With a lot of teams receiving an off day Monday, we don’t have the busiest of slates in the majors. However, there is still plenty of money to be won, so let’s break things down and highlight some players with matchups to exploit.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/7/2019
Tuesday’s 13-game main evening slate in DFS brings a nice mix of choices. There are not only a few pitchers at various price points who could provide value, but there are also some stacks that could pay off in a big way.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/9/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Although there are a couple of doubleheaders Monday, only nine games will make up the main slate in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Jose Berrios vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $10,100
DraftKings = $12,100
Berrios has allowed five home runs in his last two starts and has had problems keeping hitters inside the park this season with a 1.3 HR/9. However, he still has a 3.54 ERA and a 3.39 FIP in large part because of his 1.00 WHIP. He had control issues when he began his career in the majors, but he’s thrown a first-pitch strike to 65.6% of the batters that he has faced and has a 2.0 BB/9 this year. He also has career highs in swinging-strike rate (11.4%) and K/9 (9.0). The Royals have hit the fewest home runs (70) and scored the fewest runs (310) in baseball, making Berrios one of the top pitching options.
Kyle Hendricks vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $7,300
Hendricks has never finished with an ERA over 3.96 or a FIP over 3.88 in his career, but he has a 4.27 ERA and a 4.80 FIP this season. Both his 1.25 WHIP and 1.5 HR/9 would also be the highest marks of his career. He’s never been an overpowering pitcher, but he has just a 6.7 K/9. He’s allowed 13 runs over 13.1 innings in his last three starts, but he gave up only one run and recorded seven strikeouts over seven innings in his first start against the Giants this year. The Giants are in the bottom-third of the league in runs scored, so Hendricks is a viable option in tournament play despite his lack of strikeout potential.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Yuli Gurriel vs. Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,700
Gurriel has only hit six home runs this season, but he has followed up his .299 average last year with a .303 mark. He hasn’t been completely devoid of power as he does have 22 doubles on his way to what could be his second-straight season with at least 40 doubles. He doesn’t walk much, but he also only has a 10.6% strikeout rate. Montas has allowed a lot of baserunners with a 1.47 WHIP, so he could be in trouble with Gurriel’s ability to make contact.
Wilson Ramos vs. Francisco Liriano, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKing = $4,200
Ramos has been named to his second All-Star team in the last three seasons. He’s earned the honor to start for the AL by batting .289 with 12 home runs. The Rays have scored the fifth-fewest runs in baseball, that hasn’t stopped Ramos from recording 47 RBI. His .368 wOBA against lefties makes him a great option against Liriano.
Others to consider: Matt Adams (first base) and C.J. Cron (first base)
SECOND BASE
Max Muncy vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,200
Muncy finished a rough three-game set against the Angels 1-for-11 with six strikeouts. This might be just the matchup he needs to get back on track as Perdomo has followed up his 1.51 WHIP last year with a 2.19 WHIP in five starts this year. He has also allowed a .361 wOBA against lefties for his career. Of note, Muncy is only second base eligible on FanDuel as he is listed at first base and third base on DraftKings.
Eduardo Nunez vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,700
The Rangers starting rotation has been a mess this season. Minor’s numbers aren’t great, but he’s been one of their more reliable pitchers with a 4.63 ERA and a 4.41 FIP. He only has a 1.20 WHIP, but he’s been hurt by allowing 1.4 HR/9. Minor has held lefties to a .308 wOBA, but righties have had more success with a .336 wOBA. Nunez won’t cost much, but he is a viable option to consider in tournament play if you need to save money at second base.
Others to consider: Brian Dozier and Daniel Robertson
THIRD BASE
Jose Ramirez vs. Anthony DeSclafani, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,700
Ramirez already has more steals (19) this year than he did in all of 2017 (17) and his 24 home runs put him only five behind last year’s mark. His batting average remains excellent at .292 and he has 54 walks compared to only 44 strikeouts. He has a lofty .433 wOBA against righties, making him a great option again Monday even at this expensive price.
Matt Duffy vs. Francisco Liriano, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,500
Liriano has dominated lefties this season by holding them to a .207 wOBA, but right-handed hitters have had plenty of success with a .343 wOBA. His ERA looks respectable at 4.03, but his 5.27 FIP indicates he is not having a good year. The Rays don’t exactly have a potent offense, but Duffy hits for a high average and has some upside Monday despite his lack of homers.
