MLB Grind Down: Tuesday, May 19th
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: Fantasy point averages listed use FanDuel scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s scoring system, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel review.
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Minnesota at Pittsburgh – 7:05 PM EST
| Minnesota | Pittsburgh | ||||||||
 | Ricky Nolasco |  | Francisco Liriano | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-168) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.322 | 0.892 | 0.388 | 13.2% | SP vs. Left | 0.260 | 0.718 | 0.322 | 26.60% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.302 | 0.827 | 0.360 | 20.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.191 | 0.597 | 0.273 | 25.60% |
| Batter Splits | MIN BvP | MIN vs L | Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Ricky Nolasco (FanDuel: $5700, DraftKings: $5900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.82 — K Rate: 16.5% — K/9: 6.87 — BB Rate: 10.6% — FB Rate: 34.4% — HR/FB: 0.0%
2014: SIERA: 4.06 — K Rate: 16.6% — K/9: 6.51 — BB Rate: 5.5% — FB Rate: 35.9% — HR/FB: 11.6%
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.294 (Rank: 25)
Strikeout Rate: 19.7% (Rank: 15)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.83 (Rank: 11)
Analysis: Nolasco is coming off of his best start of the season, striking out seven batters over 5.1 innings. He has still had a disappointing season thus far though, as he has posted a 4.82 SIERA with a K/9 of 6.9. He has struggled with his command at times (10.6% walk rate) and his 0.0% HR/FB rate isn’t going to hold up. Even in a favorable matchup against the Pirates, Nolasco can safely be avoided in cash games tonight. He is one of the largest underdogs on the schedule tonight.
Pitcher Rating:42.5
Francisco Liriano (FD: $9400, DK: $9300)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 3.46 — K Rate: 27.6% — K/9: 9.85 — BB Rate: 10.5% — FB Rate: 27.5% — HR/FB: 13.3%
2014: SIERA: 3.61 — K Rate: 25.3% — K/9: 9.70 — BB Rate: 11.7% — FB Rate: 26.9% — HR/FB: 11.6%
Minnesota Twins vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.326 (Rank: 11)
Strikeout Rate: 17.7% (Rank: 7)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.81 (Rank: 16)
Analysis: Liriano is one of the elite pitching options in tonight’s large slate of games. He has pitched well this season with a 3.46 SIERA and a K/9 of 9.9. He does struggle with his command at times, but his high strikeout rate more than makes up for the walks that he gives up. Liriano draws a decent matchup against the Twins, who are ranked 11th in wOBA (.326) against left-handed pitching this season. He’s a large favorite at home, which is one of the best pitcher’s parks in all of baseball.
Pitcher Rating:84.7
Batter Grind Down
Minnesota
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Trevor Plouffe (FD: $2500, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.345 — ISO: 0.188 — wRC+: 120
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.152 — wRC+: 120
Pittsburgh
Andrew McCutchen (FD: $3900, DK: $4800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.325 — ISO: 0.170 — wRC+: 105
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.415 — ISO: 0.225 — wRC+: 170
Analysis: McCutchen has had a very slow start to the season, but a player that hits the ball as hard as he does is not going to have a .248 BABIP for much longer. We’ve said the same thing about Adrian Beltre and we have now seen him break out of his slump. The same should happen for McCutchen soon. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against Ricky Nolasco, who has given up a .360 wOBA to right-handed hitters since the start of 2014.
