MLB Grind Down: Thursday, July 30th

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

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

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

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

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San Diego at NY Mets – 12:10 PM EST

San Diego NY Mets
sandiegomlb Andrew Cashner nymetsmlb Jonathon Niese
RIGHT LEFT
Vegas Moneyline Vegas Over/Under
NYM (-113) 7.0
Stats Avg OPS wOBA K% Stats Avg OPS wOBA K%
SP vs. Left 0.257 0.774 0.335 18.7% SP vs. Left 0.249 0.662 0.291 18.60%
SP vs. Right 0.233 0.604 0.267 20.2% SP vs. Right 0.269 0.760 0.334 15.80%
Batter Splits SD vs L Batter Splits NYM BvP NYM vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Andrew Cashner : FD: $7,500 — DK: $8,400

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 240.0 — SIERA: 3.71 — ERA: 3.22 — K%: 19.5% — BB%: 6.4% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.2 — SIERA: 3.77 — ERA: 2.60 — K%: 18.1% — BB%: 5.7% — HR/9: 0.0

New York Mets Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.294 (Rank: 26) — Strikeout Rate: 20.1% (Rank: 16)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.293 (Rank: 23) — Strikeout Rate: 20.3% (Rank: 17)
Pitchers per PA: 3.87 (Rank: 8)

Analysis: Cashner comes into today’s start in relatively good form, posting a 3.77 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 18.1% over the last month of play. He draws one of the best pitching matchups in baseball, as he squares off against the Mets in Citi Field. On the season, the Mets are ranked 26th in team wOBA and 16th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching. Run support is always a concern for the Padres’ starting rotation, but he provides great upside at his price point.

Pitcher Rating:61.7


Jon Niese : FD: $7,400 — DK: $7,200

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 303.0 — SIERA: 3.91 — ERA: 3.53 — K%: 16.4% — BB%: 6.2% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 32.1 — SIERA: 4.42 — ERA: 2.78 — K%: 12.3% — BB%: 6.2% — HR/9: 0.8

San Diego Padres Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.294 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 24.7% (Rank: 30)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.296 (Rank: 21) — Strikeout Rate: 23.7% (Rank: 25)
Pitchers per PA: 3.82 (Rank: 13)

Analysis: Niese has a 2.78 ERA in his recent starts, but his indicators tell another story. Over the last month of play, he has a 4.42 SIERA with a low strikeout rate of 12.3%. The good news is that he gets to face a strikeout-happy Padres’ offense at home. Niese has a good track record at Citi Field and the Padres have struggled against left-handed pitching this season. The biggest concern here is that the Padres have those three power right-handed bats in their lineup. He’s in play, but I have him ranked as the third best pitching option in the two early games.

Pitcher Rating:60.3

Batter Grind Down

San Diego

The Padres go from one pitcher’s park to another. They draw a mediocre matchup against Jon Niese, who has given up a .334 wOBA to right-handed hitters over the last two seasons. There aren’t any plays that stand out as must starts here, but Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, and Derek Norris all deserve consideration in the early slate.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Matt Kemp : FD: $3,400 — DK: $3,800

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 247 — wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.189 — wRC+: 113
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.465 — ISO: 0.394 — wRC+: 208

Justin Upton : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,800

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 207 — wOBA: 0.353 — ISO: 0.225 — wRC+: 127
Last 14 Days: PA: 24 — wOBA: 0.319 — ISO: 0.286 — wRC+: 107

Derek Norris : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,800

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 253 — wOBA: 0.357 — ISO: 0.151 — wRC+: 133
Last 14 Days: PA: 29 — wOBA: 0.183 — ISO: 0.037 — wRC+: 14


NY Mets

The Mets’ offense has been better recently, but they are still one of the worst hitting teams against right-handed pitching. While they have a low team total, the left-handed hitters are in play here. Since the start of the 2014 season, Andrew Cashner has given up a .335 wOBA to hitters from the left side of the plate.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Curtis Granderson : FD: $3,400 — DK: $3,800

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 816 — wOBA: 0.341 — ISO: 0.176 — wRC+: 122
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.391 — ISO: 0.196 — wRC+: 157

Lucas Duda : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 771 — wOBA: 0.364 — ISO: 0.232 — wRC+: 138
Last 14 Days: PA: 49 — wOBA: 0.323 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 109

Daniel Murphy : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,000

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 712 — wOBA: 0.333 — ISO: 0.131 — wRC+: 117
Last 14 Days: PA: 49 — wOBA: 0.251 — ISO: 0.089 — wRC+: 60


