RADIO
Thursday, August 27th has 11 games on the schedule and you will need to find value in the field and stack up on the pitchers. Similar to the construction of my previous articles, I will go game by game to exploit specific matchups. For today's games, spending high on pitchers should result in a nice pay day. The offensive players I advise have the highest potential and upside for their teams. All my offensive options and their reasoning are based on splits in regards to matchups, i.e. RHB vs LHB, RHB vs RHP, etc.
I will have a few higher priced hitters but a majority will have a mid-ranged price value as I tried to find a balance between price and potential for each matchup. I will try to keep the explanations behind my picks short but thorough and I will list the players I advise at the bottom of the article.
Unfortunately most of the pitchers I have advised for today have a high price, but also have the most potential given their matchups. I wish you the best of luck and follow me on twitter for any questions.
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Game by Game Analysis for DraftKings Lineups
Zack Greinke should have his way with the Reds with only Joey Votto being his only threat. I do not even see Votto having a successful outing against Greinke with the pitcher having a 1.57 ERA against RHB and 1.80 ERA against LHB. Not only that, his 24.9 K% against RHB and 22.4 K% against LHB should hold the Reds to a poor offensive performance. Andre Ethier (.507 SLG% / .384 wOBA / 148 wRC+) is a nightmare for RHP and should be a solid play for a lower price.
This park is slightly favorable towards batters and I expect Chris Iannetta (.381 SLG% / .323 wOBA / 110 wRC+), Mike Trout (.577 SLG% / .409 wOBA / 171 wRC+), and Ian Kinsler (.437 SLG% / .347 wOBA / 120 wRC+) are my top offensive options. Iannetta and Trout face Randy Wolf who only has seven innings pitched this season but Wolf should not be a serious problem. Kinsler is going up against Matt Shoemaker who has been slightly above average with his 23 K% but lets up a 4.33 ERA. Kinsler is a risky play but a consistent option that should have no problem against Shoemaker regardless of his statistics against RHB.
Although Troy Tulowitzki (.394 SLG% / .327 wOBA / 106 wRC+) has not been the most promising fantasy option lately, his matchup with Yovani Gallardo should fall in favor of Tulowitzki. Gallardo struggles against RHB and we all know Troy is capable of dominating any pitcher. If you can afford Edwin Encarnacion ( .521 SLG% / .369 wOBA / 136 wRC+) he is a more intriguing option on paper but both should own Gallardo. Against Blue Jay pitcher Marco Estrada, who is average when facing LHB with a 6.78 K/9 and 18.4 K%, Prince Fielder (.500 SLG% / .389 wOBA / 146 wRC+) is going to be my go to guy. These players have higher price values but have plenty of upside given their matchups.
Orioles’ Chris Tillman is struggling against RHB with a 6.47 ERA and a very enticing 1.69 HR/9. Although the Royals have a powerful lineup, Salvador Perez is a cheap option with a .480 SLG% that should see an uptick after facing Tillman. Against Royals’ Yordano Ventura, Gerardo Parra ( .544 SLG% / .371 wOBA / 137 wRC+) should take advantage of Ventura’s 6.05 ERA against LHB. Along with Parra, Jonathan Schoop is a cheaper option ( .562 SLG% / .390 wOBA / 150 wRC+) has a lot of potential given his impressive production over the past month against a slightly above average pitcher.
AT&T Park always seems to cause problems for hitters as it heavily favors pitchers. The Cubs should be especially worried with Madison Bumgarner and his impeccable 32.7 K% and 12.19 K/9 rating against LHB. Against RHB, a 9.04 K/9 and 25.3 K% is just as intimidating as Bumgarner is one of the top pitching options for Thursday. The only Cub I can see faring well against Bumgarner would be Dexter Fowler and his .376 wOBA and 140 wRC+ against LHP. Against Dan Haren who is a slightly below average pitcher, Gregor Blanco ( .415 SLG% / .339 wOBA / 122 wRC+) is a very cheap option with alot of upside against Haren.
Jon Niese may not look the best on paper with below average numbers against both LHB and RHB, he faces a weak Phillies team in which Niese should come out on top. The only Phillies player I would advise is Andres Blanco, ( .636 SLG% / .468 wOBA / 202 wRC+) who is incredibly cheap given his recent production and his multiple hit performances. For the Mets, Michael Conforto has been producing with his .508 SLG% and 142 wRC+ against RHP making him solid option in a hitters park.
