MLB Grind Down: Tuesday, May 26th
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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Kansas City at NY Yankees – 7:05 PM EST
| Kansas City | NY Yankees | ||||||||
 | Jason Vargas |  | Adam Warren | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| NYY (-110) | 8.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.275 | 0.704 | 0.313 | 14.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.194 | 0.569 | 0.254 | 22.30% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.263 | 0.728 | 0.320 | 16.2% | SP vs. Right | 0.260 | 0.709 | 0.316 | 19.00% |
| Batter Splits | KC BvP | KC vs R | Batter Splits | NYY BvP | NYY vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jason Vargas (FD: $6700, DK: $6000)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 25 — SIERA: 5.20 — K Rate: 12.4% — K/9: 4.91 — BB Rate: 8.9% — FB Rate: 43.2% — HR/FB: 10.5%
2014: IP: 187 — SIERA: 4.14 — K Rate: 16.2% — K/9: 6.16 — BB Rate: 5.2% — FB Rate: 38.7% — HR/FB: 8.2%
New York Yankees vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 12)
Strikeout Rate: 17.8% (Rank: 7)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.93 (Rank: 3)
Analysis: A day after the Yankees scored 14 runs against Kansas City pitching, Vargas will be on the mound for the Royals. He has not pitched well this season with a 5.20 SIERA and a low K/9 of 4.9. His walk rate is nearly as high as his strikeout rate. The struggle will likely continue tonight against the Yankees, who are ranked 12th or better in wOBA, strikeout rate, and pitches per plate appearance against left-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:36.6
Adam Warren (FD: $6700, DK: $4900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 44 — SIERA: 4.84 — K Rate: 14.4% — K/9: 5.48 — BB Rate: 9.6% — FB Rate: 32.4% — HR/FB: 11.1%
2014: IP: 78 — SIERA: 3.01 — K Rate: 23.5% — K/9: 8.69 — BB Rate: 7.4% — FB Rate: 31.0% — HR/FB: 6.0%
Kansas City Royals vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.329 (Rank: 3)
Strikeout Rate: 15.0% (Rank: 1)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.61 (Rank: 30)
Analysis: Warren’s $4,900 price tag on DraftKings may look appealing, but don’t fall for the trap. He’s a below-average major league starter with a terrible matchup against one of the best offenses in baseball. The Royals are currently ranked third in wOBA (.329) and first in strikeout rate (15.0%) against right-handed pitching this season. The fantasy targets in this game come from the offensive side of the plate.
Pitcher Rating:46.6
Batter Grind Down
Kansas City
Eric Hosmer (FD: $3800, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 189 — wOBA: 0.426 — ISO: 0.257 — wRC+: 176
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 547 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.132 — wRC+: 105
Analysis: The Royals were held to a single run in yesterday’s loss to the Yankees, but there starters were pulled fairly early after falling behind by a large margin. The Royals’ offense is in a great spot to bounce back tonight against Adam Warren in the hitter-friendly Yankees Stadium. Hosmer has been superb against right-handed pitching this season with a .426 wOBA and a .257 ISO. He also sees a small boost with the short porch in right field.
Secondary Plays:
Mike Moustakas (FD: $2700, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 176 — wOBA: 0.412 — ISO: 0.158 — wRC+: 166
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 500 — wOBA: 0.289 — ISO: 0.151 — wRC+: 82
Alcides Escobar (FD: $2400, DK: $4200)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 154 — wOBA: 0.306 — ISO: 0.101 — wRC+: 93
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 620 — wOBA: 0.295 — ISO: 0.079 — wRC+: 86
NY Yankees
Chase Headley (FD: $2500, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 170 — wOBA: 0.274 — ISO: 0.189 — wRC+: 69
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 531 — wOBA: 0.327 — ISO: 0.132 — wRC+: 110
Analysis: Headley has played well over the last week, batting 8-for-21 with three extra-base hits, four RBIs and five runs. He should be in the heart of the Yankees’ lineup tonight against Jason Vargas, who has given up a .320 wOBA to right-handed hitters since the start of 2014. Headley is one of the best values at third base tonight.