Washington at Miami – 12:10 PM EST

Washington Miami
washingtonmlb Max Scherzer miamimlb Dan Haren
RIGHT RIGHT
Vegas Moneyline Vegas Over/Under
WAS (-173) 6.5
Stats Avg OPS wOBA K% Stats Avg OPS wOBA K%
SP vs. Left 0.232 0.660 0.292 25.7% SP vs. Left 0.244 0.731 0.317 20.70%
SP vs. Right 0.201 0.560 0.248 32.6% SP vs. Right 0.245 0.708 0.306 15.30%
Batter Splits WAS BvP WAS vs R Batter Splits MIA BvP MIA vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Max Scherzer : FD: $12,500 — DK: $13,500

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 363.1 — SIERA: 2.78 — ERA: 2.82 — K%: 28.7% — BB%: 5.4% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 40.2 — SIERA: 2.66 — ERA: 3.76 — K%: 27.0% — BB%: 1.3% — HR/9: 1.6

Miami Marlins Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.290 (Rank: 27) — Strikeout Rate: 20.2% (Rank: 18)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.297 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 17.4% (Rank: 6)
Pitchers per PA: 3.72 (Rank: 26)

Analysis: Scherzer has given up some runs in his last few starts, but he has been the same pitcher that he has been all season. Over the last month of play, he has a 2.66 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 27.0%. He draws a terrific matchup against the Marlins, who are ranked 27th in team wOBA and 18th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. With a big ballpark at his back, he can afford to be aggressive. He’s the clear chalk play for cash games in the early slate.

Pitcher Rating:96.6


Dan Haren : FD: $6,900 — DK: $7,300

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 309.0 — SIERA: 3.94 — ERA: 3.82 — K%: 18.0% — BB%: 4.6% — HR/9: 1.4
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.2 — SIERA: 5.07 — ERA: 3.94 — K%: 10.9% — BB%: 3.9% — HR/9: 1.8

Washington Nationals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.314 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 21.1% (Rank: 24)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.286 (Rank: 24) — Strikeout Rate: 26.4% (Rank: 29)
Pitchers per PA: 3.73 (Rank: 25)

Analysis: Haren has not pitched well over the last month of play, posting a 5.07 SIERA with a low strikeout rate of 10.9%. He has struggled to keep the ball in the park over the last two seasons, allowing 1.4 home runs per nine innings. While the Nationals may not hit a ton of home runs as a team, they do have Bryce Harper, who hit two himself last night. Haren has more risk than potential reward attached to him today against the Nationals.

Pitcher Rating:48.4

Batter Grind Down

Washington

The Nationals draw a favorable matchup against Dan Haren, who is a fly ball pitcher with an above-average home run per fly ball rate. Haren hasn’t been particularly effective against left or right-handed hitters in his career, so batters from both sides of the plate are in play here. Bryce Harper is the top target, as he is coming off of a monster outing in Miami last night.

Elite Plays:

Bryce Harper : FD: $4,400 — DK: $5,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 553 — wOBA: 0.408 — ISO: 0.248 — wRC+: 163
Last 14 Days: PA: 46 — wOBA: 0.359 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 129

Secondary Plays:

Anthony Rendon : FD: $3,200 — DK: $3,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 577 — wOBA: 0.353 — ISO: 0.184 — wRC+: 125
Last 14 Days: PA: 11 — wOBA: 0.285 — ISO: 0.000 — wRC+: 78

Ryan Zimmerman : FD: $2,400 — DK: $3,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 358 — wOBA: 0.302 — ISO: 0.150 — wRC+: 90
Last 14 Days: PA: 4 — wOBA: 0.708 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 370

Clint Robinson : FD: $2,300 — DK: $2,500

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 183 — wOBA: 0.316 — ISO: 0.133 — wRC+: 99
Last 14 Days: PA: 40 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.118 — wRC+: 117


Miami

The Marlins draw one of the worst matchups in all of baseball. In addition to an elite strikeout rate, Max Scherzer has held left and right-handed hitters under a .295 wOBA over the last two seasons. Avoid the Marlins in both the early and all-day slates.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

NONE


Detroit at Baltimore – 7:05 PM EST

Detroit Baltimore
detroitmlb Alfredo Simon baltimoremlb Miguel Gonzalez
RIGHT RIGHT
Vegas Moneyline Vegas Over/Under
BAL (-155) 9.0
Stats Avg OPS wOBA K% Stats Avg OPS wOBA K%
SP vs. Left 0.271 0.793 0.345 14.8% SP vs. Left 0.255 0.762 0.334 16.30%
SP vs. Right 0.234 0.652 0.290 17.5% SP vs. Right 0.244 0.726 0.321 18.30%
Batter Splits DET BvP DET vs R Batter Splits BAL BvP BAL vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Alfredo Simon : FD: $7,600 — DK: $5,800

