MLB Grind Down: Wednesday, August 5th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2015-08-07 17:55:27

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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Tampa Bay at Chicago White Sox – 2:10 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Tampa Bay					Chicago White Sox
			Erasmo Ramirez					Carlos Rodon
			RIGHT					LEFT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			CHW (-121)					8.0
SP vs. Left	0.234	0.676	0.302	19.5%	SP vs. Left	0.198	0.553	0.256	29.10%
SP vs. Right	0.254	0.756	0.335	18.0%	SP vs. Right	0.305	0.000	0.389	21.70%
Batter Splits			TB vs L		Batter Splits	CHW BvP		CWS vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Erasmo Ramirez : FD: $7,000 — DK: $6,300

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 172.2 — SIERA: 4.14 — ERA: 4.33 — K%: 18.9% — BB%: 8.4% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.0 — SIERA: 3.89 — ERA: 2.70 — K%: 17.4% — BB%: 5.0% — HR/9: 0.9

Chicago White Sox Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.305 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 20.4% (Rank: 19)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.371 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 24.6% (Rank: 29)
Pitchers per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 21)

Analysis: Ramirez has been in good form coming into today’s start, but he is not the most reliable pitcher in daily fantasy. Since the start of last season, he has a 4.14 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 18.9%. While the White Sox don’t have great team numbers against right-handed pitching this season, they are ranked second in team wOBA over the last 14 days of play. Ramirez can be avoided in all league formats.

Pitcher Rating:58.8

Carlos Rodon : FD: $6,500 — DK: $6,400

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 80.0 — SIERA: 4.14 — ERA: 4.84 — K%: 23.8% — BB%: 13.1% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 24.2 — SIERA: 4.04 — ERA: 6.57 — K%: 27.6% — BB%: 14.7% — HR/9: 1.1

Tampa Bay Rays Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 21.7% (Rank: 17)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.327 (Rank: 10) — Strikeout Rate: 21.8% (Rank: 19)
Pitchers per PA: 3.85 (Rank: 10)

Analysis: Rodon can’t seem to take that jump to the next level. He has shown a great ability to strikeout hitters at the major league level, but his command has not improved. In his rookie season, he has a 4.14 SIERA with a 23.8% strikeout rate and a 13.1% walk rate. He draws a difficult matchup tonight against the Rays, who put up seven runs on Chris Sale last night, who is a much better southpaw at this stage of their careers. The upside is there with Rodon, but so is the risk.

Pitcher Rating:57.3

Batter Grind Down

Tampa Bay

The Rays are one of the better hitting teams in baseball against left-handed pitching. They draw a decent matchup today against Carlos Rodon, who has given up a .389 wOBA to right-handed hitters this season. If the Rays can be patient at the plate, they should be able to get to Rodon in this afternoon game.

Elite Plays:

Evan Longoria : FD: $3,200 — DK: $4,000

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 273 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.170 — wRC+: 139
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.420 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 178

Secondary Plays:

Logan Forsythe : FD: $3,400 — DK: $3,900

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 1B/2B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 271 — wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.228 — wRC+: 129
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.397 — ISO: 0.268 — wRC+: 163

Brandon Guyer : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,100

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 253 — wOBA: 0.334 — ISO: 0.111 — wRC+: 119
Last 14 Days: PA: 30 — wOBA: 0.280 — ISO: 0.167 — wRC+: 81

Joey Butler : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,400

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 83 — wOBA: 0.341 — ISO: 0.156 — wRC+: 123
Last 14 Days: PA: 25 — wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.091 — wRC+: 112

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox offense has been on fire over the last few weeks. Their prices have skyrocketed, but with only four games in the early slate, they are still in play. They draw a favorable matchup against Erasmo Ramirez, who has been an erratic pitcher throughout his career. Jose Abreu is a borderline elite play, while Melky Cabrera and Adam Eaton are better secondary options.

Elite Plays:

Jose Abreu : FD: $4,400 — DK: $5,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 790 — wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.235 — wRC+: 147
Last 14 Days: PA: 60 — wOBA: 0.506 — ISO: 0.365 — wRC+: 230

Secondary Plays:

Melky Cabrera : FD: $4,300 — DK: $4,100

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 784 — wOBA: 0.346 — ISO: 0.137 — wRC+: 119
Last 14 Days: PA: 61 — wOBA: 0.502 — ISO: 0.333 — wRC+: 227

Adam Eaton : FD: $4,100 — DK: $4,500

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 708 — wOBA: 0.354 — ISO: 0.147 — wRC+: 125
Last 14 Days: PA: 62 — wOBA: 0.493 — ISO: 0.240 — wRC+: 221

