MLB Grind Down: Monday, August 27th
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The RotoGrinders MLB Grind Down will give you an in-depth analysis into the upcoming 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.
Note: As always, if you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use our DraftKings promo code, FanDuel promo code, and FantasyDraft promo code to receive the best perks in the industry.
Stackability Rating System:
GREEN – A viable full stack in cash games and GPPs.
YELLOW – A viable mini-stack in cash games and full stack in GPPs.
ORANGE – A viable stack in large field GPPs.
RED – Not a recommended stack for cash games or GPPs.
Implied Run Totals
Ballpark Ratings
Chicago White Sox at NY Yankees – 7:05 PM ET
| Chicago White Sox | NY Yankees | ||||||||||||||
 | Carlos Rodon |  | Masahiro Tanaka | ||||||||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||||||||
| NYY-230 | 9.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.233 | 0.306 | 28.3% | 1.00 | 23.3% | 50.0% | SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.287 | 0.325 | 36.3% | 1.19 | 23.5% | 50.3% | ||
| SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.270 | 0.304 | 25.8% | 0.92 | 19.1% | 38.1% | SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.329 | 0.328 | 40.9% | 2.15 | 26.3% | 44.4% | ||
Pitcher Grind Down
| Carlos Rodon | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $8,600 | Salary: | $8,500 | Salary: | $16,300 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 7 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 7 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 7 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 12 | 4.21 | 4.15 | 25.6% | 10.4% | 44.1% | 32.1% | 12.8% | 93.1 | 10.3% | |
| 2018 | 13 | 4.64 | 2.71 | 20.0% | 9.3% | 40.4% | 26.3% | 17.8% | 93.1 | 9.5% | |
| L14 | 2 | 4.34 | 3.21 | 20.8% | 7.6% | 38.9% | 33.3% | 11.1% | 92.5 | 10.0% | |
There are seven games on the schedule tonight, which is on the lighter side of things for a Monday. As we get closer to the start of football season, it’s time to sharpen your DFS skills and knowledge. I highly recommend checking out RotoAcademy. We have a few new courses up already and will have a few more up in the next week. We also have great MLB, PGA, NBA, and soon to be CFB content if you want to freshen up on those sports.
Rodon is a talented southpaw, but his numbers this season suggest some regression. In his 13 starts, he has a 4.64 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 20% and a walk rate of 9%. He’ll need as many strikeouts as he can find to have success tonight against the Yankees, who lead the majors in home runs hit this season. Luckily for Rodon, the Yankees are missing a few of their best hitters. Unfortunately, he still has to face them in the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. Even with limited pitching options, Rodon offers more risk than upside in this matchup.
Quick Breakdown: Avoid Rodon in both cash games and tournaments.
| Masahiro Tanaka | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $10,200 | Salary: | $9,500 | Salary: | $18,800 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 3 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 4 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 4 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 30 | 3.52 | 4.74 | 25.8% | 5.5% | 49.2% | 31.4% | 19.5% | 92.2 | 15.1% | |
| 2018 | 21 | 3.58 | 3.90 | 25.1% | 6.2% | 47.0% | 38.8% | 17.7% | 91.7 | 13.7% | |
| L14 | 2 | 3.26 | 2.25 | 22.2% | 2.2% | 50.0% | 52.9% | 17.7% | 91.5 | 13.2% | |
For a small slate, there are quite a few aces taking the mound tonight. My favorite of the bunch is Tanaka, who boasts a 3.58 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 25% and a walk rate of 6%. As always, his biggest weakness has been the long ball. When he keeps the ball in the park, he tends to have big fantasy outings. He draws one of the top matchups of the slate, as the White Sox projected lineup has an average xwOBA of .314 with a strikeout rate of 27% against right-handed pitching. As a massive favorite at home with a high ceiling, Tanaka is my go-to play tonight at pitcher.
Quick Breakdown: Tanaka is an elite play in all formats.