Others to consider: Alex Bregman and Colin Moran
SHORTSTOP
Xander Bogaerts vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,000
Bogaerts entered Monday 6-for-12 with two home runs, two doubles, and 10 RBI in his last four games. Three of those contests came against the Royals terrible staff, but as already detailed, Minor hasn’t exactly pitched well either. Bogaerts has hit for a ton of power this season with a .520 slugging percentage and his batting average hasn’t suffered either at .281. He only has two stolen bases, but it’s hard to complain about the production he has provided.
Jorge Polanco vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,800
Duffy has been prone to horrendous starts this season, allowing at least five runs in seven of his 18 outings. The end result has been a 5.19 ERA that is supported by a 5.39 FIP. Until he makes major improvements on his 1.50 WHIP and 1.7 HR/9, continue to target hitters against Duffy in DFS. Polanco has only played in seven games this year due to suspension, but he could be one of several Twins to have a valuable performance.
Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Chris Taylor
OUTFIELD
Mookie Betts vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $6,100
Betts continues to swing a hot bat for the Red Sox as he is 23-for-64 (.359) with four home runs in his last 16 games. He only has six RBI during that stretch, but he scored 16 runs and had 12 walks compared to just eight strikeouts. His 212 wRC+ against lefties overall this year makes him a great option even though he will cost you a ton on both sites.
Juan Soto vs. Ivan Nova, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,800
Nova does a great job limiting walks, but he’s an average starting pitcher at best. He doesn’t have great stuff with just a 6.9 K/9, which is a big reason why he has also allowed 1.7 HR/9. He has allowed a wOBA of at least .361 against lefties in each of the last three seasons and is close to that mark again this year by allowing a .358 wOBA. Stacking lefties against him Monday could be a wise move, Soto included.
Kyle Tucker vs. Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $2,000
DraftKings = $4,000
Tucker had plenty of success at Triple-A this season before the Astros called him up, batting .306 with 14 home runs, 14 steals and a .371 OBP. He’s 1-for-7 in his first two games with the big club, but he has some potential Monday considering Montas has allowed a .361 wOBA against lefties. His price isn’t great on DraftKings, but at the minimum on FanDuel, he could be worth the risk in tournament play.
Others to consider: Christian Yelich and Joc Pederson
MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 16
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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If you are playing in a head-to-head fantasy league, using starting pitchers that have two starts in a week can give you a significant edge over your opponent. Here are some starters who will each start two games in the week ahead that you should either target or avoid for your lineup.
Starters With Favorable Matchups
Jose Berrios, Minnesota Twins: vs. KC, vs. TB
Berrios has allowed five home runs in his last two starts and has had problems keeping hitters inside the park, in general, this year with a 1.3 HR/9. However, he still has a 3.54 ERA and a 3.39 FIP because he has kept runners off base with a 1.00 WHIP. He had control issues when he was first called up, but he’s thrown a first-pitch strike to 65.6% of the batters that he has faced and has a 2.0 BB/9 this year. He also has career highs in swinging-strike rate (11.4%) and K/9 (9.0). His first start in Week 16 against the Royals is an excellent matchup considering they have hit the fewest home runs (70) and scored the fewest runs (310) in baseball. The Rays aren’t much better as they have the fifth-fewest home runs (79) and the fifth-fewest runs scored (347).
Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs: at SF, at SD
Hendricks has never finished with an ERA over 3.96 or a FIP over 3.88 in his career, but he has a 4.27 ERA and a 4.80 FIP this season. Not only would his 1.25 WHIP be the highest of his career, but so would his 1.5 HR/9. He’s never been an overpowering pitcher, but he has just a 6.7 K/9. He’s allowed 13 runs over 13.1 innings in his last three starts, but his fortunes could change this week since both the Giants and the Padres are in the bottom-third of the league in runs scored. He has yet to face the Padres this year, but he allowed only one run and recorded seven strikeouts over seven innings in his lone start against the Giants. You shouldn’t count on him for strikeouts, but he can still provide value in Week 16.
Zach Eflin, Philadelphia Phillies: at NYM, at MIA
Eflin was supposed to start twice in Week 15 but left his first start with a blister issue. The Phillies decided to give him an extra day of rest for his next outing, pushing him from Sunday to Monday. He was rolling before suffering the blister against the Orioles, allowing two runs and recording six strikeouts in seven innings. He’s having by far the best season of his young career, posting a 2.97 ERA, 2.92 FIP, and a 1.08 WHIP over 11 starts. Not only does he get to face the aforementioned poor Marlins lineup, but the Mets have been even worse, scoring the third-fewest runs (336). As long as his blister doesn’t cause further issues, this is shaping up to be an excellent week for Eflin.