Both Andrew Cashner and Joe Ross are below average against LHB but due to Nationals Park unfavorable dimensions towards LHB, they are in luck. Unfortunately for Cashner, he faces one of two powerful LHB in Bryce Harper ( .681 SLG% / .471 wOBA / 206 wRC+) and Denard Span ( .478 SLG% / .336 wOBA / 117 wRC+). Span is the cheaper option but with added risk compared to Harper’s constant possibility to homer, if not more in any game. Joe Ross has a great 28.5 K% and 3.53 ERA against RHB and only Yangervis Solarte (.437 SLG% / .336 wOBA / 117 wRC+) is a threat given his price for the Padres. I would advise Ross as a pitcher that would produce top quality numbers for a price that is not ridiculous.
Tommy Milone has a 1.65 HR/9 which helps me confidently advise Brandon Guyer and Grady Sizemore. Hoping Guyer can get the start, he should own Milone as he usually does to LHP with his .420 SLG% and 134 wRC+. Sizemore on the other hand has nine PA but has produced with multiple hit performances over the past few games. Both Guyer and Sizemore have incredibly low prices and are solid sleeper picks that will help free up cap space to grab some top pitchers. One of those pitchers should be young gun Drew Smyly and his 3.42 ERA in his second start. Smyly be started confidently against a poor offensive Twins team. If I had to advise a Twins player, Trevor Plouffe (.469 SLG% / .346 wOBA / 121 wRC+) would be the one I would suggest.
The Pirates should win this one and I will start Gerrit Cole. Marlins Park is heavily favored towards pitchers and Cole is one the best in the league for reasons you already know. The Marlins struggle to produce offensively and I could not find a single Marlin that would keep me from playing Cole. When facing Marlins Justin Nicolino, another inexperienced pitcher this season, he should get torn apart by RHB including a very cheap option in Michael Morse (.375 SLG% / .361 wOBA / 134 wRC+) or Josh Harrison (.385 SLG% / .323 wOBA / 108 wRC+) who has struggled as of late but should have a bounce back game against Nicolino.
Roenis Elias is my sleeper pick for pitcher and faces a struggling White Sox offense. Elias destroys LHB with a 11.42 K/9 and 29.3 K% but suffers a 6.23 ERA. This is a chance for Elias to bring that number down and prove to be another threat in the Mariners bullpen. The only White Sox player I would advise would be Tyler Flowers (.440 SLG% / .370 wOBA / 137 wRC+). Flowers is cheap and has a favorable matchup, I would suggest starting Elias and straying from the White Sox. For the Mariners, Ketel Marte faces a tough opponent in Carlos Rodon so the risk is above average but Marte and his 147 wRC+ and .377 wOBA should be able to overcome Rodon.
I do not like advising against the Diamondbacks but Carlos Martinez is playing in a park that favors his weaknesses. He is above average in all categories with a promising 2.63 ERA against RHB and 3.09 ERA against LHB. If you can afford David Peralta, put him in your lineup. A .547 SLG% and 144 wRC+ should be enough to prove his worth. Matt Carpenter ( .478 SLG% / .365 wOBA / 135 wRC+) and Kolten Wong ( .435 SLG% / .336 wOBA / 114 wRC+) face Rubby De La Rosa who has been below average when facing LHB this season with a 6.66 ERA and 14.5 K%.
Pitchers to Target for DraftKings
Zack Greinke (LAD) - $13,800
Madison Bumgarner (SF) - $12,800
Jonathon Niese (NYM) - $8,800
Joe Ross (WAS) - $10,100
Drew Smyly (TB) - $10,900
Gerrit Cole (PIT) - $12,900
Roenis Elias (SEA) - $6,500
Carlos Martinez (STL) - $11,200
Infielders to Target for DraftKings
Chris Iannetta (C, LAA) - $3,200
Ian Kinsler (2B, DET) - $4,500
Troy Tulowitzki (SS, TOR) - $4,200
Edwin Encarnacion (1B, TOR) - $5,100
Prince Fielder (1B, TEX) - $4,300
Jonathan Schoop (2B/3B, BAL) - $3,700
Salvador Perez (C, KC) - $3,400
Andres Blanco (3B/SS, PHI) - $2,500
Yangervis Solarte (1B/2B, SD) - $3,500
Trevor Plouffe (3B, MIN) - $3,600
Michael Morse (1B/OF, PIT) - $2,400
Ketel Marte (SS, SEA) - $4,100
Tyler Flowers (C, CWS) - $2,600
Kolten Wong (2B, STL) - $3,700
Outfielders to Target for DraftKings
Andre Ethier (LAD) - $3,400
Mike Trout (LAA) - $5,100
Gerardo Parra (BAL) - $4,000
Gregor Blanco (SF) - $3,100
Michael Conforto (NYM) - 3,800
Bryce Harper (WAS) - $5,300
Denard Span (WAS) - $4,300
Brandon Guyer (TB) - $2,900
Grady Sizemore (TB) - $2,200
David Peralta (ARI) - $4,000
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