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MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 13

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

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

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 13

Gerrit Cole, Houston Astros: vs. TB, vs. KC

Cole had his worst start of the season in his last outing against the Athletics as he allowed four runs in six innings. He still had six strikeouts, so it says a lot about how well he is pitching that this was his worst start. He’s been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, posting a 2.40 ERA, 2.74 FIP and a 0.88 WHIP in 14 starts. His 12.5 K/9 is by far the highest of his career, giving him a significant boost in value. Both the Rays and the Royals are in the bottom-six in baseball in runs scored, leaving Cole with the potential to provide fantasy owners with an extremely valuable week.

Trevor Bauer, Cleveland Indians: vs. CWS, vs. DET

Bauer is in the midst of a breakout season. He has never finished a season with an ERA below 4.18, but he has a sparkling 2.69 ERA and 2.32 FIP this year. His 1.12 WHIP has been a big reason for his success. His .303 BABIP allowed is right in line with his career mark, which makes his hot start even more encouraging. He also has at least 10 strikeouts in five of his last six starts, leading to an 11.6 K/9 overall. The White Sox have scored the fifth-fewest runs (265) in baseball and the Tigers have the sixth-lowest road OPS (.676), so look for Bauer to have a dominant week.

Domingo German, New York Yankees: vs. SEA, at TB

With Jordan Montgomery (elbow) out for the season, German should remain in the Yankees starting rotation, unless they make a trade to add another starter. His initial results haven’t been great with a 5.77 ERA in seven starts. His 1.18 WHIP is good, but he’s allowed seven home runs in 39 innings. However, if your team is lacking strikeouts, German did record a 10.4 K/9 during that stretch. The matchup against the Mariners isn’t great, but he did allow three runs and record 10 strikeouts over six innings in his last start against the Rays. German is still available in 83% of Yahoo! leagues and although you may have to stomach him giving up some runs, he certainly has significant strikeout upside.

Andrew Suarez, San Francisco Giants: vs. MIA, vs. SD

Suarez’s 4.92 ERA isn’t great, but his 3.85 FIP indicates he isn’t pitching that poorly. He has a respectable 1.26 WHIP and an 8.5 K/9, but he’s been done in by a 1.4 HR/9. Most of his struggles have come on the road this season with a 6.18 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP, but he has a 3.55 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP at AT&T Park. Not only are both of his starts at home in Week 13, but they also come against two of the worst lineups in baseball in terms of runs scored. If you need a streaming option this week, Suarez is still available in 95% of Yahoo! leagues.

Starters to Avoid

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 13

Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners: at NYY, at BOS

Gonzales is having a fine season for the Mariners with a 3.42 ERA and a 3.20 FIP. This is a nightmare week for him, though, with two starts on the road against excellent lineups. Both the Yankees and the Red Sox are in the top-three in baseball in home OPS and overall runs scored. The Red Sox have struggled against left-handed pitching, but the Yankees have the highest OPS (.814) against them in baseball. There will be plenty of weeks where you want Gonzales in your lineup, but this is not one of them.

Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox: at CLE, vs. OAK

Covey couldn’t have pitched much worse for the White Sox last year, recording a 7.71 ERA, 7.20 FIP and 1.67 WHIP in 18 appearances, 12 of which were starts. He only had a 5.3 K/9 and gave up 20 home runs in 70 innings. He’s been on the opposite end of the spectrum this season with a 2.29 ERA and a 2.16 FIP. Not only is his K/9 much improved at 8.4, but he has yet to give up a home run. His WHIP is better at 1.30, but it’s still too high in the grand scheme of things if he is going to continue to have this much success. If he starts giving up home runs, his ERA could increase in a hurry. Both the Indians and the Athletics are in the top-seven in home runs in baseball, making Covey a risky play this week despite his early success.

Tyler Chatwood, Chicago Cubs: vs. LAD, at CIN

Chatwood just can’t seem to get out of his own way. His 4.12 ERA and 8.2 K/9 are both an improvement from last year, but his overall numbers would be so much better if he could find the plate. He has an almost unheard of 8.2 BB/9, leading to a 1.75 WHIP. He only issued two walks in his last start against the Brewers, but he’s going to need to string together a few starts where he has better control before you want to put him back into your lineup. The Dodgers and the Reds are both in the top-six in walks, so keep Chatwood anchored to your bench.

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/15/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

Friday night brings a packed slate in baseball with 15 games. 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/15/18

Corey Kluber vs. Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $12,000
DraftKings = $13,600

Kluber’s consistency gives him an extremely high floor in DFS. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any start this season and he has pitched at least seven innings in 10 of his 14 outings. As good as his 0.87 WHIP was in 2017, he’s been even better so far this year with a 0.83 WHIP. He’s shown great control with a 0.9 BB/9, which certainly helps his pitch count and allows him to log so many innings each game. He thrives pitching in Progressive Field as well, recording a 1.26 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 10.3 K/9 there this season. He’s costly, but he should be worth it.

Seth Lugo vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $7,100

Lugo has pitched primarily out of the bullpen this season, but he should start until Noah Syndergaard (finger) returns from the DL. He pitched very well against a potent Yankees lineup in his last outing, striking out eight batters and allowing only two hits in eight scoreless innings. He has a career-high 9.3 K/9 this season with some of that possibility attributed to his average fastball velocity of 93.8 mph, which is up significantly from 91.8 mph last year. Some of that might be because he is giving max effort in short relief appearances, so it will be interesting to see if he can maintain that increased velocity as a starter. The Diamondbacks lineup has been much better lately, but they still have the third-lowest OPS against righties (.664) in baseball.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/15/18

Matt Adams vs. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,900

The Nationals have been using Adams and Mark Reynolds to fill in at first base for Ryan Zimmerman (back), with Adams normally playing against righties. With the DH in Toronto, both could play Friday anyways. Adams had an excellent .367 wOBA against righties last year but has been even better this season with a .415 wOBA against them. Left-handed hitters have had a lot of success against Sanchez as well with a .406 wOBA this year.

Greg Bird vs. Nathan Eovaldi, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,100

Bird is finally healthy, but he’s only batting .200 in his first 14 games. His .229 BABIP certainly isn’t helping his cause, but he is hitting for power with three home runs and four doubles. Eovaldi is not a big strikeout pitcher and he has allowed a .342 wOBA against lefties for his career, so this could be the matchup that Bird needs to start turning things around.

Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo (first base) and Wilson Ramos (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/15/18

Scooter Gennett vs. Chad Kuhl, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,700

Gennett is off to a scorching start with a .347 average, but his .397 BABIP indicates a bit of luck has been involved. That might be bad news if you own him in season-long leagues, but we can continue to ride his hot streak in DFS. Kuhl allows a lot of base runners with a 1.36 WHIP and also gives up a lot of homers with a 1.5 HR/9. He has held right-handed hitters to a .313 wOBA, but lefties have had a lot of success against him with a .363 wOBA.

