MLB Grind Down: Thursday, September 24th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2015-09-25 01:21:20

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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Arizona at LA Dodgers – 3:10 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Arizona					LA Dodgers
			Patrick Corbin					Clayton Kershaw
			LEFT					LEFT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			LAD (-205)					6.0
SP vs. Left	0.197	0.566	0.247	25.7%	SP vs. Left	0.202	0.540	0.238	34.10%
SP vs. Right	0.276	0.772	0.333	21.8%	SP vs. Right	0.194	0.523	0.234	32.00%
Batter Splits	ARI BvP		ARI vs L		Batter Splits	LAD BvP		LA vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Patrick Corbin : FD: $7,200 — DK: $9,400

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 75.1 — SIERA: 3.29 — ERA: 2.99 — K%: 22.7% — BB%: 4.2% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 31.1 — SIERA: 3.33 — ERA: 1.44 — K%: 20.5% — BB%: 1.6% — HR/9: 0.9

Los Angeles Dodgers Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.325 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 21.0% (Rank: 14)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.303 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 22.0% (Rank: 19)
Pitches per PA: 3.88 (Rank: 7)

Analysis: Corbin has pitched well recently, posting a 3.33 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 20.5%. That’s all very well, but he has to face a talented Dodgers’ offense today, Clayton Kershaw is pitching opposite him, and he is pitching on the road. Corbin is one of the largest underdogs on the board today and even though he has been in good form, he is a tournament play at best in the early slate of games.

Pitcher Rating: 73.3

Clayton Kershaw : FD: $13,100 — DK: $14,700

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 413.1 — SIERA: 2.20 — ERA: 1.98 — K%: 32.4% — BB%: 4.5% — HR/9: 0.5
Last 30 Days: IP: 46.0 — SIERA: 2.18 — ERA: 1.57 — K%: 35.3% — BB%: 4.7% — HR/9: 0.4

Arizona Diamondbacks Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.319 (Rank: 10) — Strikeout Rate: 21.4% (Rank: 16)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.349 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 22.0% (Rank: 19)
Pitches per PA: 3.72 (Rank: 28)

Analysis: Guess who is on the mound for the Dodgers today? And guess who will be my starting pitcher in 100% of my cash games. That’s right, Mr. Clayton Kershaw. He has been dominant over the last month of play, posting a 2.18 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 35.3%. He is looking to make one final push for the National League Cy Young award. While the Diamondbacks are a decent offense against left-handed pitching, I have no problem using Kershaw today at home. He is the top pitching option in both the early and all-day slates.

Pitcher Rating: 99.8

Batter Grind Down

Arizona

The Diamondbacks draw the worst matchup on the board today, as they have to face Clayton Kershaw in the pitcher-friendly confines of Dodger Stadium. Since the start of the 2014 season, Kershaw has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .240 wOBA.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

NONE

LA Dodgers

The Dodgers draw a mediocre matchup today against Patrick Corbin. He has been pitching well recently, but he has allowed a .333 wOBA to right-handed hitters over the last two seasons. The right-handed bats of Justin Ruggiano, Howie Kendrick, and Scott Van Slyke are all on my radar in the early slate of games.

Elite Plays:

Justin Ruggiano : FD: $3,400 — DK: $2,800

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 165 — wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.245 — wRC+: 149
Last 30 Days: PA: 44 — wOBA: 0.443 — ISO: 0.357 — wRC+: 189

Secondary Plays:

Howie Kendrick : FD: $2,900 — DK: $4,000

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 267 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.126 — wRC+: 130
Last 30 Days: PA: 14 — wOBA: 0.126 — ISO: 0.000 — wRC+: -28

Scott Van Slyke : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,500

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 231 — wOBA: 0.411 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 167
Last 30 Days: PA: 58 — wOBA: 0.327 — ISO: 0.170 — wRC+: 109

