In Week 5, the Dodgers and Nationals will each play five games, impacting fantasy baseball lineups. Understanding the schedule intricacies is crucial for optimizing player matchups.
Key points
Dodgers and Nationals play five games in Week 5
First week of the season with teams playing only five games
Importance of understanding schedule intricacies
Impact on fantasy baseball lineups
Analysis of player matchups
Los Angeles DodgersWashington Nationals
National League Championship Series - Milwaukee Brewers v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Four
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 17: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on after hitting a home run in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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Week 5 brings our first week of the season in which there are teams that only play five games each. When setting your fantasy baseball lineups, it’s important to know the intricacies of the schedule. Let’s break down which teams and players benefit from their scheduled opponents, as well as discuss those who receive a downgrade based on their matchups.
Teams That Play The Most Games in Week 5
The following teams are all slated to play seven games each during the week, giving an advantage in fantasy baseball to the hitters on those rosters.
Atlanta Braves: 4 games at WAS, 3 games vs. PHI
Boston Red Sox: 1 game vs. DET, 3 games vs. NYY, 3 games at BAL
Chicago Cubs: 4 games vs. PHI, 3 games at LAD
Colorado Rockies: 1 game vs. LAD, 3 games vs. SD, 3 games at NYM
Detroit Tigers: 1 game at BOS, 3 games at MIL, 3 games at CIN
Los Angeles Dodgers: 1 game at COL, 3 games at SF, 3 games vs. CHC
Philadelphia Phillies: 4 games at CHC, 3 games at ATL
Washington Nationals: 4 games vs. ATL, 3 games at CWS
Teams That Play The Fewest Games in Week 5
The following teams will play only five games each during the week, putting the hitters on those squads at a disadvantage in fantasy baseball.
Arizona Diamondbacks: 3 games vs. CWS, 2 games vs. SD
San Diego Padres: 3 games at COL, 2 games at ARI
3 Fantasy Baseball Winners For Week 5
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
Ohtani has already launched five home runs, but is batting just .254. Teams have been cautious with him, walking him 14 times. Still, anytime he has the potential for seven games in a week, he can carry a fantasy team. One of his games will be played at hitter-friendly Coors Field. Three others will be at home, where he has a career .317 ISO and .407 wOBA.
Q&A
Which teams are playing five games in Week 5 of the MLB season?
The Dodgers and Nationals are among the teams scheduled to play five games in Week 5.
How does the Week 5 schedule affect fantasy baseball lineups?
The Week 5 schedule influences fantasy baseball lineups by determining which players have favorable or unfavorable matchups based on their opponents.
What should fantasy baseball players consider for Week 5 matchups?
Fantasy baseball players should analyze the scheduled opponents and player performance to optimize their lineups for Week 5.
What teams are receiving downgrades based on their Week 5 matchups?
The article discusses teams and players that may receive downgrades due to challenging matchups in Week 5, but specific teams are not listed in the excerpt.
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CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
Entering this year, Abrams had never hit more than 20 home runs in a season. He already has six of them through 17 games. He also has four stolen bases. A good contact hitter, his strikeout rate is only 13.9%. Three of his games next week will be against the White Sox, who have the third-highest WHIP in baseball. This is a great opportunity for Abrams to remain hot.
Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
Although Olson isn’t a flashy fantasy option, he has been a consistently productive one. He has not missed a game since the 2021 season. In each of the last four seasons, he hit at least 29 home runs and had at least 95 RBI. He is on pace to reach those thresholds again with five home runs and 14 RBI across 19 games. To start off Week 5, he will play four games against a Nationals team that has a bloated 1.56 WHIP. Look for him to thrive in that series.
3 Fantasy Baseball Losers For Week 5
Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres
The Padres only play five games next week, but they are aided by three of them being at Coors Field. Still, this is a good week to bench Bogaerts in fantasy. He already doesn’t bring much power upside to the plate after hitting a combined 22 home runs over the last two seasons.
Nolan Arenado, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arenado is a shell of the player that he was during his prime with the Rockies. He is off to a dreadful start to his tenure with the Diamondbacks, sporting a .235 wOBA over 17 games. Normally a good contact hitter, he has a 24.6% strikeout rate that is 10 percentage points higher than his career. With just five games upcoming in Week 5, there’s no reason to consider rolling with Arenado in fantasy.
Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh Pirates
One of the top prospects in baseball, Griffin is off to a quiet start after being called up to the majors. He is batting only .189 with a .279 OBP. He is also still looking for his first home run. The Pirates only play six games next week, which begins with a three-game series against the Rangers in Texas in which Jacob deGrom is scheduled to pitch. The Pirates close out the week with three games against the Brewers, who are expected to start Brandon Woodruff and Jacob Misiorowski in the series. Benching Griffin in fantasy could be a wise decision.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