Seattle at Colorado – 3:10 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Seattle					Colorado
			Taijuan Walker					Chris Rusin
			RIGHT					LEFT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			SEA (-128)					11.0
SP vs. Left	0.239	0.688	0.304	22.9%	SP vs. Left	0.305	0.848	0.363	14.80%
SP vs. Right	0.248	0.000	0.324	23.3%	SP vs. Right	0.310	0.848	0.366	15.80%
Batter Splits	SEA BvP		SEA vs L		Batter Splits	COL BvP		COL vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Taijuan Walker : FD: $6,900 — DK: $8,100

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 159.2 — SIERA: 3.57 — ERA: 4.23 — K%: 23.1% — BB%: 7.3% — HR/9: 1.2
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.1 — SIERA: 3.09 — ERA: 5.93 — K%: 25.2% — BB%: 4.1% — HR/9: 2.1

Colorado Rockies Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.344 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 19.6% (Rank: 15)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.349 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 19.3% (Rank: 15)
Pitchers per PA: 3.76 (Rank: 22)

Analysis: Walker has pitched well this season, but like all others before him, the wrath of Coors Field will soon be upon him. He should be avoided in all league formats, even in the early-only slate of games.

Pitcher Rating:60.9

Chris Rusin : FD: $5,400 — DK: $4,700

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 83.0 — SIERA: 3.89 — ERA: 4.99 — K%: 15.5% — BB%: 6.2% — HR/9: 1.3
Last 30 Days: IP: 24.0 — SIERA: 3.29 — ERA: 5.25 — K%: 16.8% — BB%: 3.7% — HR/9: 1.9

Seattle Mariners Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.301 (Rank: 19) — Strikeout Rate: 20.7% (Rank: 13)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.341 (Rank: 7) — Strikeout Rate: 19.7% (Rank: 16)
Pitchers per PA: 3.86 (Rank: 8)

Analysis: Rusin has been a serviceable starter for the Rockies this season, but he has to face a red-hot Mariners’ offense in Coors Field today. The Mariners have the highest team total on the board and Rusin should be avoided in all league formats.

Pitcher Rating:45.5

Batter Grind Down

Seattle

The Mariners have enjoyed their stay in Denver so far, scoring 18 runs in the first two games of the series. They will look for another big outing today against Chris Rusin, who has given up a .363+ wOBA to both left and right-handed hitters. Basically, everyone in the Mariners’ lineup deserves consideration in this small four-game slate.

Elite Plays:

Nelson Cruz : FD: $5,600 — DK: $6,200

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 262 — wOBA: 0.442 — ISO: 0.280 — wRC+: 189
Last 14 Days: PA: 68 — wOBA: 0.584 — ISO: 0.492 — wRC+: 290

Kyle Seager : FD: $4,400 — DK: $4,900

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 356 — wOBA: 0.318 — ISO: 0.154 — wRC+: 106
Last 14 Days: PA: 68 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.161 — wRC+: 129

Austin Jackson : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 286 — wOBA: 0.330 — ISO: 0.115 — wRC+: 112
Last 14 Days: PA: 63 — wOBA: 0.301 — ISO: 0.155 — wRC+: 93

Secondary Plays:

Robinson Cano : FD: $4,300 — DK: $4,900

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 374 — wOBA: 0.298 — ISO: 0.090 — wRC+: 92
Last 14 Days: PA: 50 — wOBA: 0.395 — ISO: 0.227 — wRC+: 159

Ketel Marte : FD: $3,400 — DK: $3,400

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 4 — wOBA: 0.000 — ISO: 0.000 — wRC+: -100
Last 14 Days: PA: 18 — wOBA: 0.272 — ISO: 0.000 — wRC+: 73

Franklin Gutierrez : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,000

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 42 — wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.231 — wRC+: 126
Last 14 Days: PA: 29 — wOBA: 0.376 — ISO: 0.346 — wRC+: 146

Colorado

The Rockies are looking to avoid the sweep with a win over the Mariners today. If they are going to do so, they are going to need a big outing offensively. They draw a mediocre matchup against Taijuan Walker, but at least they get to face him at Coors Field. In these short slates, the key is to get as much Coors exposure as humanly possible.

