MLB Grind Down: Thursday, July 23rd
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.
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Baltimore at NY Yankees – 1:05 PM EST
| Baltimore | NY Yankees | ||||||||
 | Ubaldo Jimenez |  | Masahiro Tanaka | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| NYY (-150) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.235 | 0.729 | 0.328 | 21.1% | SP vs. Left | 0.227 | 0.640 | 0.281 | 24.60% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.256 | 0.700 | 0.313 | 23.3% | SP vs. Right | 0.234 | 0.689 | 0.300 | 26.70% |
| Batter Splits | BAL BvP | BAL vs R | Batter Splits | NYY BvP | NYY vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Ubaldo Jimenez : FD: $8,000 — DK: $8,000
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 229.1 — SIERA: 4.05 — ERA: 4.12 — K%: 22.1% — BB%: 11.0% — HR/9: 1.0
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.2 — SIERA: 3.30 — ERA: 3.34 — K%: 23.0% — BB%: 6.4% — HR/9: 1.2
New York Yankees Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.328 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 18.9% (Rank: 8)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.331 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 19.2% (Rank: 13)
Pitchers per PA: 3.89 (Rank: 4)
Analysis: Jimenez has had a surprisingly solid season for the Orioles thus far. His low ERA will likely take a hit today though, as he runs into the buzz saw that is the Yankees’ offense. On the season, New York is ranked fifth in wOBA (.328) and eighth in strikeout rate (18.9%) against right-handed pitching. The Yankees also average the fourth-most pitches per plate appearance. So they not only drive up pitch counts, but they also strike out at a very low rate. There are much better pitching options in the early slate.
Pitcher Rating:52.9
Masahiro Tanaka : FD: $9,800 — DK: $10,100
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 210.1 — SIERA: 2.80 — ERA: 3.08 — K%: 25.6% — BB%: 4.3% — HR/9: 1.2
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.2 — SIERA: 3.41 — ERA: 5.28 — K%: 22.3% — BB%: 6.2% — HR/9: 2.4
Baltimore Orioles Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 22.4% (Rank: 28)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 11) — Strikeout Rate: 21.3% (Rank: 20)
Pitchers per PA: 3.82 (Rank: 12)
Analysis: Tanaka may have a 5.28 ERA over the last month, but his indicators still look good. Over that stretch, he has a 3.41 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 22.3%. He draws a favorable strikeout matchup today against the Orioles, who have the third-highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. The Orioles do have plenty of power in their lineup, but Tanaka should be able to tame this offense and hopefully rack up some strikeouts in the process.
Pitcher Rating:86.6
Batter Grind Down
Baltimore
The Orioles only managed to score three runs in a favorable matchup against Ivan Nova last night. They will likely score less than that today against Masahiro Tanaka, who has held left and right-handed hitters under a .300 wOBA over the last two seasons. While Yankee Stadium is a hitter’s park, I will not be targeting any Orioles’ hitters in the early slate.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
NY Yankees
Ubaldo Jimenez has surprised everyone with how well he has pitched this season. While this may not be an ideal matchup for the Yankees, they do get to face him at home with the short porch in right field. The left-handed hitters are in play here, as Jimenez has given up a .328 wOBA to hitters from that side of the plate over the last two seasons.
