This Week in Fantasy Baseball: Can McCutchen Finally Be Mc "Clutch" en Again?

Here is a look at intriguing matchups and storylines heading into the week of June 20-26 in fantasy baseball:

One to Watch

• OF Andrew McCutchen: A consensus first-round pick tfor the past several years, McCutchen has scuffled to a .244/.324/.416 slash line, all which would be career lows if extended through a full season. His K-rate is also higher than ever and BB-rate well below career norms.
  
  He has five hits in his last three games, one of which was a home run, and has only struck out once in that time. He even stole a base (!), a part of his game that has steadily eroded. With a pair of four-game road sets against the Giants and Dodgers this week, McCutchen's prospects for the rest of the season may become a bit clearer.

Two-Start Studs

• Madison Bumgarner, Giants (at Pirates, vs. Phillies): One of the immediate tests McCutchen will take is against the rolling Bumgarner. He hasn't allowed more than two runs in a start since mid-April and has completed six innings in every start during that time. He has a 1.91 ERA and a 10.24 K/9 this season and is a must-start every time.

• Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (vs. Nationals, at Pirates): The only lefty better than Bumgarner. He's only finished fewer than seven innings once this season. You know how good Kershaw is. He is a DFS anchor and the only pitcher who has earned perennial first-round draft status. You dream of his two-start weeks.

• Sonny Gray, Athletics (vs. Brewers, at Angels): There are a couple more obvious choices, but Gray gets the K-happy Brewers and the generally anemic Angels. Gray could see an influx in his K-rate against Milwaukee. He's been generally better since returning from injury and even his last start was spotless until the sixth. He's still under the radar.

Must-Starts (Daily Fantasy)

• The Seattle Offense (Monday): The Mariners should be the top stack on Monday in Detroit against Tigers SP Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey is 1-7 through 13 starts with a 4.79 ERA and a 3.79 BB/9. He doesn't strike anyone out and he's been absolutely demolished by lefties. A small stack of Robinson Cano, Adam Lind, and Kyle Seager is a no-brainer.

• Christian Yelich, Marlins (Tuesday): Yelich is hitting .324 against RHPs on the season with all six of his home runs. On Tuesday, he'll face Braves RHP Bud Norris. After a pair of hitless games against Arizona, Yelich has rattled off a five-game hit streak. It should continue with a multi-hit offering on Tuesday.

• David Ortiz, Red Sox (Thursday): It will cost you, but with White Sox SP James Shields toeing the rubber it could quickly get ugly. Over 60 career at-bats against Shields, more than any other Red Sox player, Ortiz has hit a smooth .300 with three home runs and nine doubles. Expect Ortiz to do some damage.

• Matt Shoemaker, Angels (Wednesday): Who strikes out more than the Houston Astros? No one! By now, much has been made of Shoemaker's adjustments on the mound allowing him to be more successful at limiting runs and missing bats. He struck out 11 Astros in 8 1/3 innings on May 21. A similar outcome is imminent.

Must-Fades (Daily Fantasy)

• The St. Louis Offense (Wednesday): One of the most potent collection of bats in 2016, though terribly unpredictable, the Cardinals have the unfortunate task of sizing up Cubs SP Jake Arrieta on Wednesday. Even though St. Louis has touched him up better than anyone else this season, it's not wise to bet against the Cubs' ace. The risk makes him less of a sure thing, though, as well.

• Ryan Braun, Brewers (Friday & Sunday): Braun looks like he's starting to get hot again, but the weekend brings on Washington Nationals SPs Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg. While neither have been exactly unhittable, both have been well above average for the bulk of the season. It's better to avoid Braun against them.

• Jonathon Niese, Pirates (Thursday): Thursday has a shortened schedule and limited pitching options, which could prove tempting if Niese's salary is low enough. Even with the Giants' lefty-heavy lineup, Buster Posey and Matt Duffy should be enough on their own. Even 1B Brandon Belt has four homers off lefties this season.

Fantasy Matchup of the Week

• SP Zack Greinke at Colorado Rockies (Thursday): Greinke has been his expected, electric self in five of his last six starts. In those five, he has pitched at least seven innings and allowed only four earned runs each time. But now he travels to Colorado and Coors Field for the first time in 2016. He hasn't fared well there in the past, but the intrigue is high.