MLB Grind Down: Thursday, May 28th
The RotoGrinders MLB Grind Down article will give you an in-depth analysis into the MLB schedule. This article will break down the numbers for every single game and give you analysis on which trends you can exploit. While matchups are a major factor in daily fantasy baseball, there are plenty of other factors to consider such as injuries, weather, and salaries.
The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. No sport has more variance than baseball. The best choice is not always the right choice but following the trends will win you money over time.
Remember, these writeups are done prior to lineups being released, so make sure to check our Starting Lineups page to ensure the recommended options are playing.
Note: For more info on DFS MLB scoring systems on the two largest sites, check out our DraftKings review and FanDuel review.
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Chicago White Sox at Baltimore – 1:05 PM EST
| Chicago White Sox | Baltimore | ||||||||
 | Chris Sale |  | Tyler Wilson | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| BAL (-145) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.201 | 0.481 | 0.223 | 0.34 | SP vs. Left | ||||
| SP vs. Right | 0.218 | 0.626 | 0.279 | 0.284 | SP vs. Right | ||||
| Batter Splits | CWS BvP | Batter Splits | BAL BvP | BAL vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Chris Sale (FD: $10000, DK: $10900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 51 — SIERA: 3.26 — K Rate: 25.6% — K/9: 9.47 — BB Rate: 6.6% — FB Rate: 37.0% — HR/FB: 11.8%
2014: IP: 174 — SIERA: 2.56 — K Rate: 30.4% — K/9: 10.76 — BB Rate: 5.7% — FB Rate: 40.9% — HR/FB: 7.5%
Baltimore Orioles vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.302 (Rank: 23) — Strikeout Rate: 0.167 (Rank: 3) — wRC+: 90 (Rank: 23)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.76 (Rank: 18)
Analysis: This will be the first game of a double-header between the White Sox and Orioles, but since the second game is not included in the player pool, we will only include the first one in today’s Grind Down. Sale is an intriguing pitching option if you are playing the all-day slate of games. He has a 3.26 SIERA on the season with a K/9 of 9.5. He has been dominant in his last couple of starts and that should continue today against an Orioles’ offense that is ranked 23rd in wOBA against left-handed pitching this season. He’s not my favorite ace that is taking the mound tonight, but he’s in play if you have to have exposure to this afternoon game.
Pitcher Rating:86.9
Tyler Wilson (FD: $3000, DK: N/A)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 2 — SIERA: 4.22 — K Rate: 10.0% — K/9: 4.50 — BB Rate: 0.0% — FB Rate: 33.3% — HR/FB: 0.0%
Chicago White Sox vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.303 (Rank: 19) — Strikeout Rate: 0.201 (Rank: 16) — wRC+: 89 (Rank: 20)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.69 (Rank: 27)
Analysis: Wilson will be making a spot start for the Orioles today. He has only pitched two major league innings in his career. He’s been decent as a starter in the minor leagues this season, but he’s a wild card at this point. He draws a decent matchup against the White Sox, but he’s a large underdog in a game where the Orioles will likely accomplish very little offensively. He can safely be avoided in all league formats.
Pitcher Rating:35.0
Batter Grind Down
Chicago White Sox
Jose Abreu (FD: $3400, DK: $5200)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 180 — wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.215 — wRC+: 133
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 622 — wOBA: 0.394 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 153
Analysis: Abreu is coming off of a terrific two-game stretch in Toronto. He goes from one hitter-friendly ballpark to another, as Camden Yards grades out as the eighth-best ballpark for right-handed hitters. He draws a favorable matchup against the rookie Tyler Wilson, who will be making his first major league start. Abreu would love to welcome Wilson to the majors with his 9th home run of the season.