Secondary Plays:
Neil Walker (FD: $2800, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.144 — wRC+: 120
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.364 — ISO: 0.222 — wRC+: 135
Pedro Alvarez (FD: $2800, DK: $3400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.218 — wRC+: 112
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.195 — wRC+: 117
Seattle at Baltimore – 7:05 PM EST
| Seattle | Baltimore | ||||||||
 | Taijuan Walker |  | Miguel Gonzalez | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| BAL (-120) | 8.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.292 | 0.811 | 0.358 | 20.6% | SP vs. Left | 0.252 | 0.754 | 0.332 | 15.80% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.221 | 0.689 | 0.305 | 21.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.234 | 0.689 | 0.307 | 18.80% |
| Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs R | Batter Splits | BAL BvP | BAL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Taijuan Walker (FD: $7600, DK: $6000)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.20 — K Rate: 20.8% — K/9: 8.82 — BB Rate: 9.4% — FB Rate: 38.3% — HR/FB: 14.6%
2014: SIERA: 3.97 — K Rate: 21.3% — K/9: 8.05 — BB Rate: 11.3% — FB Rate: 26.2% — HR/FB: 7.4%
Baltimore Orioles vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.324 (Rank: 6)
Strikeout Rate: 23.5% (Rank: 28)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.75 (Rank: 21)
Analysis: Walker has tremendous strikeout potential for a pitcher at his price point. On the season, he has posted a 4.20 SIERA with a K/9 of 8.8. He has given up quite a few home runs, but the 14.6% HR/FB rate should come down as the season progresses. Walker is a pitcher whose command can leave him at any point, which makes him a very risky cash game option, even in favorable matchups. He has a tall task ahead of him tonight, as he has to face the Orioles (6th in wOBA against right-handed pitching) in the hitter-friendly Camden Yards.
Pitcher Rating:48.5
Miguel Gonzalez (FD: $7800, DK: $6200)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.37 — K Rate: 19.4% — K/9: 7.12 — BB Rate: 9.7% — FB Rate: 35.5% — HR/FB: 9.3%
2014: SIERA: 4.40 — K Rate: 16.5% — K/9: 6.28 — BB Rate: 7.6% — FB Rate: 41.7% — HR/FB: 12.1%
Seattle Mariners vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.301 (Rank: 22)
Strikeout Rate: 21.4% (Rank: 24)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.88 (Rank: 7)
Analysis: Gonzalez has held his opponents to one earned run or less in four of his seven starts this season. He’s one of those pitchers that rarely finds himself on anyone’s daily fantasy baseball rosters because he typically faces good offenses in hitter-friendly ballparks. While Camden Yards is one of the more hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball, the Mariners have struggled to score runs this season. They are currently ranked 22nd in wOBA (.301) and 24th in strikeout rate (21.4%) against right-handed pitching. Gonzalez isn’t the worst play tonight, but he’s not really on my radar in cash games or tournaments.
Pitcher Rating:51.5
Batter Grind Down
Seattle
Nelson Cruz (FD: $4500, DK: $5200)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.380 — ISO: 0.246 — wRC+: 148
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.254 — wRC+: 128
Analysis: This will be Cruz’s first game back in Camden Yards, where he resurrected his career with the Orioles last season. He’ll likely get a fairly warm welcome. Cruz is expensive tonight, but narrative street is always fun to explore in daily fantasy sports. Cruz has hit right-handed pitching well this season, posting a .380 wOBA and a .246 ISO. He also sees a ballpark boost playing in Camden Yards, which grades out as the 8th best park for right-handed hitters.
Secondary Plays:
Robinson Cano (FD: $3000, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.313 — ISO: 0.097 — wRC+: 101
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.166 — wRC+: 151
Brad Miller (FD: $3000, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.405 — ISO: 0.287 — wRC+: 166
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.306 — ISO: 0.147 — wRC+: 98
Baltimore
Jimmy Paredes (FD: $3200, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 3B/OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.423 — ISO: 0.279 — wRC+: 173
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.303 — ISO: 0.132 — wRC+: 91
Analysis: Paredes has all of the splits in his favor tonight. He currently has a .423 wOBA against right-handed pitching, he has a .393 wOBA at home, and he is facing a pitcher that has given up a .358 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Paredes is affordable on both FanDuel and DraftKings and he should be hitting at the top of the Orioles’ lineup. Don’t be afraid to pair him with the other left-handed hitters in this lineup.
