MLB Grind Down: Monday, May 18th
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: Fantasy point averages listed use FanDuel scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s scoring system, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel review.
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LA Angels at Toronto – 1:07 PM EST
| LA Angels | Toronto | ||||||||
 | C.J. Wilson |  | Todd Redmond | ||||||
| LEFT | |||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| LAA (-107) | 9.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.196 | 0.581 | 0.259 | 18.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.000 | 0.429 | 0.301 | 28.60% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.211 | 0.540 | 0.239 | 16.7% | SP vs. Right | 0.357 | 1.114 | 0.476 | 11.80% |
| Batter Splits | ANA BvP | Batter Splits | TOR BvP | TOR vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
C.J. Wilson (FanDuel: $8300, DraftKings: $7600)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.19 — K Rate: 17.2% — K/9: 6.19 — BB Rate: 5.7% — FB Rate: 39.6% — HR/FB: 3.5%
2014: SIERA: 4.23 — K Rate: 19.8% — K/9: 7.74 — BB Rate: 11.2% — FB Rate: 29.5% — HR/FB: 11.3%
Toronto Blue Jays vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.373 (Rank: 1)
Strikeout Rate: 18.2% (Rank: 10)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.82 (Rank: 13)
Analysis: Wilson hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in any of his last five starts. His numbers are slowly improving, as he now sports a 4.19 SIERA with a K/9 of 6.2. He has given up very few home runs this season though (HR/FB of 3.5%), which is a bit concerning. He draws a difficult matchup today against the Blue Jays, who are ranked first in wOBA (.373) against left-handed pitching this season. He also has to face them in one of the best hitter’s venues in all of baseball. Vegas has this game set as a pick ‘em with the total set at 9.0 runs.
Pitcher Rating:47.5
Todd Redmond (FD: $4600, DK: N/A)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 6.35 — K Rate: 16.7% — K/9: 8.31 — BB Rate: 20.8% — FB Rate: 57.1% — HR/FB: 12.5%
2014: SIERA: 3.95 — K Rate: 19.1% — K/9: 7.20 — BB Rate: 8.6% — FB Rate: 48.4% — HR/FB: 4.6%
LA Angels of Anaheim vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.267 (Rank: 30)
Strikeout Rate: 20.1% (Rank: 17)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.75 (Rank: 22)
Analysis: Redmond will draw the start tonight for the Blue Jays, after making two appearances out of the bullpen. He has pitched a combined 8.1 innings and he’s given up eight runs. He’ll likely be on a pitch count tonight, as he has yet to throw more than 53 pitches in any game this season. While the Angels have not fared well against right-handed pitching this season, a pitch count in a hitter’s park is more than enough reason to avoid Redmond.
Pitcher Rating:41.1
Batter Grind Down
LA Angels
Kole Calhoun (FD: $3000, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.128 — wRC+: 112
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.190 — wRC+: 129
Analysis: Calhoun hasn’t gotten off to the best start, but he’s slowly turning his season around. He currently owns a .328 wOBA and a .128 ISO against right-handed pitching. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against Todd Redmond, who has given up a .353 wOBA to left-handed hitters since the start of 2014. Calhoun also sees a ballpark boost playing in the Rogers Centre, as it grades out as the 2nd-best ballpark for left-handed hitters.