Elite Plays:
Brett Gardner : FD: $4,000 — DK: $5,200
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 709 — wOBA: 0.353 — ISO: 0.190 — wRC+: 125
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.388 — ISO: 0.121 — wRC+: 149
Mark Teixeira : FD: $3,700 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 604 — wOBA: 0.345 — ISO: 0.246 — wRC+: 119
Last 14 Days: PA: 37 — wOBA: 0.485 — ISO: 0.364 — wRC+: 217
Secondary Plays:
Jacoby Ellsbury : FD: $3,800 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 566 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.118 — wRC+: 103
Last 14 Days: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.245 — ISO: 0.103 — wRC+: 49
Carlos Beltran : FD: $2,800 — DK: $3,600
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 483 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.184 — wRC+: 113
Last 14 Days: PA: 6 — wOBA: 0.587 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 288
Seattle at Detroit – 1:08 PM EST
| Seattle | Detroit | ||||||||
 | Hisashi Iwakuma |  | David Price | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| DET (-140) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.272 | 0.723 | 0.316 | 18.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.258 | 0.655 | 0.290 | 23.20% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.217 | 0.617 | 0.269 | 24.1% | SP vs. Right | 0.231 | 0.642 | 0.282 | 26.60% |
| Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs L | Batter Splits | DET BvP | DET vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Hisashi Iwakuma : FD: $7,600 — DK: $6,900
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 214.0 — SIERA: 3.05 — ERA: 3.74 — K%: 21.0% — BB%: 3.1% — HR/9: 1.3
Last 30 Days: IP: 18.2 — SIERA: 3.23 — ERA: 3.38 — K%: 19.4% — BB%: 2.8% — HR/9: 2.4
Detroit Tigers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.333 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 19.2% (Rank: 12)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.333 (Rank: 7) — Strikeout Rate: 20.3% (Rank: 16)
Pitchers per PA: 3.83 (Rank: 11)
Analysis: After getting off to a slow start this season, Iwakuma finally appears to be rediscovering that 2013-14 form. Over the last month of play, he has a 3.23 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 19.4%. While I love the price point, I absolutely hate the matchup. The Tigers are one of the hottest offenses in baseball right now and they are ranked third in wOBA (.333) against right-handed pitching this season. There is more risk than potential reward with Iwakuma in this matchup.
Pitcher Rating:60.4
David Price : FD: $11,400 — DK: $12,200
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 380.1 — SIERA: 2.90 — ERA: 2.93 — K%: 25.7% — BB%: 4.1% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 34.2 — SIERA: 2.52 — ERA: 1.82 — K%: 27.5% — BB%: 3.5% — HR/9: 0.8
Seattle Mariners Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.294 (Rank: 23) — Strikeout Rate: 20.6% (Rank: 13)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.332 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 18.5% (Rank: 9)
Pitchers per PA: 3.88 (Rank: 7)
Analysis: Price has been outstanding in his recent starts, posting a 2.52 SIERA (1.82 ERA) with a strikeout rate of 27.5%. He is always one of my favorite pitchers to see on the schedule because he throws a ton of strikes, which allows him to pitch seven-plus innings in most of his starts. He draws a favorable matchup against the Mariners, who are ranked 23rd in wOBA against left-handed pitching this season. If he can pitch around Nelson Cruz, he should have himself another quality start.
Pitcher Rating:86.8
Batter Grind Down
Seattle
The Mariners have acquired some right-handed hitters this season, but they are still one of the worst hitting teams against left-handed pitching (imagine what their numbers would look like without Nelson Cruz). They draw a difficult matchup against David Price, who is effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. Cruz is the only fantasy option of note here.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Nelson Cruz : FD: $3,400 — DK: $4,100
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 240 — wOBA: 0.449 — ISO: 0.304 — wRC+: 195
Last 14 Days: PA: 44 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.111 — wRC+: 137
Detroit
The Tigers have a fairly high run total when you consider the fact that they are facing an above-average pitcher in Hisashi Iwakuma. We don’t have to go overboard on Detroit today, but with only four games in the early slate, we can certainly target a few of them. The left-handed hitters have the edge in this matchup, but don’t count out J.D. Martinez or Nick Castellanos, as both players have been red-hot recently.
Elite Plays:
Victor Martinez : FD: $3,400 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 666 — wOBA: 0.357 — ISO: 0.180 — wRC+: 129
Last 14 Days: PA: 40 — wOBA: 0.383 — ISO: 0.297 — wRC+: 147
Secondary Plays:
J.D. Martinez : FD: $4,400 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 640 — wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.245 — wRC+: 148
Last 14 Days: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.372 — ISO: 0.243 — wRC+: 139
Nick Castellanos : FD: $2,700 — DK: $2,800
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 687 — wOBA: 0.292 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 83
Last 14 Days: PA: 34 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.172 — wRC+: 103
Minnesota at LA Angels – 3:35 PM EST
| Minnesota | LA Angels | ||||||||
 | Ervin Santana |  | Garrett Richards | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| LAA (-166) | 7.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.273 | 0.749 | 0.326 | 18.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.210 | 0.563 | 0.254 | 22.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.229 | 0.684 | 0.304 | 25.2% | SP vs. Right | 0.213 | 0.577 | 0.264 | 21.20% |
| Batter Splits | MIN BvP | MIN vs R | Batter Splits | LAA BvP | ANA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Ervin Santana : FD: $7,300 — DK: $7,400
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 215.2 — SIERA: 3.71 — ERA: 3.92 — K%: 21.5% — BB%: 7.8% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 19.2 — SIERA: 4.46 — ERA: 3.66 — K%: 17.1% — BB%: 8.5% — HR/9: 1.8
LA Angels of Anaheim Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 13)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.340 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 12)
Pitchers per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 17)
Analysis: After a terrific start to open the season, Santana has come crashing back down to Earth. He now has a 4.46 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 17.1%. He will likely have a tough time in today’s start against the Angels, who are ranked sixth in wOBA over the last 14 days of play. The Angels have finally hit their stride and at this point, we should avoid targeting pitchers against them.
