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Many of you are already well into your playoffs already and I’ve even gotten some emails from people who have their finals this week. My guess is that having them this week avoids the chaos of figuring out who will play in the final week when many teams will rest their regulars for the upcoming playoffs. Still others will shut down anyone playing with a nagging injury, especially if their team is not in contention for a postseason slot.

I get lots of emails asking for “hot hitters” or “sneaky pitcher starts” for these final weeks. My advice to those folks never wavers, though. Always stick with the guys that got you to the dance in the first place. Naturally, there are exceptions, such as cases in which someone is injured or not going to play for whatever reason. But for the most part, it’s always better to stick with the lineup and staff that got you this far.

Owners of Clayton Kershaw get the benefit of two good starts from him in Week 25. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

The table below will be published each week showing the expected pitching rotation matchups, whether the game is at home or on the road, and it will include the pitcher’s win/loss record as of the date the planner is written. Finally, you will note that each matchup is assigned a ranking numbered #1-5. This number refers to my recommendation as far as starting that pitcher in Fantasy play and the rankings break down as follows:

1 – Must-Start – These pitchers are aces and are virtually matchup proof.

2 – Favorable Start – These pitchers may or may not be aces but the matchup is favorable.

3 – Streaming Option – These pitchers are in a favorable matchup, so they can be started if needed.

4 – Risky Start – The matchup is prohibitively risky. Owners are advised to avoid this pitcher.

5 – Bench – Do not start this pitcher in this matchup.

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