Ryan in their hitter-friendly home park. The White Sox have scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball and have a .667 OPS as a team. There’s not a lot to like about the Twins right now, but Ryan has the potential to dominate for his fantasy managers.

Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers: @ CHC, vs. SF

Peralta has missed plenty of bats, recording at least seven strikeouts in five of his last seven starts. He has a 26.1% strikeout rate for the season, and while his 8.8% walk rate isn’t out of this world, it is lower than his mark of 9.4% last year. Improved control and hitters having just a 33.3% hard-hit rate against him has helped Peralta record a 1.12 WHIP.

Peralta has already faced the Cubs three times this season. In 15 innings against them, he has allowed eight runs and posted 16 strikeouts. The Cubs can be difficult, but the Giants aren’t nearly as imposing. They have the fifth-worst OPS in baseball. Peralta still enters Week 22 with plenty of upside.

Merrill Kelly, Texas Rangers: @ KC, vs. CLE

Facing his former team in the Diamondbacks in his last start, Kelly allowed two runs and posted five strikeouts over six innings. Since being dealt to the Rangers, Kelly has allowed two or fewer runs in two of three starts. His strikeout rate sits at just 23.3% for the season, but he has allowed only 1.1 HR/9 to help him record a 3.36 ERA. His 4.03 xERA isn’t as impressive, but he is on pace to record an ERA below 3.40 for the third time over the last four seasons.

The Royals and Guardians provide Kelly with two appealing matchups. The Royals have scored the third-fewest runs in baseball, while the Guardians have scored the fifth-fewest. The Royals have hit just 108 home runs as a team, which is the third-lowest mark. Despite his limited strikeout upside, Kelly still has the potential to produce two excellent stat lines.

Trevor Rogers, Baltimore Orioles: @ BOS, vs. HOU

Rogers has been one of the few bright spots for an otherwise disappointing Orioles squad. He has not allowed more than three runs in any of his 11 starts. In eight of his outings, he allowed one or no runs. His 1.43 ERA isn’t sustainable, but his xERA is also great at 3.05. One of the biggest differences for Rogers has been his improved control. After posting a 10.0% walk rate last season, he has a 5.7% walk rate this year. That has helped him produce a 0.81 WHIP.

Rogers will be tested with his two upcoming matchups. The Red Sox and Astros both rank inside the top three in baseball in terms of OPS against left-handed pitchers. Although the Red Sox strike out a lot, the Astros have struck out the fifth-fewest times in baseball. It’s difficult to bench Rogers in fantasy right now with how well he is pitching, but don’t be surprised if his ratios take a hit after these two outings.

Jacob Lopez, Athletics: @ MIN, @ SEA

Lopez has not given up a run in any of his last four outings. During that span, he has a 0.83 WHIP and has posted 28 strikeouts over 24 innings. His ERA now sits at 3.30 for the season and it is supported by his 3.43 xERA. He has a 28.9% strikeout rate and has limited hitters to a 6.0% barrel rate, both of which are encouraging stats for his sustained success.

Lopez could rack up plenty of strikeouts against the Mariners, who have struck out the fifth-most times in baseball. The Twins have plenty of holes in their lineup, which has contributed to them ranking inside the bottom 10 in runs scored. Things likely won’t get any better for them after they dealt away Carlos Correa at the trade deadline. If Lopez is still available in your league, he is one of the top streaming options for Week 22.

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, SportsLine and RotoWire. Mike was also a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.