MLB Grind Down: Tuesday, August 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: 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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NY Mets at Baltimore – 7:05 PM EST
| NY Mets | Baltimore | ||||||||
 | Jacob Degrom |  | Kevin Gausman | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| NYM (-109) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.221 | 0.614 | 0.274 | 24.4% | SP vs. Left | 0.243 | 0.680 | 0.302 | 19.00% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.198 | 0.526 | 0.233 | 27.7% | SP vs. Right | 0.259 | 0.712 | 0.311 | 19.40% |
| Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | Batter Splits | BAL BvP | BAL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jacob deGrom : FD: $11,600 — DK: $11,600
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 287.0 — SIERA: 3.07 — ERA: 2.35 — K%: 26.2% — BB%: 6.3% — HR/9: 0.6
Last 30 Days: IP: 33.0 — SIERA: 2.45 — ERA: 1.64 — K%: 32.5% — BB%: 5.7% — HR/9: 0.8
Baltimore Orioles Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 22.2% (Rank: 28)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.351 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 20.8% (Rank: 17)
Pitchers per PA: 3.82 (Rank: 14)
Analysis: deGrom comes into tonight’s start in as good of form as ever. Over the last month of play, he has a 2.45 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 32.5%. He does draw a difficult matchup against the Orioles, but the strikeout potential is still there. On the season, Baltimore is ranked eighth in team wOBA and 28th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching. deGrom may be a little overpriced for the matchup, but he still deserves consideration with his strikeout potential.
Pitcher Rating: 88.4
Kevin Gausman : FD: $6,500 — DK: $5,100
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 173.2 — SIERA: 4.00 — ERA: 3.89 — K%: 19.2% — BB%: 7.4% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 33.1 — SIERA: 3.83 — ERA: 4.05 — K%: 19.9% — BB%: 5.2% — HR/9: 1.1
New York Mets Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.296 (Rank: 27) — Strikeout Rate: 20.7% (Rank: 21)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.315 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 24.6% (Rank: 28)
Pitchers per PA: 3.88 (Rank: 5)
Analysis: Gausman has been sharp in his recent starts, posting a 3.83 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 19.9%. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against the Mets, who are ranked 27th in team wOBA and 21st in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Gausman isn’t a pitcher that we should trust in cash games just yet, but he’s a nice value play in tournaments. He can throw some gas and we all know that the Mets strikeout at a high rate.
Pitcher Rating: 57.1
Batter Grind Down
NY Mets
The Mets’ offense has been better in recent weeks, but they are still a below-average offense against right-handed pitching. They do see a favorable ballpark shift playing in Camden Yards, but they should be considered secondary options tonight against Kevin Gausman.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Yoenis Cespedes : FD: $3,700 — DK: $4,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 380 — wOBA: 0.376 — ISO: 0.223 — wRC+: 141
Last 30 Days: PA: 124 — wOBA: 0.361 — ISO: 0.231 — wRC+: 133
Daniel Murphy : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,600
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 285 — wOBA: 0.335 — ISO: 0.156 — wRC+: 117
Last 30 Days: PA: 118 — wOBA: 0.318 — ISO: 0.153 — wRC+: 105
Baltimore
The Orioles draw a very difficult matchup against Jacob deGrom, who has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .275 wOBA over the last two seasons. The Orioles’ offense has been great in recent weeks, but their hitters are overpriced for their matchup tonight against deGrom.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Toronto at Philadelphia – 7:05 PM EST
| Toronto | Philadelphia | ||||||||
 | R.A. Dickey |  | Aaron Nola | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TOR (-175) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.223 | 0.676 | 0.301 | 15.2% | SP vs. Left | 0.304 | 0.811 | 0.351 | 6.30% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.244 | 0.737 | 0.323 | 18.9% | SP vs. Right | 0.229 | 0.666 | 0.291 | 26.30% |
| Batter Splits | TOR vs R | Batter Splits | PHI BvP | PHI vs R | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
R.A. Dickey : FD: $8,000 — DK: $7,000
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 372.2 — SIERA: 4.36 — ERA: 3.82 — K%: 17.2% — BB%: 8.1% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 42.1 — SIERA: 4.31 — ERA: 1.49 — K%: 16.6% — BB%: 5.5% — HR/9: 0.4
Philadelphia Phillies Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.293 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 19.6% (Rank: 12)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 21) — Strikeout Rate: 24.2% (Rank: 27)
Pitchers per PA: 3.70 (Rank: 29)
Analysis: Dickey should have some regression coming his way shortly. Over the last month of play, there is nearly a full three run differential between his ERA and his SIERA. Dickey draws a favorable matchup tonight against the Phillies, but his price is higher than we’d like to pay for him. He is no longer an elite strikeout pitcher at this rate in his career. There are pitchers with more upside at this price point.