Batter Grind Down
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox see a favorable ballpark shift playing in Yankee Stadium. As a whole, this is a tough spot for this offense. They have struggled against right-handed pitching all season and they are facing Masahiro Tanaka, who has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .330 xwOBA this season. With that said, Tanaka has given up 58 home runs in his last 51 starts and the White Sox get to face him in a home run-friendly ballpark. If you are looking for a leverage play or two in tournaments, Yoan Moncada, Avisail Garcia, and Daniel Palka all boast a .185+ against right-handed pitching.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. RH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yolmer Sanchez | SWITCH | 0.308 | 0.164 | 28.5% | 7.5% | 18.9% | 47.4% | 3B | $2,700 | 3B | $3,700 | 3B | $7,700 |
| 2 | Yoan Moncada | SWITCH | 0.332 | 0.196 | 38.0% | 10.6% | 34.6% | 30.8% | 2B | $3,200 | 2B | $3,900 | 2B | $7,300 |
| 3 | Avisail Garcia | RIGHT | 0.321 | 0.187 | 33.8% | 3.2% | 25.8% | 46.4% | OF | $2,600 | OF | $3,800 | RF | $7,700 |
| 4 | Daniel Palka | LEFT | 0.326 | 0.263 | 38.8% | 4.3% | 34.5% | 44.1% | OF | $3,000 | OF | $4,000 | RF | $7,200 |
| 5 | Tim Anderson | RIGHT | 0.278 | 0.170 | 29.0% | 5.5% | 25.1% | 46.7% | SS | $3,100 | SS | $4,400 | SS | $8,400 |
| 6 | Nick Delmonico | LEFT | 0.325 | 0.181 | 31.4% | 8.6% | 20.2% | 43.8% | OF | $2,700 | OF | $4,000 | IF/OF | $7,500 |
| 7 | Matt Davidson | RIGHT | 0.321 | 0.206 | 35.6% | 10.9% | 36.6% | 39.7% | 1B | $3,000 | 1B/3B | $4,100 | 3B | $8,000 |
| 8 | Omar Narvaez | LEFT | 0.356 | 0.165 | 29.3% | 10.7% | 17.6% | 39.0% | C | $2,800 | C | $3,500 | C | $6,600 |
| 9 | Adam Engel | RIGHT | 0.263 | 0.118 | 27.8% | 4.1% | 28.0% | 36.5% | OF | $2,200 | OF | $3,000 | CF | $5,800 |
| Team Averages | 0.314 | 0.183 | 32.5% | 7.3% | 26.8% | 41.6% |
Elite Plays – None
Secondary Plays – Yoan Moncada, Avisail Garcia, Daniel Palka
Stackability – ORANGE
NY Yankees
The Yankees are still without a few of their best hitters, yet their projected lineup still boasts an average ISO of .194 with a hard contact rate of 39% against left-handed pitching. Their matchup against Carlos Rodon is mediocre at best. He owns a 20% strikeout rate and a 26% hard contact rate this season, neither of which are all that appealing. With that said, the Yankees’ lineup is loaded with power and they are playing at home in the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. Aaron Hicks (.405 xwOBA against southpaws) and Giancarlo Stanton (.459 xwOBA against southpaws) are two of the top outfielders in this slate, while Neil Walker and Luke Voit could be two of the best value plays, depending on their spot in the order.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. LH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Hicks | SWITCH | 0.405 | 0.282 | 48.8% | 13.8% | 19.2% | 34.1% | OF | $4,000 | OF | $4,300 | CF | $8,300 |
| 2 | Giancarlo Stanton | RIGHT | 0.459 | 0.344 | 58.9% | 11.4% | 24.3% | 38.9% | OF | $4,800 | OF | $5,200 | RF | $9,700 |
| 3 | Miguel Andujar | RIGHT | 0.321 | 0.234 | 32.7% | 4.4% | 18.4% | 44.2% | 3B | $4,100 | 3B | $4,300 | 3B | $8,100 |
| 4 | Gleyber Torres | RIGHT | 0.362 | 0.256 | 48.4% | 9.9% | 26.7% | 31.3% | SS | $4,000 | 2B | $4,200 | 2B | $8,300 |
| 5 | Neil Walker | SWITCH | 0.243 | 0.082 | 31.1% | 6.1% | 25.8% | 45.5% | 2B | $2,800 | 1B/2B | $3,300 | 2B | $6,800 |
| 6 | Luke Voit | RIGHT | 0.335 | 0.143 | 40.0% | 8.7% | 26.1% | 46.7% | 1B | $2,000 | 1B | $3,400 | 1B | $6,400 |
| 7 | Kyle Higashioka | RIGHT | 0.348 | 0.316 | 50.0% | 0.0% | 36.8% | 33.3% | C | $2,200 | C | $3,300 | C | $6,800 |
| 8 | Shane Robinson | RIGHT | 0.162 | 0.000 | 18.2% | 6.3% | 25.0% | 10.0% | OF | $2,000 | OF | $2,600 | RF | $4,900 |
| 9 | Ronald Torreyes | RIGHT | 0.169 | 0.091 | 23.5% | 4.3% | 21.7% | 52.9% | 2B | $2,300 | 2B/SS | $2,700 | 2B | $5,800 |
| Team Averages | 0.312 | 0.194 | 39.1% | 7.2% | 24.9% | 37.4% |
Elite Plays – Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, Neil Walker
Secondary Plays – Miguel Andujar, Gleyber Torres, Luke Voit, Kyle Higashioka (DK)
Stackability – YELLOW / GREEN
Toronto at Baltimore – 7:05 PM ET
| Toronto | Baltimore | ||||||||||||||
 | Sam Gaviglio |  | David Hess | ||||||||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||||||||
| TOR-120 | 9.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.353 | 0.376 | 39.3% | 1.54 | 15.3% | 42.9% | SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.359 | 0.356 | 30.6% | 2.39 | 15.3% | 38.8% | ||
| SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.332 | 0.308 | 30.3% | 1.51 | 26.4% | 51.3% | SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.341 | 0.339 | 29.0% | 1.57 | 14.5% | 31.6% | ||
Pitcher Grind Down
| Sam Gaviglio | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $7,300 | Salary: | $7,000 | Salary: | $14,000 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 10 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 10 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 10 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 13 | 4.96 | 4.36 | 15.7% | 8.3% | 49.4% | 31.5% | 15.7% | 88.6 | 7.1% | |
| 2018 | 18 | 4.00 | 4.94 | 21.5% | 6.9% | 47.3% | 34.6% | 16.6% | 88.0 | 9.3% | |
| L14 | 2 | 3.79 | 5.56 | 18.4% | 4.1% | 52.6% | 36.8% | 13.2% | 87.6 | 10.3% | |
Gaviglio pitched well his last time out and it was against this same Orioles’ offense. He struck out seven batters in seven innings of work and picked up the win. While his home/road splits are concerning and while I typically avoid pitchers that are facing the same team for the second start in a row, it’s hard not to like Gaviglio here. On the season, he has held right-handed hitters to a .308 xwOBA with a 26% strikeout rate. He’ll likely face six or seven righties tonight against Baltimore, whose projected lineup has an average k-rate of 24% against right-handed pitching.