Pittsburgh at Colorado – 3:10 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Pittsburgh					Colorado
			Jeff Locke					Chad Bettis
			LEFT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			PIT (-127)					11.0
SP vs. Left	0.244	0.682	0.302	10.9%	SP vs. Left	0.264	0.766	0.335	15.40%
SP vs. Right	0.265	0.742	0.325	18.7%	SP vs. Right	0.304	0.887	0.381	19.10%
Batter Splits	PIT BvP		PIT vs R		Batter Splits	COL BvP		COL vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Jeff Locke : FD: $6,000 — DK: $5,600

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 294.0 — SIERA: 4.14 — ERA: 4.22 — K%: 17.0% — BB%: 7.8% — HR/9: 1.0
Last 30 Days: IP: 28.1 — SIERA: 3.60 — ERA: 4.13 — K%: 18.3% — BB%: 5.8% — HR/9: 0.6

Colorado Rockies Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.283 (Rank: 30) — Strikeout Rate: 23.0% (Rank: 25)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.271 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 26.8% (Rank: 29)
Pitches per PA: 3.75 (Rank: 25)

Analysis: Locke is typically an easy pitcher to avoid in daily fantasy. He has a mediocre SIERA with a below-average strikeout rate. While the Rockies are ranked dead last in team wOBA against left-handed pitching this season, Locke has to face them in Coors Field. Do not break the Cardinal Rule of daily fantasy baseball, which is targeting pitchers in Coors.

Pitcher Rating: 42.9

Chad Bettis : FD: $5,400 — DK: $6,700

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 127.2 — SIERA: 4.22 — ERA: 5.36 — K%: 17.2% — BB%: 8.2% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.1 — SIERA: 3.89 — ERA: 3.29 — K%: 17.5% — BB%: 5.8% — HR/9: 0.7

Pittsburgh Pirates Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.313 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 20.4% (Rank: 16)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.317 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 5)
Pitches per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 22)

Analysis: The Pirates’ offense has had a field day in this series. They are basically taking batting practice against the Rockies’ starters. There is no reason to think that will change today with Chad Bettis on the mound. The Pirates have the highest team total on the board for a reason.

Pitcher Rating: 33.1

Batter Grind Down

Pittsburgh

The Pirates are the top offense to target in both the early and all-day slates, as they draw another favorable matchup against a hittable pitcher in Coors Field. Since the start of the 2014 season, Bettis has allowed a .335+ wOBA to both left and right-handed hitters.

Elite Plays:

Starling Marte : FD: $4,600 — DK: $5,300

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 902 — wOBA: 0.346 — ISO: 0.159 — wRC+: 123
Last 30 Days: PA: 106 — wOBA: 0.305 — ISO: 0.146 — wRC+: 94

Gregory Polanco : FD: $4,200 — DK: $4,200

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 703 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.132 — wRC+: 106
Last 30 Days: PA: 117 — wOBA: 0.269 — ISO: 0.109 — wRC+: 70

Josh Harrison : FD: $3,300 — DK: $4,000

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 736 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.148 — wRC+: 117
Last 30 Days: PA: 79 — wOBA: 0.326 — ISO: 0.056 — wRC+: 108

Neil Walker : FD: $3,200 — DK: $4,000

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 916 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.200 — wRC+: 127
Last 30 Days: PA: 93 — wOBA: 0.308 — ISO: 0.101 — wRC+: 96

Secondary Plays:

Andrew McCutchen : FD: $5,100 — DK: $5,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 1031 — wOBA: 0.396 — ISO: 0.216 — wRC+: 157
Last 30 Days: PA: 121 — wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.155 — wRC+: 147

Francisco Cervelli : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,900

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 474 — wOBA: 0.339 — ISO: 0.093 — wRC+: 117
Last 30 Days: PA: 92 — wOBA: 0.333 — ISO: 0.039 — wRC+: 113

Colorado

The Rockies draw a favorable matchup Jeff Locke, although they may be without two of their best hitters in Nolan Areando and Charlie Blackmon, who are both day-to-day. Locke hasn’t been particularly effective against hitters from either side of the plate, so any Rockies’ bat in today’s lineup deserves consideration at home.

Elite Plays:

Wilin Rosario : FD: $4,100 — DK: $2,700

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 188 — wOBA: 0.357 — ISO: 0.234 — wRC+: 110
Last 30 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.291 — ISO: 0.147 — wRC+: 64

Jose Reyes : FD: $3,800 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 323 — wOBA: 0.306 — ISO: 0.112 — wRC+: 89
Last 30 Days: PA: 87 — wOBA: 0.292 — ISO: 0.113 — wRC+: 65

Secondary Plays:

Carlos Gonzalez : FD: $4,000 — DK: $4,400

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 239 — wOBA: 0.241 — ISO: 0.119 — wRC+: 31
Last 30 Days: PA: 107 — wOBA: 0.290 — ISO: 0.245 — wRC+: 64

DJ LeMahieu : FD: $3,200 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 268 — wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.055 — wRC+: 85
Last 30 Days: PA: 106 — wOBA: 0.300 — ISO: 0.085 — wRC+: 71

Tom Murphy : FD: $2,600 — DK: $2,700

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 7 — wOBA: 0.126 — ISO: 0.000 — wRC+: -48
Last 30 Days: PA: 17 — wOBA: 0.387 — ISO: 0.375 — wRC+: 130

Texas at Oakland – 3:35 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Texas					Oakland
			Cole Hamels					Chris Bassitt
			LEFT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			TEX (-144)					8.0
SP vs. Left	0.223	0.642	0.291	20.3%	SP vs. Left	0.242	0.691	0.312	16.70%
SP vs. Right	0.238	0.659	0.290	25.4%	SP vs. Right	0.238	0.633	0.285	17.90%
Batter Splits	TEX BvP		TEX vs R		Batter Splits	OAK BvP		OAK vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Cole Hamels : FD: $10,600 — DK: $10,800

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 396.0 — SIERA: 3.35 — ERA: 3.05 — K%: 24.3% — BB%: 7.0% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 42.0 — SIERA: 3.56 — ERA: 3.00 — K%: 22.0% — BB%: 5.1% — HR/9: 0.4

Oakland Athletics Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.307 (Rank: 19) — Strikeout Rate: 17.2% (Rank: 2)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.315 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 21.5% (Rank: 16)
Pitches per PA: 3.86 (Rank: 9)

Analysis: Hamels has quietly pitched well over the last month of play, posting a 3.56 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 22.0%. He draws a bad strikeout matchup against the A’s, although they are ranked below the major league average in team wOBA against southpaws this season. Given the fact that we can pay a little bit more to take Clayton Kershaw at home, there is no reason to target Hamels in cash games.

Pitcher Rating: 80.8

Chris Bassitt : FD: $6,900 — DK: $5,900

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 103.0 — SIERA: 4.43 — ERA: 3.15 — K%: 17.2% — BB%: 8.3% — HR/9: 0.4
Last 30 Days: IP: 4.1 — SIERA: 7.43 — ERA: 8.31 — K%: 4.0% — BB%: 16.0% — HR/9: 0.0

Texas Rangers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.322 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 8)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.350 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 19.9% (Rank: 7)
Pitches per PA: 3.82 (Rank: 16)

Analysis: Bassitt has been a serviceable starter over the last two seasons, posting a 4.43 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 17.2%. He draws a difficult matchup today against the Rangers, who are ranked sixth in team wOBA and eighth in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. The Rangers are also one of the hottest offenses in baseball. Bassitt can safely be avoided in all league formats in both the early and all-day slates.

Pitcher Rating: 40.2

Batter Grind Down

Texas

The Rangers are sizable favorites today against the A’s in a game that features a total of 8.0 runs. They draw a decent matchup against Chris Bassitt, who has been very inconsistent this season. The left-handed hitters have the edge in this matchup, but don’t count out Adrian Beltre, who has a .384 wOBA and a .202 ISO over the last month of play.

Elite Plays:

Adrian Beltre : FD: $3,400 — DK: $4,400

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 827 — wOBA: 0.337 — ISO: 0.145 — wRC+: 110
Last 30 Days: PA: 118 — wOBA: 0.384 — ISO: 0.202 — wRC+: 140

Prince Fielder : FD: $3,100 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 502 — wOBA: 0.366 — ISO: 0.137 — wRC+: 128
Last 30 Days: PA: 120 — wOBA: 0.314 — ISO: 0.136 — wRC+: 92

Secondary Plays:

Shin-Soo Choo : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,000

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 745 — wOBA: 0.360 — ISO: 0.174 — wRC+: 125
Last 30 Days: PA: 125 — wOBA: 0.444 — ISO: 0.157 — wRC+: 182

Mitch Moreland : FD: $3,100 — DK: $3,700

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 479 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.201 — wRC+: 123
Last 30 Days: PA: 85 — wOBA: 0.363 — ISO: 0.247 — wRC+: 126

Oakland

The A’s draw a difficult matchup today against Cole Hamels, who has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .295 wOBA over the last two seasons. With a game in Coors Field, there aren’t any A’s hitters on my radar in this one.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

NONE

Baltimore at Washington – 4:05 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Baltimore					Washington
			Tyler Wilson					Tanner Roark
			RIGHT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			WAS (-139)					8.0
SP vs. Left	0.299	0.738	0.319	4.3%	SP vs. Left	0.256	0.741	0.324	12.20%
SP vs. Right	0.267	0.784	0.335	10.0%	SP vs. Right	0.248	0.635	0.278	20.70%
Batter Splits	BAL BvP		BAL vs R		Batter Splits			WAS vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Tyler Wilson : FD: $5,500 — DK: $4,200

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 29.0 — SIERA: 5.22 — ERA: 3.72 — K%: 6.7% — BB%: 5.8% — HR/9: 0.3
Last 30 Days: IP: 4.1 — SIERA: 6.46 — ERA: 12.46 — K%: 4.6% — BB%: 9.1% — HR/9: 2.1

Washington Nationals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.317 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 21.7% (Rank: 26)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.330 (Rank: 12) — Strikeout Rate: 21.7% (Rank: 17)
Pitches per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 21)

Analysis: Wilson has been a below-average pitcher, posting a 5.22 SIERA with a strikeout rate of only 6.7% in his last 29 innings of work. He is a sizable underdog today against the Nationals, who are a very capable offense. There is more risk than reward with Wilson today, even at his cheap price point.

Pitcher Rating: 28.7

Tanner Roark : FD: $5,800 — DK: $5,000

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 292.0 — SIERA: 4.01 — ERA: 3.45 — K%: 16.5% — BB%: 5.1% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 14.0 — SIERA: 4.99 — ERA: 5.79 — K%: 10.8% — BB%: 6.2% — HR/9: 1.3

Baltimore Orioles Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 22.0% (Rank: 28)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.322 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 22.2% (Rank: 21)
Pitches per PA: 3.81 (Rank: 17)

Analysis: Roark has not fared well in his recent outings, posting a 4.99 SIERA with a strikeout rate of only 10.8% over the last month of play. Pitchers with low strikeout rates typically struggle against the Orioles, because they have the third-highest team wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. Roark hasn’t thrown more than 80 pitches since June and he’ll likely be on a pitch count again today.

Pitcher Rating: 51.3

Batter Grind Down

Baltimore

The Orioles draw an intriguing matchup against Tanner Roark, who has not fared well as a starter this season. The left-handed hitters have the edge in this matchup, but don’t count out Steve Pearce, who has single-handedly hurt the Nationals’ starters in this series.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Chris Davis : FD: $4,800 — DK: $4,800

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 788 — wOBA: 0.359 — ISO: 0.270 — wRC+: 128
Last 30 Days: PA: 116 — wOBA: 0.453 — ISO: 0.362 — wRC+: 192

Steve Pearce : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,300

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 2B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 436 — wOBA: 0.357 — ISO: 0.219 — wRC+: 127
Last 30 Days: PA: 85 — wOBA: 0.349 — ISO: 0.293 — wRC+: 120

Washington

The Nationals draw a favorable matchup today against Tyler Wilson, who has allowed a .319+ wOBA to both left and right-handed hitters. Bryce Harper and Clint Robinson remain elite plays in the outfield. They have both been red-hot recently, although they are at two drastically different price points.

