Fantasy baseball lineup advice for Sunday: Scherzer, Painter look to bounce back

Everything you need to know to set your fantasy baseball lineups for Sunday's MLB action.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 10:00pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game or match, with sharp planes of vibrant colors like cobalt blue, crimson red, and golden yellow, conceptually representing the analytical nature of fantasy baseball lineup decisions.A cubist interpretation of the key fantasy baseball storylines and player matchups for Sunday's MLB slate.Philadelphia Today

ESPN's fantasy baseball experts provide lineup advice and pitcher rankings for Sunday's MLB games, highlighting starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Andrew Painter as potential bounce-back options, as well as hitters to stream and avoid.

Why it matters

Fantasy baseball managers need up-to-date information on pitcher matchups, injury updates, and lineup decisions to make informed lineup choices each day. This article provides that essential data to help set competitive fantasy rosters.

The details

Noah Cameron is set to make his second start at the renovated Kauffman Stadium, where the average fly ball distance is three feet shorter than last season, benefiting fly ball pitchers like Cameron. Max Scherzer has been cleared to start for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Minnesota Twins, despite leaving his last outing early with forearm tendinitis. Andrew Painter, the Philadelphia Phillies rookie, will face the Arizona Diamondbacks at home, looking to rebound after a rocky second start.

  • Noah Cameron's second start at the renovated Kauffman Stadium
  • Max Scherzer's start for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Minnesota Twins
  • Andrew Painter's start for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Arizona Diamondbacks

The players

Noah Cameron

A starting pitcher who is set to make his second start at the renovated Kauffman Stadium, where the average fly ball distance is three feet shorter than last season, benefiting fly ball pitchers like Cameron.

Max Scherzer

A veteran starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays who has been cleared to start against the Minnesota Twins, despite leaving his last outing early with forearm tendinitis.

Andrew Painter

A rookie starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies who will face the Arizona Diamondbacks at home, looking to rebound after a rocky second start.

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What they’re saying

“At some point, homers will pick up with the altered dimensions, but so far this season, the average fly ball distance is three feet shorter than at the same time last season, benefiting fly ball pitchers like Cameron.”

— ESPN Fantasy

“The Twins' offense is off to a surprisingly solid start, averaging the eighth most runs per game in MLB, but they're also striking out at the seventh highest clip.”

— ESPN Fantasy

“For the season, the Philadelphia Phillies rookie [Andrew Painter] sports a stingy 27.1% HardHit%.”

— ESPN Fantasy

The takeaway

This article provides valuable insights for fantasy baseball managers looking to make informed lineup decisions for Sunday's MLB games, highlighting key pitchers and hitters to consider starting or avoiding based on their recent performance and upcoming matchups.