Secondary Plays:
Adam Eaton (FD: $2600, DK: $3800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 172 — wOBA: 0.286 — ISO: 0.107 — wRC+: 77
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 538 — wOBA: 0.344 — ISO: 0.119 — wRC+: 118
Melky Cabrera (FD: $2300, DK: $3800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 187 — wOBA: 0.307 — ISO: 0.038 — wRC+: 91
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 621 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.151 — wRC+: 128
Alexei Ramirez (FD: $2400, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 168 — wOBA: 0.277 — ISO: 0.117 — wRC+: 71
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 657 — wOBA: 0.310 — ISO: 0.126 — wRC+: 94
Baltimore
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Adam Jones (FD: $2900, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 182 — wOBA: 0.455 — ISO: 0.308 — wRC+: 196
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 682 — wOBA: 0.434 — ISO: 0.260 — wRC+: 182
Boston at Texas – 8:05 PM EST
| Boston | Texas | ||||||||
 | Eduardo Rodriguez |  | Nick Martinez | ||||||
| Left | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TEX (-104) | 9.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | SP vs. Left | 0.262 | 0.779 | 0.344 | 12.60% | ||||
| SP vs. Right | SP vs. Right | 0.269 | 0.741 | 0.326 | 12.50% | ||||
| Batter Splits | BOS BvP | BOS vs R | Batter Splits | TEX BvP | TEX vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Eduardo Rodriguez (FD: $4600, DK: $5200)
Pitching Stats:
2015 (AAA): IP: 48.1 — FIP: 2.39 — K Rate: 23.2% — K/9: 8.2 — BB Rate: 3.7%
Texas Rangers vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.344 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 0.204 (Rank: 15) — wRC+: 116 (Rank: 6)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.81 (Rank: 14)
Analysis: We have a very strange slate on tap this evening. This is the only game that starts before 10:05 EST and FanDuel has decided to exclude it from their main contests in their draft lobby. This game is included in DraftKings’ main contests though. Rodriguez will be making his major-league debut tonight. He has pitched well in the minors with a 2.39 FIP and a K/9 of 8.2. Prior to the season, he was ranked as the 59th best prospect in all of baseball. It’s hard to predict what will happen in these pitching debuts though, which is why we should restrict Rodriguez to tournament play tonight.
Pitcher Rating:52.7
Nick Martinez (FD: $6700, DK: $5800)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 55 — SIERA: 4.83 — K Rate: 12.9% — K/9: 4.91 — BB Rate: 7.3% — FB Rate: 35.0% — HR/FB: 4.8%
2014: IP: 140 — SIERA: 5.22 — K Rate: 12.6% — K/9: 4.94 — BB Rate: 9.0% — FB Rate: 47.3% — HR/FB: 8.1%
Boston Red Sox vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.311 (Rank: 14) — Strikeout Rate: 0.164 (Rank: 3) — wRC+: 94 (Rank: 14)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 4.01 (Rank: 2)
Analysis: Martinez has one of the lowest strikeout rates of any qualified starter this season. He averages 4.9 strikeouts per nine innings, which isn’t going to get the job done in daily fantasy baseball. He draws a difficult matchup tonight against the Red Sox and he has to face them at home in the hitter-friendly Globe Life Park. The Red Sox make great contact and they take a lot of pitches. That’s not a great combination for the opposing starting pitcher.
Pitcher Rating:33.6
Batter Grind Down
Boston
David Ortiz (FD: $2700, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 181 — wOBA: 0.389 — ISO: 0.228 — wRC+: 148
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 602 — wOBA: 0.364 — ISO: 0.248 — wRC+: 131
Analysis: Ortiz would be the chalk cash game play at first base tonight on FanDuel, but again, this game is not included in their main slate of games. If you are playing the early leagues, make sure to have some exposure to him at $2,700. Ortiz has a .389 wOBA and a .228 ISO against right-handed pitching this season. He also draws a favorable matchup against Nick Martinez, who has given up a .344 wOBA to left-handed hitters.
Secondary Plays:
Hanley Ramirez (FD: $3100, DK: $4800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF/SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 174 — wOBA: 0.293 — ISO: 0.164 — wRC+: 81
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 512 — wOBA: 0.355 — ISO: 0.156 — wRC+: 131
Dustin Pedroia (FD: $2800, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 205 — wOBA: 0.342 — ISO: 0.110 — wRC+: 115
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 609 — wOBA: 0.316 — ISO: 0.078 — wRC+: 98
Pablo Sandoval (FD: $2700, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 162 — wOBA: 0.411 — ISO: 0.192 — wRC+: 163
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 638 — wOBA: 0.359 — ISO: 0.144 — wRC+: 136
Texas
Adrian Beltre (FD: $3000, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 202 — wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.228 — wRC+: 124
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 614 — wOBA: 0.421 — ISO: 0.191 — wRC+: 170
Analysis: Beltre is one of the top options at third base tonight, regardless of price. He has a .356 wOBA and a .228 ISO against left-handed pitching this season and he gets to face Eduardo Rodriguez, who is making his major league debut. Even though Rodriguez is a highly touted prospect, the Rangers have one of the highest team totals on the board tonight. Don’t be afraid to take a few bats against the rookie.
