MLB Daily Plays: Sun, May 18
Good morning RG fam and welcome back to another “MLB Daily Plays: iCon Joe Edition.” As usual, Sunday offers a full 15 game slate to analyze with a bonus doubleheader game. The double header rules are detailed here, for wherever you are playing today. I will be using Fanduel as a reference for today’s plays since that is where I play the most.
Player Pricing Note: Daily Plays will help you find valuable plays each day/week across the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL. Just keep in mind that players’ prices vary from site-to-site. To check the price of a player for the site that you play on, make sure to click on the $ dollar-sign icon next to a player’s name for a list of their prices on each site.
STARTING PITCHER
Cliff Lee – Cliff Lee is my top overall play at starting pitcher today. Felix Hernandez has been disappointing his fantasy owners for the last month and is on the road. David Price has also been hit or miss so far this year and is also on the road. This led me to Cliff Lee who takes the hill against the Reds who are in the bottom 5 in baseball in all major statistical categories against LHPs. Lee will get the nod for me.
Zack Wheeler – I think Wheeler makes for a great GPP option. He has been erratic this year while he learns how to pitch with consistent success at this level, but he has double digit K potential every time he takes the hill. His up and down season has also kept his price on the cheap side, which is another reason to target him in your GPPs. The Nationals have Ramos back, but overall their lineup looks paltry since Zimmerman, Harper, and Laroche are all injured. Feel confident about using Wheeler in GPPs today.
CATCHER
Brian McCann – McCann is the player I landed on today when looking at price and match-up at catcher. Posey could be in play, but he is generally someone I only look at against LHPs and V-Mart is priced out for me. McCann has struggled at times this year because he is constantly hitting into the shift. However, he is at home in Yankee Stadium where the short porch in right field adds value to every left handed hitter.
Yadier Molina – Molina has been my most targeted catcher so far this season. He is as safe a cash games play as you can get. His match-up against Gavin Floyd is no reason to fade him, even though Floyd has put together two good starts to begin his season. Molina’s price is also reasonable and he is at home where the Cardinals hit better as a team. I think the Cards are a sneaky stack today.
FIRST BASE
Jose Abreu – Jose Abreu has been dominant over the first 6 weeks of the season with 15 home runs and 42 RBIs already. He is also a player I have not targeted enough this year. I am going to change that today and get him in there against Brad Peacock. I have made a living picking on Peacock this year. No reason to stop now.
Other Options: Justin Morneau is always a top option at home against a RHP. Adrian Gonzalez price has come down as he has slowed down after a torrid start. This is a great time to buy him and use him in GPPs.
SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano – I am gonna ride with Robbie today at second base. He has been putting together multi-hit games all week, hitting doubles and driving in runs. His price is reasonable on FD at $3600 and he has a great match-up against Ricky Nolasco.
Other Options: Dee Gordon has been a stolen base machine this year and is always someone to consider. Neil Walker is a candidate to blast one into the short porch at Yankee Stadium and gets matched against Hiroki Kuroda who does give up the long ball. Jedd Gyorko has legit power, is cheap, and is playing in Coors Field. Put that together and you have a great GPP option and a great punt option.
THIRD BASE
Nolan Arenado – I will have my share of Rockies today and you should too. Many of these guys come at a hefty price tag, but they are worth it when playing in Coors Field. All Rockies are in play today against RHP Donn Roach who is starting for the injured Andrew Cashner. Roach will also be limited to about 60 pitches today. I plan on using as many Rockies as I can against this Roach/Bullpen combo. Roach is a ground ball pitcher and is said to have the nastiest sinker/slider combo in the minors, but I can’t see him having success in this environment today.
Other options: Evan Longoria is a bargain at $3600 and Pedro Alvarez is a candidate to homer today in the first half of his double header, but is better served for GPPs. Kyle Seager is someone to look at as well.
SHORTSTOP
Hanley Ramirez – Hanley has started to figure it out at the plate with games of 9.25, 4.25, 4.25 fantasy points this week. When I see him stringing multi-hit and multi-RBI games together that is when I want to use him. He is someone who can carry an entire offense once he gets hot. He is also 2K cheaper than Tulo, which makes him my top overall option when considering his price and his match-up against RHP Brad Collmenter of the Diamondbacks.
Jose Reyes – Reyes slowed down a bit this week after his scorching hot start to May. I am going to have some exposure to Blue Jays hitters against RHP Nicholas Martinez. Martinez is a ground ball pitcher who has a 92-93 mph fastball that he uses in combination with average breaking stuff. He projects as a middle reliever or a back end of the rotation innings eater. I will have a couple different Jays stacks that I use today in GPPs.
Other options: Ian Desmond is a great option if you don’t plan on using Wheeler. Andrelton Simmons has a great price and is my hunch play of the day. I will be using him in GPPs because I know he will have a low ownership percentage.
OUTFIELD
Carlos Gonzalez – CarGo at home against a RHP is an auto-start. Especially if that pitcher is unproven. Gonzalez has struggled this week away from the friendly confines of Coors Field. But now that they are home, it is time to jump back on the Rockies bandwagon.
Matt Joyce – Joyce mashes RHPs. His OPS is almost 300 points higher against righties and 74 of 82 career home runs have been hit against RHPs! There may not be a more drastic split in all of baseball and he is always a popular target in DFS against RHPs. He has a nice match-up against Shoemaker of the Angels and you should also take a look at his teammate, David Dejesus, who usually leads off for the Rays against RHPs.
Jacoby Ellsbury – Ellsbury has a great price, is at home, and will be someone I use in a lot of cash games. I like all of the Yankees LHHs today.
Other Options: Alejandro De Aza is a dirt cheap option and faces off against Brad Peacock. George Springer is hot, cheap, and has great splits against LHPs.