MLB GPP Plays: Friday, July 31st

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GPPs are very different from your cash games and you use a different strategy with them. In our GPPs we are not interested in safe plays, GPPs are all about UPSIDE. We want players who can explode, all-or-nothing type players can become GPP gold, and your value players are just as important as your star players. You need your players to have huge nights in order to take down these big tournaments.

My goal is to provide players who will be under-owned and/or have that big game upside you are looking for. I will also try to find as much value as I possibly can. Now, let’s get to the MLB GPP Plays!

STARTING PITCHERS

clayton kershaw

Editor’s Note: Clayton Kershaw has been scratched from his start tonight. Zack Greinke will start in his place.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers – At his price tag across the industry, I actually expect him to be fairly under-owned in tournaments tonight. However, I feel like there is so much value out there on most sites, we can build a solid GPP team and still roster the best pitcher in baseball. Kershaw has been absolutely dominant in his last three starts, throwing 27 consecutive scoreless innings while striking out 37 batters. He has also been nearly unhittable at home in 2015 (1.87 ERA, .200 BA, 90 Ks in 62.2 IP), and I expect him to be magnificent again this evening.

Outside of Clayton Kershaw, I don’t really love any other pitcher on the slate, so let’s discuss a few decent options. Madison Bumgarner has huge upside every time he takes the mound and this matchup is not as scary as it looks. Bumgarner dominates lefties and the Texas Rangers are a lot less potent against southpaws (.236 team BA and a 23.1% K rate). Gio Gonzalez has pitched well recently and the New York Mets are awful versus left-handed pitching (.279 wOBA with a 24.8 % K rate). If you are looking for value, Taylor Jungmann and David Phelps are both in solid spots. I can see them both throwing 5-7 innings with a K per inning against their opponents.

Other Pitchers to Target – Johnny Cueto, Danny Salazar, Michael Wacha

CATCHER

buster posey

Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants – Nick Martinez has been getting pounded in nearly every start since the beginning of June, and he is also a reverse splits pitcher, allowing a .361 wOBA to right-handed hitters. Buster Posey has been much better against righties this season with a .335 batting average and a .378 wOBA. If you can afford him, Posey is the top dog at catcher tonight.

Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles – Buck Farmer gets the call for the Detroit Tigers tonight and he has not fared well in the Major Leagues. In his 23 innings pitched, Farmer has a career 10.17 ERA in the show and lefties have just murdered him (.364 BAA, .501 wOBA). Wieters is one of the top value plays at catcher on this Friday night.

Other Catchers to Target – Mike Zunino, Yadier Molina, Jason Castro

FIRST BASE

chris davis

Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles – Davis has put up big numbers in his last nine games, generating two doubles, six bombs and 16 runs batted in. As we discussed earlier, Buck Farmer is getting hammered by left-handed batters and Crush Davis has as much upside as any player in the game today.

Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals – Hosmer has been killing it lately with multi-hit performances in four of his last five games. In the month of July, he is hitting a robust .385 with a .427 OBP and a 1.021 OPS. Hosmer has blasted right-handed pitching this year (.339 BA) and I think he keeps rolling tonight at the Rogers Centre.

Other First Basemen to Target – Brandon Belt, Mark Reynolds, Adam LaRoche

SECOND BASE

kolten wong

Kolten Wong, St. Louis Cardinals – Wong has hits in seven of his last eight games and he continues to be the straw that stirs the drink for the Cardinals offense. Outside of Jerome Williams, I think Kyle Kendrick is the worst starting pitcher in baseball and a guy who I always look to target hitters against. When he is facing a right-handed pitcher, Wong is one of my “go to” guys in GPPs because of his power and speed upside. If you are looking for a player with jack-and-a-bag upside tonight, Wong is my top candidate.

Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates – Walker not only has a great price across the industry, but he also has a tremendous matchup tonight. Michael Lorenzen has allowed a .336 BAA, 1.075 OPS and a .454 wOBA to lefties in his young career. Enter Neil Walker and his home run upside.

Other Second Basemen to Target – Jose Altuve, Brian Dozier, Jimmy Paredes

THIRD BASE

alex rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees – A-Rod is hitting for a ton of power these days and home runs are the fastest way to the top in your GPPs. Carlos Rodon is a talented young pitcher, and lefties can’t touch him, but righties, on the other hand, can still get to him. Rodriguez has a.423 wOBA versus left-handed pitching this year and I think he may fly under the radar tonight due to his matchup.

Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals – Matt Carpenter is finally starting to heat up at the plate. In his last four games, Carpenter has produced seven hits, including two doubles and two long-balls. Carpenter should remain hot tonight facing a gas can in Kyle Kendrick and that awful Rockies bullpen.

Other Third Basemen to Target – Aramis Ramirez, Matt Duffy, Luis Valbuena

SHORTSTOP

brandon crawford

Brandon Crawford, San Francisco – Crawford is very quietly having a great season for the Giants and he is rarely a popular play in tournaments. That said, Crawford not only gets a nice park boost, but he also gets to hit against Nick Martinez and one of the worst bullpens in baseball. Crawford has big upside in this game and makes a sneaky GPP option.

Jhonny Peralta, St. Louis Cardinals – Yes, another Cardinal. They are facing Kyle Kendrick, after all, and their prices are quite reasonable across the industry. Peralta has actually hit better against right-handed pitching in 2015, sporting a .302 BA and a .340 wOBA. Dollar for dollar, Peralta is the top option at shortstop.

Other Shortstops to Target – Jung-Ho Kang, Marwin Gonzalez, J.J. Hardy

OUTFIELDERS

gregory polanco

Preston Tucker, Houston Astros – Tucker is seeing the ball well these days and he does his best work at home versus right-handed pitching. Arizona Diamondbacks starter Rubby de La Rosa has really struggled against lefties (.300 BAA .382 wOBA VS LHB) and I expect a multi-hit game from Tucker in this matchup.

Gregory Polanco, Pittsburgh Pirates – Michael Lorenzen is a very similar pitcher to Rubby De la Rosa. They have both dominated righties, but left-handed batters remain their Achilles heel. Polanco contributes across the board offensively and he should have a productive game atop the Pittsburgh Pirates’ order this evening.

Marlon Byrd, Cincinnati Reds – Byrd had a big game last night (three hits, including a double and a home run) in the Cincinnati Reds’ 15-5 thumping over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Locke continues to struggle on the road this season (6.57 ERA) and right-handed hitters are doing most of the damage against him (.315 BAA). Byrd has had plenty of success versus southpaws in his career and I love his home run upside in this matchup.

Other Outfielders to Target – Nelson Cruz, Hunter Pence, Chris Young, Brandon Moss, Rajai Davis, Travis Snider

About the Author

pepsi7
Chris Lowery (pepsi7)

Chris Lowery aka Pepsi7 has a long of history of proven success in fantasy sports getting his start in season long leagues where he won many high stakes expert leagues across baseball, football, and hockey. He made the jump to DFS in 2012 and dominated MLB in 2013 in a huge way by winning the FanDuel Daily Fantasy Baseball Championship for a six-figure payday. The RotoGrinders Director of NHL content, Pepsi7 can frequently be found on RotoGrinders GrindersLive shows, videos, and written articles providing expert insight for hockey and baseball.