Elite Plays:

Bryce Harper : FD: $5,800 — DK: $5,900

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 708 — wOBA: 0.432 — ISO: 0.274 — wRC+: 178
Last 30 Days: PA: 116 — wOBA: 0.549 — ISO: 0.424 — wRC+: 257

Clint Robinson : FD: $2,400 — DK: $2,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 276 — wOBA: 0.344 — ISO: 0.159 — wRC+: 117
Last 30 Days: PA: 60 — wOBA: 0.391 — ISO: 0.204 — wRC+: 149

Secondary Plays:

Yunel Escobar : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,100

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B/SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 829 — wOBA: 0.331 — ISO: 0.100 — wRC+: 111
Last 30 Days: PA: 99 — wOBA: 0.421 — ISO: 0.058 — wRC+: 169

Anthony Rendon : FD: $3,200 — DK: $3,900

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 748 — wOBA: 0.349 — ISO: 0.171 — wRC+: 122
Last 30 Days: PA: 124 — wOBA: 0.342 — ISO: 0.081 — wRC+: 116

Chicago White Sox at NY Yankees – 7:05 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Chicago White Sox					NY Yankees
			Chris Sale					Michael Pineda
			LEFT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			NYY (-118)					7.0
SP vs. Left	0.211	0.504	0.234	35.5%	SP vs. Left	0.239	0.660	0.285	21.50%
SP vs. Right	0.220	0.634	0.279	30.7%	SP vs. Right	0.252	0.682	0.295	23.40%
Batter Splits	CHW BvP		CWS vs R		Batter Splits	NYY BvP		NYY vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Chris Sale : FD: $12,300 — DK: $11,600

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 368.2 — SIERA: 2.53 — ERA: 2.86 — K%: 31.5% — BB%: 5.3% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.1 — SIERA: 3.00 — ERA: 4.15 — K%: 27.2% — BB%: 5.2% — HR/9: 1.8

New York Yankees Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.333 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 19.2% (Rank: 7)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.292 (Rank: 25) — Strikeout Rate: 20.9% (Rank: 12)
Pitches per PA: 3.91 (Rank: 3)

Analysis: Sale has given up some runs in last few starts, but his indicators still look strong. Over the last month of play, he has a 3.00 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 27.2%. He draws a difficult matchup tonight against the Yankees, who are ranked third in team wOBA and seventh in strikeout rate against left-handed pitching this season. The upside is certainly there, but in terms of a high floor, Madison Bumgarner may be the best route in cash games.

Pitcher Rating: 91.2

Michael Pineda : FD: $8,700 — DK: $8,600

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 221.1 — SIERA: 3.21 — ERA: 3.33 — K%: 22.5% — BB%: 3.1% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.0 — SIERA: 3.61 — ERA: 4.67 — K%: 21.6% — BB%: 5.4% — HR/9: 1.7

Chicago White Sox Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.308 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 20.5% (Rank: 17)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.301 (Rank: 23) — Strikeout Rate: 22.6% (Rank: 22)
Pitches per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 20)

Analysis: Pineda has been in mediocre form since coming back from injury, posting a 3.61 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 21.6% over the last month of play. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against the White Sox, who are ranked 22nd in team wOBA and 17th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Pineda is also a small favorite tonight, even with Chris Sale pitching opposite him. At his price point, he is a viable SP2 on multi-pitcher sites.

Pitcher Rating: 77.0

Batter Grind Down

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox are small underdogs tonight against Michael Pineda, who has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .295 wOBA over the last two seasons. This game has a very low total for one being played in Yankee Stadium and with these two aces on the mound, I will likely be avoiding hitters from both sides.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

NONE

NY Yankees

Even though the Yankees hit left-handed pitching well as a team, they draw a difficult matchup against Chris Sale, who has been dominant against both left and right-handed hitters. There are better matchups to exploit tonight.