RADIO
It's getting hot out and that means two things. 1) Pitching is at a premium. 2) Players are starting to show signs of being mentally unprepared given all the trade rumors swirling around. Below are my DraftKings picks for Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015. As always, remember to check your players to make sure they are in their MLB starting lineups before lineups lock.
Editor's Note: If you play on DraftKings, you should check out our Partner FanDuel - they're hosting a one-day Fantasy Baseball league tonight. It's just $5 to enter and pays out $40,000 in cash prizes, including 4K to 1st place!
Sign up Now and we'll give you free access to RotoBaller's Premium DFS Lineup Picks and Tools (a $29.99 value). You'll also receive a 100% bonus on your first FanDuel deposit.
Game Notes
All in all it looks like another b-e-a-utiful day across the country. The only game in any type of danger of being delayed will take place in Atlanta in the early afternoon. Bank on it still being played, however. As for atmospheric conditions, today presents amongst the lowest air density index dates across the board this year so far. For pitchers that give up fly balls, this could lead to some cheap homeruns.In the early games, there’s a few pitchers to realistically choose from. You’ll read about them shortly.
You will not see James Shields, Matt Cain or Cody Anderson in any of my lineups. Shields, though still making hitters whiff, has given up a ton of homeruns since the start of June. Cain looks more like Abel than Cain. As for Anderson and his 0.89 ERA. Well, I’m not trusting his 10.3% K rate, 98.8% strand rate and .165 BABIP. Not happening, Mr. Anderson. Stacking strategies are abound in the early games. DraftKings players are clearly going to what to get a piece of the Rangers/Rockies game. Left-hander Martin Perez squares off against Jorge de la Rosa. If you know anything about baseball, you’ll know that both of these pitchers are simply not good.
Another game to look to get a piece of as Cleveland in Milwaukee. Target offenses against Anderson due to the previous note described above. And target Indians because Kyle Lohse has been atrocious at home this season.The starting pitchers in the late games are a little clearer. There’s really no reason to go with two guys in nearly all your cash game lineups.
With the exception of Toronto at Oakland, every late game features a projected over/under of at least eight. Even mighty Casey of Mudville could drop a hit or two tonight.
The best stacking options for the late game feature the two teams in Detroit. Sure they dropped a ton of bombs last night, but watching those two teams play last night is reminiscent of slow pitch softball. Sloppy play and a ton of runs. Plus, Mike Montgomery and Anibal Sanchez have been two of the most inconsistent starters this season.
The Yankees left-handed bats face off against a hittable righty in Kevin Gausman in Yankee stadium. Happy hunting.
DFS Pitchers to Consider for DraftKings
Early Slate
Noah Syndergaard, NYM - $10,400
Posting the second highest K rate of all the pitchers in the early games at 25.9%, Syndergaard has been very, very good over his last four starts. He has gone at least six innings and struck out at least five while giving up no more than two earned runs. Meanwhile the Nats have been rather ordinary on the year against right-handed pitchers. They’re striking out at a 21.1% clip and own a mediocre wRC+ of 97.
Jordan Zimmermann, WAS - $8,700
I hate to start two pitchers that are facing each other in the same lineup, but this kind of makes sense. The over/under according to vegas is at 7, tied for the lowest in the early slate, and the Nats are the favorites, adding to Zimmermann’s win chances. Perhaps most important is that he has been pitching very, very well. He hasn’t lost in over a month and owns an ERA of 1.99 over his last five starts.
Jake Odorizzi, TB - $8,300
At first this was a contrarian pick, but after researching more and more, Odorizzi makes for a solid second pitcher in a cash game. There’s the obvious answer that he will immediately be a favorite against the Phillies. In his first start since coming off the disabled list, he looked solid and healthy against a (at the time) first place Astros squad. Regrettably he got torched by the Blue Jays in his last outing, but no one will compare the Blue Jays to the Phillies. Makes for a good bounce back game.
Late Games
Sonny Gray, OAK - $10,700
Yes Toronto is putting up runs at a ridiculous pace. But I just don’t trust the Blue Jays against a right-handed pitcher away from the Rogers Centre. Especially a right-handed pitcher in Gray that is vying for the Cy Young. Though Gray mostly pitches for contact outs, he still is striking out batters at a 22.1% clip. I like him as the top option tonight.
Jose Fernandez, MIA - $10,000
With all the mediocre pitchers going tonight, it’s best to pay up for premium pitching in cash games. Fernandez has looked sensational in his three starts en route to a solid 9.95 K/9 and 1.69 FIP. The only downside is that it appears the Marlins, seemingly out of contention, will have Fernandez on a short leash all season and thus may not get the innings. Still, he is a better option than nearly every other starter.
Robbie Ray, ARI - $7,500
Ray is a better tournament play than 50/50 play. However, he still possesses the tools to throw out solid start after solid start. He has 46 strikeouts in 55 innings and his holding opponents to a .226 AVG. His FIP of 2.57 should play nicely against a Marlins team that has Dan Jennings as its manager.