Quick Breakdown: Gaviglio stands out as the best value at pitcher. He’s an elite SP2 in all formats.
| David Hess | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $6,600 | Salary: | $4,400 | Salary: | $8,100 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 12 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 13 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 13 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 13 | 5.34 | 5.50 | 14.9% | 8.9% | 35.3% | 29.8% | 21.3% | 92.0 | 8.2% | |
| L14 | 2 | 4.28 | 2.08 | 20.0% | 8.0% | 51.4% | 20.0% | 25.7% | 91.1 | 7.0% | |
Hess has been one of the more hittable starters in baseball this season. In 13 starts, he owns a 5.34 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 15% and a walk rate of 9%. He’s a fly-ball pitcher with a low k-rate, which is trouble in most ballparks, especially hitter-friendly ones like Camden Yards. To make matters worse, he draws a tough matchup against the Blue Jays, whose projected lineup boasts an average xwOBA of .364 with an ISO of .234 against right-handed pitching.
Quick Breakdown: Avoid Hess in all formats.
Batter Grind Down
Toronto
The Blue Jays have the third highest implied run total on the board. It’s actually good that they don’t have the highest total, as it would lead to higher ownership. They are my favorite offense of the slate. They are playing on the road (guaranteed ninth-inning at-bats), they are playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark, and they draw a great matchup against David Hess. In addition to having a low strikeout rate and a high fly-ball rate, he has allowed a .356 xwOBA to lefties and a .339 xwOBA to righties. There are a number of elite plays in this lineup, but I wanted to highlight Kendrys Morales, who has been on a heater that’s almost unheard of. Over his last ten games, he has 17 hits, eight home runs, and 15 RBI.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. RH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Billy McKinney | LEFT | 0.481 | 0.440 | 55.6% | 13.3% | 23.3% | 38.9% | OF | $2,800 | OF | $3,900 | LF | $7,400 |
| 2 | Devon Travis | RIGHT | 0.312 | 0.118 | 30.7% | 5.7% | 21.3% | 54.6% | 2B | $2,400 | 2B | $3,500 | 2B | $6,900 |
| 3 | Justin Smoak | SWITCH | 0.402 | 0.244 | 38.7% | 16.2% | 26.0% | 32.2% | 1B | $3,200 | 1B | $4,200 | 1B | $8,200 |
| 4 | Kendrys Morales | SWITCH | 0.448 | 0.260 | 45.7% | 12.3% | 19.3% | 43.5% | 1B | $4,100 | 1B | $5,000 | 1B | $9,700 |
| 5 | Randal Grichuk | RIGHT | 0.345 | 0.257 | 34.5% | 6.2% | 22.6% | 37.5% | OF | $2,700 | OF | $4,200 | RF | $8,300 |
| 6 | Russell Martin | RIGHT | 0.328 | 0.144 | 29.5% | 15.4% | 23.3% | 50.3% | 3B | $2,500 | C | $3,400 | C | $6,700 |
| 7 | Teoscar Hernandez | RIGHT | 0.350 | 0.206 | 38.9% | 7.5% | 31.0% | 36.2% | OF | $3,100 | OF | $4,200 | LF | $8,400 |
| 8 | Danny Jansen | RIGHT | 0.259 | 0.250 | 23.1% | 3.1% | 9.4% | 30.8% | C | $2,800 | C | $3,800 | C | $7,700 |
| 9 | Aledmys Diaz | RIGHT | 0.353 | 0.190 | 34.6% | 3.5% | 12.3% | 41.9% | SS | $3,200 | SS | $4,200 | SS | $8,100 |
| Team Averages | 0.364 | 0.234 | 36.8% | 9.2% | 20.9% | 40.7% |
Elite Plays – Billy McKinney (if batting leadoff), Devon Travis, Justin Smoak, Kendrys Morales
Secondary Plays – Russell Martin (DK), Randal Grichuk, Teoscar Hernandez, Danny Jansen (DK GPP)
Stackability – GREEN
Baltimore
Even though I have interest in Sam Gaviglio tonight, there is some merit to fading him. He will likely garner quite a bit of ownership in this small slate and he has certainly struggled on the road this season. One way to gain leverage on the field in tournaments is to fade Gaviglio and target a couple of Orioles’ hitters. On the season, he has allowed a .376 xwOBA with a 39% hard contact rate and a strikeout rate of only 15% to left-handed hitters. Cedric Mullins, Jonathan Villar, and Chris Davis are all on my radar for tournaments.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. RH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedric Mullins | LEFT | 0.297 | 0.275 | 30.6% | 11.1% | 8.9% | 52.9% | OF | $3,000 | OF | $4,300 | CF | $8,300 |
| 2 | Jonathan Villar | SWITCH | 0.274 | 0.100 | 29.2% | 7.7% | 27.1% | 61.6% | 2B | $3,200 | 2B | $4,200 | 2B | $8,300 |
| 3 | Trey Mancini | RIGHT | 0.378 | 0.184 | 38.6% | 7.9% | 23.4% | 48.5% | OF | $2,700 | 1B/OF | $3,600 | IF/OF | $7,200 |
| 4 | Adam Jones | RIGHT | 0.325 | 0.164 | 32.5% | 4.7% | 18.2% | 42.9% | OF | $3,100 | OF | $4,000 | CF | $7,600 |