Secondary Plays:
Chris Davis (FD: $3300, DK: $4200)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.312 — ISO: 0.242 — wRC+: 96
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.312 — ISO: 0.199 — wRC+: 97
Alejandro De Aza (FD: $2300, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.305 — ISO: 0.179 — wRC+: 91
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.337 — ISO: 0.149 — wRC+: 113
NY Yankees at Washington – 7:05 PM EST
| NY Yankees | Washington | ||||||||
 | Nathan Eovaldi |  | Gio Gonzalez | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| WSN (-132) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.301 | 0.789 | 0.345 | 17.2% | SP vs. Left | 0.237 | 0.645 | 0.287 | 24.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.259 | 0.691 | 0.305 | 16.3% | SP vs. Right | 0.242 | 0.693 | 0.308 | 24.30% |
| Batter Splits | NYY BvP | NYY vs L | Batter Splits | WAS BvP | WAS vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Nathan Eovaldi (FD: $7600, DK: $6500)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.01 — K Rate: 17.4% — K/9: 6.75 — BB Rate: 6.2% — FB Rate: 28.6% — HR/FB: 13.2%
2014: SIERA: 3.91 — K Rate: 16.6% — K/9: 6.40 — BB Rate: 5.0% — FB Rate: 32.9% — HR/FB: 6.6%
Washington Nationals vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.324 (Rank: 6)
Strikeout Rate: 20.9% (Rank: 20)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.78 (Rank: 19)
Analysis: Eovaldi is a better real life pitcher than he is in daily fantasy baseball. He owns a 4.01 SIERA this season with a K/9 of 6.8. He produces a lot of ground ball outs, but unfortunately, the strikeout potential just isn’t high enough. He gets to head to a National League park tonight, but he draws a difficult matchup against the Nationals, who are ranked 6th in wOBA (.324) against right-handed pitching this season. Eovaldi could also see limited run support with Gio Gonzalez pitching for Washington.
Pitcher Rating:50.9
Gio Gonzalez (FD: $8700, DK: $9000)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 3.36 — K Rate: 22.7% — K/9: 8.93 — BB Rate: 8.7% — FB Rate: 18.9% — HR/FB: 4.3%
2014: SIERA: 3.43 — K Rate: 24.8% — K/9: 9.19 — BB Rate: 8.6% — FB Rate: 36.6% — HR/FB: 6.6%
New York Yankees vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.324 (Rank: 15)
Strikeout Rate: 18.4% (Rank: 11)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.95 (Rank: 3)
Analysis: Gonzalez has pitched well this season with a 3.36 SIERA and a K/9 of 8.9. His numbers are nearly identical to those of 2014, except for the fact that he is producing more ground balls. Gonzalez has a great track record at Nationals Park and he draws a decent matchup against the Yankees, who are ranked 15th in wOBA (.324) against left-handed pitching this season. The one concern here is that Gonzalez does tend to walk a few batters and the Yankees are a very patient team at the plate (3rd most pitches per plate appearance).
Pitcher Rating:77.6
Batter Grind Down
NY Yankees
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Jacoby Ellsbury (FD: $4200, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.022 — wRC+: 115
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.360 — ISO: 0.172 — wRC+: 130
Washington
Bryce Harper (FD: $6200, DK: $5600)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.517 — ISO: 0.450 — wRC+: 228
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.338 — ISO: 0.144 — wRC+: 115
Analysis: Harper continues to crush right-handed pitching. On the season, he has a .517 wOBA and a .450 ISO against righties. That means that 45% of his hits against right-handed pitching are going for extra-base hits. Harper is extremely expensive (especially on FanDuel), but it’s possible to fit him in your lineups with some of the value pitchers on the board. He draws a favorable matchup at home against Nathan Eovaldi, who has given up a .345 wOBA to left-handed hitters since the start of 2014.
