MLB Grind Down: Friday, August 7th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2015-08-11 23:05:46

The RotoGrinders MLB Grind Down article will give you an in-depth analysis into the MLB schedule. This article will break down the numbers for every single game and give you analysis on which trends you can exploit. While matchups are a major factor in daily fantasy baseball, there are plenty of other factors to consider such as injuries, weather, and salaries.

The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. No sport has more variance than baseball. The best choice is not always the right choice but following the trends will win you money over time.

Remember, these writeups are done prior to lineups being released, so make sure to check our Starting Lineups page to ensure the recommended options are playing.

Note: For more info on DFS MLB scoring systems on the two largest sites, check out our DraftKings review and FanDuel review.

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San Francisco at Chicago Cubs – 4:05 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
San Francisco					Chicago Cubs
			Ryan Vogelsong					Jon Lester
			RIGHT					LEFT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			CHC (-170)					7.5
SP vs. Left	0.273	0.815	0.355	19.0%	SP vs. Left	0.260	0.706	0.311	26.10%
SP vs. Right	0.225	0.673	0.299	18.0%	SP vs. Right	0.229	0.634	0.280	24.50%
Batter Splits	SFG BvP		SF vs L		Batter Splits	CHC BvP		CHC vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Ryan Vogelsong : FD: $5,900 — DK: $5,800

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 286.1 — SIERA: 4.20 — ERA: 4.05 — K%: 18.5% — BB%: 8.3% — HR/9: 1.0
Last 30 Days: IP: 11.2 — SIERA: 3.81 — ERA: 4.63 — K%: 20.0% — BB%: 8.0% — HR/9: 2.3

Chicago Cubs Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.298 (Rank: 24) — Strikeout Rate: 24.4% (Rank: 30)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 23.3% (Rank: 25)
Pitchers per PA: 3.98 (Rank: 1)

Analysis: There is one day game on Friday. Vogelsong will be on the mound for the Giants, as they square off against the Cubs in Chicago. The wind appears to be blowing to left field, but it shouldn’t be a huge help to the hitters. Vogelsong is a pitcher with glaring home/road splits. While the Cubs do have the highest strikeout rate of any team against right-handed pitching this season, they are still sizable favorites. Vogelsong doesn’t provide enough upside for fantasy consideration.

Pitcher Rating:45.5

Jon Lester : FD: $10,200 — DK: $10,200

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 352.1 — SIERA: 3.10 — ERA: 2.76 — K%: 24.9% — BB%: 5.6% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 36.1 — SIERA: 2.03 — ERA: 1.98 — K%: 31.9% — BB%: 3.0% — HR/9: 0.3

San Francisco Giants Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.304 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 20.0% (Rank: 10)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.340 (Rank: 10) — Strikeout Rate: 16.1% (Rank: 4)
Pitchers per PA: 3.74 (Rank: 25)

Analysis: Lester has been sharp over the last month of play, posting a 2.03 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 31.9% over the last month of play. He draws a difficult matchup against the Giants, but they aren’t as good against southpaws as they are against right-handed pitchers. Lester is a sizable favorite in this game and he should see plenty of run support with Ryan Vogelsong pitching opposite him. If you want some exposure to the early game, Lester is a viable pitching option.

Pitcher Rating:76.6

Batter Grind Down

San Francisco

The Giants draw a tough matchup against Jon Lester, who has been lights out in his recent starts. San Francisco’s offense can be avoided altogether, but Buster Posey may be worth a look in tournaments. He has been red-hot over the last two weeks, posting .444 wOBA and a .182 ISO.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Buster Posey : FD: $4,800 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: 1B/C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 267 — wOBA: 0.370 — ISO: 0.202 — wRC+: 145
Last 14 Days: PA: 49 — wOBA: 0.444 — ISO: 0.182 — wRC+: 196

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs draw a favorable matchup against Ryan Vogelsong, who has given up a .355 wOBA to left-handed hitters over the last two seasons. Kyle Schwarber remains an elite play at catcher, while Anthony Rizzo, Chris Coghlan, and Dexter Fowler are better secondary options.

Elite Plays

Kyle Schwarber : FD: $3,500 — DK: $3,800

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 65 — wOBA: 0.477 — ISO: 0.281 — wRC+: 212
Last 14 Days: PA: 40 — wOBA: 0.384 — ISO: 0.219 — wRC+: 147

Secondary Plays

Anthony Rizzo : FD: $4,400 — DK: $5,000

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 783 — wOBA: 0.388 — ISO: 0.254 — wRC+: 150
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.464 — ISO: 0.409 — wRC+: 202

Dexter Fowler : FD: $2,700 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 732 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.134 — wRC+: 104
Last 14 Days: PA: 56 — wOBA: 0.361 — ISO: 0.182 — wRC+: 131

Chris Coghlan : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,100

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 638 — wOBA: 0.353 — ISO: 0.187 — wRC+: 126
Last 14 Days: PA: 33 — wOBA: 0.307 — ISO: 0.233 — wRC+: 94

Colorado at Washington – 7:05 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Colorado					Washington
			Jorge De La Rosa					Jordan Zimmermann
			LEFT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			WAS (-160)					7.5
SP vs. Left	0.225	0.633	0.281	24.3%	SP vs. Left	0.271	0.704	0.309	19.30%
SP vs. Right	0.241	0.754	0.331	17.9%	SP vs. Right	0.236	0.604	0.268	22.10%
Batter Splits	COL BvP		COL vs R		Batter Splits	WAS BvP		WAS vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Jorge De La Rosa : FD: $6,500 — DK: $6,500

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 282.1 — SIERA: 4.05 — ERA: 4.37 — K%: 19.4% — BB%: 9.5% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.1 — SIERA: 3.56 — ERA: 5.93 — K%: 22.4% — BB%: 7.8% — HR/9: 2.0

Washington Nationals Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.304 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 22.0% (Rank: 18)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.295 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 23.7% (Rank: 26)
Pitchers per PA: 3.75 (Rank: 23)

Analysis: De La Rosa has pitched better than his recent ERA would suggest, but he is still an easy pitcher to avoid. He draws a difficult matchup tonight against the Nationals, who are finally starting to get healthy. De La Rosa is a sizable underdog on the road in this matchup and he can safely be avoided in all league formats.

Pitcher Rating:49.4

Jordan Zimmermann : FD: $8,200 — DK: $7,500

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 334.1 — SIERA: 3.48 — ERA: 3.01 — K%: 20.7% — BB%: 4.0% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 28.0 — SIERA: 3.88 — ERA: 5.46 — K%: 18.3% — BB%: 4.2% — HR/9: 1.9

Colorado Rockies Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.345 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 19.8% (Rank: 15)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.357 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 21.5% (Rank: 18)
Pitchers per PA: 3.76 (Rank: 22)

Analysis: Right when it appeared that Zimmermann was turning a corner, he has slid back to his early season form. Over the last month of play, he has a 5.46 ERA (3.88 SIERA) with a strikeout rate of 18.3%. While the Rockies are ranked first in team wOBA against right-handed pitching, those numbers are skewed by the fact that they play half of their games in Coors Field. They aren’t nearly as potent of an offense on the road. Zimmermann could be a cheap source for a win tonight, but he’s not a pitcher that is on my radar in cash games or tournaments.

Pitcher Rating:64.2

Batter Grind Down

Colorado

The Rockies draw a difficult matchup against Jordan Zimmermann, who has held left and right-handed hitters under a .310 wOBA over the last two seasons. The worst part is that they have to face him in the pitcher-friendly Nationals Park. The Rockies are secondary fantasy options at best tonight.

Elite Plays

NONE

Secondary Plays

Carlos Gonzalez : FD: $3,900 — DK: $4,000

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 487 — wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.269 — wRC+: 131
Last 14 Days: PA: 56 — wOBA: 0.592 — ISO: 0.563 — wRC+: 274

Ben Paulsen : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 251 — wOBA: 0.372 — ISO: 0.208 — wRC+: 122
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.433 — ISO: 0.306 — wRC+: 164

Washington

The Nationals’ matchup against Jorge De La Rosa is fairly straightforward. He struggles against right-handed hitters and he is able to keep left-handed hitters in check. Since the start of the 2014 season, De La Rosa has given up a .331 wOBA to hitters from the right side of the plate.

Elite Plays

Anthony Rendon : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 194 — wOBA: 0.361 — ISO: 0.140 — wRC+: 131
Last 14 Days: PA: 45 — wOBA: 0.316 — ISO: 0.128 — wRC+: 101

Secondary Plays

Ryan Zimmerman : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,400

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 117 — wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.160 — wRC+: 109
Last 14 Days: PA: 37 — wOBA: 0.327 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 108

Yunel Escobar : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,500

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B/SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 209 — wOBA: 0.316 — ISO: 0.089 — wRC+: 103
Last 14 Days: PA: 50 — wOBA: 0.370 — ISO: 0.200 — wRC+: 137

LA Dodgers at Pittsburgh – 7:05 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
LA Dodgers					Pittsburgh
			Clayton Kershaw					Gerrit Cole
			LEFT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			LAD (-132)					6.0
SP vs. Left	0.203	0.524	0.233	33.9%	SP vs. Left	0.239	0.659	0.295	24.60%
SP vs. Right	0.194	0.532	0.237	32.3%	SP vs. Right	0.242	0.660	0.292	24.60%
Batter Splits	LAD BvP		LA vs R		Batter Splits	PIT BvP		PIT vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Clayton Kershaw : FD: $13,400 — DK: $15,000

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 346.1 — SIERA: 2.10 — ERA: 2.03 — K%: 32.6% — BB%: 4.5% — HR/9: 0.5
Last 30 Days: IP: 34.0 — SIERA: 1.38 — ERA: 0.00 — K%: 38.1% — BB%: 0.9% — HR/9: 0.0

Pittsburgh Pirates Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.304 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 23.5% (Rank: 27)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.311 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 22.7% (Rank: 23)
Pitchers per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 17)

Analysis: Kershaw will look to extend his scoreless inning streak tonight against the Pirates. It is currently at 37 innings, which is incredible. Over the last month of play, he has a 1.38 SIERA with an insane strikeout rate of 38.1%. He is the top pitching option on the board again tonight, but is he really worth the expensive price tag? With Gerrit Cole pitching for the Pirates, a win is not a guarantee, even if he doesn’t give up any runs. The high floor and high upside is there for Kershaw, but it’s going to be tough to roster talented lineup around him, as he leaves you with very little cap space.

Pitcher Rating:97.4

Gerrit Cole : FD: $10,500 — DK: $10,800

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 275.1 — SIERA: 3.09 — ERA: 2.97 — K%: 24.6% — BB%: 6.2% — HR/9: 0.6
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.0 — SIERA: 2.91 — ERA: 2.33 — K%: 23.4% — BB%: 2.8% — HR/9: 0.7

Los Angeles Dodgers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.328 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 20.4% (Rank: 17)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.314 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 24.1% (Rank: 28)
Pitchers per PA: 3.87 (Rank: 6)

Analysis: Cole may not be in as good of form as Clayton Kershaw coming into tonight’s start, but he has a 2.91 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 23.4% over the last month of play. It’s hard to justify paying up for him tonight though, as he is a sizable underdog against a Dodgers’ offense that is ranked fifth in team wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. Let’s say that Cole is a Snickers bar that costs $5. While you like Snickers candy bars and would be willing to pay that much in the right situation, you are in the middle of a candy store. Given all of the other options available to you, don’t pay $5 for a Snickers tonight.

Pitcher Rating:71.2

Batter Grind Down

LA Dodgers

This game should be a fun one to watch, but the excitement isn’t going to come on the offensive side of the ball. This game has an extremely low run total and Gerrit Cole has held left and right-handed hitters under a .300 wOBA over the last two seasons. The Dodgers’ offense can be avoided tonight.

Elite Plays / Secondary Plays

NONE

Pittsburgh

The Pirates’ offense is in an even worse matchup than the Dodgers. Pittsburgh has to face Clayton Kershaw, who hasn’t allowed a run in 37 straight innings. Kershaw has also held left and right-handed hitters under a .240 wOBA over the last two seasons.

Elite Plays / Secondary Plays

NONE

Toronto at NY Yankees – 7:05 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Toronto					NY Yankees
			R.A. Dickey					Nathan Eovaldi
			RIGHT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			NYY (-110)					9.0
SP vs. Left	0.223	0.681	0.303	15.3%	SP vs. Left	0.311	0.802	0.351	15.70%
SP vs. Right	0.242	0.730	0.321	18.9%	SP vs. Right	0.258	0.672	0.296	17.50%
Batter Splits	TOR BvP		TOR vs R		Batter Splits	NYY BvP		NYY vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

R.A. Dickey : FD: $8,000 — DK: $6,600

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 359.2 — SIERA: 4.33 — ERA: 3.85 — K%: 17.3% — BB%: 8.1% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 36.1 — SIERA: 3.91 — ERA: 1.24 — K%: 18.8% — BB%: 5.1% — HR/9: 0.3

New York Yankees Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.331 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 18.8% (Rank: 8)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.393 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 17.5% (Rank: 6)
Pitchers per PA: 3.89 (Rank: 4)

Analysis: Dickey has pitched well over the last month of play, but his SIERA during that stretch is a full two and a half runs higher than his ERA, so we shouldn’t put too much stock into his recent success. Dickey has an awful matchup tonight against the Yankees, who are ranked second in team wOBA and eighth in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season.

Pitcher Rating:36.5

Nathan Eovaldi : FD: $7,400 — DK: $6,200

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 317.0 — SIERA: 3.94 — ERA: 4.34 — K%: 16.6% — BB%: 5.6% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.2 — SIERA: 3.65 — ERA: 3.64 — K%: 17.7% — BB%: 6.5% — HR/9: 0.3

Toronto Blue Jays Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.329 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 18.7% (Rank: 6)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.345 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 15.7% (Rank: 3)
Pitchers per PA: 3.81 (Rank: 14)

Analysis: Eovaldi is one of those pitchers that is rarely in the minds of DFS players. He has decent numbers on the season, but he doesn’t have a high enough strikeout rate to really peak our interest. He draws a difficult matchup tonight against the Blue Jays, who are ranked third in team wOBA and sixth in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Both pitchers in this matchup should be avoided tonight.

Pitcher Rating:45.3

Batter Grind Down

Toronto

The Blue Jays’ lineup doesn’t exactly fit the matchup against Nathan Eovaldi. He gives up a much higher wOBA to left-handed hitters than he does to right-handed hitters. The good news for Toronto is that Eovaldi hasn’t had to face any lineups as stacked as this one. The Blue Jays’ offense should continue to roll tonight.

Elite Plays

Jose Bautista : FD: $4,900 — DK: $4,800

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 876 — wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.249 — wRC+: 145
Last 14 Days: PA: 57 — wOBA: 0.292 — ISO: 0.259 — wRC+: 82

Edwin Encarnacion : FD: $4,600 — DK: $4,500

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 767 — wOBA: 0.374 — ISO: 0.265 — wRC+: 140
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.424 — ISO: 0.154 — wRC+: 174

Secondary Plays

Josh Donaldson : FD: $5,300 — DK: $5,500

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 890 — wOBA: 0.344 — ISO: 0.191 — wRC+: 122
Last 14 Days: PA: 60 — wOBA: 0.485 — ISO: 0.510 — wRC+: 217

Troy Tulowitzki : FD: $4,500 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 575 — wOBA: 0.375 — ISO: 0.191 — wRC+: 124
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.306 — ISO: 0.195 — wRC+: 98

NY Yankees

R.A. Dickey has been sharp recently, but we can expect that to come to an end tonight. The Yankees are one of the best offenses in baseball and they get to face Dickey at home in the hitter-friendly confines of Yankee Stadium. Hitters from both sides of the plate are in play tonight against the knuckleballer.

Elite Plays

Brett Gardner : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 746 — wOBA: 0.351 — ISO: 0.187 — wRC+: 124
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.274 — ISO: 0.098 — wRC+: 70

Jacoby Ellsbury : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,100

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 606 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.129 — wRC+: 104
Last 14 Days: PA: 60 — wOBA: 0.260 — ISO: 0.176 — wRC+: 61

Secondary Plays

Alex Rodriguez : FD: $4,300 — DK: $4,700

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 291 — wOBA: 0.373 — ISO: 0.218 — wRC+: 139
Last 14 Days: PA: 56 — wOBA: 0.458 — ISO: 0.341 — wRC+: 198

Mark Teixeira : FD: $4,200 — DK: $4,900

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 640 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.268 — wRC+: 132
Last 14 Days: PA: 54 — wOBA: 0.489 — ISO: 0.370 — wRC+: 220

Carlos Beltran : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 513 — wOBA: 0.337 — ISO: 0.185 — wRC+: 114
Last 14 Days: PA: 45 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 116