| 5 | Chris Davis | LEFT | 0.298 | 0.136 | 35.0% | 8.2% | 36.3% | 40.0% | 1B | $2,300 | 1B | $3,600 | IF/OF | $7,700 |
| 6 | Renato Nunez | RIGHT | 0.307 | 0.168 | 32.3% | 10.3% | 28.0% | 43.8% | 3B | $2,500 | 3B | $3,800 | IF/OF | $7,700 |
| 7 | Tim Beckham | RIGHT | 0.292 | 0.123 | 31.0% | 5.7% | 26.1% | 49.0% | SS | $2,200 | 3B/SS | $3,200 | SS | $6,600 |
| 8 | John Andreoli | RIGHT | 0.276 | 0.000 | 18.2% | 11.8% | 23.5% | 63.6% | OF | $2,000 | OF | $4,100 | RF | $8,100 |
| 9 | Caleb Joseph | RIGHT | 0.265 | 0.144 | 26.3% | 4.1% | 27.9% | 44.3% | C | $2,100 | C | $2,800 | C | $5,600 |
| Team Averages | 0.301 | 0.144 | 30.4% | 7.9% | 24.4% | 49.6% |
Elite Plays – None
Secondary Plays – Cedric Mullins, Jonathan Villar, Chris Davis
Stackability – ORANGE
Washington at Philadelphia – 7:05 PM ET
| Washington | Philadelphia | ||||||||||||||
 | Stephen Strasburg |  | Zach Eflin | ||||||||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||||||||
| WAS-105 | 8.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.301 | 0.322 | 29.8% | 1.09 | 22.8% | 48.9% | SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.358 | 0.343 | 30.5% | 1.74 | 21.6% | 33.6% | ||
| SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.324 | 0.344 | 42.3% | 1.80 | 35.7% | 35.8% | SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.270 | 0.276 | 29.2% | 0.76 | 22.5% | 43.4% | ||
Pitcher Grind Down
| Stephen Strasburg | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $9,400 | Salary: | $9,100 | Salary: | $18,000 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 5 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 5 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 5 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 28 | 3.37 | 2.52 | 29.1% | 6.7% | 46.8% | 27.3% | 21.4% | 95.6 | 13.0% | |
| 2018 | 15 | 3.18 | 4.23 | 28.7% | 6.0% | 43.6% | 34.9% | 17.7% | 95.2 | 11.4% | |
| L14 | 1 | 3.30 | 11.25 | 26.3% | 5.3% | 46.2% | 38.5% | 7.7% | 93.6 | 7.1% | |
Strasburg struggled a bit in his first start back from injury (against this same Phillies’ team), but he was able to throw 84 pitches and he racked up five strikeouts in four innings of work. There are two schools of thought here — we can target an elite pitcher at a discounted price point, or we can fade him given his rust and potential pitch count. In all honesty, a case can be made to play or fade Strasburg tonight. If we didn’t have elite arms at the top, I would have more interest in Strasburg tonight. Personally, I will have more shares of Masahiro Tanaka, Gerrit Cole, and Patrick Corbin.
Quick Breakdown: I’m not for or against playing Strasburg here. If you like him, play him.
| Zach Eflin | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $7,800 | Salary: | $7,300 | Salary: | $14,600 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 9 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 9 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 9 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 11 | 5.08 | 6.16 | 12.5% | 4.3% | 44.1% | 33.3% | 16.7% | 92.7 | 7.3% | |
| 2018 | 18 | 3.96 | 3.93 | 22.1% | 5.7% | 39.1% | 29.8% | 20.9% | 94.3 | 10.0% | |
| L14 | 2 | 5.45 | 7.20 | 13.5% | 9.6% | 41.0% | 40.0% | 15.0% | 94.4 | 8.0% | |
Eflin has had a solid season overall, although a few of his recent outings have left us scratching our heads. In 18 starts total, he owns a 3.96 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 22% and a walk rate of 6%. He hasn’t been great in his two starts against the Nationals this season, including his last time out where he allowed five runs in less than four innings of work. With run support potentially being limited and a difficult matchup against the Nationals, Eflin becomes an easy fade in both cash games and tournaments.
Quick Breakdown: Let’s wait for a better matchup before hopping back on the Eflin train.
Batter Grind Down
Washington
The Nationals have had some success against Zach Eflin in the past and now get to face him in a home run-friendly ballpark. He has some of the most glaring splits of any pitcher on the mound tonight, as he has allowed a .343 xwOBA to lefties, while holding righties to a .276 xwOBA this season. Adam Eaton, Bryce Harper, and Juan Soto all bat from the left side and all boast a .370+ xwOBA against right-handed pitching. A full stack is viable if you want to include the right-handed bats of Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon. Matt Wieters is one of the top catching options on DraftKings ($3,400).