Jedd Gyorko vs. Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,400

Gyorko is one of my favorite cheap players to target when he is facing a lefty since he has a 239 wRC+ against them this season. He has also owned Lester during his career, batting 9-for-22 (.409) with three home runs. Gennett may have a higher upside, but the savings you can get with Gyorko might make him just as valuable.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Josh Harrison

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/15/18

Justin Turner vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,000

Normally an excellent hitter for average, Turner is batting just .253 this season. He may still be shaking off some rust after missing the start of the year with a wrist injury, but it’s a good sign that he has a 37.5% hard-hit rate. He still has a 173 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers despite his struggles, making him a great option against the underwhelming Holland.

Colin Moran vs. Matt Harvey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,200

The Pirates try to limit Moran’s exposure to lefties, but that won’t be an issue against Harvey. Harvey is also horrid against left-handed hitters, allowing a .406 wOBA against them. Moran doesn’t have a lot of power upside, but all five of his home runs this year have come off of righties.

Others to consider: Nolan Arenado and Miguel Andujar

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/15/18

Didi Gregorius vs. Nathan Eovaldi, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,600

Gregorius couldn’t have been much worse in May, batting .151 with just one homer. He’s turned things around since the calendar flipped to June, batting .270 with two home runs. He loves hitting at Yankee Stadium as 11 of his 13 homers have come there this season. He has the opportunity for plenty of counting stats in the middle of the loaded Yankees lineup, making him a great option now that he is swinging a hot bat again.

Chris Taylor vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,100

Holland isn’t much more than a journeyman starter at this point in his career, but he still has an excellent .195 wOBA against left-handed hitters this season. Righties have a .351 wOBA against him, though, bringing Taylor into the discussion for Friday. Taylor also hit lefties well with a .363 wOBA, leaving him as someone to consider if you don’t want to pay up for Gregorius.

Others to consider: Trevor Story and Trea Turner

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/15/18

Juan Soto vs. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,400

Soto is only 19 years old and has played just 20 games in the majors, but the numbers he is putting up are staggering. He is batting .344 with a 1.088 OPS and actually has more walks (12) than strikeouts (11). Considering his young age, that walk to strikeout rate is even more impressive. With Sanchez’s struggles against left-handed hitters already detailed, Soto is someone to target for your outfield.

Matt Kemp vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,200

Kemp’s second stint with the Dodgers couldn’t be going much better as he is batting .335 with 10 homers. He has cooled off some since hitting .361 in May, but he’s not exactly struggling with a .300 average in June. He’s another Dodger righty who hits lefties well considering he has a 183 wRC+ against them this season.

Brandon Nimmo vs. Zack Godley, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,000

The Mets lineup has been terrible, but Nimmo has been one of their few bright spots. He’s shown a nice combination of power and speed with nine home runs and six steals. His .265 average isn’t off the charts, but he gets on base a lot with a .403 OBP. He has a .452 wOBA against right-handers pitchers and since Godley has a bloated 1.54 WHIP, Nimmo could find himself on base plenty in this game.

Others to consider: Yasiel Puig and Austin Meadows

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

There are a lot of games with early start times Wednesday, but since the majority of the games will be played at night, let’s focus on that 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18

Trevor Bauer vs. Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $10,200
DraftKings = $11,500

Bauer has shown the potential to be an excellent starting pitcher, but he had never finished with an ERA better than 4.18 heading into this season. He has had problems keeping runners off base with a 1.34 WHIP for his career. His WHIP is much better this year at 1.15, leading to a 2.62 ERA and a 2.47 FIP. Opponents have a .305 BABIP against him, so the improvement is not due to him being lucky. He has only allowed five home runs in 86 innings and his 12.8% swinging-strike rate has helped him post an 11.4 K/9. This is a great matchup for Bauer as the White Sox have struck out the sixth-most times (612) in baseball.

Caleb Smith vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $9,100

The Marlins starting rotation certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but Smith has done a great job through his first 13 starts. His 3.70 ERA is supported by a 3.50 FIP and a 1.19 WHIP, even though he does walk too many batters. He makes up for that in the strikeout department with a 10.8 K/9. Although he doesn’t always pitch deep into games, he’s allowed more than three runs in a start only three times. You generally want to play him for his strikeout upside, which is even greater Wednesday since the Giants are tied for the third-most strikeouts (624) in baseball.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18

Joey Votto vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,600

Votto continues to hit for a high average at .309 and draw a ton of walks. He is on pace to have more walks than strikeouts for the third time in the last four years. One area he is lacking in this season is the power department as he has only six home runs, four of which he hit towards the end of April. Even if he doesn’t go deep again Wednesday, his ability to get on base still makes him a great option to consider.

Austin Romine vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
Draft Kings = $3,600

Romine is the Yankees backup catcher, but he’s locked in a Sonny Gray’s personal catcher and will start Wednesday. Romine only has 76 plate appearances this year, but he is batting .348 with a 1.027 OPS. That’s obviously not going to last, but he does have 20 RBI and has been great with runners in scoring position. He gets plenty of those opportunities in the loaded Yankees lineup and is a cheap option with upside for your entry.

Others to consider: Jose Martinez (first base) and Tucker Barnhart (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18

Brian Dozier vs. Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,100

Dozier was starting to turn things around, but he’s hitless in his last three games. He’s batting only .235 this season but has been a much better hitter in the second half of seasons in recent years. This might be just the matchup he needs to get his bat going again since he is 13-for-32 (.406) with three home runs and three doubles in his career against Boyd.

Jedd Gyorko vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,400

Whenever a lefty is on the mound against the Cardinals, Gyorko is someone to target. He has just a 62 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers this year but has owned lefties with a 246 wRC+. Lauer has been awful with a 6.64 ERA and a 2.06 WHIP, making Gyorko an excellent budget-friendly option.

Others to consider: Scooter Gennett and Starlin Castro

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18

Miguel Andujar vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,200

The young talent the Yankees have offensively is truly impressive. Their first wave of young stars was Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez and now it is Andujar and Gleyber Torres. Andujar is an excellent all-around hitter and even though he doesn’t walk much, he is still batting .310. He gets a lot of extra-base hits and doesn’t strikeout out much either with a 17.4% strikeout rate. Fedde will be called up to make his second start of the season for Nationals after recording an unimpressive 4.92 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in Triple-A.

Brian Anderson vs. Andrew Suarez, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,000

The Marlins have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball, so they don’t exactly have a lot of players you want to seek out in DFS. Anderson is one of the few who is having a good season as he is batting .311 with a .384 OBP. He’s even hotter right now, batting 25-for-59 (.424) in his last 15 games. He has a .350 wOBA overall this season against lefties and is someone worth playing even with his lack of power.

Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Mike Moustakas

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18

Didi Gregorius vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,100

Gregorius had a big game Tuesday, finishing 2-for-4 with two home runs. He is only batting .231 on the road this season, but he has a .263 average at Yankee Stadium. He has hit 11 of his 13 home runs at home as well. This is a good opportunity to stack Yankees with Fedde on the mound, Gregorius included.