Pitcher Rating: 63.8
Aaron Nola : FD: $6,000 — DK: $6,900
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 29.2 — SIERA: 3.78 — ERA: 4.25 — K%: 18.6% — BB%: 4.8% — HR/9: 1.2
Toronto Blue Jays Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.328 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 19.2% (Rank: 9)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 21.4% (Rank: 21)
Pitchers per PA: 3.83 (Rank: 12)
Analysis: Nola has pitched well in his first 29 innings of major league action. He owns a 3.78 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 18.6%. The biggest issue is that he plays for the Phillies and their lack of run support, but a matchup against the Blue Jays isn’t going to help either. On the season, Toronto is ranked third in team wOBA and ninth in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating: 50.5
Batter Grind Down
Toronto
Even though the Blue Jays should be able to score some runs tonight against Aaron Nola in Citizens Bank Park, I have a hard time listing any of their hitters as elite plays. They are not playing at home and they are very expensive. If you are paying up for hitters tonight, I’d pay up for ones that are either A. In a better matchup or B. Playing in Coors Field.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Josh Donaldson : FD: $5,500 — DK: $5,000
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 419 — wOBA: 0.376 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 141
Last 30 Days: PA: 121 — wOBA: 0.422 — ISO: 0.343 — wRC+: 172
Jose Bautista : FD: $5,200 — DK: $5,000
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 385 — wOBA: 0.381 — ISO: 0.301 — wRC+: 144
Last 30 Days: PA: 116 — wOBA: 0.379 — ISO: 0.349 — wRC+: 142
Edwin Encarnacion : FD: $4,700 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 367 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.248 — wRC+: 131
Last 30 Days: PA: 91 — wOBA: 0.429 — ISO: 0.237 — wRC+: 177
Troy Tulowitzki : FD: $4,000 — DK: $4,000
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 340 — wOBA: 0.334 — ISO: 0.169 — wRC+: 99
Last 30 Days: PA: 106 — wOBA: 0.312 — ISO: 0.198 — wRC+: 91
Philadelphia
The Phillies draw a mediocre matchup tonight against R.A. Dickey. As mentioned above, Dickey’s recent stretch is more about luck than the fact that he is actually pitching better. Chase Utley is a borderline elite play here. Ryan Howard and Cesar Hernandez are also worth a look.
Elite Plays:
Chase Utley : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,100
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 201 — wOBA: 0.266 — ISO: 0.126 — wRC+: 66
Last 30 Days: PA: 28 — wOBA: 0.544 — ISO: 0.308 — wRC+: 257
Secondary Plays:
Ryan Howard : FD: $3,200 — DK: $3,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 330 — wOBA: 0.345 — ISO: 0.235 — wRC+: 120
Last 30 Days: PA: 102 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.191 — wRC+: 114
Cesar Hernandez : FD: $3,100 — DK: $3,000
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 250 — wOBA: 0.298 — ISO: 0.082 — wRC+: 88
Last 30 Days: PA: 109 — wOBA: 0.315 — ISO: 0.100 — wRC+: 99
Arizona at Pittsburgh – 7:05 PM EST
| Arizona | Pittsburgh | ||||||||
 | Chase Anderson |  | Francisco Liriano | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-203) | 7.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.245 | 0.733 | 0.321 | 17.8% | SP vs. Left | 0.239 | 0.668 | 0.301 | 27.20% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.282 | 0.788 | 0.342 | 19.8% | SP vs. Right | 0.206 | 0.612 | 0.277 | 25.90% |
| Batter Splits | ARI BvP | ARI vs L | Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Chase Anderson : FD: $6,300 — DK: $5,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 231.1 — SIERA: 3.99 — ERA: 4.16 — K%: 18.9% — BB%: 7.0% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 15.2 — SIERA: 3.11 — ERA: 6.89 — K%: 21.4% — BB%: 4.3% — HR/9: 0.6
Pittsburgh Pirates Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 14) — Strikeout Rate: 20.5% (Rank: 18)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.368 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 7)
Pitchers per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 20)
Analysis: Anderson is one of the largest underdogs on the board tonight. He has not pitched well since coming back from injury and he has to face a Pirates’ offense that is ranked second in team wOBA over the last 14 days of play. Run support will likely be limited with Francisco Liriano pitching opposite him. Anderson can safely be avoided in all league formats.
Pitcher Rating: 51.8
Francisco Liriano : FD: $9,700 — DK: $10,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 297.2 — SIERA: 3.40 — ERA: 3.30 — K%: 26.2% — BB%: 10.4% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 20.2 — SIERA: 3.41 — ERA: 4.35 — K%: 25.5% — BB%: 9.6% — HR/9: 0.4
Arizona Diamondbacks Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.319 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 21.2% (Rank: 17)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.346 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 20.8% (Rank: 17)
Pitchers per PA: 3.72 (Rank: 28)
Analysis: Liriano is hoping to have a little more success against the Diamondbacks than Gerrit Cole did last night. He comes into tonight’s start in good form, posting a 3.41 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 25.5%. He does walk a lot of batters, but that shouldn’t be a big issue against a Diamondbacks’ offense that averages the third-fewest pitches per plate appearance. The strikeout potential is there and he is one of the largest favorites on the board. He is a viable alternative to Clayton Kershaw.
Pitcher Rating: 91.3
Batter Grind Down
Arizona
The Diamondbacks draw a tough matchup against Francisco Liriano, who has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .305 wOBA over the last two seasons. Paul Goldschmidt and Welington Castillo both have terrific numbers against southpaws this year, but they are both secondary options at their respective positions.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Paul Goldschmidt : FD: $4,500 — DK: $5,500
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 103 — wOBA: 0.487 — ISO: 0.302 — wRC+: 214
Last 30 Days: PA: 117 — wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 139
Welington Castillo : FD: $3,500 — DK: $3,100
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 67 — wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.283 — wRC+: 140
Last 30 Days: PA: 76 — wOBA: 0.417 — ISO: 0.418 — wRC+: 165
Pittsburgh
The Pirates’ offense let us down last night, but we have to have a very short memory in DFS so that recency bias doesn’t come into play. They draw another favorable matchup tonight against Chase Anderson, who has given up a .321+ wOBA to both left and right-handed hitters. All of the hitters in the top half of this lineup are in play tonight.
Elite Plays:
Andrew McCutchen : FD: $5,000 — DK: $5,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 398 — wOBA: 0.389 — ISO: 0.229 — wRC+: 154
Last 30 Days: PA: 109 — wOBA: 0.421 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 176
Secondary Plays:
Jung-Ho Kang : FD: $3,400 — DK: $3,500
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 285 — wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.148 — wRC+: 131
Last 30 Days: PA: 104 — wOBA: 0.404 — ISO: 0.219 — wRC+: 164
Gregory Polanco : FD: $3,300 — DK: $3,800
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 379 — wOBA: 0.326 — ISO: 0.136 — wRC+: 111
Last 30 Days: PA: 121 — wOBA: 0.406 — ISO: 0.218 — wRC+: 166
Starling Marte : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,500
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 361 — wOBA: 0.327 — ISO: 0.139 — wRC+: 112
Last 30 Days: PA: 99 — wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.101 — wRC+: 125
Minnesota at NY Yankees – 7:05 PM EST
| Minnesota | NY Yankees | ||||||||
 | Mike Pelfrey |  | CC Sabathia | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| NYY (-163) | 9.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.260 | 0.738 | 0.330 | 11.4% | SP vs. Left | 0.180 | 0.525 | 0.233 | 29.80% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.308 | 0.789 | 0.346 | 10.2% | SP vs. Right | 0.320 | 0.000 | 0.390 | 17.90% |
| Batter Splits | MIN BvP | MIN vs L | Batter Splits | NYY BvP | NYY vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Mike Pelfrey : FD: $5,900 — DK: $4,900
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 152.2 — SIERA: 4.91 — ERA: 4.36 — K%: 10.8% — BB%: 8.4% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.0 — SIERA: 4.60 — ERA: 2.70 — K%: 10.3% — BB%: 4.8% — HR/9: 0.3
New York Yankees Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.324 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 8)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.279 (Rank: 30) — Strikeout Rate: 21.4% (Rank: 21)
Pitchers per PA: 3.89 (Rank: 4)
Analysis: Pelfrey is a below-average pitcher with a below-average strikeout rate. That’s not a great combination to have in the majors. To make matters worse, he has to face a Yankees’ offense that is ranked fifth in team wOBA and eighth in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. If you are thinking about using Pelfrey tonight, you may need some help. Let me point you in the direction of RotoAcademy
Pitcher Rating: 28.0
CC Sabathia : FD: $7,200 — DK: $6,000
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 175.0 — SIERA: 3.58 — ERA: 5.25 — K%: 20.1% — BB%: 5.2% — HR/9: 1.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 28.2 — SIERA: 3.84 — ERA: 4.40 — K%: 18.1% — BB%: 7.9% — HR/9: 1.6
Minnesota Twins Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.307 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 9)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 21) — Strikeout Rate: 20.7% (Rank: 16)
Pitchers per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 17)
Analysis: If you were to completely ignore Sabathia’s ERA over the last two seasons, you would think that he has actually pitched pretty well. He has a 3.58 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 20.1% during that stretch. Unfortunately, when he gets hit, he gets hit hard. He has given up 1.8 home runs per nine innings. He is not a recommended play tonight against the Twins, who will be able to load up their lineup with right-handed hitters.
Pitcher Rating: 67.3
Batter Grind Down
Minnesota
Since the start of the 2014 season, CC Sabathia has given up a .390 wOBA to right-handed hitters. Basically, if can hit from the right side and you are in a decent spot in the lineup, then you are in play against Sabathia. In addition to the favorable matchup, the Twins also see a small ballpark boost playing in Yankee Stadium.
Elite Plays:
Brian Dozier : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 149 — wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.244 — wRC+: 135
Last 30 Days: PA: 109 — wOBA: 0.291 — ISO: 0.200 — wRC+: 82
Aaron Hicks : FD: $3,100 — DK: $3,500
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 74 — wOBA: 0.436 — ISO: 0.235 — wRC+: 183
Last 30 Days: PA: 112 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.160 — wRC+: 114
Trevor Plouffe : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,800
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 135 — wOBA: 0.339 — ISO: 0.208 — wRC+: 116
Last 30 Days: PA: 98 — wOBA: 0.285 — ISO: 0.237 — wRC+: 78
Secondary Plays:
Miguel Sano : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,300
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.278 — ISO: 0.086 — wRC+: 74
Last 30 Days: PA: 103 — wOBA: 0.366 — ISO: 0.247 — wRC+: 135
Torii Hunter : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,600
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 128 — wOBA: 0.309 — ISO: 0.195 — wRC+: 95
Last 30 Days: PA: 83 — wOBA: 0.231 — ISO: 0.169 — wRC+: 41
Eduardo Escobar : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,500
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: OF/SS
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 93 — wOBA: 0.231 — ISO: 0.102 — wRC+: 40
Last 30 Days: PA: 66 — wOBA: 0.248 — ISO: 0.085 — wRC+: 53
NY Yankees
The Yankees draw a terrific matchup against Mike Pelfrey, who has given up a .330+ wOBA to both left and right-handed hitters over the last two seasons. Mark Teixeira left last night’s game with a bruised leg and may not be in the lineup tonight, but the rest of the Yankees’ bats are in play tonight at home.
Elite Plays:
Brett Gardner : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 335 — wOBA: 0.355 — ISO: 0.158 — wRC+: 126
Last 30 Days: PA: 110 — wOBA: 0.277 — ISO: 0.054 — wRC+: 72
Jacoby Ellsbury : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 200 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.117 — wRC+: 103
Last 30 Days: PA: 120 — wOBA: 0.262 — ISO: 0.174 — wRC+: 62
Secondary Plays:
Alex Rodriguez : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 324 — wOBA: 0.345 — ISO: 0.195 — wRC+: 120
Last 30 Days: PA: 113 — wOBA: 0.332 — ISO: 0.213 — wRC+: 110
Brian McCann : FD: $3,300 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 283 — wOBA: 0.339 — ISO: 0.232 — wRC+: 115
Last 30 Days: PA: 84 — wOBA: 0.310 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 95
Carlos Beltran : FD: $3,300 — DK: $3,800
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 248 — wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.217 — wRC+: 127
Last 30 Days: PA: 83 — wOBA: 0.426 — ISO: 0.310 — wRC+: 176
Kansas City at Cincinnati – 7:10 PM EST
| Kansas City | Cincinnati | ||||||||
 | Edinson Volquez |  | Raisel Iglesias | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| KCR (-114) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.224 | 0.679 | 0.301 | 17.9% | SP vs. Left | 0.325 | 0.807 | 0.356 | 12.90% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.238 | 0.657 | 0.295 | 16.9% | SP vs. Right | 0.171 | 0.618 | 0.273 | 34.60% |
| Batter Splits | KC vs R | Batter Splits | CIN BvP | CIN vs R | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Edinson Volquez : FD: $8,500 — DK: $7,400
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 338.2 — SIERA: 4.27 — ERA: 3.14 — K%: 17.4% — BB%: 8.8% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 40.0 — SIERA: 4.49 — ERA: 3.15 — K%: 16.2% — BB%: 9.0% — HR/9: 0.5
Cincinnati Reds Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.307 (Rank: 18) — Strikeout Rate: 19.2% (Rank: 9)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.280 (Rank: 28) — Strikeout Rate: 22.8% (Rank: 26)
Pitchers per PA: 3.75 (Rank: 24)
Analysis: Volquez has the exact opposite problem as CC Sabathia. He has a much lower ERA than SIERA. Some of that has to do with the fact that he has a great defense behind him and that half of his starts come in the pitcher-friendly Kaufmann Stadium. Volquez draws a tough matchup tonight against the Reds, who have the ninth-lowest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching. He’s not the worst pitching option on the board, but he’s not on my radar tonight.
Pitcher Rating: 59.2
Raisel Iglesias : FD: $6,900 — DK: $6,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 59.1 — SIERA: 3.45 — ERA: 4.70 — K%: 24.0% — BB%: 6.7% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.1 — SIERA: 3.01 — ERA: 3.56 — K%: 27.6% — BB%: 6.5% — HR/9: 1.2
Kansas City Royals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.320 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 15.7% (Rank: 1)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.332 (Rank: 12) — Strikeout Rate: 13.8% (Rank: 1)
Pitchers per PA: 3.67 (Rank: 30)
Analysis: Iglesias has pitched well recently, posting a 3.01 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 27.6% over the last month of play. The problem is that he has to face a Royals’ offense that is ranked ninth in team wOBA and first in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. His strikeout potential is severely limited here, which is why he can be avoided despite the recent success.
Pitcher Rating: 65.9
Batter Grind Down
Kansas City
The Royals draw a decent matchup against Raisel Iglesias. He has been tough on right-handed hitters, but has allowed a .356 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season. Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are the preferred targets tonight in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark.
Elite Plays:
Eric Hosmer : FD: $4,000 — DK: $4,800
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 289 — wOBA: 0.404 — ISO: 0.212 — wRC+: 162
Last 30 Days: PA: 121 — wOBA: 0.493 — ISO: 0.269 — wRC+: 224
Secondary Plays:
Mike Moustakas : FD: $2,200 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 280 — wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.157 — wRC+: 128
Last 30 Days: PA: 111 — wOBA: 0.290 — ISO: 0.149 — wRC+: 82
Cincinnati
The Reds are small underdogs tonight against Edinson Volquez, who has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .305 wOBA over the last two seasons. There aren’t any elite plays here, but Joey Votto and Todd Frazier are nice secondary options.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Joey Votto : FD: $4,100 — DK: $4,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 354 — wOBA: 0.414 — ISO: 0.237 — wRC+: 165
Last 30 Days: PA: 126 — wOBA: 0.528 — ISO: 0.280 — wRC+: 243
Todd Frazier : FD: $2,900 — DK: $4,600
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 374 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.221 — wRC+: 114
Last 30 Days: PA: 116 — wOBA: 0.265 — ISO: 0.178 — wRC+: 63