Jhoulys Chacin, Milwaukee Brewers: at MIA, at PIT
Chacin has been a good addition to the Brewers starting staff, posting a 3.63 ERA, 3.84 FIP, and a 1.29 WHIP across 19 starts. He has only allowed 0.6 HR/9, which is nothing new considering he has a 0.8 HR/9 for his career. That’s especially impressive considering he spent six seasons having to pitch in Coors Field as a member of the Rockies. The Marlins have had a couple of big offensive performances lately, but they have still scored four runs or fewer in 8 of their last 13 games. The Pirates offense is middle of the pack at best, setting up Chacin with the potential for two strong performances. He is still available in 67% of Yahoo! leagues, so pick him up if you are looking to stream someone.
Starters to Avoid
Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners: at LAA, at COL
Leake was stellar for the Mariners in June, recording a 2.57 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in six starts. He was aided by a .225 opponents BABIP though and even with that hot stretch, he still has a 4.11 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP for the season overall. He’s never provided many strikeouts and this season has been no different with a 5.6 K/9. Leake has already faced the Angels three times this year and while he did have one good start where he allowed one run in six innings, he allowed seven runs (six earned) over 9.1 innings in the other two. It doesn’t get any easier having to pitch in Coors Field for his second start of the week, so this is not the week to take a chance on putting Leake into your lineup.
Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies: vs. ARI, vs. SEA
Like many of the Rockies’ pitchers, Anderson struggles to pitch in Coors Field. He has a 3.48 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP on the road this year, but a 4.37 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP at home. He has thrown seven fewer innings at home, but he has allowed three more home runs there than he has on the road. The Diamondbacks have had much more success against lefties with a .762 OPS this year and hammered Anderson for seven runs over 2.1 innings in their first meeting. The Mariners won’t have the use of the DH playing in the National League, but they still have a potent offense that can score in bunches. Keep Anderson on your bench.
Marcus Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays: at ATL, at BOS
Stroman got off to an abysmal start this season, then landed on the DL with a shoulder issue. He put together two strong starts upon first being activated, but was rocked for six runs over 4.2 innings in his last outing against the Mets. Things get much harder for him this week against the Braves and the Red Sox as both teams are in the top-six in baseball in runs scored. The Red Sox have also hit the second-most home runs (128). This has the potential to be a really rough Week 16 for Stroman.
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/18/18
Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/18/18
Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout
Wednesday consists of several day games in Major League Baseball, leaving a lot of options for both the early and late slates in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Jose Berrios vs. Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Hiram Bithorn Stadium
FanDuel = $9,800
DraftKings = $11,000
Berrios is one of the jewels of the Twins farm system and he was excellent in his first significant run in the starting rotation last year, finishing with a 3.89 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 8.6 K/9 in 145.2 innings. He held batters to just a 27.9% hard-hit rate and a 9.1% HR/FB rate. He’s off to an even better start this year, posting a 2.18 ERA, 1.68 FIP and a microscopic 0.63 WHIP through three outings. Teams continue to have a hard time squaring him up with an 18.4% hard-hit rate to go along with his 10.5 K/9. The Indians have the lowest team batting average (.208) and OBP (.284) in the majors, leaving Berrios with excellent upside.
Jake Faria vs. Texas Rangers
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $6,200
Faria was hit hard in his second start of the season against the Red Sox, allowing eight earned runs in 1.2 innings. He had major control issues in that game that resulted in five walks. Outside of that, he allowed two earned runs total in 9.1 innings in his other two outings. It may not be a coincidence that he was destroyed in his only road start so far this season and that he didn’t pitch nearly as poorly at home. He finished with a 3.10 ERA at Tropicana Field last year compared to 3.72 on the road, but more importantly, he had just a 1.06 WHIP at home while posting a 1.35 WHIP on the road. Against an easier lineup in the Rangers on Wednesday, he might be worth the risk in tournament play for the early late.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Cody Bellinger vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,500
Bellinger has yet to display the same power that he had in 2017, slugging just two home runs so far. He hasn’t struggled though, posting a .297 average in the early going. He dominated right-handed pitching last year, resulting in a .383 wOBA against them. Perdomo also had his struggles against left-handed hitters by allowing a .349 wOBA to them last year, making Bellinger an excellent option to consider Wednesday.