Secondary Plays:
Prince Fielder (FD: $4600, DK: $5400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 204 — wOBA: 0.402 — ISO: 0.246 — wRC+: 155
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 178 — wOBA: 0.302 — ISO: 0.169 — wRC+: 86
Delino DeShields Jr. (FD: $3400, DK: $3800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 2B/OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 94 — wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.214 — wRC+: 139
NY Yankees at Oakland – 10:05 PM EST
| NY Yankees | Oakland | ||||||||
 | CC Sabathia |  | Kendall Graveman | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| NYY (-114) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.129 | 0.427 | 0.196 | 25.4% | SP vs. Left | 0.356 | 0.000 | 0.441 | 13.20% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.321 | 0.905 | 0.390 | 20.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.273 | 0.719 | 0.321 | 8.30% |
| Batter Splits | NYY BvP | NYY vs R | Batter Splits | OAK BvP | OAK vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
CC Sabathia (FD: $7200, DK: $8400)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 54 — SIERA: 3.56 — K Rate: 20.2% — K/9: 7.79 — BB Rate: 4.7% — FB Rate: 33.3% — HR/FB: 14.0%
2014: IP: 46 — SIERA: 3.07 — K Rate: 23.0% — K/9: 9.39 — BB Rate: 4.8% — FB Rate: 29.7% — HR/FB: 23.3%
Oakland Athletics vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.263 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 0.171 (Rank: 4) — wRC+: 68 (Rank: 27)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.88 (Rank: 7)
Analysis: Sabathia’s indicators look much better than his 5.47 ERA. He has a 3.56 SIERA on the season with a K/9 of 7.8. He doesn’t walk many batters and he has given up an unusually high HR/FB rate over the last two seasons. Most people tend to avoid pitchers facing the A’s, but they are much better against right-handed pitching than they are against southpaws. In fact, they are ranked 29th in wOBA and 27th in wRC+ against left-handed pitching this season. Sabathia is a sneaky tournament play tonight, as I expect him to get plenty of run support with Kendall Graveman on the mound.
Pitcher Rating:70.7
Kendall Graveman (FD: $5400, DK: $4700)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 22 — SIERA: 5.06 — K Rate: 12.2% — K/9: 5.24 — BB Rate: 10.3% — FB Rate: 26.6% — HR/FB: 14.3%
New York Yankees vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.322 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 0.195 (Rank: 10) — wRC+: 103 (Rank: 8)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.94 (Rank: 4)
Analysis: After struggling in his last few major league starts, the A’s sent Graveman back down to the minor leagues to right the ship. He pitched very well in four starts there and then was called up and threw five scoreless innings against the Rays on Saturday. We see this a lot with young pitchers, as they sometimes need to build some confidence before having success at the major league level. I’m still taking a wait and see approach on Graveman though, especially given his matchup against the Yankees. New York is ranked tenth or better in wOBA, strikeout rate, and wRC+ against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:34.3
Batter Grind Down
NY Yankees
Mark Teixeira (FD: $3800, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 181 — wOBA: 0.400 — ISO: 0.362 — wRC+: 157
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 508 — wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.199 — wRC+: 102
Analysis: Teixeira is having a terrific season for the Yankees. He’s typically a very slow starter and he’s typically hurt by this point, but he’s been able to avoid both this season. He has a .400 wOBA and a .362 ISO against right-handed pitching this year. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against Kendall Graveman, who has given up a .441 wOBA to left-handed hitters in his short time in the majors.
Secondary Plays:
Brett Gardner (FD: $3500, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 170 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 130
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 636 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.197 — wRC+: 116
Brian McCann (FD: $3100, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 154 — wOBA: 0.327 — ISO: 0.202 — wRC+: 107
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 538 — wOBA: 0.282 — ISO: 0.151 — wRC+: 76
Chase Headley (FD: $2800, DK: $4000)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 179 — wOBA: 0.334 — ISO: 0.142 — wRC+: 111
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 531 — wOBA: 0.312 — ISO: 0.129 — wRC+: 100
Oakland
Billy Butler (FD: $2500, DK: $3400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 202 — wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.167 — wRC+: 140
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 603 — wOBA: 0.368 — ISO: 0.139 — wRC+: 137
Analysis: CC Sabathia is dominant against left-handed hitters, but the same can’t be said when he faces batters that hit from the other side of the plate. Since the start of 2014, he has allowed a .390 wOBA to right-handed hitters. Butler offers terrific value at first base and he has solid numbers against southpaws, posting a .367 wOBA and a .167 ISO this season.