Secondary Plays:
Mike Trout (FD: $5300, DK: $5400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.400 — ISO: 0.279 — wRC+: 164
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.404 — ISO: 0.283 — wRC+: 168
Erick Aybar (FD: $2500, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.269 — ISO: 0.028 — wRC+: 73
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.103 — wRC+: 110
Toronto
Jose Bautista (FD: $4600, DK: $4800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.317 — ISO: 0.227 — wRC+: 98
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.461 — ISO: 0.284 — wRC+: 200
Analysis: The Blue Jays have the best team wOBA against left-handed pitching of any team in baseball, so feel free to load up on the right-handed bats in their lineup. Bautista’s numbers against southpaws are down a bit this season, but he had a .461 wOBA and a .284 ISO against left-handed pitching in 2014. He brings plenty of upside to the plate and he is priced under $5,000 on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Secondary Plays:
Josh Donaldson (FD: $3700, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.515 — ISO: 0.280 — wRC+: 236
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.429 — ISO: 0.353 — wRC+: 183
Russell Martin (FD: $3600, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.477 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 210
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.014 — wRC+: 109
Chris Colabello (FD: $2300, DK: $2900)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B/OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.649 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 328
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.258 — ISO: 0.099 — wRC+: 61
Milwaukee at Detroit – 7:08 PM EST
| Milwaukee | Detroit | ||||||||
 | Mike Fiers |  | Kyle Lobstein | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| DET (-139) | 8.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.271 | 0.840 | 0.362 | 25.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.220 | 0.558 | 0.251 | 19.10% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.291 | 0.840 | 0.362 | 33.7% | SP vs. Right | 0.325 | 0.836 | 0.369 | 4.60% |
| Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs L | Batter Splits | DET vs R | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Mike Fiers (FD: $7400, DK: $8600)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 3.18 — K Rate: 29.7% — K/9: 12.25 — BB Rate: 9.1% — FB Rate: 40.8% — HR/FB: 15.0%
2014: SIERA: 2.94 — K Rate: 27.7% — K/9: 9.54 — BB Rate: 6.2% — FB Rate: 46.9% — HR/FB: 8.4%
Detroit Tigers vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.333 (Rank: 2)
Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 9)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.86 (Rank: 8)
Analysis: Fiers has been the ultimate boom or bust play at pitcher this season. He has one of the highest strikeout rates in baseball, but he doesn’t have as many dominant outings as some of the other aces in baseball. On the season, Fiers has a 3.18 SIERA with a K/9 of 12.3. He should have his hands full tonight against the Tigers, who are ranked 2nd in wOBA (.333) against right-handed pitching this season. Fiers is too risky to use in cash games, but his high strikeout potential puts him in play for tournaments.
Pitcher Rating:59.5
Kyle Lobstein (FD: $6300, DK: $4900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.71 — K Rate: 10.6% — K/9: 4.08 — BB Rate: 8.0% — FB Rate: 24.2% — HR/FB: 3.4%
2014: SIERA: 4.35 — K Rate: 16.5% — K/9: 6.18 — BB Rate: 8.5% — FB Rate: 37.7% — HR/FB: 6.5%
Milwaukee Brewers vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.260 (Rank: 29)
Strikeout Rate: 26.1% (Rank: 29)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.74 (Rank: 24)
Analysis: Lobstein is not the pitcher that we are looking to target in tonight’s small slate of games. He has a 4.71 SIERA on the season with a very low K/9 of 4.1. He produces a lot of ground balls, but teams make great contact against him, which leads to a lot of hits. Lobstein does draw a favorable matchup against the Brewers, who are ranked 29th in wOBA (.260) against left-handed pitching this season. Lobstein is also a small favorite. Even in what appears to be a perfect matchup, he’s not a pitcher that is on my radar tonight.
Pitcher Rating:49.2
Batter Grind Down
Milwaukee
Ryan Braun (FD: $4000, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.268 — ISO: 0.038 — wRC+: 62
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.355 — ISO: 0.236 — wRC+: 124
Analysis: Is it just me or does Braun go 0-4 with three strikeouts whenever he’s in a good matchup? Then he takes it a step further by hitting two home runs against my pitcher. Everyone has that one player that always tilts them more than anyone else (post yours in the comments below) and for me, it’s Mr. Braun. Anyway, Braun is in a favorable matchup tonight against Kyle Lobstein, who has given up a .331 wOBA to right-handed hitters since the start of 2014.