Yasmani Grandal vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,800
Grandal is swinging a hot bat right now, hitting 10-for-29 with two home runs and nine RBI in his last seven games. A switch-hitter, Grandal has been better against righties in his career with a .343 wOBA. Not only does Perdomo struggle against lefties, but he has a hard time keeping runners off base in general with a career 1.57 WHIP, which includes his staggering 2.09 WHIP through three starts this season.
Others to consider: Paul Goldschmidt (first base) and C.J. Cron (first base)
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,000
Altuve is hitting for a high average again at .314, but he has shown very little power with just two doubles and no home runs. He has hit at least 39 doubles in four straight seasons and hit exactly 24 home runs in each of the late two years, so expect him to turn things around sooner rather than later. He could be in line for a big performance Wednesday against Leake, who doesn’t have an overpowering pitch arsenal with a career 6.1 K/9.
Howie Kendrick vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,500
Kendrick continues to fly under the radar as an important part of the Nationals lineup, hitting .300 with two home runs and seven RBI this season. His .348 BABIP is almost right on par with his career mark of .340, so it’s not unreasonable to think that he can continue to hit for a high average. He finished with a 137 wRC+ against lefties last year, making him a cost-effective option to consider against Matz on Wednesday.
Others to consider: Jed Lowrie and Cesar Hernandez
THIRD BASE
Travis Shaw vs. Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,600
Mahle threw six shutout innings in his first start of the season against the Cubs but has come crashing back down to Earth by allowing 10 total runs in his last two starts. Hitters have been squaring him up well with a 40% hard-hit rate overall. Shaw posted a 127 wRC+ against righties last year, so don’t be surprised if he has a big game against Mahle.
Jeimer Candelario vs. Kevin Gausman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,400
Candelario showed promise in his brief stint with the Tigers last year, batting .330 with a .406 OBP in 27 games. He had a .270 average and .350 OBP during his career in the minors, so regression was likely in the cards heading into this season. He has only hit .220 out of the gates, but he does have four doubles, two triples and one home run so far. Gausman is struggling yet again with a 1.60 WHIP through three starts, so it might be worth taking a chance on Candelario at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Yangervis Solarte and David Freese
SHORTSTOP
Trea Turner vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,600
Turner has shown signs of coming out of his slump in the first two games of this series, hitting a combined 5-for-9 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. He’ll continue to bat leadoff with Adam Eaton (ankle) sidelined, giving him added value in DFS. It also gives him a chance to swipe more bases as well.
Corey Seager vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,400
Seager recorded just his third multi-hit game of the season Tuesday and is only batting .212 so far. He’s been very unlucky with a .236 BABIP, so don’t expect him to continue to hit this poorly for much longer. He finished with a .353 wOBA against right-handed pitching last year, which should make him a candidate for your entry against the struggling Perdomo on Wednesday.
Others to consider: Manny Machado and Trevor Story
OUTFIELD
J.D. Martinez vs. Tyler Skaggs, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900
Martinez hasn’t carried over his torrid pace from the end of last year to his new team, but he certainly hasn’t struggled by hitting .271 with three home runs and 13 RBI. He absolutely destroyed left-handed pitching last year, finishing with a 235 wRC+ against them that ranked second in baseball. Skaggs is off to a great start, but he could be in for trouble against Martinez.
Josh Reddick vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,100
The Astros lineup is loaded with excellent right-handed hitters, making Reddick an extremely important left-handed compliment. He does his job well, posting a .363 wOBA against righties in 2017. He’s off to another great start against them this year with a .443 wOBA, so don’t hesitate to add him to your lineup Wednesday.
Franchy Cordero vs. Kenta Maeda, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,500
One of the up-and-coming young players in the Padres system, Cordero is getting a chance to show his stuff with Wil Myers (arm) and Manuel Margot (ribs) on the DL. He’s only hit .231 through seven games, but he has already slugged two home runs. He was a career .282 hitter in the minors, so he should show improvement in his batting average as he continues to get accustomed to the league. Maeda has a 2.08 ERA so far this season, but it could have been worse due to his 1.73 WHIP. If you want to take a chance on a cheap outfielder with upside, Cordero might be your man.
Others to consider: Mookie Betts and Christian Yelich
Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks – June 21, 2017
Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks – June 21, 2017
Welcome to Lineup Lab’s Best Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks, where we feature our top players for our MLB Lineup Optimizer on Fanduel and Draftkings. Put your favorite stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.