Elite Plays:

Charlie Blackmon : FD: $4,800 — DK: $4,800

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 819 — wOBA: 0.365 — ISO: 0.175 — wRC+: 117
Last 14 Days: PA: 57 — wOBA: 0.387 — ISO: 0.157 — wRC+: 132

Carlos Gonzalez : FD: $4,600 — DK: $4,600

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 482 — wOBA: 0.383 — ISO: 0.270 — wRC+: 130
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.627 — ISO: 0.605 — wRC+: 299

Ben Paulsen : FD: $3,600 — DK: $3,700

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 243 — wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.206 — wRC+: 119
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.397 — ISO: 0.318 — wRC+: 139

Secondary Plays:

Nolan Arenado : FD: $4,700 — DK: $5,200

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 667 — wOBA: 0.361 — ISO: 0.256 — wRC+: 115
Last 14 Days: PA: 58 — wOBA: 0.306 — ISO: 0.216 — wRC+: 77

DJ LeMahieu : FD: $4,000 — DK: $4,500

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 720 — wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.101 — wRC+: 86
Last 14 Days: PA: 59 — wOBA: 0.412 — ISO: 0.096 — wRC+: 150

Jose Reyes : FD: $3,400 — DK: $4,700

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 712 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.110 — wRC+: 103
Last 14 Days: PA: 50 — wOBA: 0.270 — ISO: 0.023 — wRC+: 60

Cleveland at LA Angels – 3:35 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Cleveland					LA Angels
			Danny Salazar					Hector Santiago
			RIGHT					LEFT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			LAA (-123)					7.0
SP vs. Left	0.229	0.683	0.299	28.9%	SP vs. Left	0.220	0.588	0.265	19.60%
SP vs. Right	0.250	0.716	0.313	25.1%	SP vs. Right	0.242	0.727	0.319	21.50%
Batter Splits	CLE BvP		CLE vs L		Batter Splits	LAA BvP		ANA vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Danny Salazar : FD: $8,800 — DK: $11,400

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 229.1 — SIERA: 3.16 — ERA: 3.85 — K%: 26.7% — BB%: 7.1% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 34.0 — SIERA: 3.16 — ERA: 2.65 — K%: 26.3% — BB%: 6.8% — HR/9: 0.8

LA Angels of Anaheim Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.311 (Rank: 15) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 13)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.310 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 18.8% (Rank: 11)
Pitchers per PA: 3.78 (Rank: 19)

Analysis: This is the game where we are going to find our pitcher in the early slate. Salazar has pitched well recently, posting a 3.16 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 26.3% over the last month of play. He draws a mediocre matchup against the Angels, who are ranked right around the major league average in both team wOBA and strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Salazar has good upside in this matchup, but you have to pay a pretty penny for him on DraftKings ($11,400).

Pitcher Rating:81.1

Hector Santiago : FD: $8,300 — DK: $9,400

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 250.2 — SIERA: 4.16 — ERA: 3.23 — K%: 21.0% — BB%: 8.7% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.0 — SIERA: 3.66 — ERA: 3.10 — K%: 20.9% — BB%: 4.7% — HR/9: 0.9

Cleveland Indians Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.311 (Rank: 11) — Strikeout Rate: 18.8% (Rank: 5)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.298 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 22.5% (Rank: 24)
Pitchers per PA: 3.92 (Rank: 3)

Analysis: Santiago gave up five runs in his last start, but he was in excellent form before that outing. In the last month of play, he has a 3.66 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 20.9%. He draws a nice matchup against a cold Indians’ offense that is without Jason Kipnis. Over the last 14 days of play, Cleveland is ranked 20th in team wOBA and 24th in strikeout rate. The masses are going to be on Danny Salazar in the early slate, which makes Santiago a nice option to differentiate your lineups in the early slate.

Pitcher Rating:68.1

Batter Grind Down

Cleveland

The Indians draw have struggled to score runs recently, which is a trend that may continue today. Hector Santiago has been in excellent form recently and he has held left-handed hitters to a .265 wOBA over the last two seasons. If you are targeting anyone in the Indians’ lineup, make sure they can hit from the right side of the plate.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Francisco Lindor : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,300

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 64 — wOBA: 0.296 — ISO: 0.088 — wRC+: 89
Last 14 Days: PA: 62 — wOBA: 0.337 — ISO: 0.193 — wRC+: 117

Yan Gomes : FD: $2,400 — DK: $2,900

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 215 — wOBA: 0.346 — ISO: 0.164 — wRC+: 125
Last 14 Days: PA: 44 — wOBA: 0.282 — ISO: 0.171 — wRC+: 79

