MLB Grind Down: Friday, July 10th
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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Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs – 4:05 PM EST
| Chicago White Sox | Chicago Cubs | ||||||||
 | Carlos Rodon |  | Kyle Hendricks | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CHC (-150) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.200 | 0.543 | 0.250 | 30.8% | SP vs. Left | 0.244 | 0.657 | 0.290 | 15.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.298 | 0.851 | 0.373 | 19.4% | SP vs. Right | 0.248 | 0.652 | 0.288 | 19.40% |
| Batter Splits | CHW BvP | CWS vs R | Batter Splits | CHC vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Carlos Rodon : FD: $6,700 — DK: $5,700
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 60.1 — SIERA: 4.15 — K%: 22.6% — BB%: 12.8% — FB Rate: 26.5% — HR/FB: 8.9%
Last 30 Days: IP: 25.2 — SIERA: 3.63 — K%: 23.1% — BB%: 11.1% — FB Rate: 16.2% — HR/FB: 25.0%
Chicago Cubs Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.324 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 21.2% (Rank: 16)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.272 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 19.9% (Rank: 15)
Pitchers per PA: 3.97 (Rank: 2)
Analysis: Happy Friday Grinders! With the All-Star break approaching, this will be the last Grind Down written by yours truly until next Friday. We have a lone day game on the schedule today, but it is included in the all-day slates, so we will break it down for you. Rodon takes the mound for the White Sox. He has been much better in his recent starts, posting a 3.63 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 23.1% over the last month of play. His command is still an issue though, as he has walked 12.8% of the batters that he has faced this season. The risk is greater than the potential reward here, as the Cubs are ranked third in wOBA (.324) against left-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:53.4
Kyle Hendricks : FD: $7,300 — DK: $6,900
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 172.1 — SIERA: 3.73 — K%: 17.6% — BB%: 4.6% — FB Rate: 32.6% — HR/FB: 7.6%
Last 30 Days: IP: 28.1 — SIERA: 3.30 — K%: 20.7% — BB%: 3.6% — FB Rate: 32.1% — HR/FB: 11.1%
Chicago White Sox Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 24) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 14)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.319 (Rank: 10) — Strikeout Rate: 21.8% (Rank: 22)
Pitchers per PA: 3.75 (Rank: 22)
Analysis: Hendricks continues to fly under the radar, both in DFS and in the national spotlight. Over the last month of play, he has an impressive 3.30 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 20.7%. He is effective against hitters from both sides of the plate and he has a very low walk rate. There is really nothing to criticize him for. He’s worth a look today in the all-day slate of games, as he takes on a White Sox offense that is ranked 24th in wOBA (.299) against right-handed pitching this season. Everyone loves a good bargain and it’s hard to find a better one than Hendricks.
Pitcher Rating:69.5
Batter Grind Down
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are an underperforming offense that is searching for answers. The problem is that there doesn’t appear to be any answers on the horizon. As a team, they don’t hit left or right-handed pitching well and they have the third-fewest home runs of any team in baseball this season. Jose Abreu and Adam Eaton are decent secondary plays, but as mentioned above, Kyle Hendricks has held left and right-handed hitters in check.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Jose Abreu : FD: $3,500 — DK: $5,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 722 — wOBA: 0.383 — ISO: 0.237 — wRC+: 145
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.239 — wRC+: 127
Adam Eaton : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,000
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 637 — wOBA: 0.338 — ISO: 0.130 — wRC+: 113
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.255 — wRC+: 126
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are sizable favorites in today’s game against the rookie, Carlos Rodon. The sample size is still small, but Rodon has given up a .373 wOBA to hitters from the right side of the plate this season. If you are playing the all-day slate and want to target hitters that you know are going to be in the lineup, the right-handed bats from the Cubs are in play.
Elite Plays:
Kris Bryant : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 57 — wOBA: 0.415 — ISO: 0.313 — wRC+: 166
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.368 — ISO: 0.233 — wRC+: 134
Secondary Plays:
Dexter Fowler : FD: $2,700 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 188 — wOBA: 0.381 — ISO: 0.123 — wRC+: 146
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.244 — ISO: 0.083 — wRC+: 48
Jorge Soler : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 62 — wOBA: 0.309 — ISO: 0.094 — wRC+: 93
Last 14 Days: PA: 19 — wOBA: 0.309 — ISO: 0.111 — wRC+: 93
Washington at Baltimore – 7:05 PM EST
| Washington | Baltimore | ||||||||
 | Gio Gonzalez |  | Chris Tillman | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| BAL (-120) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.233 | 0.635 | 0.283 | 22.1% | SP vs. Left | 0.254 | 0.684 | 0.305 | 17.10% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.247 | 0.698 | 0.310 | 23.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.245 | 0.757 | 0.331 | 16.70% |
| Batter Splits | WAS BvP | WAS vs R | Batter Splits | BAL BvP | BAL vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Gio Gonzalez : FD: $9,400 — DK: $8,500
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 247.1 — SIERA: 3.54 — K%: 23.2% — BB%: 8.6% — FB Rate: 31.0% — HR/FB: 6.7%
Last 30 Days: IP: 23.2 — SIERA: 4.08 — K%: 16.0% — BB%: 8.0% — FB Rate: 27.4% — HR/FB: 5.0%
Baltimore Orioles Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.309 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 21.2% (Rank: 16)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.306 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 23.9% (Rank: 28)
Pitchers per PA: 3.81 (Rank: 12)
Analysis: I try to avoid pitchers in bad form whenever possible, especially when that bad form doesn’t come with a discounted price point. Gonzalez has a 4.08 SIERA with a low strikeout rate of 16.0% over the last month of play and his price is still rather expensive. He can safely be avoided tonight against a very potent Orioles’ offense that has the fifth-most home runs of any team in baseball this season.
Pitcher Rating:65.7
Chris Tillman : FD: $6,300 — DK: $5,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 291.1 — SIERA: 4.41 — K%: 16.9% — BB%: 8.3% — FB Rate: 39.6% — HR/FB: 8.6%
Last 30 Days: IP: 24.2 — SIERA: 4.56 — K%: 15.0% — BB%: 5.6% — FB Rate: 45.9% — HR/FB: 7.7%
Washington Nationals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.314 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 20.8% (Rank: 24)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.295 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 23.1% (Rank: 25)
Pitchers per PA: 3.73 (Rank: 23)
Analysis: Speaking of pitchers in less than ideal form, Tillman will be on the bump for the Orioles tonight. He has not had a great season by any stretch of the imagination. He does draw a favorable matchup tonight against the depleted Nationals’ lineup though. Outside of Bryce Harper, the Nationals could be mistaken for a Triple-A offense. They are ranked 20th in wOBA (.314) and 25th in strikeout rate (20.8%) over the last 14 days. I’m not saying that Tillman will come out and dominate tonight, but he’s not the worst tournament play on the board either.
Pitcher Rating:45.2
Batter Grind Down
Washington
The Nationals draw a favorable matchup against Chris Tillman and they get to face him in a hitter-friendly American League ballpark. Hitters from both sides of the plate are in play against Tillman, but with all of the injuries to the Nationals, there is really only one option that stands out tonight. Bryce Harper has been red-hot over the last two weeks with a .483 wOBA and a .267 ISO.
Elite Plays:
Bryce Harper : FD: $5,000 — DK: $5,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 518 — wOBA: 0.410 — ISO: 0.247 — wRC+: 164
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.483 — ISO: 0.267 — wRC+: 214
Secondary Plays:
Clint Robinson : FD: $2,400 — DK: $2,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 148 — wOBA: 0.319 — ISO: 0.149 — wRC+: 102
Last 14 Days: PA: 43 — wOBA: 0.354 — ISO: 0.194 — wRC+: 126
Baltimore
Gio Gonzalez is an above-average left-handed pitcher, but he hasn’t been great in his recent starts and the Orioles get to face him at home in the hitter-friendly Camden Yards. Gonzalez is tough on left-handed hitters, but the right-handed bats in this lineup are all in play.
Elite Plays:
Adam Jones : FD: $3,300 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 229 — wOBA: 0.427 — ISO: 0.254 — wRC+: 177
Last 14 Days: PA: 46 — wOBA: 0.271 — ISO: 0.182 — wRC+: 68
Steve Pearce : FD: $2,400 — DK: $3,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 2B/OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 171 — wOBA: 0.421 — ISO: 0.296 — wRC+: 173
Last 14 Days: PA: 25 — wOBA: 0.449 — ISO: 0.217 — wRC+: 192
Secondary Plays:
Manny Machado : FD: $4,300 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 181 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.150 — wRC+: 104
Last 14 Days: PA: 60 — wOBA: 0.412 — ISO: 0.340 — wRC+: 166
Matt Wieters : FD: $2,800 — DK: $3,100
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 40 — wOBA: 0.258 — ISO: 0.256 — wRC+: 59
Last 14 Days: PA: 33 — wOBA: 0.241 — ISO: 0.156 — wRC+: 47
St. Louis at Pittsburgh – 7:05 PM EST
| St. Louis | Pittsburgh | ||||||||
 | Lance Lynn |  | Gerrit Cole | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-129) | 6.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.231 | 0.675 | 0.303 | 18.1% | SP vs. Left | 0.238 | 0.660 | 0.296 | 24.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.238 | 0.639 | 0.285 | 25.4% | SP vs. Right | 0.241 | 0.656 | 0.292 | 24.90% |
| Batter Splits | STL BvP | STL vs R | Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Lance Lynn : FD: $9,300 — DK: $10,200
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 296.0 — SIERA: 3.72 — K%: 22.2% — BB%: 8.2% — FB Rate: 36.4% — HR/FB: 5.9%
Last 30 Days: IP: 19.0 — SIERA: 3.62 — K%: 26.3% — BB%: 10.5% — FB Rate: 41.3% — HR/FB: 0.0%
Pittsburgh Pirates Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.306 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 19.8% (Rank: 17)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 18.4% (Rank: 10)
Pitchers per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 15)
Analysis: Lynn has pitched well since returning from injury, posting a 3.62 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 26.3%. He has walked a few more batters than we’d like to see, but his high strikeout rate more than makes up for it. He draws a decent matchup tonight against the Pirates, who are ranked 20th in wOBA (.306) and 17th in strikeout rate (19.8%) against right-handed pitching this season. Lynn is not a bad play tonight, but there are safer options for cash games and pitchers that have more upside for tournaments.
Pitcher Rating:68.0
Gerrit Cole : FD: $10,600 — DK: $10,000
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 248.1 — SIERA: 3.09 — K%: 24.7% — BB%: 6.5% — FB Rate: 29.2% — HR/FB: 8.8%
Last 30 Days: IP: 32.1 — SIERA: 3.42 — K%: 20.6% — BB%: 5.3% — FB Rate: 28.7% — HR/FB: 7.4%
St. Louis Cardinals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.319 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 10)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.275 (Rank: 27) — Strikeout Rate: 23.4% (Rank: 27)
Pitchers per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 19)
Analysis: Cole has given up at least two earned runs in each of his last four starts, but his indicators suggest that he has still been the same dominant pitcher that we have seen all season. He has a high strikeout rate, a low walk rate, and he produces a ton of ground-ball outs. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against the depleted Cardinals’ offense that is ranked 27th in both wOBA (.275) and strikeout rate (23.4%) over the last two weeks. The masses will be on Madison Bumgarner tonight, but Cole should be considered a very close second.
Pitcher Rating:86.9
Batter Grind Down
St. Louis
Since the start of the 2014 season, Gerrit Cole has held left and right-handed hitters under a .300 wOBA. The Cardinals’ offense is missing some key pieces and they have one of the lowest run totals on the board. They should be avoided tonight.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Pittsburgh
This game is expected to be a pitcher’s duel with these two aces on the mound. Lance Lynn has held left and right-handed hitters under a .305 wOBA over the last two seasons. The Pirates’ offense has been surging in recent weeks, but they can be avoided tonight against Lynn and the Cardinals.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Arizona at NY Mets – 7:10 PM EST
| Arizona | NY Mets | ||||||||
 | Chase Anderson |  | Noah Syndergaard | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| NYM (-138) | 6.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.227 | 0.689 | 0.304 | 17.1% | SP vs. Left | 0.218 | 0.614 | 0.265 | 18.60% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.278 | 0.787 | 0.343 | 20.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.267 | 0.704 | 0.309 | 29.40% |
| Batter Splits | ARI BvP | ARI vs R | Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Chase Anderson : FD: $6,500 — DK: $5,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 211.1 — SIERA: 4.01 — K%: 18.7% — BB%: 7.2% — FB Rate: 35.1% — HR/FB: 11.8%
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.2 — SIERA: 5.12 — K%: 10.6% — BB%: 6.5% — FB Rate: 39.8% — HR/FB: 17.9%
New York Mets Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.285 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 20.5% (Rank: 22)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.261 (Rank: 30) — Strikeout Rate: 20.6% (Rank: 17)
Pitchers per PA: 3.86 (Rank: 8)
Analysis: Anderson has been one of the top pitchers to target hitters against recently. In his last 30 innings of work, he has a 5.12 SIERA with an extremely low strikeout rate of 10.6%. The Mets are a common cure for the pitching blues, but given his recent form, Anderson should only be targeted in tournaments, if at all. He sees a ballpark boost playing in the pitcher-friendly Citi Field, but again, he is a risky fantasy option tonight.
Pitcher Rating:51.9
Noah Syndergaard : FD: $8,400 — DK: $8,200
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 58.2 — SIERA: 3.11 — K%: 24.2% — BB%: 4.9% — FB Rate: 32.9% — HR/FB: 9.1%
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.0 — SIERA: 3.33 — K%: 22.3% — BB%: 5.8% — FB Rate: 30.6% — HR/FB: 11.5%
Arizona Diamondbacks Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.316 (Rank: 14) — Strikeout Rate: 20.0% (Rank: 18)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.341 (Rank: 4) — Strikeout Rate: 20.9% (Rank: 18)
Pitchers per PA: 3.68 (Rank: 29)
Analysis: Syndergaard has had a terrific rookie season, posting a 3.11 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 24.2%. I always love targeting him when he pitches at home because it’s a great pitchers park and he has to feel a little more comfortable pitching in front of his home crowd. He draws a decent matchup tonight against the Diamondbacks, who are ranked right around the major league average in both wOBA and strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. He may not be a cash game option, but he provides great upside for GPPs.