Secondary Plays:
Khris Davis (FD: $2800, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.244 — ISO: 0.179 — wRC+: 46
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.218 — wRC+: 111
Aramis Ramirez (FD: $2900, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.140 — ISO: 0.077 — wRC+: -22
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.440 — ISO: 0.297 — wRC+: 182
Detroit
Miguel Cabrera (FD: $5200, DK: $5100)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.423 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 173
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.203 — wRC+: 148
Analysis: Cabrera has the potential to hit multi-home runs every time the Tigers are on the schedule. That’s just how good of a hitter he really is. He has a .423 wOBA and a .250 ISO against right-handed pitching this season and he draws a favorable matchup against Mike Fiers, who has given up a .362 wOBA to right-handed hitters this season. The Tigers hit well at home and hopefully Cabrera will come up to bat with runners in scoring position.
Secondary Plays:
Ian Kinsler (FD: $3800, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.376 — ISO: 0.099 — wRC+: 141
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.317 — ISO: 0.144 — wRC+: 100
J.D. Martinez (FD: $3300, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.354 — ISO: 0.257 — wRC+: 125
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.379 — ISO: 0.205 — wRC+: 144
Anthony Gose (FD: $3300, DK: $3500)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.163 — wRC+: 148
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.295 — ISO: 0.074 — wRC+: 84
St. Louis at NY Mets – 7:10 PM EST
| St. Louis | NY Mets | ||||||||
 | John Lackey |  | Matt Harvey | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| NYM (-142) | 6.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.253 | 0.714 | 0.320 | 10.7% | SP vs. Left | 0.186 | 0.614 | 0.272 | 28.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.224 | 0.538 | 0.240 | 21.4% | SP vs. Right | 0.233 | 0.545 | 0.240 | 23.00% |
| Batter Splits | STL BvP | STL vs R | Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
John Lackey (FD: $8100, DK: $8200)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.43 — K Rate: 15.6% — K/9: 6.04 — BB Rate: 7.3% — FB Rate: 32.6% — HR/FB: 4.3%
2014: SIERA: 3.64 — K Rate: 19.7% — K/9: 7.45 — BB Rate: 5.6% — FB Rate: 33.9% — HR/FB: 11.7%
New York Mets vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.285 (Rank: 28)
Strikeout Rate: 19.6% (Rank: 13)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.82 (Rank: 14)
Analysis: Lackey has been good, but not great this season. He has a 4.43 SIERA with a K/9 of 6.0. His HR/FB rate of 4.3% is unsustainably low, as it has been closer to 10% in each of his last three seasons. The good news is that he’s playing in Citi Field, which is one of the worst ballparks for offenses. He draws a favorable matchup against the Mets, who are ranked 28th in wOBA (.285) against right-handed pitching. The Mets’ offense has come alive in the last couple of games, but they are still the Mets. Lackey is a viable SP2 on multi-pitcher sites.
Pitcher Rating:65.0
Matt Harvey (FD: $10600, DK: $10600)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 2.98 — K Rate: 25.8% — K/9: 9.06 — BB Rate: 3.9% — FB Rate: 39.0% — HR/FB: 8.7%
St. Louis Cardinals vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.326 (Rank: 5)
Strikeout Rate: 18.4% (Rank: 7)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.69 (Rank: 28)
Analysis: The Dark Knight takes the mound tonight, as the Mets host the Cardinals. This is one of those situations where we have to make a difficult decision on an ace pitcher in a very difficult matchup. Harvey has shown no signs of rust this season, posting a 2.98 SIERA and a K/9 of 9.1. The Cardinals have been very good against right-handed pitching this season, ranking 5th in wOBA (.326) and 7th in strikeout rate (18.4%). The Cardinals average the 3rd-fewest pitches per plate appearance though, so if Harvey is pitching well, he should be able to pitch deep into this game.
Pitcher Rating:87.5
Batter Grind Down
St. Louis
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Matt Carpenter (FD: $4300, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.434 — ISO: 0.301 — wRC+: 176
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.104 — wRC+: 120
NY Mets
Lucas Duda (FD: $3000, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.341 — ISO: 0.158 — wRC+: 118
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.394 — ISO: 0.270 — wRC+: 158
Analysis: Duda is one of my go-to value plays at first base every time the Mets are facing a right-handed pitcher. He offers great upside at his price point. Since the start of 2014, Duda has posted a .383 wOBA and a .249 ISO against right-handed pitching. While John Lackey is typically a reverse-splits pitcher, he has actually given up a .320 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season.