Jose Peraza vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,400

There aren’t a lot of great cheap options at shortstop, but Peraza is someone to consider if you want to save money at the position. He has at least one hit in 13 of his last 14 games and is 19-for-55 (.345) during that stretch. Hammel allows a lot of baserunners with a 1.44 WHIP and only has a 6.1 K/9, which will only help Peraza’s cause to keep his hot streak going for at least one more game.

Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Chris Taylor

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18

Aaron Judge vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,500

Judge is hitting just .197 with six home runs on the road, but he is batting .348 with 12 home runs at Yankee Stadium. He also has a staggering .500 OBP at home. Add in the fact that he actually hits better against righties (.422 wOBA) than he does lefties (.359 wOBA) and he could be in for a big night.

Marcell Ozuna vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,000

Keep riding Ozuna’s hot streak. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI Tuesday and is now 14-for-37 (.378) in his last 10 games. He’s not just getting hits, either, as he has at least one RBI in five of his last six games.  His .343 wOBA against lefties this year despite his early struggles makes him another Cardinals’ righty with significant upside against Lauer.

Brett Gardner vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,400

With all the superstars, power bats and impressive young players on the Yankees, Gardner sometimes gets overlooked. He’s having another solid season, batting .263 with five home runs and six steals. He also has 41 runs scored as their leadoff hitter and has an excellent opportunity to score at least 100 runs for the first time in his career. If the Yankees put up a crooked number Wednesday, Gardner hitting at the top of the lineup could be in for a valuable night. His price isn’t great on DraftKings, but it’s very favorable if you are playing on FanDuel.

Others to consider: Tommy Pham and Scott Schebler

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/6/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

There are five games with early start times Wednesday, but let’s focus on the main evening 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/6/18

Shohei Ohtani vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $11,100

Ohtani’s bat has cooled off some after a hot start, but he’s still shown impressive two-way skills overall. He hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down on the mound, allowing two runs or fewer in each of his last four outings. His 3.18 ERA is supported by a strong 3.23 FIP and a 1.08 WHIP. A stellar 15.5% swinging-strike rate has helped result in an 11.3 K/9 as well. The Royals have a .720 OPS against lefties, but righties have held them to a .696 OPS. On a night with few elite pitchers taking the mound, Ohtani is one of the best options on the slate.

Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $9,400

The Red Sox have some big names in their starting rotation, but Rodriguez has quietly put together an excellent season. He has a 3.88 ERA, 3.60 FIP and a 1.21 WHIP across 11 starts, all of which would be the best marks of his career. His .296 BABIP allowed is almost right in line with his career average, but he’s taken tremendous strides in the strikeout department with a 10.7 K/9. He’s been especially strong in his last three outings, allowing four runs and recording 21 strikeouts over 18 innings. The Tigers have hit well at home this season with a .763 OPS, but they have just a .670 OPS away from Comerica Park. With Rodriguez’s strikeout upside, he could provide plenty of value.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/6/18

Matt Olson vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,400

The wheels are starting to fall off for Colon as he has allowed 15 runs over 15.1 innings in his last three starts. Opponents have been very unlucky with just a .228 BABIP against him despite a 42.9% hard-hit rate, so expect Colon’s ERA to continue to increase. Olson has a .355 wOBA against right-handed pitchers this year and his power could give Colon a lot of trouble Wednesday.

Jose Martinez vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,700

Martinez only has five home runs this year, but he already has 15 doubles in 206 at-bats after slugging 13 doubles in 272 at-bats last year. He destroyed lefties last year with a 240 wRC+ but is off to a slow start this season with a 121 wRC+ against them. Righties have a robust .389 wOBA against Chen this year, so this could be just the matchup that Martinez needs to get back on track.

Others to consider: Greg Bird (first base) and Yadier Molina (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/6/18

Brian Dozier vs. Hector Santiago, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings =  $4,200

Dozier has been known for getting off to slow starts and the same thing happened to him this year. However, he showing signs of heating up, batting 11-for-34 (.324) with two home runs in his last eight games. He has finished with a wOBA of at least .397 in both of the last two seasons against lefties, so expect his current .317 wOBA against them to improve as he continues to heat up. Santiago allows way too many baserunners with a 1.62 WHIP, leaving Dozier as an excellent option for your entry.

Jedd Gyorko vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,700

With Chen taking the mound for the Marlins, you should be seeking out right-handed hitters on the Cardinals. Gyroko hasn’t had much success against righties, but he is mashing lefties with a 255 wRC+ this season. If you can’t make Dozier work with your budget, Gyorko is a cost-effective option with upside in tournament play. Of note, Gyorko is only second base eligible on FanDuel as he is listed at third base on DraftKings.

Others to consider: Jed Lowrie and Ian Kinsler

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/6/18

Miguel Sano vs. Hector Santiago, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,100

Sano is very much an all-or-nothing type of hitter. He has seven home runs in only 125 at-bats, but he is batting just .208 with a 39.6% strikeout rate. He’s probably never going to provide a high batting average, but his power is unquestioned. He has a career .364 wOBA against lefties, making him a viable candidate against the underwhelming Santiago.

Miguel Andujar vs. Sam Gaviglio, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,900

Andujar is an extra-base machine, hitting seven home runs and 20 doubles already this year. He doesn’t walk much, but he hits for a high average and only has an 18.5% strikeout rate. His splits are pretty even at home and on the road, so he’s not just taking advantage of hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. He has a .396 wOBA against righties as well, so don’t be afraid to play him because he doesn’t have the righty/lefty advantage Wednesday.

Others to consider: Nolan Arenado and Luis Valbuena

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/6/18

Xander Bogaerts vs. Blaine Hardy, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,700

Hardy has done a nice job since entering the starting rotation for the Tigers, posting a 2.82 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP across four outings. He doesn’t strike out many hitters, though, with just a 7.5 K/9 for his career. It’s also an entirely different story facing the Red Sox, who have one of the most potent lineups in baseball. Bogaerts has a career .374 wOBA against lefties and is one of the best shortstops available Wednesday.

Chris Taylor vs. Trevor Williams, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,300

Taylor received his first opportunity to play every day last year and cashed in by hitting .288 with 21 home runs and 17 steals. He was aided by a .361 BABIP, likely making him a regression candidate heading into this season. That has indeed been the case as he is batting .257 with a .323 BABIP. He is still hitting for power with eight home runs, but he only has three steals. He does have at least two hits in three of his last four games and he has almost identical numbers against righties as he does lefties, so it might be worth taking a chance on his hot bat.

Others to consider: Didi Gregorius and Marcus Semien

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/6/18

J.D. Martinez vs. Blaine Hardy, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $5,000

Martinez is putting up insane numbers again, batting .318 with 20 home runs. He has been a monster in Fenway Park with a 1.206 OPS. With a career .384 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, he’s a hitter to build your entry around regardless of his expensive price.

Marcell Ozuna vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $3,800

Ozuna may have been trying too hard to make a good impression with his new team, getting off to a very slow start. He still only has five home runs this year, but he is 8-for-14 in his last four games and has his average all the way up to .281. He also has a .357 wOBA against lefties despite all of his issues, making him another Cardinals’ hitter to try and squeeze into your lineup.

Brett Gardner vs. Sam Gaviglio, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,200

Gardner entered the month of May batting .210 with one home run and four total extra-base hits. He’s been a different hitter since, batting .310 with three home runs, seven doubles, and two triples. One of the big reasons for his improvement has been better plate discipline. He had 27 strikeouts in his first 100 at-bats, but only has 15 strikeouts in 100 at-bats since. He gets plenty of chances to score runs hitting atop a loaded Yankees lineup too, further adding to his upside.

Others to consider: Mike Trout and Dustin Fowler

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/5/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

Outside of a doubleheader between the Twins and White Sox, we’ve got a full slate of night baseball in the majors Tuesday. 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/5/18

Max Scherzer vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $12,000
DraftKings = $13,300

Scherzer mowed down the Orioles in his last start, allowing just three base runners and recording 12 strikeouts in eight shutout innings. In his 12 starts this season, Scherzer has allowed one or no runs six times. His 1.92 ERA is supported by a strong 1.94 FIP and 0.85 WHIP. Keeping runners off base continues to be a strength for Scherzer as this would mark his fourth straight season with a WHIP of 0.97 or lower. The Rays have scored the sixth-fewest runs (238) in baseball and won’t have the benefit of the designated hitter either, so don’t hesitate to pay up for Scherzer.

Sean Newcomb vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $9,200

The Braves rotation has been much improved this year with Newcomb becoming one of the best pitchers on the staff. Other than a 4.3 BB/9, there is a lot to like about his numbers. In his 11 starts, he has a 2.73 ERA, 3.13 FIP, and a 1.21 WHIP. He’s only allowed three home runs in 62.2 innings and is getting plenty of strikeouts with a 9.2 K/9. His numbers are even better on the road, recording a 2.06 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 10.8 K/9 across seven outings. The Padres have struck out the second-most times (581) in baseball, leaving Newcomb with the potential for a valuable performance.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/5/18

Mitch Moreland vs. Artie Lewicki, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,600

Moreland is now locked in at first base for the Red Sox with Hanley Ramirez no longer with the team. Moreland is off to great start, hitting for both average and power. Not only is he batting .305, but his .631 slugging percentage would be by far the highest of his career. With a lofty .442 wOBA against right-handed pitching this year, Moreland is an excellent option against the underwhelming Lewicki, who will be making his first start of the season.

Greg Bird vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,100

After going hitless in his first game of the season, Bird has at least one hit in each of his last six games. He adds another power bat to an already loaded Yankees lineup as he already has two home runs and two doubles. Estrada gives up a ton of homers, following up his 1.5 HR/9 in 2017 with a 1.8 HR/9 this season. A Yankees stack could provide a lot of production Tuesday, Bird included.

Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo (first base) and Gary Sanchez (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/5/18

Whit Merrifield vs. Andrew Heaney, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,300

Merrifield is a bright building block for the Royals, hitting .288 with 19 home runs and 34 stolen bases in his first full season in the majors last year. He only has four homers this season, but he’s batting .291 with 14 steals. He’s also shown an improved eye at the plate, already recording 26 walks in 258 plate appearances after drawing just 29 walks in 630 plate appearances last year. With a career .389 wOBA against lefties, he’s a prime target facing Heaney.

Jonathan Schoop vs. Jason Vargas, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,500

Schoop was a force in the Orioles’ lineup last year, batting .293 with 32 home runs. He hasn’t been able to follow that up with a good start this season as he is batting just .238 with five homers. His hard-hit rate is way down at 22.3%, which is almost 14 percentage points lower than last year. Even with all of his struggles, he still has a .320 wOBA against lefties. Vargas has been getting hammered this season, so this might be the time to take a chance on Schoop in tournament play.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Jed Lowrie

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/5/18

Eugenio Suarez vs. Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $5,100

After providing reliable production the last two seasons, the Reds locked up Suarez to a long-term deal this spring. He has rewarded their faith in him, batting .297 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI. Although the .297 average is the highest of his career, his .308 BABIP is actually slightly lower than his career mark. His 244 wRC+ against lefties this year is especially impressive, which could make him a tough out for Freeland.

Matt Chapman vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium = Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $4,100

Moore is one of my favorite pitchers to stack against. He is having a terrible year with a 7.85 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. He has allowed fewer than three runs in only one of his starts and doesn’t carry much strikeout upside. Righties have a .390 wOBA against him as well, so Chapman is someone to consider even though he has cooled off after a red-hot start.

Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Miguel Andujar

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/5/18

Manny Machado vs. Jason Vargas, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,200

Machado is thriving in a contract year and could end up being one of the highest paid players in baseball this winter. He requested to be moved back to shortstop likely to increase his value, so he’s well aware of the impact an excellent season could have on his next deal. He has a 1.030 OPS this season after never posting an OPS above .876 in his career. You could go on for days about his excellent numbers, but another key stat is that he has a .405 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.

Brock Holt vs. Artie Lewicki, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,300

Holt is in line for more playing time with Dustin Pedroia (knee) back on the DL. Holt has dealt with his fair share of injuries during his career as well, but he’s healthy right now and batting a career-high .319. He’s been boosted by a .364 BABIP, but his strikeout rate is also down significantly. He has a .350 wOBA against righties this year, leaving him as a cost-effective option with upside.

Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Xander Bogaerts

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/5/18

Aaron Judge vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,400

Judge had a day to forget in a doubleheader against the Tigers on Monday, striking out a combined eight times. There’s no question that Judge is going to strike out a lot, but he still has a .271 average for his career. Considering Estrada gives up a lot of home runs and doesn’t have overpowering stuff, it’s no surprise that Judge is 8-for-20 (.400) with two home runs and two doubles against him.

Khris Davis vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,900

Davis’ .230 average leaves a lot to be desired, but he hasn’t disappointed in the power department with 13 home runs already despite spending 10 days on the DL. His .248 BABIP is also 30 points below his career mark, so he has some room for improvement with his average.  Davis has pretty close splits against lefties and righties for his career and is an excellent option against Moore.

Brandon Nimmo vs. Alex Cobb, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,400

Cobb was hammered in his first three starts with the Orioles and while he has shown improvement, he has allowed 16 runs (15 earned) in his last 22.2 innings. He has allowed at least one home run in seven of his nine starts as well. Nimmo has played his way into the Mets leadoff role, batting .271 with a .421 OBP. He has seven home runs and six stolen bases and should continue to play every day even when Yoenis Cespedes (hip) does eventually return. Righties have found it very difficult to get Nimmo out as he has a .475 wOBA against them.

Others to consider: Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/4/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

Monday brings an extremely light slate with only five games, four of which make up the main evening contests 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/4/18

Nick Tropeano vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $8,300

Tropeano missed the 2017 season after having Tommy John surgery and hasn’t made more than 13 starts in a season during his career. He’s been able to make eight starts so far this year, posting a 3.80 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. His 4.91 FIP and 1.6 HR/9 are a bit concerning, especially if you own him in season-long fantasy. This sets up to be a favorable matchup against the Royals, though, who struggle against right-handed pitching. They have a .749 OPS against lefties, but only a .692 OPS against righties. With no elite aces taking the mound, Tropeano has the potential to provide value.

Julio Teheran vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $9,800

Teheran had a subpar year for the Braves in 2017, finishing with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. A lot of that had to do with his troubles pitching in the new SunTrust Park as he had a 5.86 ERA there compared to a 3.14 ERA on the road. He has experienced similar results this year with a 4.91 ERA at home and a 3.18 ERA on the road. That’s good news Monday considering this game is in Petco Park, especially when you add in the fact that the Padres have the third-lowest OPS against righties (.652) in baseball.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/4/18

Greg Bird vs. Mike Fiers, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,000

The Yankees and Tigers are playing a doubleheader Monday, so not all of their regulars might play in the night portion. If Bird takes the field for the Yankees, he’s definitely someone to consider for your entry. After failing to record a hit in his first game of the season, he has logged at least one in five straight games. He’s shown power a well with a home run and two doubles. Fiers has allowed a .367 wOBA against lefties this season.

John Ryan Murphy vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,700

Murphy showed some promise early in his career as the backup catcher for the Yankees, but he didn’t play much in the majors the last two seasons. He’s only played 34 games this year, but he has already set career highs with eight home runs and 17 RBI. Five of his eight home runs have come in the last eight games. Murphy won’t be able to keep this pace up, but it’s worth trying to ride his hot bat Monday against the struggling Holland.

Others to consider: Buster Posey (catcher) and Albert Pujols (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/4/18

Joe Panik vs. Zack Godley, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,000

Panik was carrying the Giants offense earlier this season before landing on the DL with a thumb injury. He has picked up right where he left off, hitting 6-for-11 in the three games since he has returned. Godley has pretty even splits against lefties and righties in his career, but he’s allowing way too many baserunners with a 1.54 WHIP this season. Panik won’t cost much either, making him viable option to consider.

Ian Kinsler vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,900

Kinsler is finally starting to show signs of life, hitting 12-for-28 (.429) in his last seven games. He’s provided plenty of power during that stretch as well with three home runs and three doubles. He still only has a .215 BABIP, leaving him with plenty of room to continue to improve his batting average. Duffy has pitched better his last two starts, but he has allowed a .393 wOBA to right-handed hitters. Look for Kinsler to continue his hot hitting Monday.

Others to consider: Ozzie Albies and Gleyber Torres

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/4/18

Jeimer Candelario vs. Domingo German, New York Yankees
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,900

The Tigers are at the start of what could be a lengthy rebuilding process, but they may have found their third baseman of the future with Candelario. After batting .330 with two home runs in 27 games with the Tigers at the end of last year, he is off to a great start by hitting .276 with nine home runs and 13 doubles. His .370 OBP percentage is impressive as well. German has had his moments filling in for the injured Jordan Montgomery (elbow) but has generally struggled with a 5.45 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. If Candelario is indeed in the lineup for the nightcap, he is an excellent option to consider.

Miguel Andujar vs. Mike Fiers, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,100

Speaking of promising young third baseman, Andujar is making a case to be locked in at the hot corner for the Yankees for years to come. Not only is he batting .294, but his six home runs and 18 doubles have led to an impressive .517 slugging percentage. Don’t be worried that he doesn’t get the righty/lefty split advantage here because he is actually hitting better against righties with a .376 wOBA.

Others to consider: Zack Cozart

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/4/18

Didi Gregorius vs. Mike Fiers, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,300

Gregorius couldn’t have been much worse in May, batting .151 with one home run. He was hitting .327 with 10 home runs before the month began, providing fantasy owners with two extreme swings in production. He’s showing signs of coming out of his funk now, hitting 8-for-22 (.364) across his last five games. He has a .349 wOBA against righties this year even after his massive slump, leaving him with a favorable matchup against Fiers.

Dansby Swanson vs. Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DragyKings = $3,500

Swanson only hit six homers in 144 games for the Braves last year, but he’s already up to five this season with two of them coming in his last three games. He never hit more than nine home runs in a season in the minors, but he could hit double-digit homers if he can stay healthy. He’s a cheap option to target against lefties as well since his career wOBA is 37 points higher against them than it is against righties.

Others to consider: Andrelton Simmons and Brandon Crawford

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/4/18

Mike Trout vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $6,000

Trout is a great choice most nights, but with so few games Monday leaving fewer high-end options than normal, he stands out from the crowd. His numbers are great across the board, but he also has a lofty 220 wRC+ against lefties this year. Pay up to get him into your lineup.

Justin Upton vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,000

Upton is still hitting for power with 12 home runs, but his .235 average is certainly disappointing. His .284 BABIP is 42 points below his career mark, so he could make gains with his average as the season wears on. He generally hits lefties well and has had excellent success against Duffy in his career, hitting 6-for-17 (.353) with two home runs and two doubles.

Leonys Martin vs. Domingo German, New York Yankees
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,700

Martin was horrid splitting time between the Mariners and Cubs last year, hitting only .172 with a .281 slugging percentage. He was dragged down by a .207 BABIP that was almost 100 points lower than his career mark. His BABIP is much more reasonable at .291 this year, resulting in a .257 average. He’s hit for power too with seven home runs and 10 doubles. With a .377 wOBA against righties, Martin is a cheap option with upside.

Others to consider: Aaron Judge and Nicholas Castellanos

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 11

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

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

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 11

Luis Severino, New York Yankees: at DET, at NYM

The Yankees potent lineup gets the majority of the headlines, but Severino is just as important as anyone on the team. He put together a breakout campaign in 2017, finishing with a 2.98 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 10.7 K/9. He’s been even better through his first 12 starts this year with a 2.31 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 10.6 K/9. His average fastball velocity is 98.2 mph and he has thrown a first-pitch strike to an impressive 70.1% of the batters that he has faced. The Mets are tied for the fourth-fewest runs scored (230) in baseball and the Tigers lineup has been middle of the pack, leaving Severino with the potential for an extremely valuable week.

Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals: vs. MIA, at CIN

Martinez has not pitched in almost a month due to a strained lat, but he will be activated from the disabled list Tuesday. He had a sparkling 1.62 ERA before the injury, but his 3.35 FIP and .237 opponents BABIP indicate he has been a bit lucky. The FIP is still good, though, and he’s only allowed one home run in 50 innings. His first start of the week comes against a Marlins team that has scored the fewest runs (196) in baseball. The Reds are certainly better offensively, but Martinez has already faced them twice this year, throwing 13 scoreless innings while recording 18 strikeouts. Get him right back into your lineup.

Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs: vs. PHI, vs. PIT

Hendricks isn’t a big strikeout pitcher with a 7.6 K/9 for his career. He doesn’t walk many hitters and does a good job keeping runners off base in general, which has helped him quietly become a very successful pitcher. He’s off to another good start this year with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He doesn’t get hit hard often, allowing more than three earned runs in a game only one time this season. The Phillies are in the bottom-third of the league in runs scored and while the Pirates have scored more runs, Hendricks has held them to four runs in 11 innings in their first two meetings this year.

Nick Tropeano, Los Angeles Angels: vs. KC, at MIN

Tropeano missed the entire 2017 season after having Tommy John surgery and hasn’t made more than 13 starts in a season during his career. He’s been able to make eight starts so far this year, posting a 3.80 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. His 4.91 FIP and 1.6 HR/9 are a bit concerning, limiting his upside over the course of the season. This is setting up to be a nice week for him, though, against the Royals and Twins as neither team scores a ton of runs. He has already faced both teams once this season, throwing 6.2 scoreless innings and recording six strikeouts against the Royals while allowing three runs to go along with two strikeouts in six innings against the Twins. Tropeano is still available in 82% of Yahoo! leagues and is a viable streaming option.

Starters to Avoid

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 11

Zack Godley, Arizona Diamondbacks: at SF, at COL

Godley isn’t off to a great start with a 4.38 ERA and a 4.44 FIP through 11 outings. His success last year was in large part due to his 1.14 WHIP, which has ballooned to 1.54 this year. His .316 BABIP allowed isn’t much higher than his career mark, which is not good news for his value moving forward. His first matchup this week against the Giants is not bad, but his second outing in Coors Field could be a nightmare. That game alone is a reason to keep him on your bench in Week 11.

Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres: vs. ATL, at MIA

It’s been another underwhelming season for Richard, who has a 4.74 ERA and a 4.14 FIP in 12 starts. His 1.31 WHIP isn’t terrible, but he has very little strikeout upside with a 5.9 K/9 for his career. His second start this week against the Marlins is a great matchup, but don’t get too excited about him as a streaming option. The Braves are not only tied for the fourth-most runs scored (293) in baseball, but they also have the highest OPS against lefties (.806). Since he likely won’t provide a lot of strikeouts even in his start against the Marlins, it might be best to avoid him altogether.

Jason Vargas, New York Mets: vs. BAL, vs. NYY

Vargas won a career-high 18 games for the Royals last year and made the All-Star team for the first time. He moved to the Mets in the offseason but he has been limited to six starts due to injury. He was hammered in his first three outings but hasn’t given up a run in two of his last three starts. One of those came against the Braves, which is particularly impressive considering their success against lefties. Even with his recent success, you still want to stay away from streaming him this week. The Orioles aren’t exactly imposing, but the Yankees have the second-highest OPS against lefties (.799) and can still do a ton of damage even without the luxury of having the DH playing at Citi Field.

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

After a quiet night that included a rainout Thursday, baseball is loaded with 15 night games Friday. 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18

Chris Sale vs. Houston Astros
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $11,000
DraftKings = $11,000

Sale is coming off of his worst start of the season after allowing six runs in 4.1 innings against the Braves. The Braves have the highest OPS against left-handed pitching (.827) in baseball, so it wasn’t a favorable matchup, to begin with. Even with that blowup, Sale still has a 2.76 ERA, 2.94 FIP, and a 0.96 WHIP this year. He has continued to be one of the best strikeout pitchers with a 12.5 K/9 while also posting a career-high 15.9% swinging-strike rate. The Astros lineup is no cake walk either, but Sale is still a great option with his strikeout upside.

Nick Pivetta vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $10,000

Pivetta has been dominant in his last four outings, allowing three runs to go along with 32 strikeouts in 24 innings. He only issued four walks and gave up just one home run during that stretch as well. After pitching poorly in 26 starts last year, Pivetta has made significant improvement overall this season, resulting in a 3.26 ERA and a 2.75 FIP. He has been working ahead in the count, throwing a first-pitch strike to 65.7% of the batters that he has faced. Add that to his 10.4 K/9 and a much improved 2.2 BB/9 and Pivetta has an excellent 1.09 WHIP. This will be his second start of the season against the Giants after he held them scoreless while recording seven strikeouts in five innings during their first matchup. The Giants have struck out the third-most times (528) in baseball, leaving Pivetta with the potential for another valuable performance.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18

Jesus Aguilar vs. Hector Santiago, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,300

Aguilar has been mostly limited to facing left-handed pitching in his career but was forced into an everyday role this year with both Eric Thames (thumb) and Ryan Bruan on the DL at the same time. He played so well that he is still starting even though Braun has returned. Not only did eight of his nine home runs come in May, but he is also hitting .307 overall this season. His average will likely fall once his .355 BABIP normalizes, but he is a great source of power. With a career .360 wOBA against lefties, Aguilar might be able to do a lot of damage against the struggling Santiago.

Greg Bird vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,900

Bird has been limited to four games due to injury this season, logging at least one hit in each of his last three contests. He has a ton of talent, but injuries have really hampered his career after bursting onto the scene with 11 homers in 46 games in 2015. Including this season, Cashner has allowed a wOBA of at least .378 to left-handed hitters in three of the last four years. Bird won’t destroy your budget either, making him a viable option to consider.

Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo (first base) and Wilson Ramos (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18

Javier Baez vs. Zack Wheeler, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,800

Wheeler has managed to stay healthy so far this season but has a 5.40 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He only has four starts this year where he has allowed two or fewer earned runs, three of which came against bad lineups in the Marlins and Padres. Baez doesn’t struggle against right-handed pitching as he has a .378 wOBA against them this season, making him one of several Cubs who could have a big night.

Joey Wendle vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,400

Wendle has played his way into a starting role with the Rays, batting .295 with a .344 OBP. Even though he doesn’t have much power, he does have at least one hit in 11 of his last 12 games. Leake is not an overpowering pitcher, but he’s been even worse this season with just a 5.3 K/9. If you don’t want to pay up for Baez, Wendle is a cheap option who could provide value.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Scooter Gennett

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18

Mike Moustakas vs. Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,400

Moustakas has followed up his career season last year by hitting .280 with 12 home runs in 55 games. He only had 85 RBI in 2017 despite hitting 38 home runs, but he’s already chipped in 39 RBI this season. With a .390 wOBA against righties this year, he could put up big numbers against Montas, who has a 5.77 ERA and 1.65 WHIP for his career.

Pedro Alvarez vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,400

With a rainout Thursday, Gray will be pushed back a day to start Friday. He’s been terrible in his 10 starts, recording a 5.98 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. The Yankees have tried making Austin Romine has personal catcher since they have had some success together in the past, but Gray has still allowed five runs each in two of his last three starts. Alvarez is only batting .190 this year, but he has a lot of power and a career .341 wOBA against right-handers.