Secondary Plays:
Denard Span (FD: $3600, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.464 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 194
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.353 — ISO: 0.125 — wRC+: 125
Ryan Zimmerman (FD: $3200, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.295 — ISO: 0.154 — wRC+: 82
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.179 — wRC+: 121
LA Angels at Toronto – 7:07 PM EST
| LA Angels | Toronto | ||||||||
 | Hector Santiago |  | Aaron Sanchez | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TOR (-114) | 9.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.224 | 0.578 | 0.265 | 19.1% | SP vs. Left | 0.250 | 0.810 | 0.360 | 15.10% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.245 | 0.727 | 0.322 | 20.9% | SP vs. Right | 0.125 | 0.392 | 0.193 | 20.10% |
| Batter Splits | ANA BvP | ANA vs R | Batter Splits | TOR BvP | TOR vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Hector Santiago (FD: $7600, DK: $6700)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 4.25 — K Rate: 22.0% — K/9: 8.56 — BB Rate: 10.2% — FB Rate: 45.3% — HR/FB: 7.5%
2014: SIERA: 4.38 — K Rate: 19.9% — K/9: 7.63 — BB Rate: 9.7% — FB Rate: 49.9% — HR/FB: 8.0%
Toronto Blue Jays vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.373 (Rank: 1)
Strikeout Rate: 18.2% (Rank: 10)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.82 (Rank: 13)
Analysis: Santiago has been a serviceable starter for the Angels this season, but he’ll have his hands full tonight against the Blue Jays in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre. Toronto is ranked 1st in wOBA (.373) against left-handed pitching this season. This is also a bad ballpark for Santiago, as he is an extreme fly-ball pitcher (45.3% this season). He’ll likely run into some trouble early against the powerful bats in the Blue Jays’ lineup.
Pitcher Rating:41.2
Aaron Sanchez (FD: $6400, DK: $5500)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 5.63 — K Rate: 14.5% — K/9: 5.92 — BB Rate: 16.9% — FB Rate: 22.6% — HR/FB: 15.4%
2014: SIERA: 2.53 — K Rate: 22.3% — K/9: 7.36 — BB Rate: 7.4% — FB Rate: 19.5% — HR/FB: 6.3%
LA Angels of Anaheim vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.267 (Rank: 30)
Strikeout Rate: 20.1% (Rank: 17)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.75 (Rank: 22)
Analysis: Sanchez has struggled this season, posting a 5.63 SIERA with a K/9 of 5.9. He has really struggled with his command, walking 16.9% of the batters that he has faced. His strikeouts are down this season and until he proves that he can throw strikes, he should be avoided in all league formats. The Angels offense is in a great spot to get back on track against right-handed pitching (currently ranked dead last in wOBA).
Pitcher Rating:45.5
Batter Grind Down
LA Angels
Kole Calhoun (FD: $2900, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.128 — wRC+: 112
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.190 — wRC+: 129
Analysis: Calhoun’s numbers against right-handed pitching are down this season, but it’s only a matter of time before they go up. He is actually hitting more line drives (32.7%) this season, but for whatever reason he has had more success against lefties here in the early part of the year. Calhoun’s price is depressed and tonight provides a great opportunity to target him at a cheap price point. He draws a favorable matchup against Aaron Sanchez and he gets to face him in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre.
Secondary Plays:
Mike Trout (FD: $5200, DK: $5400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.400 — ISO: 0.279 — wRC+: 164
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.404 — ISO: 0.283 — wRC+: 168
Erick Aybar (FD: $2500, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.269 — ISO: 0.028 — wRC+: 73
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.103 — wRC+: 110
Toronto
Josh Donaldson (FD: $3600, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.515 — ISO: 0.280 — wRC+: 236
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.429 — ISO: 0.353 — wRC+: 183
Analysis: Donaldson is always in play when there is a left-handed pitcher on the mound. He had a .429 wOBA and a .353 ISO against southpaws last season and he is currently sporting a .515 wOBA and a .280 ISO this season. He has terrific power in his bat, he’s facing an extreme fly ball pitcher, and he gets to play in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre. He’s easily the top third base option on the board tonight.