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. RH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Eaton | LEFT | 0.370 | 0.128 | 38.0% | 9.1% | 15.9% | 44.8% | OF | $3,000 | OF | $4,600 | RF | $9,200 |
| 2 | Trea Turner | RIGHT | 0.314 | 0.137 | 30.2% | 8.0% | 19.7% | 52.0% | SS | $3,600 | SS | $4,700 | IF/OF | $9,400 |
| 3 | Bryce Harper | LEFT | 0.396 | 0.280 | 43.0% | 16.9% | 24.7% | 36.2% | OF | $4,600 | OF | $5,100 | RF | $9,800 |
| 4 | Anthony Rendon | RIGHT | 0.381 | 0.190 | 37.0% | 8.2% | 13.7% | 36.4% | 3B | $3,600 | 3B | $4,200 | 3B | $8,500 |
| 5 | Juan Soto | LEFT | 0.374 | 0.205 | 34.7% | 18.5% | 18.5% | 51.5% | OF | $3,700 | OF | $4,400 | LF | $8,300 |
| 6 | Ryan Zimmerman | RIGHT | 0.385 | 0.221 | 41.6% | 5.7% | 20.4% | 47.8% | 1B | $3,500 | 1B | $4,100 | 1B | $8,400 |
| 7 | Matt Wieters | SWITCH | 0.302 | 0.129 | 32.5% | 7.6% | 12.7% | 38.5% | C | $2,100 | C | $3,400 | C | $6,500 |
| 8 | Wilmer Difo | SWITCH | 0.293 | 0.135 | 22.0% | 7.4% | 16.9% | 41.0% | 2B | $2,200 | 2B/3B | $3,200 | 2B | $6,500 |
| 9 | Stephen Strasburg | RIGHT | 0.297 | 0.000 | 27.3% | 3.7% | 14.8% | 68.4% | P | $9,400 | P | $9,100 | P | $18,000 |
| Team Averages | 0.346 | 0.158 | 34.0% | 9.5% | 17.5% | 46.3% |
Elite Plays – Adam Eaton, Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, Matt Wieters (DK)
Secondary Plays – Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman
Stackability – YELLOW / GREEN
Philadelphia
The Phillies knocked Stephen Strasburg around the other night, but I always have a hard time targeting hitters against elite pitchers, even ones that are just coming back from injury. If we look at Strasburg’s advanced statistics in that start, he had a 3.30 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 26%. He has struggled a bit against right-handed hitters this season, allowing a .344 xwOBA and a 42% hard contact rate. Rhys Hoskins and Wilson Ramos stand out as nice tournament options, as they both boast a .370+ xwOBA against right-handed pitching this season.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. RH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cesar Hernandez | SWITCH | 0.317 | 0.122 | 23.5% | 14.3% | 21.5% | 41.2% | 2B | $3,000 | 2B | $4,200 | 2B | $8,300 |
| 2 | Rhys Hoskins | RIGHT | 0.373 | 0.269 | 36.8% | 11.3% | 24.9% | 29.6% | OF | $3,500 | OF | $4,500 | IF/OF | $8,900 |
| 3 | Carlos Santana | SWITCH | 0.368 | 0.182 | 35.3% | 18.5% | 16.3% | 39.2% | 1B | $3,200 | 1B | $4,100 | 1B | $8,500 |
| 4 | Wilson Ramos | RIGHT | 0.364 | 0.184 | 43.7% | 7.5% | 20.3% | 54.0% | C | $2,800 | C | $4,500 | C | $9,000 |
| 5 | Nick Williams | LEFT | 0.378 | 0.209 | 32.3% | 7.9% | 22.2% | 42.4% | OF | $2,400 | OF | $4,000 | RF | $7,300 |
| 6 | Asdrubal Cabrera | SWITCH | 0.358 | 0.233 | 42.7% | 7.0% | 21.8% | 39.7% | SS | $2,800 | 2B/SS | $4,000 | SS | $7,400 |
| 7 | Maikel Franco | RIGHT | 0.331 | 0.227 | 27.1% | 5.5% | 14.4% | 51.1% | 3B | $2,800 | 3B | $3,900 | 3B | $7,300 |
| 8 | Odubel Herrera | LEFT | 0.308 | 0.189 | 26.1% | 7.6% | 19.8% | 40.1% | OF | $2,500 | OF | $4,100 | IF/OF | $8,500 |
| 9 | Zach Eflin | RIGHT | 0.111 | 0.103 | 21.4% | 0.0% | 56.3% | 80.0% | P | $7,800 | P | $7,300 | P | $14,600 |
| Team Averages | 0.323 | 0.191 | 32.1% | 8.8% | 24.2% | 46.4% |
Elite Plays – None
Secondary Plays – Rhys Hoskins (GPP), Wilson Ramos (DK GPP)
Stackability – ORANGE
NY Mets at Chicago Cubs – 8:05 PM ET
| NY Mets | Chicago Cubs | ||||||||||||||
 | Noah Syndergaard |  | Jon Lester | ||||||||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||||||||
| CHC-145 | 10.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.296 | 0.273 | 21.0% | 0.33 | 22.9% | 47.6% | SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.356 | 0.369 | 35.7% | 1.67 | 20.7% | 38.3% | ||
| SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.290 | 0.279 | 19.3% | 0.70 | 26.4% | 52.5% | SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.319 | 0.359 | 32.8% | 1.27 | 18.3% | 37.1% | ||
Pitcher Grind Down
| Noah Syndergaard | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $9,900 | Salary: | $10,100 | Salary: | $19,400 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 4 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 3 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 3 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7 | 2.74 | 2.97 | 27.4% | 2.4% | 57.6% | 30.2% | 16.3% | 98.3 | 13.9% | |
| 2018 | 18 | 3.32 | 3.38 | 24.6% | 4.9% | 49.8% | 20.2% | 26.3% | 97.4 | 14.1% | |
| L14 | 2 | 3.48 | 4.63 | 21.6% | 5.9% | 55.9% | 11.1% | 30.6% | 97.9 | 11.1% | |
Syndergaard is one of the most talented pitchers to take the mound tonight, but there are too many red flags to warrant consideration in DFS. We’ll start with the fact that the wind is blowing out to left field tonight in Wrigley (at 15+ MPH). This ballpark more than any other is impacted by wind. Despite having two above-average pitchers on the mound, the game features a total of 10.0 runs, which basically says all that we need to know. The fact that he’s facing the Cubs doesn’t help, as their projected lineup boasts an average xwOBA of .352 with a strikeout rate of only 19% against right-handed pitching.