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 307.1 — SIERA: 4.25 — ERA: 3.81 — K%: 16.0% — BB%: 7.3% — HR/9: 1.0
Last 30 Days: IP: 25.1 — SIERA: 4.42 — ERA: 7.46 — K%: 15.2% — BB%: 7.2% — HR/9: 1.1

Baltimore Orioles Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.319 (Rank: 10) — Strikeout Rate: 22.5% (Rank: 28)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.295 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 23.2% (Rank: 24)
Pitchers per PA: 3.83 (Rank: 12)

Analysis: Simon has given up runs in bunches recently with a 7.46 ERA over the last month of play. He’s not a pitcher that we usually target in daily fantasy and a matchup against the Orioles isn’t going to change that. On the season, Baltimore is ranked tenth in team wOBA against right-handed pitching. Simon is a large underdog on the road and he can safely be avoided in all league formats.

Pitcher Rating:41.5


Miguel Gonzalez : FD: $7,800 — DK: $7,000

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 265.0 — SIERA: 4.30 — ERA: 3.53 — K%: 17.2% — BB%: 7.5% — HR/9: 1.5
Last 30 Days: IP: 28.0 — SIERA: 4.53 — ERA: 5.14 — K%: 14.5% — BB%: 6.8% — HR/9: 1.9

Detroit Tigers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.330 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 19.3% (Rank: 12)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.309 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 21.1% (Rank: 21)
Pitchers per PA: 3.84 (Rank: 11)

Analysis: Gonzalez is in the same boat as Alfredo Simon. He is an average right-handed pitcher with a below-average strikeout rate. He has been in less than stellar form recently and he faces a talented Tigers’ offense in the hitter-friendly Camden Yards. There are better pitching options tonight for both cash games and tournaments. This game could turn into a shootout.

Pitcher Rating:52.3

Batter Grind Down

Detroit

The Tigers’ offense has disappeared over the last week or so, but they should be able to get back on track tonight against Miguel Gonzalez in the hitter-friendly Camden Yards. Since the start of the 2014 season, Gonzalez has given up .321+ wOBA to left and right-handed hitters. Tonight is a good opportunity to target the Tigers while their salaries are depressed.

Elite Plays:

Victor Martinez : FD: $3,200 — DK: $3,500

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 690 — wOBA: 0.354 — ISO: 0.175 — wRC+: 127
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.287 — ISO: 0.089 — wRC+: 79

Secondary Plays:

J.D. Martinez : FD: $3,800 — DK: $4,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 663 — wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.242 — wRC+: 148
Last 14 Days: PA: 50 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.174 — wRC+: 104

Yoenis Cespedes : FD: $3,700 — DK: $4,500

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 811 — wOBA: 0.351 — ISO: 0.198 — wRC+: 125
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.277 — wRC+: 121

Ian Kinsler : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 880 — wOBA: 0.323 — ISO: 0.134 — wRC+: 105
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.413 — ISO: 0.245 — wRC+: 167


Baltimore

The Orioles draw a favorable matchup tonight against Alfredo Simon. The right-handed hitters are in play here, but the left-handed bats have the edge, as Simon has given up a .345 wOBA to hitters from that side of the plate over the last two seasons.

Elite Plays:

Chris Davis : FD: $4,100 — DK: $4,600

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 645 — wOBA: 0.326 — ISO: 0.223 — wRC+: 106
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.443 — ISO: 0.395 — wRC+: 188

Matt Wieters : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,000

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 179 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.164 — wRC+: 117
Last 14 Days: PA: 34 — wOBA: 0.238 — ISO: 0.091 — wRC+: 44

Secondary Plays:

Manny Machado : FD: $3,800 — DK: $4,800

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 577 — wOBA: 0.372 — ISO: 0.207 — wRC+: 139
Last 14 Days: PA: 49 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.195 — wRC+: 116

Adam Jones : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 800 — wOBA: 0.319 — ISO: 0.174 — wRC+: 102
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.128 — wRC+: 129

Jimmy Paredes : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,700

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 1B/2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 308 — wOBA: 0.342 — ISO: 0.174 — wRC+: 118
Last 14 Days: PA: 28 — wOBA: 0.196 — ISO: 0.037 — wRC+: 15

Travis Snider : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,800

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 503 — wOBA: 0.314 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 100
Last 14 Days: PA: 27 — wOBA: 0.193 — ISO: 0.000 — wRC+: 13


