Skip to main content

Fantasy baseball Sunday Spotlight: Texas' Moreland a sneaky play

Texas' Mitch Moreland could be a strong Sunday night play for those who need some last-minute stats.

Texas' Mitch Moreland could be a strong Sunday night play for those who need some last-minute stats.

Every week this baseball season, we at SI Fantasy will send you into the weekend by spotlighting the Sunday night game. We call it ... wait for it ... Sunday Spotlight. I know, we're about as clever as it gets.

Planner | Waiver Wire | Pitching Report | Trade Tips | Stat Focus | Roundtable | Prospect Watch

Anyway, if you're anything like me, you watch a lot of TV on Sunday nights. I'm a huge fan of Game of Thrones and Mad Men. But I can DVR both of those and get the same excitement out of them later. The same can't be said for live sports, and you won't want to miss this Sunday's clash between the Angels and Rangers. Jered Weaver will take the mound for Los Angeles, while the almost-Mr. Perfecto Yu Darvish will start for Texas. Those two are a joy to watch for baseball fans, but they're also guys who can easily swing pitching categories in fantasy leagues on Sunday.

They're not the only Angels and Rangers capable of deciding Week 1 fantasy matchups, though. Those of you who are in daily leagues and looking for an edge might want to throw a start to Texas' Mitch Moreland, who is 9-for-26 with two homers in his career against Weaver. And this won't surprise you, but on the other side Mike Trout owned Darvish in their shared rookie season of 2012, going 6-for-17 with two homers, four RBI and five runs scored. Trout also swiped four bags with Darvish on the mound. In short, Trout is a stud. Don't be surprised if he isn't quite as overmatched as were the Astros' hitters against Darvish on Tuesday.

Turning to a bat or arm isn't always the Sunday solution, however. Don't be afraid to sit one of your regulars in order to protect your lead in batting average or OBP. Weaver and Darvish both dominated on Opening Day, and pitching as a whole looks like it's ahead of hitting in the early stages of the 2013 season.

Enjoy the games this weekend. We'll see you next week.

© 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.