Quick Breakdown: Syndergaard is an easy fade in all formats.
| Jon Lester | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $8,200 | Salary: | $8,200 | Salary: | $16,200 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 8 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 8 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 8 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 32 | 4.07 | 4.33 | 23.6% | 7.9% | 46.2% | 28.1% | 21.4% | 91.1 | 11.0% | |
| 2018 | 26 | 4.68 | 3.64 | 18.9% | 8.6% | 37.4% | 33.4% | 15.7% | 90.9 | 8.4% | |
| L14 | 2 | 3.17 | 0.77 | 25.0% | 2.3% | 41.9% | 15.6% | 18.8% | 90.8 | 8.9% | |
Lester has been in better form recently, but his numbers as a whole are less than appealing. In 26 starts, he has a 4.68 SIERA with a strikeout rate of only 19% and a walk rate of 9%. The biggest red flag is that his ground ball rate has dropped 9% this season, which is not going to bode well in these home run-friendly conditions. Even against the Mets (who have struggled against left-handed pitching all year), Lester is an easy fade in a game that features this high of a total.
Quick Breakdown: Avoid Lester in all formats.
Batter Grind Down
NY Mets
The Mets will likely garner ownership tonight, but I hope they don’t become the chalky stack. They are cheap, they are facing a fly-ball pitcher, and the wind is blowing out to left in Wrigley. There is a lot to like in this matchup, even though they have struggled against southpaws all season. Jon Lester has allowed a .369 xwOBA to lefties and a .359 xwOBA to righties, which brings batters from both sides of the plate into play. A full stack is certainly viable here, while Amed Rosario, Wilmer Flores, and Todd Frazier all stand out as elite plays at their respective positions.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. LH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amed Rosario | RIGHT | 0.303 | 0.138 | 31.7% | 5.2% | 23.5% | 45.7% | SS | $2,900 | SS | $3,800 | SS | $7,400 |
| 2 | Jeff McNeil | LEFT | 0.501 | 0.053 | 55.6% | 9.5% | 4.8% | 44.4% | 2B | $3,500 | 2B | $3,800 | 2B | $7,600 |
| 3 | Michael Conforto | LEFT | 0.335 | 0.192 | 36.3% | 8.6% | 32.9% | 53.8% | OF | $3,200 | OF | $3,500 | LF | $6,300 |
| 4 | Wilmer Flores | RIGHT | 0.337 | 0.104 | 30.6% | 7.9% | 7.1% | 34.3% | 1B | $3,300 | 1B | $3,900 | 1B | $7,200 |
| 5 | Todd Frazier | RIGHT | 0.297 | 0.134 | 34.4% | 9.8% | 23.9% | 45.9% | 3B | $2,700 | 3B | $4,200 | 3B | $8,100 |
| 6 | Austin Jackson | RIGHT | 0.256 | 0.019 | 30.0% | 7.0% | 31.3% | 51.4% | OF | $2,400 | OF | $3,200 | CF | $6,700 |
| 7 | Jose Bautista | RIGHT | 0.352 | 0.192 | 40.4% | 20.6% | 25.5% | 40.4% | OF | $2,900 | 3B/OF | $3,500 | IF/OF | $6,600 |
| 8 | Kevin Plawecki | RIGHT | 0.354 | 0.167 | 42.9% | 12.2% | 19.5% | 50.0% | C | $2,300 | C | $3,500 | C | $6,600 |
| 9 | Noah Syndergaard | RIGHT | 0.072 | 0.125 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 70.0% | 0.0% | P | $9,900 | P | $10,100 | P | $19,400 |
| Team Averages | 0.312 | 0.125 | 33.5% | 9.0% | 26.5% | 40.7% |
Elite Plays – Amed Rosario, Wilmer Flores, Todd Frazier
Secondary Plays – Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto, Jose Bautista, Kevin Plawecki (DK)
Stackability – YELLOW / GREEN
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have one of the worst matchups on paper, but we have to ask ourselves what’s more important — the opposing pitcher or the hitting environment? In order to take advantage of the wind blowing out to left field, the Cubs will need to make contact and get the ball in the air. This is tough to do against Noah Syndergaard, who has a 25% strikeout rate and a 50% ground ball rate this season. I will be taking some shots on a few of their hitters in tournaments, but as a whole I like the Mets’ offense a little more tonight.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. RH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Murphy | LEFT | 0.395 | 0.190 | 27.7% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 34.5% | 2B | $3,900 | 1B/2B | $4,000 | 2B | $7,300 |
| 2 | Javier Baez | RIGHT | 0.343 | 0.276 | 36.5% | 3.3% | 25.8% | 46.3% | SS | $4,200 | 2B/SS | $5,200 | 2B | $9,700 |
