Daily Batter Breakdown: Tuesday, May 26th

Welcome to the Daily Batter Breakdown. Whenever there are 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 Yan Gomes
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.325 0.857 3.97% 0.372
Last 7 Days Splits
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Rodriguez – LEFT 0.256 0.841 2.78% 0.362
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.950 0.000 $2,700 $5,000 $4,100 $58,500

Yan Gomes

There is no guarantee that Gomes will be in the lineup as he works his way back from the DL, but this would be a solid game to have him start for the Indians. They are going to need as many right-handed bats as possible against Wandy Rodriguez, who has been solid this year, as a lot of their lefties have a hard time hitting lefties. Wandy has been good against both sides this year yet still carries risk of a blowup. Gomes, in the last two seasons, has hit for a .398 and .390 against lefty pitching and has a .206 career ISO. He destroys southpaws and is fairly cheap across the industry.

Article Image Paul Goldschmidt
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.385 1.161 5.77% 0.486
Last 7 Days Splits 0.333 1.032 8.33% 0.429
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Garcia – LEFT 0.202 0.631 0.00% 0.278
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
1.100 0.000 $5,400 $11,550 $5,300 $96,700

Paul Goldschmidt

Jaime Garcia is back for the Cardinals, but will have to face a righty-heavy Diamondbacks lineup which sports one of the best lefty mashers in the game in Goldy. His numbers are video game like with a 1.034 OPS, a .283 ISO (which a lot of batters would take as a batting average) and a .433 career wOBA against lefties, with it being significantly higher in the last two years. He is expensive, but against Garcia, who is not in mid-season form after returning from the DL, this should be an amazing matchup for Goldy to do damage.

Article Image Todd Frazier
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.259 0.815 5.42% 0.354
Last 7 Days Splits 0.316 0.718 0.00% 0.32
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
De La Rosa – LEFT 0.248 0.764 1.56% 0.337
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.963 0.000 $3,600 $9,650 $4,600 $78,100

Todd Frazier

Another great option at first that is not going to cost you an arm and a leg is Frazier, who will step into the box against De La Rosa today. Jorge has been better against righties this year but still holds a career 4.44 xFIP against them with terrible numbers last year. Frazier has hit lefties very well this year with a .993 OPS, and a .420 wOBA over a small sample. He is really crushing them with power so far and his BABIP is extremely low. I am still waiting to see a regression on the numbers, but there is no indication that he cannot continue his power surge against them.

Article Image Danny Valencia
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.358 0.897 1.49% 0.392
Last 7 Days Splits 0.348 0.913 4.35% 0.394
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Danks – LEFT 0.275 0.827 0.361
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
1.042 0.000 $2,300 $5,300 $3,100 $58,900

Danny Valencia

As long as Valencia makes the lineup, he is one of my favorite plays today. He brings a good amount of power against lefties, with a .380 career wOBA (even better this year), a .877 OPS and a .169 ISO, which was much higher two years ago. He has migrated to the most homer prone park in the majors and is getting a bad pitcher in Danks to abuse today. Danks has really struggled against righties in the last two years, posting around a 4.75 xFIP with pretty high HR/9 numbers, and he has to pitch in the Rogers Centre. The Jays are going to make a great stack, and Valencia is super cheap.

Article Image Pedro Alvarez
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.243 0.774 5.25% 0.336
Last 7 Days Splits 0.333 1.256 13.33% 0.489
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Urena – Right 0.000 0.000 0.000
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.977 0.000 $3,200 $8,850 $3,900 $72,200

Pedro Alvarez

Alvarez is smoking hot right now and comes in at $3,200 on FanDuel and $3,900 on DraftKings. He has always been somewhat of a streaky hitter, so I am more apt to take him when he is seeing the ball well – it looks like he is doing that right now, with no strikeouts in his last three games. Urena never gave up a lot of homers in the minors, but his brief appearances in the majors have not gone well, and Alvarez is strong enough to send it out at PNC. Definitely more of a GPP play, but the upside is there against a pitcher with no experience in the majors.

