MLB Grind Down: Tuesday, September 1st - Page Two
Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs – 8:05 PM EST
| Cincinnati | Chicago Cubs | ||||||||
 | Anthony DeSclafani |  | Dan Haren | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CHC (-155) | 9.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.268 | 0.81 | 0.35 | 0.182 | SP vs. Left | 0.245 | 0.746 | 0.322 | 0.204 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.27 | 0.708 | 0.306 | 0.176 | SP vs. Right | 0.248 | 0.718 | 0.31 | 0.155 |
| Batter Splits | CIN BvP | CIN vs R | Batter Splits | CHC BvP | CHC vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Anthony DeSclafani : FD: $6,700 — DK: $6,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 183.0 — SIERA: 4.19 — ERA: 4.28 — K%: 17.9% — BB%: 7.0% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.0 — SIERA: 3.18 — ERA: 4.20 — K%: 22.8% — BB%: 3.3% — HR/9: 1.5
Chicago Cubs Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 24.0% (Rank: 29)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.344 (Rank: 7) — Strikeout Rate: 26.9% (Rank: 30)
Pitches per PA: 3.99 (Rank: 1)
Analysis: DeSclafani has been in pretty good form recently, posting a 3.18 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 22.8% over the last month of play. He draws a bad matchup against the Cubs, though. He has not fared well against left-handed hitters and the Cubs have some very talented lefties in their lineup. DeSclafani is a large underdog on the road that should be avoided in all league formats tonight.
Pitcher Rating: 53.9
Dan Haren : FD: $6,400 — DK: $6,000
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 340.2 — SIERA: 4.03 — ERA: 3.96 — K%: 17.9% — BB%: 4.7% — HR/9: 1.5
Last 30 Days: IP: 25.2 — SIERA: 4.35 — ERA: 6.31 — K%: 17.4% — BB%: 5.2% — HR/9: 2.8
Cincinnati Reds Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.305 (Rank: 21) — Strikeout Rate: 19.4% (Rank: 11)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.303 (Rank: 23) — Strikeout Rate: 20.2% (Rank: 15)
Pitches per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 23)
Analysis: Haren is always one of my favorite pitchers to target hitters against. He doesn’t perform particularly well against hitters from either side of the plate and he gives up a lot of home runs (1.5 per nine innings over the last two seasons). Haren should be avoided tonight against the Reds, who have the 11th-lowest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating: 65.6
Batter Grind Down
Cincinnati
The Reds have a high team total tonight, as they square off against Dan Haren with a helping wind blowing out to left field in Wrigley. Joey Votto and Todd Frazier have both been swinging hot bats and are both elite plays at their respective positions.
Elite Plays:
Joey Votto : FD: $4,500 — DK: $5,100
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 602 — wOBA: 0.399 — ISO: 0.196 — wRC+: 154
Last 30 Days: PA: 119 — wOBA: 0.474 — ISO: 0.310 — wRC+: 205
Todd Frazier : FD: $2,600 — DK: $4,600
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 1B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 935 — wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.204 — wRC+: 119
Last 30 Days: PA: 118 — wOBA: 0.290 — ISO: 0.161 — wRC+: 79
Secondary Plays:
Brandon Phillips : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 755 — wOBA: 0.310 — ISO: 0.113 — wRC+: 93
Last 30 Days: PA: 113 — wOBA: 0.345 — ISO: 0.123 — wRC+: 116
Jason Bourgeois : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,100
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 93 — wOBA: 0.243 — ISO: 0.011 — wRC+: 47
Last 30 Days: PA: 55 — wOBA: 0.328 — ISO: 0.120 — wRC+: 105
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs draw a favorable matchup tonight against Anthony Desclafani, who has given up a .350 wOBA to left-handed hitters. The left-handed bats in this lineup are in play in both cash games and tournaments and they see a small boost with the wind blowing out tonight.
