MLB Grind Down: Wednesday, August 20th
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.
Note: Any Fantasy Point Average Listed Uses FanDuel Scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s MLB Scoring System,check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel Review
Texas at Miami
| Texas | Miami | ||||||||
| Nick Martinez | Vegas Moneyline | Nathan Eovaldi | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | MIA (-164) | RIGHT | 8.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.300 | 0.907 | 0.397 | 9.60% | SP vs. Left | 0.293 | 0.803 | 0.348 | 14.30% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.290 | 0.829 | 0.359 | 11.00% | SP vs. Right | 0.209 | 0.572 | 0.255 | 19.50% |
| Batter Splits | TEX BvP  | TEX vs R | Batter Splits | MIA BvP | MIA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Nick Martinez – Martinez has been downright awful on the mound this season. His ERA (5.27) is higher than his K/9 (4.8) which is a huge red flag. He’s also averaging close to 4 walks and 1.4 HR’s per 9 innings. While the Marlins do strike out often, they are a solid hitting team at home that should be able to knock Martinez around a bit. Rating = 4
Salaries: $5000 FD, $8950 DD, $6000 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $8950 FTD
- Nathan Eovaldi – Eovaldi has been sharp in his last 3 starts. He’s only given up a combined 3 earned runs while striking out 16 batters. On the season he owns a 3.96 ERA (3.88 xFIP) with a K/9 of 6.2. If you are playing in the “early only” slate, Eovaldi makes a solid #2 or #3 pitcher. He should see plenty of run support and the Rangers are only ranked 23rd in wOBA vs. RH pitching this season. Rating = 5.5
Salaries: $6300 FD, $12600 DD, $6300 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $12600 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Texas
Shin-Soo Choo – Eovaldi has held RH hitters to a .246 wOBA this season so if you are targeting any Rangers, I suggest targeting one of the few LH bats in their lineup. Choo is having a down year, but he has been better of late with 4 multi-hit games in his last 10.
Additional Plays: Leonys Martin
Miami
Christian Yelich – Martinez has given up a high wOBA to batters from both sides of the plate, but has really struggled vs. LH hitters (.398 wOBA given up). Yelich has decent speed and decent power and has been swinging a hot bat with 18 hits over his last 10 games.
Additional Plays: Giancarlo Stanton, Casey McGehee, Garrett Jones
Seattle at Philadelphia
| Seattle | Philadelphia | ||||||||
| James Paxton | Vegas Moneyline | Cole Hamels | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| LEFT | PHI (-124) | LEFT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | SP vs. Left | 0.212 | 0.598 | 0.274 | 23.40% | ||||
| SP vs. Right | 0.195 | 0.713 | 0.311 | 25.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.222 | 0.624 | 0.277 | 25.60% |
| Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs L | Batter Splits | PHI BvP | PHI vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- James Paxton – In his first 3 starts of the season, Paxton has only given up a combined 4 earned runs while striking out 11 batters. He was terrific in his few starts at the Triple-A level as he posted a 2.20 ERA with a K/9 of 12.2. His price is a bit high on DK, but he’s certainly in play on a site like FD that has him listed at an affordable salary. The Phillies are ranked 23rd in wOBA vs. LH pitching this season. Use him as an upside play in the early GPP’s. Rating = 5.5
Salaries: $5500 FD, $12450 DD, $9000 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $12450 FTD
- Cole Hamels – Hamels is my top option at pitcher in the early slate. While I also really like Samardzija, Hamels has more strikeout potential and an equally juicy matchup. On the season, Hamels owns a 2.44 ERA (3.23 xFIP) with a K/9 of 8.9. He hasn’t given up more than 3 earned runs in any of his last 15 starts. He’s been extremely efficient against LH hitters which should help his cause today as the Mariners who are ranked 29th in wOBA vs. LH pitching this season. Rating = 8.5
Salaries: $9700 FD, $20700 DD, $10800 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $20700 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Seattle
Avoid all Mariners against Hamels who has held both LH and RH hitters under a .290 wOBA this season.
Philadelphia
Marlon Byrd – In terms of his matchup against Paxton, there’s really not a huge major-league sample size to go off of. That said, Byrd is cheap and he’s batting 5th today against a lefty. Byrd is batting .276 with a .354 wOBA against southpaws this season.
Additional Plays: Jimmy Rollins
Toronto at Milwaukee
| Toronto | Milwaukee | ||||||||
| R.A. Dickey | Vegas Moneyline | Jimmy Nelson | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | MIL (-134) | RIGHT | 8.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.240 | 0.708 | 0.319 | 19.1% | SP vs. Left | 0.234 | 0.748 | 0.332 | 22.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.239 | 0.738 | 0.323 | 20.3% | SP vs. Right | 0.241 | 0.654 | 0.301 | 18.00% |
| Batter Splits | TOR BvP | TOR vs R | Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- R.A. Dickey – Dickey is one of those pitchers where you have to buckle up when you roster him because you have no idea the type of ride that he is going to take you on. Just take his last 6 starts for example. In 3 of those starts he has held opponents to 2 or less earned runs and in the other 3, he has given up at least 4 earned runs in each. He doesn’t possess the same strikeout potential that he once did and I’m not a huge fan of his matchup against a fully healthy Brewers offense in a HR-friendly ballpark. Rating = 5
Salaries: $7500 FD, $14450 DD, $7900 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $14450 FTD
- Jimmy Nelson – Nelson hasn’t been great, but he has been very consistent. In each of his last 5 starts, he has given up between 2 and 3 earned runs while striking out between 3 and 6 batters. Thus far, Fiers has been the much more impressive youngster in this Brewers rotation. Nelson is a small favorite in this one, but I’m having a hard time putting him on any of my lineup as the Blue Jays are ranked 1st overall in wOBA vs. RH pitching this season. Rating = 5
Batter Grind Down
Toronto
Jose Reyes – This game features the highest total of the 4 early games so don’t be afraid to stack the hitters up in this one. Reyes is the top SS option early. He’s been swinging a hot bat with 17 hits over his last 10 games which has bumped his batting average closer to .300 for the season.