DFS Catchers to Consider for DraftKings
Early Slate
Kyle Schwarber, CHC - $4,000
Forty one plate appearances. Three home runs. A wOBA of .499 and a wRC+ of 224. And that faces Mike Leake.
Wilin Rosario, COL - $3,400
Michael McKenry, COL - $2,800
Any Colorado catcher here is a good start. Let’s hope it is McKenry, who owns a 207 wRC+ and .495 wOBA against lefties on the year.
Late Games
Matt Wieters, BAL - $2,900
Catcher tonight is not a position to pay up for. But there are a couple solid punt options. Wieters has some very good splits against Ivan Nova as he has a .355 AVG and four homeruns in 31 at bats. He was struggling recently but recorded an RBI single in Tuesday night’s game. That knock should put him back on track.
Chris Stewart, PIT - $2,400
Every day starter Francisco Cervelli is listed as day-to-day so Stewart should get the start if Cervelli gets rest. Stewart has hit the ball well this season with a .303 AVG. Just don’t expect a home run. He makes for a better cash game punt than a tourney.
DFS Infielders to Consider for DraftKings
FIRST BASE - Early Slate
Joey Votto, CIN - $4,500
Votto has been swinging a hot bat in his last five games. He owns a slash line .450/.542/.700 during that span. And he’s homered off of Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks.
Late Games
Albert Pujols, LAA - $4,500
Twins starter Mike Pelfrey has really struggled over his last six starts with a 7.59 ERA. Pujols has been rather indiscriminate against righties and lefties alike at home. He has posted 166 wRC+ and .294 ISO at home.
Mark Reynolds, STL - $3,100
We have a power hitter that crushes lefties here. And that left is…drumroll please….John Danks! A Danks sighting!
SECOND BASE - Early Slate
Jason Kipnis, CLE - $4,900
Kipnis against Lohse isn’t exactly Ali versus Frazier.
Logan Forsythe, TB - $3,400
With only a BABIP of .284, Forsythe has really tagged lefties. A .386 wOBA and 155 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers is no slouch.
Late Games
Brian Dozier, MIN - $4,600
Dozier is the best dual threat second baseman in the DFS game and needs to be at least considered nearly every time out. Especially against a left-handed pitcher.
Robinson Cano, SEA - $3,500
Cano has at least two hits in three out of his last four games. He owns a .313 wOBA against Sanchez in 40 pitches seen. Not terribly great numbers but it really adds up considering how well he is seeing the ball now.
SHORTSTOP - Early Slate
Troy Tulowitzki, COL - $5,200
The second part of the Rockies mini-stack is Tulo. He crushes lefties at home. This is a no-brainer.
Francisco Lindor, CLE - $3,200
Lindor has been batting second consistently this season. If he is second in the lineup against Lohse, that’s a premium spot to be in for a team that figures to score a lot.
Late Games
Jhonny Peralta, STL - $4,300
Facing John Danks. Enough said.
Brad Miller, SEA - $2,800
Perhaps the streakiest shortstop alive, Miller got on base twice and recorded a hit in Tuesday night’s game. He had some poor outings before Tuesday so this may be the start of another solid week for the left-handed hitter. Get in on him now before his price goes up.
THIRD BASE - Early Slate
Nolan Arenado, COL - $5,400
The final player of near-must-adds in the Colorado lineup. Arenado crushes it at home and, as explained above multiple times, is facing a terrible left-handed starter.
Late Games
Brett Lawrie, OAK - $3,600
At this somewhat cheap price, Lawrie becomes almost a must-play in any format. Lawrie’s .380 wOBA against lefties is amongst the tops at the position Wednesday night.
DFS Outfielders to Consider for DraftKings
Early Slate
Michael Brantley, CLE - $4,700
Brantley has traditionally done well against right-handed pitching and has an adjusted wOBA of .590 against Lohse. Granted that is in just three plate appearances and five pitches, but he must like something about Lohse.
Steven Souza, TB - $4,000
Souza is a top power option in the afternoon game against the lefty Adam Morgan. Should he get on, he is also a stolen base candidate. Souza has a wRC+ of 222 against lefties on the road. Get him in.
Drew Stubbs, COL - $2,900
Stubbs offers great value at that price, especially if you have gone heavy in the infield positions. He has hit righties very well at home and is even in a position to steal a home run.
Late Games
J.D. Martinez, DET - $4,900
There’s no one more locked in right now than Martinez.
Brett Gardner, NYY- $4,800
Gardner has quietly put himself up a very nice season. Batting leadoff or second for a team that is second in runs scored surely puts him in a prime DFS spot for any lineup.
Torii Hunter, MIN - $3,600
Hunter has been somewhat cool lately. That should change tonight as he faces a pitcher he has loved to hit against. In 46 plate appearances against and having seen 176 pitches off of Wilson, Hunter has a .929 OPS and an adjusted wOBA of .408. Call me crazy, but I like him tonight.
DFS Q&A with Max Petrie @ 6 PM on 7/22
Leave your question here and then come back at 6 PM when Max answers everything. For our regular MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat, click here.