Secondary Plays:
Jose Bautista (FD: $4500, DK: $4800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.317 — ISO: 0.227 — wRC+: 98
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.461 — ISO: 0.284 — wRC+: 200
Edwin Encarnacion (FD: $4200, DK: $5200)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.365 — ISO: 0.167 — wRC+: 132
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.232 — wRC+: 142
Russell Martin (FD: $3600, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.477 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 210
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.014 — wRC+: 109
Danny Valencia (FD: $2300, DK: $3000)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.536 — ISO: 0.136 — wRC+: 250
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.366 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 135
Milwaukee at Detroit – 7:08 PM EST
| Milwaukee | Detroit | ||||||||
 | Jimmy Nelson |  | Anibal Sanchez | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| DET (-169) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.269 | 0.820 | 0.356 | 18.2% | SP vs. Left | 0.219 | 0.589 | 0.262 | 22.70% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.265 | 0.701 | 0.314 | 21.2% | SP vs. Right | 0.244 | 0.680 | 0.298 | 17.30% |
| Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs R | Batter Splits | DET BvP | DET vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jimmy Nelson (FD: $6600, DK: $6900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 3.74 — K Rate: 22.4% — K/9: 8.02 — BB Rate: 8.2% — FB Rate: 34.2% — HR/FB: 15.4%
2014: SIERA: 3.76 — K Rate: 18.3% — K/9: 7.40 — BB Rate: 6.1% — FB Rate: 31.8% — HR/FB: 8.5%
Detroit Tigers vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.333 (Rank: 2)
Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 9)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.86 (Rank: 8)
Analysis: Nelson has pitched well this season with a 3.74 SIERA and a K/9 of 8.0. This is another case where his numbers will look a lot better if you separate the name from the statistics. It’s worth mentioning because Nelson is still extremely cheap and could be a great pitching target moving forward. He can safely be avoided tonight though, as he draws the unfortunate task of facing the Tigers in Comerica Park. The Tigers are ranked in the top ten in wOBA, strikeout rate, and pitches per plate appearance against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:48.8
Anibal Sanchez (FD: $8800, DK: $8100)
Pitching Stats:
2015: SIERA: 3.76 — K Rate: 21.7% — K/9: 8.12 — BB Rate: 6.1% — FB Rate: 41.2% — HR/FB: 9.8%
2014: SIERA: 3.64 — K Rate: 19.8% — K/9: 7.29 — BB Rate: 5.8% — FB Rate: 34.9% — HR/FB: 3.1%
Milwaukee Brewers vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.295 (Rank: 24)
Strikeout Rate: 22.3% (Rank: 26)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.74 (Rank: 24)
Analysis: Sanchez is an intriguing play tonight against the Brewers. He is coming off of a strong outing against the Twins, striking out nine batters over eight innings of work. He has a great chance to post back-to-back quality outings tonight, as he takes on a Brewers’ offense that is ranked 24th in wOBA (.295) and 26th in strikeout rate (22.3%) against right-handed pitching this season. Sanchez is a large favorite tonight and has a good chance to be in line for the win.
Pitcher Rating:77.4
Batter Grind Down
Milwaukee
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Carlos Gomez (FD: $3900, DK: $4800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.371 — ISO: 0.262 — wRC+: 130
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.368 — ISO: 0.187 — wRC+: 133
Detroit
Anthony Gose (FD: $3200, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.163 — wRC+: 148
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.295 — ISO: 0.074 — wRC+: 84
Analysis: The right-handed bats in the Tigers’ lineup are also in play, but Jimmy Nelson gives up a much higher wOBA to left-handed hitters than he does to right-handed hitters. Nelson has given up a .356 wOBA to batters that hit from the left side of teh plate this season. Meanwhile, Gose has posted a .386 wOBA against right-handed pitching. Gose will also look to be aggressive on the base pads, as he has already stolen seven bases this season.
Secondary Plays:
Miguel Cabrera (FD: $5300, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.423 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 173
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.203 — wRC+: 148
J.D. Martinez (FD: $3200, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.354 — ISO: 0.257 — wRC+: 125
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.379 — ISO: 0.205 — wRC+: 144