| 3 | Anthony Rizzo | LEFT | 0.408 | 0.232 | 36.1% | 12.1% | 9.9% | 37.4% | 1B | $4,000 | 1B | $4,900 | 1B | $9,000 |
| 4 | Ben Zobrist | SWITCH | 0.364 | 0.181 | 35.1% | 13.2% | 13.6% | 43.9% | OF | $3,100 | 2B/OF | $4,100 | IF/OF | $8,400 |
| 5 | Jason Heyward | LEFT | 0.342 | 0.135 | 29.6% | 8.9% | 10.7% | 45.3% | OF | $2,500 | OF | $3,400 | RF | $6,600 |
| 6 | Willson Contreras | RIGHT | 0.300 | 0.140 | 29.7% | 7.4% | 21.2% | 51.3% | C | $2,600 | C | $3,400 | IF/OF | $6,700 |
| 7 | Kyle Schwarber | LEFT | 0.377 | 0.273 | 42.2% | 14.6% | 25.5% | 40.2% | OF | $3,500 | OF | $4,000 | IF/OF | $7,700 |
| 8 | Jon Lester | LEFT | 0.276 | 0.086 | 21.9% | 0.0% | 22.0% | 73.1% | P | $8,200 | P | $8,200 | P | $16,200 |
| 9 | Ian Happ | SWITCH | 0.359 | 0.190 | 41.8% | 17.0% | 35.1% | 36.6% | OF | $2,800 | OF | $3,600 | IF/OF | $7,400 |
| Team Averages | 0.352 | 0.189 | 33.4% | 9.2% | 18.9% | 45.4% |
Elite Plays – None
Secondary Plays – Daniel Murphy, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Kyle Schwarber
Stackability – YELLOW
Oakland at Houston – 8:10 PM ET
| Oakland | Houston | ||||||||||||||
 | Brett Anderson |  | Gerrit Cole | ||||||||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||||||||
| HOU-180 | 8.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | Stats | wOBA | xwOBA | HC% | HR/9 | K% | GB% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.330 | 0.368 | 35.3% | 0.59 | 12.1% | 62.7% | SP vs. Left (2016-17) | 0.248 | 0.255 | 30.7% | 0.78 | 41.0% | 34.9% | ||
| SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.310 | 0.338 | 35.7% | 1.15 | 13.4% | 53.3% | SP vs. Right (2016-17) | 0.269 | 0.321 | 33.6% | 0.75 | 28.7% | 36.5% | ||
Pitcher Grind Down
| Brett Anderson | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $6,700 | Salary: | $5,700 | Salary: | $11,300 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 11 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 12 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 12 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 13 | 4.84 | 6.34 | 15.1% | 8.4% | 49.2% | 36.5% | 21.9% | 90.5 | 8.8% | |
| 2018 | 12 | 4.35 | 3.47 | 13.1% | 4.8% | 55.7% | 35.6% | 16.1% | 90.4 | 7.2% | |
| L14 | 2 | 2.69 | 0.00 | 16.3% | 2.0% | 72.5% | 32.5% | 7.5% | 90.3 | 9.7% | |
Anderson has posted three shutout outings in three of his last four starts. He’s certainly in the best form that he’s been in all year, but that’s not enough to sway me to target him in a matchup against the Astros. Overall, Anderson’s 4.35 SIERA and strikeout rate of 13% are far from appealing. Houston is nearly back at full strength, their projected lineup for tonight’s game boasts an average xwOBA of .359 with a strikeout rate of only 18% against left-handed pitching.
Quick Breakdown: Avoid Anderson in all formats.
| Gerrit Cole | |||||||||||
 | FanDuel | DraftKings | FantasyDraft | ||||||||
| Salary: | $10,800 | Salary: | $12,000 | Salary: | $23,300 | ||||||
| Salary Rank: | 2 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 1 of 14 | Salary Rank: | 1 of 14 | ||||||
| Stats | Starts | SIERA | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | HC% | SC% | aFV | SwS% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 33 | 3.97 | 4.26 | 23.1% | 6.5% | 45.8% | 31.3% | 23.9% | 96.0 | 9.5% | |
| 2018 | 26 | 2.87 | 2.73 | 34.7% | 8.0% | 35.8% | 32.4% | 18.5% | 96.5 | 13.7% | |
| L14 | 2 | 1.89 | 2.45 | 41.3% | 4.4% | 44.0% | 24.0% | 8.0% | 97.0 | 15.7% | |
Cole had a stretch in the middle of the season where it looked like he was regressing to his career mean, but he’s bounced back nicely since. In his last two starts, he owns a 1.89 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 41% and a walk rate of 4%. His numbers are elite as a whole and he’s been close to unhittable at home. The A’s have plenty of firepower in their lineup, but they have struggled against high-strikeout pitchers this year. If we throw out salaries, Cole deserves to be considered the top pitcher of the slate.
Quick Breakdown: Cole is an elite SP1 on FanDuel, although dollar for dollar, I prefer Tanaka as my SP1 on DraftKings.