Secondary Plays:
Brett Gardner (FD: $3200, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 161 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.179 — wRC+: 112
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 636 — wOBA: 0.311 — ISO: 0.091 — wRC+: 96
Mark Teixeira (FD: $3600, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 173 — wOBA: 0.381 — ISO: 0.256 — wRC+: 143
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 508 — wOBA: 0.308 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 94
Alex Rodriguez (FD: $3200, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 166 — wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.278 — wRC+: 126
Houston at Baltimore – 7:05 PM EST
| Houston | Baltimore | ||||||||
 | Scott Feldman |  | Chris Tillman | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| BAL (-113) | 9.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.267 | 0.711 | 0.312 | 13.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.258 | 0.696 | 0.311 | 16.10% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.268 | 0.762 | 0.334 | 16.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.230 | 0.712 | 0.315 | 18.00% |
| Batter Splits | HOU BvP | HOU vs R | Batter Splits | BAL BvP | BAL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Scott Feldman (FD: $6900, DK: $5900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 54 — SIERA: 3.85 — K Rate: 15.4% — K/9: 5.83 — BB Rate: 4.9% — FB Rate: 23.7% — HR/FB: 16.7%
2014: IP: 180 — SIERA: 4.33 — K Rate: 14.0% — K/9: 5.34 — BB Rate: 6.5% — FB Rate: 30.6% — HR/FB: 8.9%
Baltimore Orioles vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 7)
Strikeout Rate: 22.8% (Rank: 27)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.77 (Rank: 18)
Analysis: Feldman is a low-strikeout pitcher. In daily fantasy baseball, that absolutely kills a pitcher’s upside and forces him to pitch a near perfect game to pay off his salary. On the other hand, a pitcher with a high strikeout rate can make up for mistakes, thanks to the emphasis placed on strikeouts in DFS. Feldman is a quality real-life starter, but he can be avoided in daily fantasy. He draws a difficult matchup tonight against the Orioles, who are ranked seventh in wOBA (.323) against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:37.4
Chris Tillman (FD: $6600, DK: $5800)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 41 — SIERA: 5.16 — K Rate: 15.8% — K/9: 6.31 — BB Rate: 12.0% — FB Rate: 40.3% — HR/FB: 11.5%
2014: IP: 207 — SIERA: 4.26 — K Rate: 17.2% — K/9: 6.51 — BB Rate: 7.6% — FB Rate: 39.3% — HR/FB: 8.3%
Houston Astros vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.315 (Rank: 12)
Strikeout Rate: 25.5% (Rank: 29)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.83 (Rank: 11)
Analysis: Tillman has only had two quality starts this season. Until he can string a few together, he can safely be avoided in all league formats. He has a below-average SIERA of 5.2 with a mediocre K/9 of 6.3. He is walking an unusually high number of batters this season and he’s facing an Astros’ team that hits as many home runs as any team in baseball. Tillman’s 40.3% fly-ball and 11.5% HR/FB rate could come into play tonight.
Pitcher Rating:41.0
Batter Grind Down
Houston
Jose Altuve (FD: $3800, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 198 — wOBA: 0.297 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 88
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 707 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.100 — wRC+: 119
Analysis: If you’ve read the Grind Down before, then you know how important I consider speed at the top of the order to be. Altuve price is depressed on both FanDuel and DraftKings and he draws a favorable matchup tonight against Chris Tillman, who has struggled with both left and right-handed hitters this season. Altuve also has a high stolen base rating tonight in the Daily Batter Hub that is located in the Daily Research tab at the top of the page.
Secondary Plays:
George Springer (FD: $3800, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 169 — wOBA: 0.312 — ISO: 0.175 — wRC+: 98
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 345 — wOBA: 0.355 — ISO: 0.251 — wRC+: 130
Evan Gattis (FD: $3700, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C/OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 163 — wOBA: 0.319 — ISO: 0.255 — wRC+: 104
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 401 — wOBA: 0.337 — ISO: 0.221 — wRC+: 115
Baltimore
Manny Machado (FD: $3600, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 174 — wOBA: 0.374 — ISO: 0.218 — wRC+: 139
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 354 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.165 — wRC+: 125
Analysis: Machado hasn’t been great against southpaws this season, but he has really hit right-handed pitching well with a .374 wOBA and a .218 ISO. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against Scott Feldman, who has given up a .330 wOBA to right-handed hitters this season. Machado also sees a small ballpark boost playing at home in Camden Yards, which is one of the best hitter’s venues in baseball.