Pitcher Rating:50.4
Garrett Richards : FD: $8,700 — DK: $9,500
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 277.0 — SIERA: 3.49 — ERA: 2.86 — K%: 21.9% — BB%: 7.7% — HR/9: 0.4
Last 30 Days: IP: 35.2 — SIERA: 3.54 — ERA: 2.52 — K%: 16.7% — BB%: 4.2% — HR/9: 0.5
Minnesota Twins Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.306 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 20.6% (Rank: 23)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.316 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 25.0% (Rank: 28)
Pitchers per PA: 3.80 (Rank: 16)
Analysis: Richards has been sharp in his recent outings, posting a 3.54 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 16.7% over the last month of play. The strikeout rate still hasn’t caught up to where it was in 2014, but it will get there. He draws a favorable matchup against the Twins, who are ranked 20th in wOBA and 23rd in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Richards makes a great play if you are looking to take a different route at pitcher instead of Masahiro Tanaka or David Price.
Pitcher Rating:78.0
Batter Grind Down
Minnesota
The Twins draw a difficult matchup against Garrett Richards, who seems to be hitting his stride coming. Since the start of the 2014 season, Richards has held left and right-handed hitters under a .265 wOBA. Miguel Sano is worth a look as a contrarian play, as he has been terrific against right-handed pitching this season. The rest of the Twins can be avoided.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Miguel Sano : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,500
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 37 — wOBA: 0.513 — ISO: 0.310 — wRC+: 239
Last 14 Days: PA: 30 — wOBA: 0.298 — ISO: 0.208 — wRC+: 88
LA Angels
The Angels draw a favorable matchup against Ervin Santana, who has not been sharp in his last two starts. Santana has given up a higher wOBA to left-handed hitters than he has to right-handed hitters, but I wouldn’t count out the big bats of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, especially considering the fact that there are only four games in the early slate.
Elite Plays:
Kole Calhoun : FD: $3,900 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 685 — wOBA: 0.341 — ISO: 0.181 — wRC+: 124
Last 14 Days: PA: 42 — wOBA: 0.511 — ISO: 0.378 — wRC+: 242
Secondary Plays:
Mike Trout : FD: $5,300 — DK: $5,500
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 825 — wOBA: 0.408 — ISO: 0.285 — wRC+: 171
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.422 — ISO: 0.343 — wRC+: 180
Albert Pujols : FD: $4,300 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 810 — wOBA: 0.360 — ISO: 0.233 — wRC+: 138
Last 14 Days: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.331 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 116
Erick Aybar : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,200
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 741 — wOBA: 0.310 — ISO: 0.092 — wRC+: 103
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.350 — ISO: 0.057 — wRC+: 130
Johnny Giavotella : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,700
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 289 — wOBA: 0.288 — ISO: 0.092 — wRC+: 87
Last 14 Days: PA: 45 — wOBA: 0.299 — ISO: 0.122 — wRC+: 94
Toronto at Oakland – 3:35 PM EST
| Toronto | Oakland | ||||||||
 | R.A. Dickey |  | Scott Kazmir | ||||||
| LEFT | |||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| OAK (-129) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.226 | 0.699 | 0.311 | 15.8% | SP vs. Left | 0.251 | 0.648 | 0.290 | 19.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.248 | 0.749 | 0.329 | 18.4% | SP vs. Right | 0.219 | 0.624 | 0.278 | 22.60% |
| Batter Splits | TOR BvP | TOR vs L | Batter Splits | OAK BvP | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
R.A. Dickey : FD: $7,400 — DK: $7,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 336.1 — SIERA: 4.33 — ERA: 4.07 — K%: 17.3% — BB%: 8.3% — HR/9: 1.2
Last 30 Days: IP: 31.2 — SIERA: 4.92 — ERA: 3.98 — K%: 11.9% — BB%: 8.2% — HR/9: 0.6
Oakland Athletics Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.313 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 17.5% (Rank: 3)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.269 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 16.1% (Rank: 4)
Pitchers per PA: 3.88 (Rank: 6)
Analysis: Drew Hutchison was scheduled to start today, but he was scratched with flu-like symptoms so R.A. Dickey will take the wheel. Dickey has not fared well recently, posting a 4.92 SIERA with a very low strikeout rate of 11.9% over the last month of play. He is an easy avoid against the A’s, who are one of the toughest teams to strike out in baseball. Dickey is overpriced and in a bad matchup.