Elite Plays:
Kyle Schwarber : FD: $4,000 — DK: $4,400
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: C/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 128 — wOBA: 0.438 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 182
Last 30 Days: PA: 107 — wOBA: 0.372 — ISO: 0.330 — wRC+: 137
Dexter Fowler : FD: $3,100 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 808 — wOBA: 0.332 — ISO: 0.149 — wRC+: 111
Last 30 Days: PA: 120 — wOBA: 0.408 — ISO: 0.263 — wRC+: 162
Secondary Plays:
Anthony Rizzo : FD: $4,200 — DK: $5,000
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 842 — wOBA: 0.389 — ISO: 0.258 — wRC+: 149
Last 30 Days: PA: 114 — wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.273 — wRC+: 147
Chris Coghlan : FD: $3,100 — DK: $3,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 694 — wOBA: 0.357 — ISO: 0.200 — wRC+: 127
Last 30 Days: PA: 76 — wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.246 — wRC+: 120
Pittsburgh at Milwaukee – 8:10 PM EST
| Pittsburgh | Milwaukee | ||||||||
 | Gerrit Cole |  | Jimmy Nelson | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-151) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.232 | 0.648 | 0.291 | 0.238 | SP vs. Left | 0.286 | 0.851 | 0.368 | 0.181 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.246 | 0.662 | 0.292 | 0.247 | SP vs. Right | 0.224 | 0.614 | 0.276 | 0.212 |
| Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Gerrit Cole : FD: $10,000 — DK: $10,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 307.2 — SIERA: 3.19 — ERA: 2.98 — K%: 24.3% — BB%: 6.2% — HR/9: 0.6
Last 30 Days: IP: 37.1 — SIERA: 3.52 — ERA: 3.13 — K%: 23.4% — BB%: 6.5% — HR/9: 0.2
Milwaukee Brewers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.310 (Rank: 18) — Strikeout Rate: 20.7% (Rank: 21)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.344 (Rank: 7) — Strikeout Rate: 23.5% (Rank: 24)
Pitches per PA: 3.74 (Rank: 26)
Analysis: Cole always seems to let us down in favorable matchups and pitch great in tough ones. Tonight’s matchup is somewhere in the middle, as the Brewers are ranked 18th in team wOBA and 21st in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. He is a very interesting tournament play that will likely get overlooked with big names like Chris Sale, Zack Greinke, and Madison Bumgarner all on the mound tonight.
Pitcher Rating: 92.0
Jimmy Nelson : FD: $7,800 — DK: $7,700
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 227.2 — SIERA: 3.95 — ERA: 4.15 — K%: 19.7% — BB%: 8.1% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.0 — SIERA: 4.25 — ERA: 4.03 — K%: 20.6% — BB%: 10.3% — HR/9: 0.9
Pittsburgh Pirates Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 20.6% (Rank: 20)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.316 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 20.0% (Rank: 14)
Pitches per PA: 3.80 (Rank: 18)
Analysis: Nelson has been in relatively good form recently, posting a 4.25 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 20.6% over the last month of play. He draws a decent matchup against the Pirates and he gets to face them at home where his SIERA and strikeout rate have been markedly better in his career. Run support may be an issue with Gerrit Cole pitching opposite him, but Nelson makes an intriguing tournament play tonight.
Pitcher Rating: 61.9
Batter Grind Down
Pittsburgh
The Pirates draw a mediocre matchup tonight against Jimmy Nelson, who has pitched well at home throughout his career. Nelson has struggled with left-handed hitters over the last two seasons though, which puts Gregory Polanco and Neil Walker into play as secondary options.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Gregory Polanco : FD: $3,400 — DK: $4,100
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 637 — wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.132 — wRC+: 112
Last 30 Days: PA: 121 — wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.170 — wRC+: 145
Neil Walker : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 857 — wOBA: 0.351 — ISO: 0.204 — wRC+: 127
Last 30 Days: PA: 100 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.226 — wRC+: 106
Milwaukee
The Brewers have not fared well against right-handed pitching this season and they draw a very tough matchup tonight against Gerrit Cole, who has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .295 wOBA over the last two seasons. The Brewers’ offense can safely be avoided in all league formats.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Chicago White Sox at Minnesota – 8:10 PM EST
| Chicago White Sox | Minnesota | ||||||||
 | Chris Sale |  | Tyler Duffey | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CHW (-150) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.198 | 0.485 | 0.226 | 0.368 | SP vs. Left | 0.364 | 0.995 | 0.431 | 0.196 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.213 | 0.61 | 0.27 | 0.307 | SP vs. Right | 0.179 | 0.615 | 0.271 | 0.233 |
| Batter Splits | CWS vs R | Batter Splits | MIN BvP | MIN vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Chris Sale : FD: $12,800 — DK: $13,900
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 345.1 — SIERA: 2.47 — ERA: 2.68 — K%: 31.8% — BB%: 5.4% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 33.2 — SIERA: 2.16 — ERA: 3.21 — K%: 38.5% — BB%: 7.4% — HR/9: 0.8
Minnesota Twins Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 12) — Strikeout Rate: 20.1% (Rank: 10)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.322 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 26.7% (Rank: 29)
Pitches per PA: 3.82 (Rank: 14)
Analysis: Sale has been outstanding over the last month of play, posting a 2.16 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 38.5%. He is the top pitching option on the board tonight, even though the Twins have been tough on elite left-handed pitchers this season. Sale’s double-digit strikeout potential makes up for the matchup. Expect a lot of swing and misses from the Twins’ offense tonight.