LA Angels

The Angels have a difficult matchup today against Danny Salazar, who has held left and right-handed hitters under a .315 wOBA over the last two seasons. Mike Trout is the only fantasy option of note here. He is about as matchup-proof of a player as you are going to find. That said, if you are spending up on a bat, I’d recommend taking one that is playing in Coors Field.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Mike Trout : FD: $5,000 — DK: $5,000

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 856 — wOBA: 0.416 — ISO: 0.299 — wRC+: 177
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.434 — ISO: 0.349 — wRC+: 188

Baltimore at Oakland – 3:35 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Baltimore					Oakland
			Wei-Yin Chen					Kendall Graveman
			LEFT					RIGHT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			BAL (-141)					7.0
SP vs. Left	0.258	0.667	0.293	17.6%	SP vs. Left	0.268	0.708	0.319	13.80%
SP vs. Right	0.258	0.763	0.331	18.8%	SP vs. Right	0.276	0.786	0.340	17.10%
Batter Splits	BAL BvP		BAL vs R		Batter Splits	OAK BvP		OAK vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Wei-Yin Chen : FD: $7,800 — DK: $9,600

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 310.2 — SIERA: 3.83 — ERA: 3.42 — K%: 18.5% — BB%: 4.8% — HR/9: 1.3
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.0 — SIERA: 3.81 — ERA: 4.50 — K%: 18.5% — BB%: 3.1% — HR/9: 2.1

Oakland Athletics Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 16.8% (Rank: 2)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.243 (Rank: 30) — Strikeout Rate: 17.0% (Rank: 5)
Pitchers per PA: 3.87 (Rank: 7)

Analysis: Chen has been a good starter for the Orioles over the last two seasons, posting a 3.83 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 18.5%. He doesn’t make a ton of mistakes and he doesn’t walk a ton of batters. Basically, he does enough to give his team a chance to pick up the win. He draws a decent matchup against the A’s, but they are one of the toughest teams to strikeout in all of baseball.

Pitcher Rating:67.1

Kendall Graveman : FD: $5,000 — DK: $6,800

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 100.2 — SIERA: 4.31 — ERA: 3.84 — K%: 15.4% — BB%: 7.8% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 26.0 — SIERA: 4.35 — ERA: 4.85 — K%: 16.5% — BB%: 9.6% — HR/9: 1.4

Baltimore Orioles Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 22.3% (Rank: 28)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.295 (Rank: 24) — Strikeout Rate: 21.6% (Rank: 18)
Pitchers per PA: 3.83 (Rank: 12)

Analysis: Gravemen been one of my favorite pitchers to pick on. He has a below-average SIERA with a below-average strikeout rate. He walks a lot of batters and he isn’t particularly effective against hitters from either side of the plate. He should be avoided today against the Orioles, who are ranked ninth in team wOBA against right-handed pitching this season.

Pitcher Rating:46.4

Batter Grind Down

Baltimore

The Orioles draw a nice matchup against Kendall Graveman, who has given up a .319+ wOBA to both left and right-handed hitters. The issue here isn’t the matchup, it’s the presence of alternatives. Why spend up on the Orioles’ hitters when you can target the Mariners/Rockies game instead?

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Manny Machado : FD: $4,200 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 602 — wOBA: 0.374 — ISO: 0.209 — wRC+: 140
Last 14 Days: PA: 61 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.182 — wRC+: 113

Chris Davis : FD: $4,300 — DK: $4,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 665 — wOBA: 0.328 — ISO: 0.232 — wRC+: 108
Last 14 Days: PA: 58 — wOBA: 0.490 — ISO: 0.529 — wRC+: 221

Adam Jones : FD: $3,200 — DK: $4,700

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 824 — wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.177 — wRC+: 103
Last 14 Days: PA: 61 — wOBA: 0.295 — ISO: 0.155 — wRC+: 85

Matt Wieters : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 190 — wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.165 — wRC+: 121
Last 14 Days: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.311 — ISO: 0.150 — wRC+: 95

Oakland

Wei-Yin Chen has kept left-handed hitters in check over the last two seasons, but he has given up a .331 wOBA to right-handed bats. Brett Lawrie, Marcus Semien, and Billy Butler are all in play, but they are all secondary options at their respective positions.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Brett Lawrie : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 172 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.193 — wRC+: 106
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.278 — ISO: 0.159 — wRC+: 78

Marcus Semien : FD: $2,500 — DK: $2,800

Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 193 — wOBA: 0.327 — ISO: 0.140 — wRC+: 109
Last 14 Days: PA: 45 — wOBA: 0.245 — ISO: 0.167 — wRC+: 54