Additional Plays: Jose Bautista, Melky Cabrera
Milwaukee
Aramis Ramirez – As you can tell from the plays listed below, the Brewers are my favorite offense to target in the early slate. Dickey is a RH pitcher, but he’s given up identical splits to LH and RH hitters this season in terms of wOBA. He has also given up 15 of his 21 HR’s to RH hitters.
Additional Plays: Carlos Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy, Ryan Braun, Scooter Gennett, Gerardo Parra
NY Mets at Oakland
| NY Mets | Oakland | ||||||||
| Zack Wheeler | Vegas Moneyline | Jeff Samardzija | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | OAK (-186) | RIGHT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.293 | 0.815 | 0.363 | 21.4% | SP vs. Left | 0.234 | 0.673 | 0.296 | 23.10% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.209 | 0.591 | 0.267 | 24.0% | SP vs. Right | 0.224 | 0.641 | 0.284 | 20.50% |
| Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | Batter Splits | OAK BvP | OAK vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Zack Wheeler – Wheeler has been a very consistent fantasy option over his last 7 starts, but something tells me that the streak may come to an end today. He’s facing a very patient A’s offense that is still ranked 7th in wOBA vs. RH pitching. The A’s like to make pitchers work and they still have a lot of firepower in their lineup even without Cespedes. Wheeler is a huge underdog and will likely see little to no run support with Samardzija pitching opposite him. Use him as a contrarian GPP play only. Rating = 5.5
Salaries: $7600 FD, $15100 DD, $8300 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $15100 FTD
- Jeff Samardzija – Samardzija and Hamels are the two clear pitching options for cash games in the early slate. If you are playing on a multi-pitcher site, it may not be the worst idea to start your lineup with both pitchers and then move on from there. Samardzija hasn’t been terrific in his stint as a member of the A’s and his strikeouts are down a bit, but a matchup against the Mets should be able to cure his pitching blues. The Mets are ranked 26th in wOBA vs. RH pitching this season and aren’t afraid of the strikeout. Rating = 8
Salaries: $8000 FD, $17700 DD, $9300 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $17700 FTD
Batter Grind Down
NY Mets
Daniel Murphy – Murphy is always in play against RH pitching because he is such a tough out and he plays a position that is typically not full of viable fantasy options. Murphy has a .338 wOBA against righties this season and has had decent success off of Samardzija in the past going 3/6 with 2 XBH’s.
Additional Plays: None
Oakland
Brandon Moss – Moss just can’t seem to break out of this funk that he’s been in. He’ll have a good game and then follow it up with a couple of bad games. While I typically don’t like to target batters that are ice cold, his price has come way down and there aren’t a ton of options at 1B in the early slate. Plus, Wheeler has given up a .347 wOBA to LH hitters this season.
Additional Plays: John Jaso, Stephen Vogt
Arizona at Washington
| Arizona | Washington | ||||||||
| Trevor Cahill | Vegas Moneyline | Tanner Roark | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | WAS (-200) | RIGHT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.347 | 0.945 | 0.410 | 9.9% | SP vs. Left | 0.212 | 0.635 | 0.284 | 15.30% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.235 | 0.650 | 0.295 | 30.9% | SP vs. Right | 0.247 | 0.616 | 0.274 | 21.90% |
| Batter Splits | ARI BvP | ARI vs R | Batter Splits | WSN BvP | WSN vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Trevor Cahill – Cahill can easily be avoided in all leagues tonight. He owns a 4.68 ERA on the season and is one of the biggest underdogs on the schedule. The Nationals are ranked 14th in wOBA vs. RH pitching this season. Rating = 4
Salaries: $5900 FD, $9750 DD, $7000 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $9750 FTD
- Tanner Roark – Roark should be a pretty popular play in cash games tonight. He has really pitched well at home this season with a 2.57 ERA and 51 K’s over 77 innings of work. He draws a nice matchup against a depleted Diamonbacks offense that is ranked 27th over the last 30 days of baseball. He should be a good candidate to throw 6+ innings, strikeout 5+ batters, and pick up the win. Rating = 7
Salaries: $7700 FD, $15650 DD, $8700 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $15650 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Arizona
Avoid all Diamondbacks hitters against Roark. He has held both LH and RH hitters under a .300 wOBA this season.
Washington
Adam LaRoche – LaRoche has cooled off a bit over his last 10 games, but he still has 9 hits (3 HR’s) during that stretch. He gets a very favorable matchup tonight against Cahill who has given up a .398 wOBA to LH hitters this season.
Additional Plays: Denard Span, Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper