Pepiot owns an 11-10 record and 3.59 ERA, a solid strike-thrower whose outings will test Toronto’s lineup across the opener and beyond as Rays try to stay in the hunt.

Pepiot felt fatigue before start; the decision to push his turn forced a bullpen night and limited him to a brief appearance, highlighting fragility in the rotation and elevating the importance of Shaping a bullpen-heavy plan.

Pepiot has mirrored solid 2025 results with a 3.59 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and ~24% K-rate. Recent three-start run shows dominance, with limited hits allowed and heavy fastball-changeup usage driving success. A favorable next start vs Chicago White Sox adds to the allure for fantasy rosters down the stretch.

Pepiot’s home start against Cleveland lines up as a favorable juice-play, with Cleveland’s offense ranking near the bottom in OPS and xwOBA. Pepiot’s recent scoreless-inning streak adds appeal for cash-game reliability and deep-league GPP exposure.

Pepiot faces the Nationals as the Rays’ starter, with the Rays’ bottom-order tweaks designed to maximize offense and pressure on WAS, while Pepiot looks to deliver a solid length and keep Washington in check.