Secondary Plays:
Curtis Granderson (FD: $3100, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.368 — ISO: 0.165 — wRC+: 136
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.316 — ISO: 0.159 — wRC+: 105
Arizona at Miami – 7:10 PM EST
| Arizona | Miami | ||||||||
 | Rubby De La Rosa |  | Dan Haren | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| MIA (-125) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.296 | 0.984 | 0.417 | 13.5% | SP vs. Left | 0.272 | 0.791 | 0.343 | 14.60% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.191 | 0.523 | 0.228 | 32.3% | SP vs. Right | 0.185 | 0.563 | 0.250 | 20.00% |
| Batter Splits | ARI BvP | ARI vs R | Batter Splits | MIA BvP | MIA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Rubby De La Rosa (FD: $6800, DK: $6900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 3.53 — K Rate: 23.1% — K/9: 8.59 — BB Rate: 6.6% — FB Rate: 35.7% — HR/FB: 15.6%
2014: SIERA: 4.21 — K Rate: 16.8% — K/9: 6.55 — BB Rate: 7.9% — FB Rate: 32.1% — HR/FB: 11.5%
Miami Marlins vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 23)
Strikeout Rate: 21.3% (Rank: 23)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.78 (Rank: 18)
Analysis: If you take away the name from the numbers, you would pencil this pitcher in as one of the top fantasy options tonight. This pitcher that shall remain nameless has a 3.53 SIERA, a K/9 of 8.6, and a matchup against the Marlins (ranked 23rd in wOBA against right-handed pitching). So, what’s the problem? That pitcher is Rubby De La Rosa. He is getting no love from Vegas and he will likely have a very low ownership level tonight in DFS. I’m not willing to take a flier on him in cash games, but he’s an excellent tournament option at his price point.
Pitcher Rating:58.3
Dan Haren (FD: $7800, DK: $6600)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.32 — K Rate: 16.9% — K/9: 6.1 — BB Rate: 4.8% — FB Rate: 46.9% — HR/FB: 13.3%
2014: SIERA: 3.74 — K Rate: 18.7% — K/9: 7.02 — BB Rate: 4.6% — FB Rate: 39.0% — HR/FB: 11.9%
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.318 (Rank: 11)
Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 12)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.69 (Rank: 27)
Analysis: Haren is a mediocre starting pitcher. On the season, he owns a 4.32 SIERA with a K/9 of 6.1. He doesn’t walk a ton of batters, but he has a high fly-ball rate (46.9%) and a high HR/FB rate (13.3%). While that’s not a great combination for a pitcher, he is playing in Marlins Park, which is one of the toughest ballparks to hit home runs in. Haren is a serviceable value play tonight against the Diamondbacks, who average the 4th-fewest pitches per plate appearance this season.
Pitcher Rating:59.3
Batter Grind Down
Arizona
David Peralta (FD: $3300, DK: $3800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.263 — wRC+: 136
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.369 — ISO: 0.194 — wRC+: 132
Analysis: Dan Haren is a reverse-splits pitcher, but Paul Goldschmidt is a little too expensive to be considered an elite play tonight. Peralta is considerably cheaper than Goldschmidt and he provides similar upside. Peralta has a .382 wOBA and a .263 ISO against right-handed pitching this season. He draws a favorable matchup against Haren, who has given up a .343 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season.
