Daily Batter Breakdown: Saturday, April 18th

Welcome to the Daily Batter Breakdown. Each day, with at least eight games on the night slate, I’ll break down some of the best top tier hitters to target based on matchup. The biggest split taken into account will be left/right, but each player card will also show park factors, player salaries and then a description of why I’ll be targeting him.

Article Image Yasmani Grandal
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.241 0.781 4.95% 0.344
Last 7 Days Splits 0.250 0.771 6.25% 0.342
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Kendrick – RIGHT 0.280 0.826 3.75% 0.360
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.907 0.000 $2,900 $7,750 $3,400 $50,400

Yasmani Grandal

I am not seeing a great number of solid catcher options on the late slate here, but my eyes are drawn to Grandal. He is one of the more expensive guys on the slate, but Lyles happens to be one of the worst pitchers on the slate and the Dodgers have one of the better over/unders. Lyles has been near a 5 xFIP in each of the last three years and has not started out well this year either. There may be a chance Grandal does not start today, but if he does he hit 15 homers as a lefty against righties last year and will be batting in the middle of the lineup. Not the greatest play, but there are not a ton of great plays at catcher.

Article Image Albert Pujols
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.275 0.807 4.61% 0.347
Last 7 Days Splits 0.190 0.673 4.76% 0.301
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Hernandez – RIGHT 0.242 0.738 2.09% 0.323
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
1.012 0.000 $4,000 $10,150 $4,700 $77,100

Albert Pujols

Despite Keuchel and Wilson pitching in Houston today, I like this game for a lot of runs. Keuchel has really improved in the last year but the Angels are one of the best offenses in baseball with the hottest hitter in Trout. Pujols is taking a back seat, but he will again hit third against a lefty, guys he has destroyed in his career. First base is nice with the likes of Gonzalez and Duda today, but Pujols is coming in cheap due to his struggles to start the season.

Article Image Robinson Cano
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.327 0.891 3.27% 0.382
Last 7 Days Splits 0.192 0.538 3.85% 0.233
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Gallardo – RIGHT 0.233 0.637 1.57% 0.287
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.825 0.000 $3,900 $9,900 $4,000 $71,600

Robinson Cano

There are a couple of second base options that I really like. Cano is the first one, as Lewis is one of the most hittable pitchers in the league, even in a pitcher’s park. Cano should have a great time of it today as he is one of the best hitters in the bigs, especially against right handers with a career .380 wOBA and a .208 ISO. He is a fantastic option today.

Article Image Jose Altuve
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.319 0.775 0.59% 0.340
Last 7 Days Splits 0.323 0.815 3.23% 0.359
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Weaver – RIGHT 0.210 0.619 1.79% 0.277
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
1.012 0.000 $4,100 $9,100 $4,300 $70,200

Jose Altuve

I also like Altuve at second as he has come out of the gates swinging and has hit safely in six games straight. Not only does he get on base, but he steals bags and scores runs. I am not looking for him to steal anything against Wilson today, but against a lefty he is an even better hitter with a ridiculous 1.013 OPS and .440 wOBA last year, and looking to improve on that this year. Altuve is expensive, but certainly worth it.

Article Image Kyle Seager
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.283 0.862 5.66% 0.376
Last 7 Days Splits 0.280 0.708 4.00% 0.312
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Gallardo – RIGHT 0.233 0.637 1.57% 0.287
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.825 0.000 $3,500 $8,700 $3,600 $69,500

Kyle Seager

I was big on Seager yesterday, but am even bigger today. He is up against Colby Lewis who not only has a 4.61 xFIP against lefties, but is one of the most homer-prone pitchers in the majors. He had a solid first start, but if you are a fly ball pitcher, eventually one of them is going to leave the park. Seager is known for mashing righties at home with a .376 wOBA and a .221 ISO. He has 2 HR upside and is a great play at his price today.

Article Image Jimmy Rollins
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.246 0.732 3.63% 0.326
Last 7 Days Splits 0.208 0.551 0.00% 0.244
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Kendrick – RIGHT 0.280 0.826 3.75% 0.360
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.907 0.000 $3,600 $9,100 $4,000 $69,000

Jimmy Rollins

I like old man Rollins at short today, as he will continue to bat leadoff against Lyles, who I noted above does not have the greatest stats against lefties. In fact, he really does not have the greatest stats against righties either, but Rollins should be batting from the left side today where he’s been above average in the league in his career. The real reason I like him is Vegas has the Dodgers as big favorites and at over 4 at home. Rollins will be leading off in a solid lineup against a pitcher who is definitely not great.

Article Image Angel Pagan
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.335 0.790 0.41% 0.350
Last 7 Days Splits 0.375 0.881 0.00% 0.388
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Collmenter – RIGHT 0.280 0.741 2.33% 0.327
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.920 0.000 $3,400 $8,700 $3,900 $65,900

Angel Pagan

As of this writing, the Giants have a 4 over/under in Vegas, even in their spacious park. De La Rosa has solid stuff, but he has not been good and allowed this same Giants team to put up 6 ER on him in his first start, granted it was in Chase. Pagan has been a monster to start the season for SF, and gets to hit in the top three spots of this Giants’ lineup, in front of Posey. Pagan is very affordable and is one of the best cash game plays today against De La Rosa, who has allowed a .505 wOBA to hitters this year despite the small sample.

Article Image Mike Trout
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.291 0.948 5.96% 0.404
Last 7 Days Splits 0.524 1.171 0.00% 0.515
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Hernandez – RIGHT 0.242 0.738 2.09% 0.323
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
1.012 0.000 $5,700 $12,100 $5,800 $89,600

Mike Trout

I am a big fan of Keuchel, but when Trout gets it going like he has recently, he is impossible to stop. I like him to continue the hot streak today in a hitter’s park against Keuchel. He has a .900 OPS in his career against lefties with a .400 wOBA and ability to steal bags, especially late in the game if it remains close. His price has dropped on DraftKings, where the prices have gotten easier, and Trout should be one of the highest owned guys on the slate. No need to fade him today.

Article Image Gregory Polanco
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.262 0.727 2.56% 0.326
Last 7 Days Splits 0.192 0.462 0.00% 0.2
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Nelson – RIGHT 0.271 0.805 3.47% 0.353
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.977 0.000 $3,200 $8,100 $3,200 $54,900

Gregory Polanco

Polanco may be jump-starting his season, and with an extremely small price and huge potential, he is in play today against Lohse. Lohse has been terrible in his first two starts and Vegas likes the Pirates offense here. Polanco hits at the top of the lineup for the Pirates and should have RBI and run opportunities with power potential.

Article Image Seth Smith
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.270 0.815 3.05% 0.357
Last 7 Days Splits 0.182 0.364 0.00% 0.161
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Gallardo – RIGHT 0.233 0.637 1.57% 0.287
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.825 0.000 $2,600 $8,250 $3,700 $58,000

Seth Smith

If you cannot tell, I am going to be targeting the Mariners’ lefties against Colby Lewis, and will even look at some of the righties like Jackson and Cruz. Lewis is one of my favorite decent pitchers to target, as he gives up a ton of solo shots and makes for a great pitcher to stack against. Lewis allowed a .373 wOBA against lefties last year and I expect it to be even worse this year as most of his good years were due to unsustainably good BABIPs.

About the Author

Varncass
Jon Schiller (Varncass)

Jon Schiller (aka Varncass) has been providing college sports content for the fantasy industry since 2012 and the sports betting industry since 2022. He’s an analytics junkie who uses any and all predictive stats and game theory to discover edges for the RotoGrinders and ScoresAndOdds community. Follow Jon on Twitter – @Bronzesword