Batter Grind Down
Oakland
The A’s are playing on the road in a pitcher-friendly ballpark and they draw one of the worst matchups on the schedule. Gerrit Cole has an elite strikeout rate and has held left-handed hitters to a .255 xwOBA to left-handed hitters. He has struggled a bit against right-handed hitters, but I’m not a fan of targeting hitters against elite pitchers. Outside of a Khris Davis one-off in tournaments, the A’s can be avoided.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. RH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Martini | LEFT | 0.340 | 0.112 | 33.8% | 12.3% | 17.9% | 43.7% | OF | $2,900 | OF | $3,300 | LF | $6,700 |
| 2 | Matt Chapman | RIGHT | 0.390 | 0.269 | 44.6% | 10.5% | 21.9% | 35.4% | 3B | $3,600 | 3B | $3,800 | 3B | $7,300 |
| 3 | Jed Lowrie | SWITCH | 0.350 | 0.238 | 39.0% | 11.6% | 20.2% | 33.6% | 2B | $3,600 | 2B | $3,700 | 2B | $7,500 |
| 4 | Khris Davis | RIGHT | 0.411 | 0.323 | 45.9% | 6.8% | 24.6% | 34.8% | OF | $4,300 | OF | $4,700 | LF | $9,400 |
| 5 | Matt Olson | LEFT | 0.383 | 0.239 | 48.7% | 10.5% | 24.7% | 32.3% | 1B | $3,500 | 1B | $3,700 | IF/OF | $7,500 |
| 6 | Stephen Piscotty | RIGHT | 0.366 | 0.210 | 44.5% | 5.2% | 18.5% | 44.1% | OF | $2,900 | OF | $3,300 | RF | $6,400 |
| 7 | Marcus Semien | RIGHT | 0.303 | 0.086 | 29.5% | 7.1% | 18.1% | 43.4% | SS | $2,700 | SS | $3,200 | SS | $6,800 |
| 8 | Ramon Laureano | RIGHT | 0.407 | 0.290 | 66.7% | 3.1% | 31.3% | 42.9% | OF | $2,500 | OF | $3,300 | CF | $6,400 |
| 9 | Jonathan Lucroy | RIGHT | 0.310 | 0.071 | 38.2% | 5.8% | 13.8% | 43.2% | C | $2,400 | C | $2,800 | C | $5,800 |
| Team Averages | 0.362 | 0.204 | 43.4% | 8.1% | 21.2% | 39.3% |
Elite Plays – None
Secondary Plays – None
Stackability – RED
Houston
The Astros are facing a pitcher in good form, but Brett Anderson has been a hittable pitcher for most of the season. He has one of the lowest strikeouts rates of any pitcher in baseball and on the season, he has allowed a .368 xwOBA to lefties and a .338 xwOBA to righties. Meanwhile, each of the first five batters in the Astros’ lineup has an average xwOBA of at least .350 against left-handed pitching — George Springer, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Tyler White.
Projected Lineup (Splits vs. LH Pitching)
| # | Player | Bats | xwOBA | ISO | HC% | BB% | K% | GB% | FD Pos. | FD Sal. | DK Pos. | DK Sal. | FDRFT Pos. | FDRFT Sal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Springer | RIGHT | 0.384 | 0.215 | 39.1% | 9.7% | 21.4% | 48.6% | OF | $3,800 | OF | $4,600 | RF | $9,400 |
| 2 | Alex Bregman | RIGHT | 0.385 | 0.255 | 36.0% | 12.7% | 9.4% | 30.2% | 3B | $4,300 | 3B/SS | $5,400 | 3B | $10,600 |
| 3 | Jose Altuve | RIGHT | 0.404 | 0.121 | 39.1% | 8.7% | 10.9% | 38.5% | 2B | $4,400 | 2B | $4,700 | 2B | $9,400 |
| 4 | Carlos Correa | RIGHT | 0.351 | 0.127 | 29.5% | 15.6% | 20.8% | 36.1% | SS | $3,800 | SS | $4,500 | SS | $9,200 |
| 5 | Tyler White | RIGHT | 0.429 | 0.357 | 40.0% | 14.3% | 24.5% | 30.0% | 1B | $3,000 | 1B | $4,400 | 1B | $8,000 |
| 6 | Marwin Gonzalez | SWITCH | 0.316 | 0.166 | 42.3% | 5.8% | 22.6% | 39.6% | OF | $3,600 | OF/SS | $4,100 | IF/OF | $8,200 |
| 7 | Yuli Gurriel | RIGHT | 0.339 | 0.143 | 33.9% | 6.7% | 10.7% | 36.3% | 1B | $2,800 | 1B | $4,100 | 1B | $8,100 |
| 8 | Josh Reddick | LEFT | 0.329 | 0.270 | 29.5% | 6.5% | 16.3% | 39.1% | OF | $2,900 | OF | $3,400 | RF | $6,800 |
| 9 | Martin Maldonado | RIGHT | 0.292 | 0.117 | 38.0% | 4.7% | 24.3% | 40.0% | C | $2,300 | C | $3,600 | C | $7,300 |
| Team Averages | 0.359 | 0.197 | 36.4% | 9.4% | 17.9% | 37.6% |
Elite Plays – George Springer, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Tyler White (GPP)
Secondary Plays – Tyler White (Cash), Carlos Correa, Marwin Gonzalez
Stackability – YELLOW / GREEN
Note: Unless noted, all statistics in the Grind Down are from the 2018 season.