Secondary Plays:
Ben Zobrist (FD: $3100, DK: $3800)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 60 — wOBA: 0.364 — ISO: 0.067 — wRC+: 138
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 654 — wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.135 — wRC+: 153
Marcus Semien (FD: $2800, DK: $3500)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 201 — wOBA: 0.332 — ISO: 0.044 — wRC+: 115
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 255 — wOBA: 0.325 — ISO: 0.153 — wRC+: 105
Detroit at LA Angels – 10:05 PM EST
| Detroit | LA Angels | ||||||||
 | Buck Farmer |  | C.J. Wilson | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| LAA (-139) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.364 | 0.000 | 0.506 | 33.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.197 | 0.575 | 0.264 | 22.20% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.235 | 0.880 | 0.391 | 13.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.261 | 0.729 | 0.325 | 18.30% |
| Batter Splits | DET BvP | DET vs L | Batter Splits | ANA vs R | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Buck Farmer (FD: $5600, DK: $4300)
Pitching Stats:
2014: IP: 9 — SIERA: 3.86 — K Rate: 23.9% — K/9: 10.61 — BB Rate: 10.9%
LA Angels of Anaheim vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.277 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 0.203 (Rank: 17) — wRC+: 80 (Rank: 28)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.74 (Rank: 23)
Analysis: Farmer didn’t have a ton of success in his brief stint in the majors last season, but his indicators looked great. He has pitched very well in the minors this year, posting a 2.71 FIP with a K/9 of 8.8. Look for Farmer to have much better success in his second trip to the major leagues, as he should have more confidence heading into tonight’s start. He gets a favorable matchup right out of the gate, as the Angels are ranked 29th in wOBA and 28th in wRC+ against right-handed pitching this season. He may be a little too risky to use in cash games, but the upside is there. That’s hard to pass up in tournaments at his price point.
Pitcher Rating:60.4
C.J. Wilson (FD: $8000, DK: $7400)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 59 — SIERA: 4.18 — K Rate: 17.3% — K/9: 6.41 — BB Rate: 6.6% — FB Rate: 35.4% — HR/FB: 6.3%
2014: IP: 175 — SIERA: 4.23 — K Rate: 19.8% — K/9: 7.74 — BB Rate: 11.2% — FB Rate: 29.5% — HR/FB: 11.3%
Detroit Tigers vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.353 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 0.226 (Rank: 22) — wRC+: 126 (Rank: 2)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.85 (Rank: 9)
Analysis: Wilson has been a serviceable starter for the Angels this season, but nothing really stands out when we look at his numbers. He owns an average 4.18 SIERA with a low K/9 of 6.4. He continues to get love from the oddsmakers in Vegas, but I don’t agree with the line (LAA -139) tonight. The Tigers are one of the best offenses in baseball against left-handed pitching, while the Angels have struggled to score runs all season. I’d rather target Buck Farmer in this matchup and he’s nearly $3,000 cheaper than Wilson.
Pitcher Rating:58.1
Batter Grind Down
Detroit
Miguel Cabrera (FD: $5000, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 199 — wOBA: 0.479 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 213
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 685 — wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.235 — wRC+: 146
Analysis: Cabrera is an animal against left-handed pitching. He has a .479 wOBA and a .333 ISO against southpaws this season. He draws a favorable matchup against C.J. Wilson, who has given up a .325 wOBA to right-handed hitters. Once again, I’m not nearly as high on Wilson as Vegas is, which is why I don’t mind targeting a few of the right-handed bats against him tonight.
Secondary Plays:
Yoenis Cespedes (FD: $3100, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 192 — wOBA: 0.275 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 71
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 645 — wOBA: 0.290 — ISO: 0.199 — wRC+: 85
Ian Kinsler (FD: $3300, DK: $4000)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 205 — wOBA: 0.281 — ISO: 0.075 — wRC+: 75
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 726 — wOBA: 0.326 — ISO: 0.146 — wRC+: 107
J.D. Martinez (FD: $3100, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 192 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.100 — wRC+: 103
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 480 — wOBA: 0.425 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 176
Rajai Davis (FD: $3100, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 110 — wOBA: 0.407 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 162
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 494 — wOBA: 0.408 — ISO: 0.201 — wRC+: 164
LA Angels
Mike Trout (FD: $5000, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 198 — wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.254 — wRC+: 154
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 705 — wOBA: 0.404 — ISO: 0.283 — wRC+: 168
Analysis: At this point of the season, you should know the breakdown on Trout. He’s good at everything, and I mean, really good at everything. He hits left and right-handed pitching well, he has great power, he has great speed, and he can hit in the clutch. I’ll take my chances with the best hitter in baseball, as he’s facing a pitcher making only his third career major league start.