Pitcher Rating:84.9
Batter Grind Down
Arizona
The Diamondbacks draw a difficult matchup against Noah Syndergaard and they have to face him in the pitcher-friendly Citi Field. There are much better matchups to exploit tonight. Avoid the Diamondbacks in all league formats.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
NY Mets
The Mets don’t hit right-handed pitching well as a team, but they do draw a nice matchup against the struggling Chase Anderson. They still have one of the lower team totals on the board though, which is why they are secondary fantasy options at best tonight at home.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Curtis Granderson : FD: $3,100 — DK: $3,800
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 773 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.176 — wRC+: 122
Last 14 Days: PA: 63 — wOBA: 0.361 — ISO: 0.214 — wRC+: 136
Wilmer Flores : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,600
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 463 — wOBA: 0.305 — ISO: 0.141 — wRC+: 97
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.078 — wRC+: 109
Houston at Tampa Bay – 7:10 PM EST
| Houston | Tampa Bay | ||||||||
 | Collin McHugh |  | Erasmo Ramirez | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TBR (-115) | 7.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.224 | 0.635 | 0.282 | 21.2% | SP vs. Left | 0.232 | 0.673 | 0.304 | 19.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.237 | 0.681 | 0.300 | 24.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.269 | 0.000 | 0.355 | 18.30% |
| Batter Splits | HOU BvP | HOU vs R | Batter Splits | TBR BvP | TB vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Collin McHugh : FD: $8,400 — DK: $8,700
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 261.2 — SIERA: 3.45 — K%: 22.5% — BB%: 6.3% — FB Rate: 34.6% — HR/FB: 10.2%
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.1 — SIERA: 4.51 — K%: 17.5% — BB%: 9.5% — FB Rate: 39.8% — HR/FB: 7.7%
Tampa Bay Rays Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.297 (Rank: 25) — Strikeout Rate: 22.0% (Rank: 25)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.285 (Rank: 24) — Strikeout Rate: 26.2% (Rank: 30)
Pitchers per PA: 3.86 (Rank: 9)
Analysis: McHugh has not been sharp in his recent outings, posting a 4.51 SIERA with a low strikeout rate of 17.5%. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against the Rays, but he seems a bit overpriced considering the way he has been pitching recently. There are better pitching options tonight, both at higher and lower price points.
Pitcher Rating:65.9
Erasmo Ramirez : FD: $6,700 — DK: $5,600
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 148.2 — SIERA: 4.22 — K%: 18.9% — BB%: 9.2% — FB Rate: 38.4% — HR/FB: 11.2%
Last 30 Days: IP: 25.2 — SIERA: 3.97 — K%: 19.6% — BB%: 6.9% — FB Rate: 39.4% — HR/FB: 7.1%
Houston Astros Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 7) — Strikeout Rate: 25.9% (Rank: 30)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.320 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 26.0% (Rank: 29)
Pitchers per PA: 3.85 (Rank: 10)
Analysis: Ramirez has been better recently, but he’s still an average pitcher at best in the majors. He has a 3.97 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 19.6% over the last month of play. Tonight he squares off against a very potent Astros’ offense that leads the majors in home runs this season. That’s not promising for a pitcher that has a 38.4% fly-ball rate over the last two seasons.
Pitcher Rating:58.5
Batter Grind Down
Houston
The Astros are decent targets tonight against Ersasmo Ramirez, but they are a bit overpriced considering the fact that this game will be played in the somewhat pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field. The right-handed bats of Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Evan Gattis should be considered secondary options.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Jose Altuve : FD: $4,600 — DK: $4,500
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 775 — wOBA: 0.333 — ISO: 0.108 — wRC+: 114
Last 14 Days: PA: 57 — wOBA: 0.433 — ISO: 0.196 — wRC+: 183
Carlos Correa : FD: $3,800 — DK: $4,500
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 71 — wOBA: 0.331 — ISO: 0.206 — wRC+: 112
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.339 — ISO: 0.240 — wRC+: 118
Evan Gattis : FD: $3,500 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 532 — wOBA: 0.337 — ISO: 0.224 — wRC+: 115
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.433 — ISO: 0.261 — wRC+: 183
Tampa Bay
The Rays draw a difficult matchup against Collin McHugh, who has held left and right-handed hitters under a .305 wOBA over the last two seasons. John Jaso is the only fantasy option on my radar tonight from the Rays.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
John Jaso : FD: $3,100 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 322 — wOBA: 0.359 — ISO: 0.188 — wRC+: 134
Last 14 Days: PA: 15 — wOBA: 0.610 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 311