Joey Wentz enters September with a pronounced regression, posting a 14.21 ERA across two starts while strikeouts remain, but homers spike and control wobbles. In fantasy leagues he’s more roster fodder than must-start, except in enticing matchups where the offense won’t feast on home runs. Framber Valdez stands out in sharp contrast: sinker-heavy, groundball-rich, and quietly elite in control, giving him a reliable fantasy floor even when strikeout upside isn’t sky-high.

The weekend set at Truist Park pits Wentz-led Atlanta against Valdez and Houston, a test of whether the Braves’ rotation can stabilize and whether Valdez can keep doing the little things that lead to wins. For fantasy managers, the tale is clear: stash Valdez as a steady asset, and treat Wentz as a risk-reward streamer only when the matchup aligns and the venue is friendly.