Article Image Brandon Crawford
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.225 0.681 2.53% 0.293
Last 7 Days Splits 0.391 0.913 0.00% 0.395
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Garza – RIGHT 0.228 0.677 2.50% 0.303
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
1.002 0.000 $2,900 $9,050 $4,500 $92,900

Brandon Crawford

Who has been the best shortstop hitter so far this year? Yeah, Brandon Crawford has and he’s been absolutely mashing lately. Garza has allowed a 5.08 xFIP to lefties, is pitching in a hitter’s park, has a poor HR/9 and just does not look like the same dominant pitcher. Crawford this year is a totally different player with a .342 wOBA and a .124 ISO, which are both much higher in the last two weeks. Shortstop is a position where you are not likely finding a great cash game play, but on FanDuel at a measly $2,900, you can certainly fit Crawford in.

Article Image Shin-Soo Choo
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.248 0.761 3.47% 0.338
Last 7 Days Splits 0.250 0.669 3.57% 0.293
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Salazar – RIGHT 0.233 0.686 2.91% 0.301
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.950 0.000 $3,500 $8,950 $3,700 $70,100

Shin-Soo Choo

Choo against a lefty is fantasy suicide, but against a righty he is always in play. I know how good Salazar has been and his xFIP is extremely low this year (his K rate is through the roof too), but he still is always homer prone and Choo has been hitting well lately. He is cheap, especially on DraftKings, and you are going to need some nice cheap guys to fit Kershaw in today. He is definitely not my favorite play, but I love the HR upside he brings against a righty like Salazar, and most sites have no penalty for strikeouts, which is very likely as his range seems to be polarized in outcomes today.

Article Image Chris Colabello
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.265 0.712 2.41% 0.312
Last 7 Days Splits 0.333 1.133 8.33% 0.481
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Danks – LEFT 0.275 0.827 0.361
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
1.042 0.000 $2,800 $9,000 $3,400 $67,600

Chris Colabello

Colabello has been destroying the baseball at the plate recently, and his hot start is turning into a hot season. His price is still miniscule, and if you can get him in the OF, he makes a great play against Danks here to stack with Valencia for a cheap price. All of the eyes will be on Edwin and Joey Bats against Danks, but some of these value Jays are going to provide solid value. Colabello is at a .537 wOBA and a 1.266 OPS against lefties right now, and you are not paying any extra for those numbers. Ride the hot streak.

Article Image Joc Pederson
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.233 0.925 8.33% 0.396
Last 7 Days Splits 0.261 0.955 8.70% 0.407
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Teheran – RIGHT
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.907 0.000 $3,600 $8,200 $3,700 $55,200

Joc Pederson

Pederson is another guy whose price has dropped on DraftKings, so you’re getting a high upside OF on DK for cheap. The over/under on this game is low and Pederson’s average this year is miserable, but those are the only two reasons why I would think about not using him in this game. Pederson has hit righties well with a .427 wOBA and a .303 ISO, so he has a ton of power for homers, and Teheran has struggled against lefties with a 4.47 xFIP and a 1.5 HR/9. The over/under is 6, but most of that is Kershaw buoying a -250 Dodgers favorite today, and the leadoff man can be used at this price in cash or GPP.

Article Image Curtis Granderson
Daily Breakdown Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Left/Right Splits 0.230 0.729 3.32% 0.327
Last 7 Days Splits 0.160 0.462 0.00% 0.212
Opp SP vs. LR Avg OPS HR% wOBA
Williams – RIGHT 0.298 0.798 2.32% 0.352
PARK-1 PARK-LR FD DD DK FF SS FTD
0.847 0.000 $2,700 $7,500 $3,800 $55,100

Curtis Granderson

Granderson is cheaper on FD than DK, but I still like him in both areas. He has not been good lately, but what cures all ails for batters is a little bit of Jerome Williams. Williams is consistently one of the worst pitchers to take the mound every five days, and with a 5.7 xFIP against left-handed batters, it does not look like it is going to get any better. He consistently allows 4-5 runs each start without giving up a ton of homers, so Granderson should be able to get on base and score some runs – he hits righties a lot better than lefties.

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