Billy Butler : FD: $2,400 — DK: $3,200

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 262 — wOBA: 0.342 — ISO: 0.159 — wRC+: 120
Last 14 Days: PA: 44 — wOBA: 0.205 — ISO: 0.024 — wRC+: 27

Arizona at Washington – 7:05 PM EST

Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
Arizona					Washington
			Rubby De La Rosa					Gio Gonzalez
			RIGHT					LEFT
			Vegas Moneyline					Vegas Over/Under
			WAS (-158)					7.5
SP vs. Left	0.304	0.895	0.386	15.1%	SP vs. Left	0.235	0.639	0.283	22.10%
SP vs. Right	0.236	0.670	0.296	22.2%	SP vs. Right	0.247	0.694	0.308	23.40%
Batter Splits	ARI BvP		ARI vs L		Batter Splits	WAS BvP		WAS vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

Rubby De La Rosa : FD: $7,100 — DK: $7,200

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 233.0 — SIERA: 3.92 — ERA: 4.52 — K%: 18.5% — BB%: 7.2% — HR/9: 1.4
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.2 — SIERA: 4.72 — ERA: 4.55 — K%: 12.5% — BB%: 8.6% — HR/9: 2.4

Washington Nationals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.310 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 21.4% (Rank: 24)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.284 (Rank: 26) — Strikeout Rate: 24.4% (Rank: 28)
Pitchers per PA: 3.75 (Rank: 23)

Analysis: De La Rosa got off to a blazing start this season, but he has not pitched well over the last month of play, posting a 4.72 SIERA with a walk rate (8.6%) that is nearly as high as his strikeout rate (12.5%). Even though the Nationals have struggled to score runs recently, we never like to target pitchers that are in bad form. De La Rosa can be avoided in all league formats tonight.

Pitcher Rating:52.8

Gio Gonzalez : FD: $9,500 — DK: $7,800

Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 269.0 — SIERA: 3.58 — ERA: 3.65 — K%: 23.1% — BB%: 8.8% — HR/9: 0.5
Last 30 Days: IP: 28.2 — SIERA: 3.72 — ERA: 1.88 — K%: 21.9% — BB%: 8.4% — HR/9: 0.6

Arizona Diamondbacks Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.313 (Rank: 9) — Strikeout Rate: 21.1% (Rank: 15)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.310 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 25.5% (Rank: 30)
Pitchers per PA: 3.70 (Rank: 29)

Analysis: Gonzalez has pitched well in his recent starts, posting a 1.88 ERA (3.72 SIERA) with a strikeout rate of 21.9%. Tonight he faces a Diamondbacks’ offense that is more than capable of scoring on elite pitching. On the season, Arizona is ranked ninth in team wOBA and 15th in strikeout rate against left-handed pitching. Gonzalez has good upside for his price on DraftKings ($7,800), but he can be avoided on single-pitcher sites, such as FanDuel.

Pitcher Rating:81.9

Batter Grind Down

Arizona

The Diamondbacks may hit left-handed pitching well as a team, but that doesn’t mean that we should go out of our way to target them tonight against Gio Gonzalez. The right-handed bats in this lineup are in play, but they are secondary options at their respective positions.

Elite Plays:

NONE

Secondary Plays:

Paul Goldschmidt : FD: $4,000 — DK: $5,000

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 196 — wOBA: 0.471 — ISO: 0.263 — wRC+: 202
Last 14 Days: PA: 57 — wOBA: 0.351 — ISO: 0.133 — wRC+: 120

Welington Castillo : FD: $3,400 — DK: $2,900

Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 162 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.203 — wRC+: 126
Last 14 Days: PA: 32 — wOBA: 0.598 — ISO: 0.630 — wRC+: 291

Washington

The Nationals draw a nice matchup tonight against Rubby De La Rosa, who has not pitched well recently. The left-handed hitters in this lineup have a clear splits advantage, but don’t count on the discounted bats of Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman.

Elite Plays:

Bryce Harper : FD: $4,400 — DK: $5,400

Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 576 — wOBA: 0.411 — ISO: 0.252 — wRC+: 166
Last 14 Days: PA: 55 — wOBA: 0.398 — ISO: 0.204 — wRC+: 157

Secondary Plays:

Anthony Rendon : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 601 — wOBA: 0.350 — ISO: 0.179 — wRC+: 123
Last 14 Days: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.309 — ISO: 0.139 — wRC+: 96

Ryan Zimmerman : FD: $2,400 — DK: $3,300

Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 379 — wOBA: 0.305 — ISO: 0.156 — wRC+: 92
Last 14 Days: PA: 33 — wOBA: 0.366 — ISO: 0.276 — wRC+: 135