Others to consider: Justin Turner and Yairo Munoz

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18

Manny Machado vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = 5,200

Machado has loved hitting at home, posting a .362 average there this season compared to a .296 mark on the road. 10 of his 16 home runs have also come at home despite having 23 more plate appearances on the road. With the way Gray has been pitching, Machado could be in for a huge night.

Andrelton Simmons vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,400

Simmons is on a nine-game hitting streak where he has hit 14-for-36 (.389). He is batting a robust .337 on the season overall, but he could experience some regression since his .339 BABIP is 57 points higher than his career mark. That may not start Friday, though, considering he is 12-for-26 (.462) in his career against Colon.

Others to consider: Chris Taylor and Jean Segura

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18

Mike Trout vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $6,000

It’s not hard to argue for playing Trout regardless of who is taking the mound. He has a tremendous combination of power and speed and has also hit .302 with a crazy .444 OBP. He has absolutely destroyed Colon in his career, hitting 10-for-18 (.556) with three home runs. Don’t be afraid to pay up to get him into your entry.

Nicholas Castellanos vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,300

Castellanos only has five home runs this season, but he already has 18 doubles and three triples. He is also batting a career-high .332, but that has largely been aided by his .410 BABIP. He is crushing lefties with a 197 wRC+ against them this season and gets to face the struggling Garcia, who has a 5.52 ERA and 1.51 WHIP.

Ben Zobrist vs. Zack Wheeler, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,900

Zobrist only hit .232 last year and entered this season in a fight for playing time with the Cubs having so much depth. He’s doing his best to show his poor performance last year was just a fluke, batting .291 with a .379 OBP so far. He has hit righties particularly well with a .382 wOBA and should be a part of any Cubs stack at this cheap price.

Others to consider: Brandon Nimmo and Khris Davis

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

Thursday brings a relatively light schedule with only 11 games in baseball, nine of which are night games. 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18

Aaron Nola vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $9,500
DraftKings = $11,100

Nola has quietly become one of the more reliable pitchers in baseball. He’s not an elite strikeout pitcher like Max Scherzer or Chris Sale, but his 9.3 K/9 isn’t exactly poor either. He has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts this season, resulting in a 2.27 ERA and a 2.72 FIP. He has thrown a first-pitch strike to a career-high 66.2% of the batters that he has faced while also holding opponents to a 25.1% hard-hit rate. This should be a fun pitchers duel with Clayton Kershaw returning from injury to take the hill for the Dodgers. Based on his cheaper price, especially on FanDuel, Nola may be the one who provides the most value.

Shane Bieber vs. Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $7,300

Bieber will make his big league debut Thursday, but may only get the one start before being sent back down to the minors. He has started in both Double-A and Triple-A this season, posting a combined 1.10 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. He’s not a big strikeout pitcher with a career 8.4 K/9, but he’s also shown excellent control with a 0.5 BB/9. Home runs haven’t been a problem for him either with a career 0.4 HR/9. The Twins have scored the fifth-fewest runs (210) in baseball, so it might be worth taking a chance on Bieber in tournament play at this cheap price.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18

Greg Bird vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,100

Bird has been limited to four games due to injury this season, logging at least one hit in each of his last three contests. He has a ton of talent, but injuries have really hampered his career after bursting onto the scene with 11 homers in 46 games in 2015. Including this season, Cashner has allowed a wOBA of at least .378 to left-handed hitters in three of the last four years. Bird won’t destroy your budget either, making him a viable option to consider.

Ryon Healy vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,600

Healy didn’t cash in a prime opportunity against Matt Moore on Wednesday, but he’ll get to face another struggling lefty in Minor on Thursday. Not only does Minor have a 5.63 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP, but he has already allowed 10 home runs in only 54.1 innings. Righties have a .380 wOBA against Minor so far this year, making Healy an excellent option when you also consider he has a .368 wOBA against lefties for his career.

Others to consider: Yonder Alonso (first base) and Wilson Contreras (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18

Jose Altuve vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,900

After hitting exactly 24 home runs in each of the last two seasons, Altuve hasn’t found his power swing yet with only four long balls this year. He is still batting .335 with 16 steals, making him an extremely valuable asset. Pomeranz has been horrid this season with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP while also allowing a .415 wOBA against righties, so this might be the day to pay up for Altuve.

Jonathan Schoop vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,700

Gray has been almost as bad as Pomeranz, recording a 5.98 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP across 10 starts. The Yankees have tried making Austin Romine has personal catcher since they have had some success together in the past, but Gray has still allowed five runs each in two of his last three starts. There is no righty/lefty advantage for Schoop with this matchup, but he’s still someone to consider based on how poorly Gray has been pitching.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Starlin Castro

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18

Alex Bregman vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKinga = $4,100

The Astros present a prime stacking opportunity against Pomeranz with Bregman also being someone to target. He hasn’t been hitting a lot of home runs, but Bregman does have at least one hit in 12 of his last 13 games. He had a stellar .406 wOBA against lefties in 2017 but has struggled with a .311 wOBA against them this year. Now that he’s showing signs of coming out of his early slump, look for that number to start climbing.

Miguel Andujar vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,200

The Yankees have so many power bats and Gleyber Torres has been so hot since being called up that Andujar doesn’t get a lot of headlines. His contributions should not go unnoticed, though, as he is batting .290 and looks ready to be the Yankees third baseman of the future. He doesn’t walk much and only has five home runs, but he does already have 17 doubles. His numbers have been better against right-handed pitchers this year as well, so don’t shy away from him just because he doesn’t have righty/lefty advantage facing Cashner.

Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Christian Villanueva

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18

Manny Machado vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,400

Machado has loved hitting at home, posting a .362 average there this season compared to a .296 mark on the road. 10 of his 16 home runs have also come at home despite having 23 more plate appearances on the road. With the way Gray has been pitching, Machado could be in for a huge night.

Jean Segura vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,600

Segura is swinging a hot bat as he is 12-for-21 with two doubles and one home run in his last five games. He’s helped keep the Mariners offense afloat with Robinson Cano (suspension) and Dee Gordon (toe) out, but they will get some reinforcements with Gordon expected to return Thursday. With a .367 wOBA against lefties this year, he’s a great option if you don’t want to pay up for Machado.

Others to consider: Carlos Correa and Didi Gregorius

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18

Michael Brantley vs. Jake Odorizzi, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900

Injuries have limited Brantley to 101 games in the last two seasons combined, but he’s shown this season that he can still be a very valuable player when healthy. He’s already played 44 games and is batting .343 with nine home runs. He is currently on a 19-game hittings streak with seven of his nine home runs coming in May as well. He has been a better hitter against righties with .352 wOBA against them for his career.