Pitcher Rating:36.9
Editor’s Note: Scott Kazmir has been traded. Do not roster him in this afternoon’s games. Drew Pomeranz will start in his place.
Scott Kazmir : FD: $9,200 — DK: $9,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 300.0 — SIERA: 3.60 — ERA: 3.12 — K%: 21.8% — BB%: 7.0% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 33.2 — SIERA: 3.15 — ERA: 1.34 — K%: 22.6% — BB%: 4.8% — HR/9: 0.0
Toronto Blue Jays Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.363 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 16.9% (Rank: 2)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.317 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 15.6% (Rank: 2)
Pitchers per PA: 3.80 (Rank: 15)
Analysis: Kazmir has been solid over the last two seasons, posting a 3.60 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 21.8%. He holds both left and right-handed hitters in check and he has a good track record at home. The issue today is his matchup. The Blue Jays are ranked first in wOBA and second in strikeout rate against left-handed pitching this season. Granted, some of those numbers are inflated by the Rogers Centre, but I want no part of a southpaw against the Blue Jays right now.
Pitcher Rating:70.2
Batter Grind Down
Toronto
As mentioned above, the Blue Jays are the top offense in baseball against left-handed pitching. They not only have a lot of right-handed hitters in their lineup, but they have a lot of great right-handed hitters in their lineup. The matchup against Scott Kazmir may not be ideal, but don’t count out the likes of Jose Baustista, Jose Reyes, and Chris Colabello.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Jose Bautista : FD: $4,900 — DK: $4,500
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 220 — wOBA: 0.432 — ISO: 0.253 — wRC+: 180
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.388 — ISO: 0.314 — wRC+: 148
Jose Reyes : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 256 — wOBA: 0.301 — ISO: 0.101 — wRC+: 89
Last 14 Days: PA: 36 — wOBA: 0.409 — ISO: 0.063 — wRC+: 163
Chris Colabello : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 132 — wOBA: 0.335 — ISO: 0.172 — wRC+: 113
Last 14 Days: PA: 15 — wOBA: 0.323 — ISO: 0.300 — wRC+: 103
Oakland
The A’s draw one of the best matchups on the board in the early slate of games. R.A. Dickey has not pitched well recently and he has struggled to get many hitters out by the way of the strikeout. That could be trouble today against an A’s lineup that makes great contact. Dickey has given up a higher wOBA to right-handed hitters, but I still prefer the left-handed bats in this A’s lineup.