Starting Pitchers
Jeff Samardzija @ Atlanta Braves
Park – SunTrust Park
We have a big main slate with a whole lot of average pitchers. While we have an ace in Carlos Carrasco, he’s facing the Orioles in Camden Yards and hasn’t been the same pitcher as of late. He’s leaving pitches in the zone and it’s resulting in a higher than ever hard contact rate. Instead, we’re going to move down a bit and take a look at Jeff Samardzija. Samardzija hasn’t been amazing this year, but he’s been as expected. He eats up innings and does a good job of limiting opposing offenses to just 2 or 3 runs at most. He will get his 7 or 8 strikeouts and work his way into plenty of wins. He faces a very poor Braves team, that happens to be without their only ++ hitter, Freddie Freeman. Since Freeman got injured, the Braves have ranked 28th in baseball against righties with a .294 wOBA. There is literally nobody to be afraid of and it just comes down to how well Samardzija can pitch. While cash games are in question as a whole on this slate, this is your best option as a whole.
Jose Berrios Vs Chicago White Sox
Park – Progressive Field
Jose Berrios has been very good. He was one of the top prospects in all of baseball for a few years and has already shown why. He’s acted like a prime number 2 this year, usually going around 7 and allowing 1 or 2 runs. Berrios has been absolutely dominant against both sides of the plate in his 8 starts, sporting a .265 combined wOBA. He’s striking out over 8.5 batters per 9 innings and has posted a very strong 0.8 HR/9. He’s also been extremely consistent, which is rare to see out of a 23-year-old. Berrios has gone at least 6 innings in all but 1 start, in which he went 5 innings. This kid is special and will be a pitcher we target for a long time. He is however very young and he can still implode at any time. Fortunately, he’s facing off with the White Sox. They have been one of the worst teams all year long and hold the 4th lowest wOBA on the road in all of the majors. Berrios has plenty of opportunities here, but it really just comes down to whether he can keep the ball in the zone. Nobody on this White Sox team is going to battle and put up consistent at-bats in Progressive Field.
Offensive Stacks
New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels (Ricky Nolasco)
Park – Yankee Stadium
This offense is pretty easy to love tonight. When initially looking at the slate, they stand out like a sore thumb. When any team holds an implied run total over 6 runs and that team is outside of Coors Field, you must take notice. The Yankees are in that spot tonight and I find myself thinking they may be in that spot somewhat often with how their offense is rolling. They face off with arguably the worst pitcher on the entire slate. So far in 2017, Ricky Nolasco has managed to sport a .386 wOBA against righties and a .357 to lefties. He’s also allowed an insane 21 home runs in less than 21 innings. Yes, you read that correctly. Both Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez are hitting home runs every night and both look like the next Babe Ruth. If you’re stacking the Yankees, you play them both. You can then go a lot of different ways. Matt Holliday deserves a lot of consideration and hits righties extremely well. Starlin Castro and Aaron Hicks are both solid, but should be highly owned and aren’t must plays. Personally, I will have a ton of exposure to the “main stack” in both cash games and tournaments. The Yankees are very safe tonight and if they go down in flames to Ricky Nolasco, I’ll take the loss and move on.
Main Stack – Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Starlin Castro, Matt Holliday
Sneaky Stack – Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, Didi Gregorious
St. Louis Cardinals @ Philadelphia Phillies (Nicholas Pivetta)
Park – Citizens Bank Park
The Cardinals are a pretty weird team to target as a stack. it’s always tough to figure out what you do with guys like Yadier Molina, Kolten Wong, and Paul DeJong. Statistically, they can hit home runs. However, they don’t aim for the fences and often find themselves labeled as “boring” or as having “no ceiling”. Instead, I like to look at these guys as under-owned. You can get these lower in the order bats at a much lower ownership and if they happen to drive in some runs, you’re in a splendid spot. The Cardinals are facing off with the Phillies and Nick Pivetta tonight. Pivetta has been atrocious against both sides of the plate, holding a .361 combined wOBA. Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler are obviously your top 2 targets, with Aledmys Diaz and Stephen Piscotty up next. The Cardinals offense isn’t very concentrated, so feel free to take a shot on a guy who sneaks into the lower part of the order.
Main Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Aledmys Diaz, Stephen Piscotty
Sneaky Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Yadier Molina, Jedd Gyorko