Atlanta at Philadelphia – 7:05 PM EST

Atlanta Philadelphia
atlantamlb Shelby Miller philadelphiamlb Aaron Harang
RIGHT RIGHT
Vegas Moneyline Vegas Over/Under
PHI (-107) 7.5
Stats Avg OPS wOBA K% Stats Avg OPS wOBA K%
SP vs. Left 0.244 0.708 0.310 16.8% SP vs. Left 0.276 0.754 0.332 15.10%
SP vs. Right 0.209 0.622 0.279 19.5% SP vs. Right 0.251 0.699 0.308 19.90%
Batter Splits ATL BvP ATL vs R Batter Splits PHI BvP PHI vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Shelby Miller : FD: $8,600 — DK: $9,700

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 310.0 — SIERA: 4.28 — ERA: 3.14 — K%: 18.3% — BB%: 8.9% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.2 — SIERA: 3.25 — ERA: 3.34 — K%: 28.0% — BB%: 9.1% — HR/9: 0.9

Philadelphia Phillies Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.290 (Rank: 27) — Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 10)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.349 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 17.9% (Rank: 7)
Pitchers per PA: 3.70 (Rank: 28)

Analysis: Miller has finally been able to turn that great velocity into a high strikeout rate. Over the last month of play, he has been terrific with a 3.25 SIERA and a strikeout rate of 28.0%. He does walk a lot of batters, but that shouldn’t be an issue against a Phillies team that averages the third-fewest pitches per plate appearance this season. Miller has great upside in this matchup, although run support is always an issue for the Braves’ pitching staff. He’s not a great cash game play on single-pitcher sites, but he makes a strong SP2 on multi-pitcher sites.

Pitcher Rating:68.7


Aaron Harang : FD: $6,300 — DK: $6,100

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 310.1 — SIERA: 4.23 — ERA: 3.74 — K%: 17.7% — BB%: 7.4% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 11.0 — SIERA: 4.83 — ERA: 9.82 — K%: 10.3% — BB%: 3.5% — HR/9: 1.6

Atlanta Braves Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.303 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 17.6% (Rank: 4)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.258 (Rank: 30) — Strikeout Rate: 21.7% (Rank: 22)
Pitchers per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 18)

Analysis: Harang will make his first start in close to a month. He has not pitched well this season and he doesn’t have a high enough strikeout rate to overcome the mistakes that he will likely make. He draws an average matchup tonight against the Braves, who have the fourth-lowest strikeout rate of any team against right-handed pitching this season. We need to see better form from Harang before targeting him in daily fantasy.

Pitcher Rating:45.8

Batter Grind Down

Atlanta

The Braves may have a low team total, but they draw a favorable matchup against Aaron Harang, who has given up a .332 wOBA to left-handed hitters over the last two seasons. While the Braves are in a good spot tonight, none of their hitters stand out as must plays at their respective positions.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Freddie Freeman : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 708 — wOBA: 0.390 — ISO: 0.206 — wRC+: 151
Last 14 Days: PA: 15 — wOBA: 0.244 — ISO: 0.214 — wRC+: 51

Nick Markakis : FD: $2,900 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 804 — wOBA: 0.334 — ISO: 0.115 — wRC+: 113
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.178 — wRC+: 104


Philadelphia

Try as they might, the Phillies are still ranked dead last in team wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. They draw a difficult matchup tonight against Shelby Miller, who has been in top form coming into this game. As usual, the Phillies can be avoided for fantasy purposes.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

NONE


Kansas City at Toronto – 7:07 PM EST

Kansas City Toronto
kansascitymlb Danny Duffy torontomlb Marco Estrada
LEFT RIGHT
Vegas Moneyline Vegas Over/Under
TOR (-135) 8.5
Stats Avg OPS wOBA K% Stats Avg OPS wOBA K%
SP vs. Left 0.191 0.494 0.229 16.9% SP vs. Left 0.222 0.687 0.302 18.60%
SP vs. Right 0.237 0.702 0.311 17.4% SP vs. Right 0.242 0.750 0.328 21.00%
Batter Splits KCR BvP KC vs R Batter Splits TOR BvP TOR vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Danny Duffy : FD: $7,100 — DK: $5,000

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 225.1 — SIERA: 4.47 — ERA: 3.04 — K%: 17.3% — BB%: 8.8% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 33.0 — SIERA: 5.09 — ERA: 2.18 — K%: 11.1% — BB%: 7.9% — HR/9: 0.8

Toronto Blue Jays Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.362 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 17.1% (Rank: 3)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.333 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 17.0% (Rank: 5)
Pitchers per PA: 3.80 (Rank: 14)

Analysis: Duffy may have a 2.18 ERA over the last month of play, but there are a few red flags here. During that stretch, he has a 5.09 SIERA with a low strikeout rate of 11.1% and a high walk rate of 7.9%. Regression has yet to really hit Duffy over the last two seasons, but I’ll continue to trust the numbers. He is in a bad spot tonight against the Blue Jays, who are ranked first in team wOBA and third in strikeout rate against left-handed pitching this season.