Mitch Haniger vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,400

Haniger entered the month of May batting .309 with 10 home runs. He’s dropped off dramatically since, batting .242 with just one homer. His BABIP has remained relatively the same, so it’s not as if his poor performance can be chalked up to bad luck. The good news is that he is crushing lefties with a 188 wRC+, so don’t sleep on him against Minor.

Nelson Cruz vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,000

Cruz is 6-for-13 with a home run in this series against the Rangers and will look to close things out strong Thursday. His numbers this season aren’t great overall, but he has still managed a .372 wOBA against left-handed pitchers. He makes for a great option on both sites, but especially on FanDuel at such a low price.

Others to consider: George Springer and Brett Gardner

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

There are games spread out throughout the day Wednesday, but let’s focus on the main night 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Jacob deGrom vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $10,400
DraftKings = $13,200

deGrom dealt with a hyperextended elbow recently, but showed no ill effects in his last start, allowing one run to go along with 13 strikeouts in seven innings against the Diamondbacks. He’s been fantastic when healthy this season, posting a 1.75 ERA, 1.81 FIP, and a 1.01 WHIP. He’s always carried significant strikeout upside and has a lofty 12.1 K/9 this season. Although deGrom gave up four runs over six innings in his first start against the Marlins this year, they have scored the fewest runs (165) and hit the fewest home runs (37) in baseball. Look for deGrom to have a much better performance in their rematch.

Alex Cobb vs. Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $5,400

Cobb could not have been much worse in his first three starts this season, allowing 17 earned runs in 11.2 innings. He signed with the Orioles late and didn’t get a full spring training, which may have led to some of his struggles. He’s been much better since then, allowing nine earned runs over 24 innings in his last four starts. That’s even more impressive when you consider that three of those starts came against the Angels, Athletics and Red Sox. He’ll face a much easier opponent in the White Sox on Wednesday, who have scored the second-fewest runs (171) in baseball. At this dirt cheap price, he’s someone to consider in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Anthony Rizzo vs. Adam Plutko, Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,500

Plutko will be making his second start of the season Wednesday and he did pitch well in his first outing, allowing three runs in 7.1 innings against the Blue Jays. He did give up three solo home runs in that contest and had a 1.6 HR/9 at Triple-A last year, which is a bit concerning. He’s not much of a strikeout pitcher either with a career 7.5 K/9 in the minors. Rizzo is off to a bad start this season, but he does have a career .372 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, so this could be just the matchup he needs to have a big game.

Josh Bell vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,000

Whenever Bailey takes the mound, you should be looking to stack hitters against him. He’s off to a terrible start with a 6.11 ERA, 6.04 FIP, and a 1.60 WHIP. His lowly 7% swinging-strike rate has helped result in a 5.4 K/9 and he has already allowed 12 home runs in 53 innings. Bell has yet to break out in the home run department with just three longballs this season, but he could provide excellent value Wednesday.

Others to consider: Mike Zunino (catcher) and Chris Davis (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Gleyber Torres vs. Doug Fister, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,500

In what has been a dream start to his major league career, Torres is batting .330 with seven home runs in 26 games. He’s been hitting ninth, but just about every spot in the loaded Yankees lineup provides plenty of opportunities for counting stats. He’s never hit more than 11 home runs in a season in the minors, so don’t expect him to keep hitting homers at this pace. He does have a career .285 average and .362 OBP in the minors and was rated as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Fister’s 4.72 FIP indicates he hasn’t pitched as well as his 3.43 ERA would lead you to believe and he only has a 6.6 K/9, leaving Torres with another favorable opportunity to produce.

Scooter Gennett vs. Chad Kuhl, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,400

Gennett had a breakout campaign last year, batting .295 with 27 home runs and 97 RBI. He’s doing his best to prove that was no fluke, batting .324 with eight home runs and 33 RBI so far this season. He had a .388 wOBA against right-handers last year and has followed it up with a .395 wOBA against them so far this year, leaving him with significant upside against Kuhl.

Others to consider: Javier Baez and Jonathan Schoop

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Colin Moran vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,700

The Pirates really try to keep Moran away from lefties, resulting in him logging only 10 plate appearances against them this season. Wednesday won’t present that problem though against Bailey and Moran is hitting righties well with a .370 wOBA. He went deep in Tuesday’s game against Matt Harvey and should be a part of any Pirates stack you plan to deploy versus Bailey.

Pedro Alvarez vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,700

The Orioles against Covey presents another excellent stacking opportunity. He was horrible in 18 games (12 starts) for the White Sox last season, recording a 7.71 ERA, 7.20 FIP and 1.67 WHIP. He had almost as many walks (34) as he had strikeouts (41) and allowed a staggering 20 home runs in 70 innings. Despite his struggles in the batting average department, Alvarez still has eight home runs this season and has much better career numbers against righties, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play.

Others to consider: Matt Chapman and Kyle Seager

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Manny Machado vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,500

Machado has been one of the best hitters in baseball this season, batting .335 with 15 home runs and 43 RBI. He’s been one of the few bright spots in what has otherwise been a struggling Orioles lineup that is in the bottom-third of baseball in runs scored. His walk rate is up and his strikeout rate is down, which is good news for him to be able to sustain this type of production moving forward. With Covey’s poor performance already detailed, the time might be right to pay up for Machado.

Jean Segura vs. Daniel Gossett, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,500

The Mariners lineup was expected to be their strength heading into this season, but they are seriously depleted right now without Robinson Cano (suspension) and Dee Gordon (toe). To make matters worse, Nelson Cruz has also missed the last two games with an elbow injury and may not be able to play Wednesday either. Segura is one of the best hitters they have left as he is batting .315 with 11 stolen bases this season. Gossett has a 6.48 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in 20 career starts, so Segura is someone to target if you don’t want to pay up for Machado.

Others to consider: Chris Taylor and Marcus Semien

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Mike Trout vs. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,300

Trout’s .289 batting average this season is nothing special by his standards, which could be due to his .304 BABIP being almost 50 percentage points lower than his career mark. He is still hitting for a ton of power and has more walks (42) than strikeouts (41). Aaron Sanchez has allowed way too many baserunners this year with a 1.53 WHIP and doesn’t have overpowering stuff with a 7.2 K/9, so expect him to have a lot of trouble trying to get Trout out.

Austin Meadows vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,100

Meadows is living up to his lofty prospect status through four games, hitting 6-for-15 with two home runs. The scary part is that the Pirates outfield is so deep, he might be sent back down once Starling Marte (oblique) comes off the DL. With Bailey allowing a .400 wOBA against left-handed hitters this season, Meadows is someone to target for your entry.

Mark Canha vs. Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,500

Gonzales’ 4.66 ERA isn’t great, but his 3.37 FIP would suggest he’s not off to that bad of a start. If he’s going to lower his ERA though, he’ll need to improve his 1.47 WHIP significantly. Righties have given him problems throughout his career, resulting in a .380 wOBA against them. Canha has thrived on lefties this year with a 195 wRC+, making him a viable cost-effective option with upside.

Others to consider: Kyle Schwarber and Adam Jones