Secondary Plays:
Paul Goldschmidt (FD: $5400, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.432 — ISO: 0.277 — wRC+: 169
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.249 — wRC+: 144
Ender Inciarte (FD: $3400, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.333 — ISO: 0.147 — wRC+: 104
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.307 — ISO: 0.097 — wRC+: 90
Miami
Dee Gordon (FD: $3900, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.427 — ISO: 0.107 — wRC+: 169
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.310 — ISO: 0.090 — wRC+: 99
Analysis: Gordon may not hit for power, but he certainly hits for average. He has a .427 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season and he has already stolen 12 bases. Basically, Gordon only needs a single and a stolen base and he has already paid off his price. He draws a favorable matchup against Rubby De La Rosa, who has given up a .378 wOBA to left-handed hitters since the start of 2014.
Secondary Plays:
Giancarlo Stanton (FD: $4800, DK: $5200)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.372 — ISO: 0.297 — wRC+: 133
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.391 — ISO: 0.262 — wRC+: 150
Marcell Ozuna (FD: $3000, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.325 — ISO: 0.123 — wRC+: 101
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.342 — ISO: 0.185 — wRC+: 117
Christian Yelich (FD: $2900, DK: $4000)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.259 — ISO: 0.068 — wRC+: 58
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.334 — ISO: 0.116 — wRC+: 112
Cleveland at Chicago White Sox – 8:10 PM EST
| Cleveland | Chicago White Sox | ||||||||
 | Corey Kluber |  | Chris Sale | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CHW (-120) | 7.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.294 | 0.779 | 0.345 | 25.7% | SP vs. Left | 0.538 | 1.240 | 0.544 | 12.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.216 | 0.575 | 0.250 | 33.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.240 | 0.702 | 0.306 | 26.10% |
| Batter Splits | CLE BvP | CLE vs L | Batter Splits | CWS BvP | CWS vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Corey Kluber (FD: $9800, DK: $10100)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 2.64 — K Rate: 29.2% — K/9: 10.94 — BB Rate: 5.0% — FB Rate: 29.6% — HR/FB: 10.0%
2014: SIERA: 2.61 — K Rate: 28.3% — K/9: 10.27 — BB Rate: 5.4% — FB Rate: 30.6% — HR/FB: 7.4%
Chicago White Sox vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.316 (Rank: 14)
Strikeout Rate: 18.5% (Rank: 8)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.71 (Rank: 26)
Analysis: Kluber is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. After winning the Cy Young last season, he has come out of the gates firing in 2015. He currently owns a 2.64 SIERA with a K/9 of 10.9. He has a 29.2% strikeout rate with a 5% walk rate. That means that he strikes out nearly six times as many batters as he walks. He draws an average matchup against the White Sox, who are ranked 14th in wOBA (.316 against right-handed pitching). The only thing holding Kluber back from being an elite play on single-pitcher sites is the fact that he is actually a small underdog in this game. With Chris Sale pitching opposite him, Kluber is best suited as an SP2 and as a tournament play.
Pitcher Rating:82.7
Chris Sale (FD: $10000, DK: $9500)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 3.46 — K Rate: 24.7% — K/9: 9.42 — BB Rate: 7.3% — FB Rate: 36.4% — HR/FB: 11.1%
2014: SIERA: 2.56 — K Rate: 30.4% — K/9: 10.76 — BB Rate: 5.7% — FB Rate: 40.9% — HR/FB: 7.5%
Cleveland Indians vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.322 (Rank: 16)
Strikeout Rate: 16.1% (Rank: 2)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.92 (Rank: 4)
Analysis: Sale finally snapped out of his funk in his last start, striking out 11 batters over eight innings of work against the Brewers. He’ll look to dominate a second opponent tonight, as he gets to face the left-handed heavy lineup of the Indians. Since the start of 2014, Sale has held left-handed hitters to a .224 wOBA. The Indians do take a lot of pitches per plate appearance, but Sale should be able to dominate the lefties in this lineup. He has great strikeout potential tonight and he’s pitching at home, where he has a career K/9 of 9.9.
Pitcher Rating:87.7
Batter Grind Down
Cleveland
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Chicago White Sox
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Jose Abreu (FD: $3700, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.391 — ISO: 0.216 — wRC+: 149
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.394 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 153