Pitcher Rating:33.9


Marco Estrada : FD: $8,400 — DK: $5,900

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 249.2 — SIERA: 4.05 — ERA: 4.04 — K%: 19.8% — BB%: 7.3% — HR/9: 1.4
Last 30 Days: IP: 26.0 — SIERA: 5.58 — ERA: 3.81 — K%: 13.3% — BB%: 8.0% — HR/9: 1.0

Kansas City Royals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 16.0% (Rank: 1)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.324 (Rank: 11) — Strikeout Rate: 15.7% (Rank: 2)
Pitchers per PA: 3.66 (Rank: 30)

Analysis: Estrada comes into tonight’s start in bad form, posting a 5.58 SIERA with a low strikeout rate of 13.3% over the last month of play. Add in a matchup against the Royals in one of the best hitter’s parks in baseball and we have ourselves a recipe for disaster. Estrada may be the favorite tonight, but he is not a recommended fantasy option.

Pitcher Rating:52.3

Batter Grind Down

Kansas City

The Royals have the lowest strikeout rate of any team in baseball this season. They should have a field day in this series, as the Rogers Centre is basically the American League’s version of Coors Field. Kansas City may get overlooked tonight, but I will have some exposure to their bats in both cash games and tournaments.

Elite Plays:

Eric Hosmer : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,600

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 626 — wOBA: 0.345 — ISO: 0.150 — wRC+: 121
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.536 — ISO: 0.313 — wRC+: 254

Secondary Plays:

Lorenzo Cain : FD: $3,900 — DK: $5,100

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 594 — wOBA: 0.326 — ISO: 0.119 — wRC+: 108
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.391 — ISO: 0.292 — wRC+: 152

Mike Moustakas : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,700

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 625 — wOBA: 0.323 — ISO: 0.157 — wRC+: 106
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.351 — ISO: 0.227 — wRC+: 125

Alcides Escobar : FD: $2,200 — DK: $3,900

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 739 — wOBA: 0.297 — ISO: 0.078 — wRC+: 87
Last 14 Days: PA: 60 — wOBA: 0.258 — ISO: 0.018 — wRC+: 60


Toronto

The Blue Jays had a big night offensively against Jerome Williams last night and they may put on an encore performance tonight against Danny Duffy. The Blue Jays are the best team in baseball against left-handed pitching and they have only gotten better now that Troy Tulowitzki is in the lineup. All of the right-handed hitters in this lineup are in play tonight.

Elite Plays:

Josh Donaldson : FD: $4,600 — DK: $4,600

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 268 — wOBA: 0.434 — ISO: 0.345 — wRC+: 185
Last 14 Days: PA: 44 — wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 142

Troy Tulowitzki : FD: $3,500 — DK: $3,900

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 176 — wOBA: 0.493 — ISO: 0.327 — wRC+: 205
Last 14 Days: PA: 35 — wOBA: 0.303 — ISO: 0.207 — wRC+: 75

Russell Martin : FD: $3,400 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 173 — wOBA: 0.360 — ISO: 0.110 — wRC+: 131
Last 14 Days: PA: 33 — wOBA: 0.444 — ISO: 0.300 — wRC+: 188

Secondary Plays:

Jose Bautista : FD: $4,200 — DK: $4,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 224 — wOBA: 0.424 — ISO: 0.247 — wRC+: 175
Last 14 Days: PA: 44 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.325 — wRC+: 103

Chris Colabello : FD: $2,800 — DK: $3,700

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 136 — wOBA: 0.330 — ISO: 0.168 — wRC+: 110
Last 14 Days: PA: 24 — wOBA: 0.271 — ISO: 0.190 — wRC+: 66


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About the Author

Notorious
Derek Farnsworth (Notorious)

Derek Farnsworth (aka Notorious) is a lead RotoGrinders Expert and one of the most recognizable names and faces in all of DFS. Before joining the RotoGrinders team, Derek received a Master’s Degree from the University of Utah. When he’s not busy providing content, he’s dominating the DFS industry as evidenced by his consistent top rankings in several sports and multiple Live Final appearances. Noto provides expert NBA, NFL, MLB, and PGA analysis for RotoGrinders Premium members on a daily basis and has also been nominated for five different Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association (FSWA) awards. Follow Noto on X – @RG_Notorious