Elite Plays:
Josh Reddick : FD: $2,800 — DK: $3,400
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 548 — wOBA: 0.373 — ISO: 0.218 — wRC+: 144
Last 14 Days: PA: 31 — wOBA: 0.295 — ISO: 0.179 — wRC+: 89
Stephen Vogt : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,600
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: 1B/C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 489 — wOBA: 0.365 — ISO: 0.193 — wRC+: 139
Last 14 Days: PA: 30 — wOBA: 0.282 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 80
Secondary Plays:
Billy Burns : FD: $3,100 — DK: $4,000
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 207 — wOBA: 0.313 — ISO: 0.092 — wRC+: 103
Last 14 Days: PA: 40 — wOBA: 0.243 — ISO: 0.026 — wRC+: 52
Ben Zobrist : FD: $2,900 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 646 — wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 109
Last 14 Days: PA: 37 — wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.094 — wRC+: 113
Washington at Pittsburgh – 7:05 PM EST
| Washington | Pittsburgh | ||||||||
 | Doug Fister |  | Francisco Liriano | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-167) | 7.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.253 | 0.686 | 0.302 | 13.4% | SP vs. Left | 0.234 | 0.651 | 0.294 | 28.00% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.263 | 0.706 | 0.309 | 13.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.198 | 0.598 | 0.272 | 25.80% |
| Batter Splits | WAS BvP | WAS vs L | Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Doug Fister : FD: $6,400 — DK: $5,000
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 233.0 — SIERA: 4.22 — ERA: 2.97 — K%: 13.5% — BB%: 4.1% — HR/9: 1.0
Last 30 Days: IP: 24.0 — SIERA: 4.99 — ERA: 3.38 — K%: 10.5% — BB%: 5.7% — HR/9: 0.8
Pittsburgh Pirates Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.305 (Rank: 21) — Strikeout Rate: 20.4% (Rank: 21)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 19) — Strikeout Rate: 24.6% (Rank: 27)
Pitchers per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 18)
Analysis: Fister is one of my least favorite pitching options on the schedule tonight. Over the last month of play, he has a 4.99 SIERA with a low strikeout rate of 10.5%. Pitchers that have low strikeout rates are tough to target in daily fantasy because they can’t afford any mistakes if they are going to pay off their salaries. Fister can be avoided against the Pirates, whose lineup is more talented than their season averages would indicate.
Pitcher Rating:35.1
Francisco Liriano : FD: $10,000 — DK: $10,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 277.0 — SIERA: 3.36 — ERA: 3.22 — K%: 26.2% — BB%: 10.5% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 32.0 — SIERA: 3.92 — ERA: 3.09 — K%: 20.2% — BB%: 9.3% — HR/9: 0.8
Washington Nationals Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.306 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 21.3% (Rank: 16)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.270 (Rank: 28) — Strikeout Rate: 26.5% (Rank: 29)
Pitchers per PA: 3.73 (Rank: 23)
Analysis: Clayton Kershaw is going to have a ridiculously high ownership percentage tonight. While he’s an automatic start in cash games, Liriano is a great option in tournaments and/or as an SP2 on multi-pitcher sites. Liriano has great career numbers at PNC Park and he draws a favorable matchup against the Nationals, who are ranked 28th in wOBA and 29th in strikeout rate over the last 14 days of play. If Liriano can pitch around Bryce Harper, he should be able to mow through this Triple-A Nationals’ lineup.
Pitcher Rating:85.4
Batter Grind Down
Washington
The Nationals are missing a few of their key pieces, which helps explain why they have been one of the worst offensive teams in baseball over the last couple of weeks. They should continue to be avoided tonight, as they square off against Francisco Liriano in the pitcher-friendly PNC Park.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Pittsburgh
The Pirates draw an intriguing matchup against Doug Fister, who has lost his ability to strikeout hitters. The Pirates may be below the major league average in wOBA against right-handed pitching, but they have some hitters that hit righties well. Jung-Ho Kang and and Gregory Polanco have both been red-hot and they are both economically priced across the industry.
Elite Plays:
Jung-Ho Kang : FD: $2,900 — DK: $3,400
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 204 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.110 — wRC+: 107
Last 14 Days: PA: 43 — wOBA: 0.485 — ISO: 0.194 — wRC+: 219
Gregory Polanco : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,100
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 514 — wOBA: 0.316 — ISO: 0.121 — wRC+: 102
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.125 — wRC+: 134
Secondary Plays:
Andrew McCutchen : FD: $4,700 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 843 — wOBA: 0.403 — ISO: 0.220 — wRC+: 162
Last 14 Days: PA: 42 — wOBA: 0.303 — ISO: 0.194 — wRC+: 94
Starling Marte : FD: $3,800 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 732 — wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.163 — wRC+: 124
Last 14 Days: PA: 35 — wOBA: 0.376 — ISO: 0.091 — wRC+: 144