Boston at Detroit – 7:08 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Boston					Detroit
			Joe Kelly					Daniel Norris
			RIGHT					LEFT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			DET (-126)					9.0
SP vs. Left	0.253	0.718	0.320	17.3%	SP vs. Left	0.242	0.827	0.361	15.80%
SP vs. Right	0.271	0.000	0.341	17.0%	SP vs. Right	0.226	0.698	0.309	17.40%
Batter Splits	BOS BvP		BOS vs L		Batter Splits	DET BvP		DET vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Joe Kelly : FD: $5,900 — DK: $4,400

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 184.2 — SIERA: 4.23 — ERA: 5.12 — K%: 17.2% — BB%: 9.2% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 13.2 — SIERA: 3.45 — ERA: 8.56 — K%: 20.9% — BB%: 3.0% — HR/9: 2.0

Detroit Tigers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.326 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 13)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 21.5% (Rank: 18)
Pitchers per PA: 3.85 (Rank: 11)

Analysis: Kelly has been a very hittable pitcher over the last two seasons, posting a 5.12 ERA (4.23 SIERA) with a strikeout rate of 17.2%. Even though the Tigers’ offense has been struggling recently, that doesn’t change the fact that Joe Kelly is still Joe Kelly. He can safely be avoided against Detroit, who is ranked sixth in team wOBA against right-handed pitching this season.

Pitcher Rating:39.9

Daniel Norris : FD: $6,000 — DK: $6,400

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 37.1 — SIERA: 4.97 — ERA: 3.62 — K%: 17.0% — BB%: 11.3% — HR/9: 1.2
Last 30 Days: IP: 7.1 — SIERA: 3.74 — ERA: 1.23 — K%: 19.2% — BB%: 3.9% — HR/9: 1.2

Boston Red Sox Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.307 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 19.6% (Rank: 8)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.332 (Rank: 12) — Strikeout Rate: 17.0% (Rank: 5)
Pitchers per PA: 3.96 (Rank: 2)

Analysis: Norris is coming off of a strong start against the Orioles, where he struck out five batters while only giving up a single run in seven innings of work. Norris is still a top prospect, but it’s still a little too early to target him in daily fantasy. He is a small favorite tonight against the Red Sox, but the total for the game is set at 9.0 runs. Both offenses are expected to have some success in this one.

Pitcher Rating:46.1

Batter Grind Down

Boston

The Red Sox draw a decent matchup against Daniel Norris, who has given up a .361 wOBA to left-handed hitters in his short stint in the majors. David Ortiz deserves consideration as an elite play, as he has been red-hot over the last two weeks, posting a .488 wOBA and a .422 ISO.

Elite Plays

David Ortiz : FD: $4,000 — DK: $4,500

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 313 — wOBA: 0.317 — ISO: 0.208 — wRC+: 99
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.488 — ISO: 0.422 — wRC+: 217

Secondary Plays

Hanley Ramirez : FD: $3,300 — DK: $4,100

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF/SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 227 — wOBA: 0.359 — ISO: 0.212 — wRC+: 130
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.236 — ISO: 0.041 — wRC+: 41

Detroit

The Tigers draw a favorable matchup tonight against Joe Kelly at home. Since the start of the 2014 season, Kelly has given up a .320+ wOBA to both left and right-handed hitters. Tonight is a great time to buy low on the Tigers, as they are dirt cheap across the industry.

Elite Plays

Victor Martinez : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,500

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 718 — wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.168 — wRC+: 121
Last 14 Days: PA: 56 — wOBA: 0.179 — ISO: 0.020 — wRC+: 4

Secondary Plays

J.D. Martinez : FD: $3,800 — DK: $5,200

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 689 — wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.244 — wRC+: 147
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.380 — ISO: 0.217 — wRC+: 143

Jose Iglesias : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 264 — wOBA: 0.310 — ISO: 0.070 — wRC+: 94
Last 14 Days: PA: 54 — wOBA: 0.263 — ISO: 0.093 — wRC+: 62

Anthony Gose : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,000

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 501 — wOBA: 0.305 — ISO: 0.095 — wRC+: 92
Last 14 Days: PA: 38 — wOBA: 0.162 — ISO: 0.086 — wRC+: -8