Secondary Plays:
Adam Jones (FD: $3000, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 175 — wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.144 — wRC+: 118
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 682 — wOBA: 0.310 — ISO: 0.165 — wRC+: 95
Chris Davis (FD: $3000, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 166 — wOBA: 0.308 — ISO: 0.219 — wRC+: 93
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 525 — wOBA: 0.312 — ISO: 0.199 — wRC+: 97
Miami at Pittsburgh – 7:05 PM EST
| Miami | Pittsburgh | ||||||||
 | Jose Urena |  | Jeff Locke | ||||||
| Right | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-145) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.0% | SP vs. Left | 0.217 | 0.630 | 0.281 | 9.90% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.571 | 0.000 | 0.732 | 0.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.270 | 0.768 | 0.337 | 18.30% |
| Batter Splits | MIA BvP | MIA vs L | Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jose Urena (FD: $3000, DK: $4000)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 3 — SIERA: 5.89 — K Rate: 0.0% — K/9: 0.00 — BB Rate: 0.0% — FB Rate: 46.2% — HR/FB: 16.7%
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.298 (Rank: 22)
Strikeout Rate: 19.6% (Rank: 11)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.80 (Rank: 16)
Analysis: Urena will be making his first career major league start tonight. He has pitched well in his six minor league starts this season, but it appears that he has very limited strikeout potential. He has averaged 5.3 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors this season. These pitching debuts typically don’t go too well and he can safely be avoided in all league formats.
Pitcher Rating:24.3
Jeff Locke (FD: $6800, DK: $5700)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 46 — SIERA: 4.01 — K Rate: 18.3% — K/9: 7.04 — BB Rate: 8.1% — FB Rate: 28.4% — HR/FB: 12.5%
2014: IP: 131 — SIERA: 4.07 — K Rate: 16.2% — K/9: 6.10 — BB Rate: 7.3% — FB Rate: 29.6% — HR/FB: 13.4%
Miami Marlins vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 12)
Strikeout Rate: 22.0% (Rank: 21)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.76 (Rank: 20)
Analysis: Locke is a sizable favorite tonight against the Marlins, but that says more about the opposing pitcher than it does Locke. He’s been a serviceable starter this season, posting a 4.01 SIERA and a K/9 of 7.0. He draws a favorable matchup against the Marlins, but he’s not on my radar tonight in cash games. He may be worth a look as a tournament play, as he is very affordable on both FanDuel and DraftKings tonight.
Pitcher Rating:59.1
Batter Grind Down
Miami
Giancarlo Stanton (FD: $4200, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 194 — wOBA: 0.339 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 113
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 638 — wOBA: 0.453 — ISO: 0.287 — wRC+: 193
Analysis: Stanton is always in play when he’s price under $5,000, especially when he is facing a left-handed pitcher. Since the start of 2014, Stanton has a .433 wOBA and a .285 ISO against southpaws. Meanwhile, Locke has given up a .337 wOBA to right-handed hitters during that same stretch. Stanton is considerably cheaper than the other top outfield options and he has just as much upside.
Secondary Plays:
Marcell Ozuna (FD: $2800, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 178 — wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 132
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 612 — wOBA: 0.319 — ISO: 0.191 — wRC+: 101
Martin Prado (FD: $2400, DK: $3400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 192 — wOBA: 0.423 — ISO: 0.172 — wRC+: 169
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 573 — wOBA: 0.421 — ISO: 0.214 — wRC+: 170
Pittsburgh
Andrew McCutchen (FD: $4600, DK: $5400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 181 — wOBA: 0.355 — ISO: 0.213 — wRC+: 127
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 648 — wOBA: 0.415 — ISO: 0.225 — wRC+: 170
Analysis: McCutchen is finally starting to heat up. In the month of May, he has a .403 wOBA with a .259 ISO. He draws a favorable matchup against the rookie Jose Urena, who will be making his first career major league start. McCutchen and the Pirates are in a great spot tonight. They could make for an interesting stack in tournaments.
Secondary Plays:
Josh Harrison (FD: $3200, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B/OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 167 — wOBA: 0.305 — ISO: 0.146 — wRC+: 94
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 550 — wOBA: 0.363 — ISO: 0.184 — wRC+: 135
Neil Walker (FD: $2700, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 170 — wOBA: 0.319 — ISO: 0.132 — wRC+: 103
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 571 — wOBA: 0.364 — ISO: 0.222 — wRC+: 135
Washington at Chicago Cubs – 7:05 PM EST
| Washington | Chicago Cubs | ||||||||
 | Jordan Zimmermann |  | Kyle Hendricks | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| WSN (-107) | 10.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.269 | 0.684 | 0.303 | 18.4% | SP vs. Left | 0.254 | 0.667 | 0.296 | 13.80% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.231 | 0.592 | 0.264 | 24.1% | SP vs. Right | 0.247 | 0.650 | 0.288 | 18.00% |
| Batter Splits | WAS BvP | WAS vs R | Batter Splits | CHC BvP | CHC vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jordan Zimmermann (FD: $9200, DK: $8600)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 53 — SIERA: 4.18 — K Rate: 16.1% — K/9: 6.04 — BB Rate: 4.9% — FB Rate: 34.9% — HR/FB: 3.3%
2014: IP: 199 — SIERA: 3.15 — K Rate: 22.8% — K/9: 8.20 — BB Rate: 3.6% — FB Rate: 35.9% — HR/FB: 6.4%
Chicago Cubs vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.306 (Rank: 17)
Strikeout Rate: 25.7% (Rank: 30)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 4.01 (Rank: 1)
Analysis: There are two things going against Zimmermann tonight. The first, and most important, is his stats this season. Even though he has pitched well in his last two starts, he still owns a 4.18 SIERA with a low K/9 of 6.0. The second red flag is the total for tonight’s game against the Cubs. The wind is blowing out to left field at close to 20 MPH. The total is set at 10.0 runs, which is the highest total on the board tonight. Stranger things have happened, but I don’t expect a great start from Zimmermann tonight.