Secondary Plays:
Kole Calhoun (FD: $2900, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 180 — wOBA: 0.327 — ISO: 0.139 — wRC+: 114
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 537 — wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.190 — wRC+: 129
Erick Aybar (FD: $2700, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 190 — wOBA: 0.285 — ISO: 0.058 — wRC+: 85
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 641 — wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.103 — wRC+: 110
Pittsburgh at San Diego – 10:10 PM EST
| Pittsburgh | San Diego | ||||||||
 | A.J. Burnett |  | Ian Kennedy | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-110) | 6.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.231 | 0.739 | 0.333 | 18.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.248 | 0.758 | 0.331 | 23.00% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.257 | 0.699 | 0.310 | 22.5% | SP vs. Right | 0.248 | 0.705 | 0.313 | 24.80% |
| Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | Batter Splits | SD BvP | SD vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
A.J. Burnett (FD: $9600, DK: $10100)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 59 — SIERA: 3.35 — K Rate: 23.1% — K/9: 8.08 — BB Rate: 7.9% — FB Rate: 24.5% — HR/FB: 5.3%
2014: IP: 213 — SIERA: 4.00 — K Rate: 20.3% — K/9: 8.00 — BB Rate: 10.3% — FB Rate: 28.6% — HR/FB: 11.3%
San Diego Padres vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.294 (Rank: 25) — Strikeout Rate: 0.218 (Rank: 25) — wRC+: 89 (Rank: 20)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.83 (Rank: 11)
Analysis: Burnett has had some of his best seasons as a member of the Pirates and that’s the case again in 2015. He owns a 1.37 ERA this season with a K/9 of 8.1. He has cut down on his walks and he still produces an elite ground-ball rate. He draws a very favorable matchup tonight against the Padres, who are ranked 25th in wOBA and 25th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching. He also sees a positive ballpark shift, as Petco Park is the best pitcher’s park in all of baseball.
Pitcher Rating:73.2
Ian Kennedy (FD: $7300, DK: $7100)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 35 — SIERA: 3.92 — K Rate: 21.1% — K/9: 8.15 — BB Rate: 7.9% — FB Rate: 35.9% — HR/FB: 24.3%
2014: IP: 201 — SIERA: 3.47 — K Rate: 24.5% — K/9: 9.27 — BB Rate: 8.3% — FB Rate: 37.7% — HR/FB: 7.8%
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.302 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 0.196 (Rank: 12) — wRC+: 91 (Rank: 17)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.80 (Rank: 15)
Analysis: If you are debating between the two pitchers in Petco tonight, the decision is pretty simple thanks to their vast difference in pricing. Kennedy is nearly $3,000 cheaper than Burnett is tonight. Kennedy has comparable numbers to Burnett, posting a 3.92 SIERA with a K/9 of 8.2 this season. He also draws a favorable matchup against a Pirates’ offense that is ranked 20th against right-handed pitching this season. Dollar for dollar, Kennedy may be the best pitching value on the board tonight.
Pitcher Rating:72.3
Batter Grind Down
Pittsburgh
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Andrew McCutchen (FD: $4300, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 189 — wOBA: 0.342 — ISO: 0.200 — wRC+: 119
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 648 — wOBA: 0.415 — ISO: 0.225 — wRC+: 170
Neil Walker (FD: $2800, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 178 — wOBA: 0.330 — ISO: 0.153 — wRC+: 110
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 571 — wOBA: 0.364 — ISO: 0.222 — wRC+: 135
San Diego
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Matt Kemp (FD: $2500, DK: $4000)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 196 — wOBA: 0.274 — ISO: 0.087 — wRC+: 75
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 599 — wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.229 — wRC+: 149
Yangervis Solarte (FD: $2300, DK: $2800)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 153 — wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.132 — wRC+: 122
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 535 — wOBA: 0.307 — ISO: 0.095 — wRC+: 96