Pitcher Rating: 97.5
Tyler Duffey : FD: $5,600 — DK: $7,400
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 21.0 — SIERA: 4.45 — ERA: 4.29 — K%: 21.3% — BB%: 11.7% — HR/9: 1.3
Chicago White Sox Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.305 (Rank: 21) — Strikeout Rate: 20.2% (Rank: 16)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.303 (Rank: 23) — Strikeout Rate: 17.0% (Rank: 6)
Pitches per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 19)
Analysis: Duffey’s major league career has gotten off to a decent start, as he has a 4.45 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 21.3% in his first 21 innings of work. He draws a decent matchup tonight against the White Sox, but run support will likely be limited with Chris Sale pitching opposite him. With a full slate of games on tap tonight, Duffey is not on my radar.
Pitcher Rating: 55.2
Batter Grind Down
Chicago White Sox
The sample size is still extremely small, but Tyler Duffey has given up a .431 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season. The left-handed bats of Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera are both in play here, while red-hot Jose Abreu is also worth a look in tournaments.
Elite Plays:
Adam Eaton : FD: $3,400 — DK: $4,100
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 788 — wOBA: 0.347 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 122
Last 30 Days: PA: 124 — wOBA: 0.304 — ISO: 0.074 — wRC+: 91
Secondary Plays:
Jose Abreu : FD: $3,600 — DK: $5,000
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 875 — wOBA: 0.388 — ISO: 0.244 — wRC+: 150
Last 30 Days: PA: 123 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.248 — wRC+: 128
Melky Cabrera : FD: $3,500 — DK: $3,800
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 864 — wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.139 — wRC+: 119
Last 30 Days: PA: 119 — wOBA: 0.313 — ISO: 0.156 — wRC+: 97
Minnesota
The Twins draw one of the worst matchups on the board tonight. In addition to the best strikeout rate in the American League, Chris Sale has also held both left and right-handed hitters under a .270 wOBA over the last two seasons.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Seattle at Houston – 8:10 PM EST
| Seattle | Houston | ||||||||
 | Roenis Elias |  | Scott Feldman | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| HOU (-149) | 8 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.233 | 0.682 | 0.306 | 0.255 | SP vs. Left | 0.261 | 0.691 | 0.302 | 0.131 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.249 | 0.729 | 0.322 | 0.184 | SP vs. Right | 0.271 | 0.766 | 0.334 | 0.147 |
| Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs R | Batter Splits | HOU BvP | HOU vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Roenis Elias : FD: $7,700 — DK: $6,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 249.1 — SIERA: 4.03 — ERA: 3.97 — K%: 19.9% — BB%: 8.6% — HR/9: 1.0
Last 30 Days: IP: 7.2 — SIERA: 4.64 — ERA: 3.52 — K%: 9.1% — BB%: 3.0% — HR/9: 0.0
Houston Astros Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.315 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 23.1% (Rank: 26)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.297 (Rank: 26) — Strikeout Rate: 25.7% (Rank: 28)
Pitches per PA: 3.89 (Rank: 6)
Analysis: Elias has been a serviceable starter for the Mariners this season, but he draws a very tough matchup tonight against the Astros in the hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park. Since the start of the season, the Astros are ranked ninth in team wOBA against left-handed pitching. They also average the sixth-most pitches per plate appearance. There is little to no fantasy appeal with Elias tonight on the road.
Pitcher Rating: 50.9
Scott Feldman : FD: $7,000 — DK: $6,600
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 286.0 — SIERA: 4.31 — ERA: 3.74 — K%: 13.8% — BB%: 6.0% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.0 — SIERA: 4.41 — ERA: 1.33 — K%: 14.2% — BB%: 4.7% — HR/9: 1.0
Seattle Mariners Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.308 (Rank: 19) — Strikeout Rate: 21.7% (Rank: 27)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.332 (Rank: 11) — Strikeout Rate: 25.3% (Rank: 27)
Pitches per PA: 3.88 (Rank: 7)
Analysis: Feldman is a lot like Mark Buehrle in that he is a much better real-life pitcher than in daily fantasy. His low strikeout rate really limits his upside, which makes him unappealing in both cash games and tournaments. Even though the Mariners have not hit right-handed pitching well this season, there isn’t enough upside for Feldman to warrant fantasy consideration.
Pitcher Rating: 57.9
Batter Grind Down
Seattle
The Mariners draw a decent matchup tonight against Scott Feldman in the home-run friendly Minute Maid Park. Nelson Cruz remains an elite play in the outfield, as he has a .463 wOBA and a .400 ISO over the last month of play. Kyle Seager has also been swinging a hot bat over the last week, making him an interesting tournament option.