Pitcher Rating:57.4
Kyle Hendricks (FD: $6700, DK: $7500)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 45 — SIERA: 3.62 — K Rate: 19.7% — K/9: 7.29 — BB Rate: 4.8% — FB Rate: 34.8% — HR/FB: 8.3%
2014: IP: 80 — SIERA: 4.06 — K Rate: 14.6% — K/9: 5.27 — BB Rate: 4.7% — FB Rate: 32.8% — HR/FB: 4.9%
Washington Nationals vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.325 (Rank: 6)
Strikeout Rate: 20.8% (Rank: 21)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.78 (Rank: 17)
Analysis: Hendricks is quietly enjoying a very nice season. He owns a 3.62 SIERA with a K/9 of 7.3. While he’d love to add another quality outing to his resume, the wind in Chicago has other plans. Anytime the total for a game is set at double-digits, both pitchers from that game should immediately be ruled out. Hendricks can safely be avoided against a Nationals’ offense that is ranked sixth in wOBA (.325) against right-handed pitching.
Pitcher Rating:44.4
Batter Grind Down
Washington
Ian Desmond (FD: $3400, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 189 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.150 — wRC+: 103
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 648 — wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.178 — wRC+: 105
Analysis: If you played in the early slate of games on Monday, then you were likely burned by the Nationals/Cubs game. The total was set at 11.5 runs and it ended up being the lowest scoring game of the afternoon. We have to try to avoid having a bias against Wrigley though, as the wind is blowing out again tonight. The left-handed bats are in play in this game, but the right-handed bats get the biggest boost, as the wind is blowing out to left at close to 20 MPH.
Secondary Plays:
Bryce Harper (FD: $5900, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 187 — wOBA: 0.532 — ISO: 0.477 — wRC+: 243
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 395 — wOBA: 0.338 — ISO: 0.144 — wRC+: 115
Denard Span (FD: $3400, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 124 — wOBA: 0.432 — ISO: 0.227 — wRC+: 176
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 668 — wOBA: 0.353 — ISO: 0.125 — wRC+: 125
Ryan Zimmerman (FD: $3100, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 184 — wOBA: 0.282 — ISO: 0.140 — wRC+: 76
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 240 — wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.179 — wRC+: 121
Chicago Cubs
Kris Bryant (FD: $4200, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 156 — wOBA: 0.377 — ISO: 0.170 — wRC+: 137
Analysis: Bryant homered again in yesterday’s loss to the Nationals. He has been everything that Cubs’ fans could have hoped for and the scary thing is that he is only going to get better. Josh Donaldson will be the popular play at third base, making Bryant a terrific tournament play. He’s also in play in cash games if you like to take the road less traveled.
Secondary Plays:
Anthony Rizzo (FD: $4300, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 193 — wOBA: 0.402 — ISO: 0.266 — wRC+: 154
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 616 — wOBA: 0.391 — ISO: 0.253 — wRC+: 149
Dexter Fowler (FD: $3700, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 189 — wOBA: 0.344 — ISO: 0.178 — wRC+: 115
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 505 — wOBA: 0.333 — ISO: 0.116 — wRC+: 114
Starlin Castro (FD: $2800, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 186 — wOBA: 0.267 — ISO: 0.078 — wRC+: 64
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 569 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.153 — wRC+: 115
Chris Coghlan (FD: $2500, DK: $3300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 139 — wOBA: 0.318 — ISO: 0.246 — wRC+: 98
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 432 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.186 — wRC+: 130
Chicago White Sox at Toronto – 7:07 PM EST
| Chicago White Sox | Toronto | ||||||||
 | John Danks |  | R.A. Dickey | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TOR (-154) | 9.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.235 | 0.683 | 0.306 | 11.0% | SP vs. Left | 0.222 | 0.691 | 0.309 | 15.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.275 | 0.827 | 0.361 | 17.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.246 | 0.750 | 0.328 | 18.90% |
| Batter Splits | CWS BvP | CWS vs R | Batter Splits | TOR BvP | TOR vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
John Danks (FD: $6300, DK: $5500)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 44 — SIERA: 4.74 — K Rate: 16.4% — K/9: 6.55 — BB Rate: 8.2% — FB Rate: 47.8% — HR/FB: 12.3%
2014: IP: 193 — SIERA: 4.64 — K Rate: 15.1% — K/9: 5.99 — BB Rate: 8.7% — FB Rate: 38.3% — HR/FB: 10.4%
Toronto Blue Jays vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.374 (Rank: 1)
Strikeout Rate: 17.4% (Rank: 4)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.81 (Rank: 14)
Analysis: There are a lot of bad pitchers on the mound tonight, so don’t take this lightly when I say it. Danks is my least favorite pitcher on tonight’s schedule. He draws the worst pitching matchup on the board, as the Blue Jays are ranked first in wOBA (.374) and fourth in strikeout rate (17.4%) against left-handed pitching this season. He also has to face them in the Rogers Centre, which is one of the best hitter’s parks in baseball.
Pitcher Rating:25.1
R.A. Dickey (FD: $7900, DK: $6600)
Pitching Stats:
2015: IP: 59 — SIERA: 5.05 — K Rate: 12.1% — K/9: 4.58 — BB Rate: 8.4% — FB Rate: 34.7% — HR/FB: 16.4%
2014: IP: 215 — SIERA: 4.08 — K Rate: 18.9% — K/9: 7.22 — BB Rate: 8.1% — FB Rate: 37.6% — HR/FB: 10.7%
Chicago White Sox vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.304 (Rank: 18)
Strikeout Rate: 20.1% (Rank: 16)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.69 (Rank: 27)
Analysis: Dickey has a decent chance to pick up a win tonight, but he may given up four or five runs in the process. The White Sox offense has really struggled to score runs (ranked dead last in home runs), but Dickey could be a cure for that. He has a below-average 5.05 SIERA and he has a very high HR/FB rate of 16.4%. He may pick up the win, but his days of dominating his opponents appear to be behind him.
Pitcher Rating:46.6
Batter Grind Down
Chicago White Sox
Jose Abreu (FD: $3300, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 172 — wOBA: 0.370 — ISO: 0.203 — wRC+: 135
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 622 — wOBA: 0.394 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 153
Analysis: Abreu has hit seven home runs this season, but that number seems a bit low after the type of season he had last year. Abreu has great power against both left and right-handed pitching and he sees a sizable ballpark boost playing in the Rogers Centre. He draws a favorable matchup against R.A. Dickey, who has given up 1.7 home runs per nine innings this season.
Secondary Plays:
Adam Eaton (FD: $2600, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 163 — wOBA: 0.292 — ISO: 0.114 — wRC+: 81
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 538 — wOBA: 0.344 — ISO: 0.119 — wRC+: 118
Melky Cabrera (FD: $2200, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 179 — wOBA: 0.303 — ISO: 0.040 — wRC+: 89
2014 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 621 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.151 — wRC+: 128
Toronto
Josh Donaldson (FD: $3700, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 198 — wOBA: 0.522 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 240
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 695 — wOBA: 0.429 — ISO: 0.353 — wRC+: 183
Analysis: Donaldson was the premier play at third base last night and he gets the honor again tonight. He has crushed left-handed pitching in recent seasons, sporting a .445 wOBA and a .349 ISO against southpaws since the start of 2014. He’s my favorite play on the Blue Jays, who just so happen to be my favorite offense to target tonight. Target Donaldson in all league formats and don’t be afraid to load up on the other right-handed bats in this lineup.
Secondary Plays:
Edwin Encarnacion (FD: $4400, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 191 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.129 — wRC+: 123
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 542 — wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.232 — wRC+: 142
Russell Martin (FD: $3300, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 162 — wOBA: 0.455 — ISO: 0.219 — wRC+: 194
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 460 — wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.014 — wRC+: 109
Jose Reyes (FD: $3000, DK: $4200)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 66 — wOBA: 0.137 — ISO: 0.000 — wRC+: -25
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 655 — wOBA: 0.314 — ISO: 0.102 — wRC+: 98
Chris Colabello (FD: $2800, DK: $3400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B/OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 78 — wOBA: 0.537 — ISO: 0.368 — wRC+: 250
2014 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 220 — wOBA: 0.258 — ISO: 0.099 — wRC+: 61