Elite Plays:
Nelson Cruz : FD: $4,400 — DK: $5,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 909 — wOBA: 0.373 — ISO: 0.259 — wRC+: 141
Last 30 Days: PA: 120 — wOBA: 0.463 — ISO: 0.400 — wRC+: 206
Secondary Plays:
Kyle Seager : FD: $3,700 — DK: $3,500
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 781 — wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.199 — wRC+: 127
Last 30 Days: PA: 122 — wOBA: 0.317 — ISO: 0.212 — wRC+: 105
Houston
The Astros draw a favorable matchup tonight against Roenis Elias at home. Since the start of the 2014 season, Elias has given up a .322 wOBA to right-handed hitters. All of the right-handed bats in this lineup are in play tonight.
Elite Plays:
Evan Gattis : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 237 — wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.215 — wRC+: 108
Last 30 Days: PA: 102 — wOBA: 0.331 — ISO: 0.266 — wRC+: 110
Marwin Gonzalez : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,700
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 154 — wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.142 — wRC+: 119
Last 30 Days: PA: 73 — wOBA: 0.318 — ISO: 0.134 — wRC+: 101
Secondary Plays:
Carlos Correa : FD: $3,900 — DK: $4,600
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 90 — wOBA: 0.395 — ISO: 0.266 — wRC+: 155
Last 30 Days: PA: 99 — wOBA: 0.350 — ISO: 0.202 — wRC+: 123
Jose Altuve : FD: $3,900 — DK: $4,500
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 320 — wOBA: 0.421 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 173
Last 30 Days: PA: 124 — wOBA: 0.377 — ISO: 0.096 — wRC+: 143
Carlos Gomez : FD: $2,800 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 233 — wOBA: 0.334 — ISO: 0.185 — wRC+: 108
Last 30 Days: PA: 107 — wOBA: 0.250 — ISO: 0.100 — wRC+: 54
Detroit at Kansas City – 8:10 PM EST
| Detroit | Kansas City | ||||||||
 | Justin Verlander |  | Johnny Cueto | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| KCR (-150) | 7 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.227 | 0.661 | 0.292 | 0.193 | SP vs. Left | 0.192 | 0.555 | 0.25 | 0.245 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.295 | 0.798 | 0.349 | 0.178 | SP vs. Right | 0.21 | 0.633 | 0.279 | 0.235 |
| Batter Splits | DET BvP | DET vs R | Batter Splits | KCR BvP | KC vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Justin Verlander : FD: $8,500 — DK: $9,700
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 292.0 — SIERA: 4.11 — ERA: 4.22 — K%: 18.6% — BB%: 6.9% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 36.0 — SIERA: 3.28 — ERA: 1.50 — K%: 26.7% — BB%: 5.9% — HR/9: 0.3
Kansas City Royals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 15.5% (Rank: 1)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.316 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 14.1% (Rank: 1)
Pitches per PA: 3.70 (Rank: 30)
Analysis: Verlander has been terrific over the last month of play, posting a 3.28 SIERA (1.50 ERA) with a strikeout rate of 26.7%. He has a real test tonight against the Astros on the road. The Royals are the toughest team to strikeout in all of baseball and they have the sixth-highest team wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. I’m jumping off the Verlander bandwagon tonight, but if he pitches well again, then he will really have my attention.
Pitcher Rating: 62.6
Johnny Cueto : FD: $10,900 — DK: $10,100
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 415.1 — SIERA: 3.31 — ERA: 2.54 — K%: 24.0% — BB%: 6.0% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 35.0 — SIERA: 3.85 — ERA: 3.86 — K%: 17.6% — BB%: 2.1% — HR/9: 1.3
Detroit Tigers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.320 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 19.9% (Rank: 14)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.346 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 18.2% (Rank: 8)
Pitches per PA: 3.84 (Rank: 10)
Analysis: Cueto’s strikeout rate has been down a bit recently, but he has still pitched well over the last month of play with a 3.85 SIERA. Cueto is an easy pitcher to avoid tonight, though. He draws a tough matchup against the Tigers, who are ranked eighth in team wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. With so many other aces on the bump tonight, I will have zero shares of Cueto tonight.
Pitcher Rating: 82.9
Batter Grind Down
Detroit
Even though I won’t be targeting Johnny Cueto tonight, I am going to avoid the Tigers’ offense as well. Since the start of the 2014 season, Cueto has held both left and right-handed hitters under a .280 wOBA. There are better matchups to exploit tonight.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Kansas City
The Royals draw an interesting matchup tonight against Justin Verlander. While he has been in terrific form recently, he has still given up a .349 wOBA to right-handed hitters over the last two seasons. Lorenzo Cain is nice contrarian play in the outfield.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Lorenzo Cain : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 687 — wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.118 — wRC+: 110
Last 30 Days: PA: 111 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.108 — wRC+: 116