MLB Grind Down: Wednesday, July 29th
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.
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Kansas City at Cleveland – 12:10 PM EST
| Kansas City | Cleveland | ||||||||
 | Jeremy Guthrie |  | Corey Kluber | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CLE (-164) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.307 | 0.863 | 0.376 | 14.1% | SP vs. Left | 0.256 | 0.710 | 0.313 | 27.00% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.249 | 0.634 | 0.282 | 12.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.213 | 0.548 | 0.241 | 29.50% |
| Batter Splits | KCR BvP | KC vs R | Batter Splits | CLE BvP | CLE vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jeremy Guthrie : FD: $5,800 — DK: $4,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 310.1 — SIERA: 4.56 — ERA: 4.55 — K%: 13.4% — BB%: 6.0% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 31.1 — SIERA: 4.61 — ERA: 4.02 — K%: 14.2% — BB%: 6.4% — HR/9: 0.6
Cleveland Indians Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.305 (Rank: 20) — Strikeout Rate: 18.6% (Rank: 7)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.300 (Rank: 19) — Strikeout Rate: 20.0% (Rank: 16)
Pitchers per PA: 3.92 (Rank: 3)
Analysis: In typical Wednesday fashion, we have a split slate of games today. The Royals square off against the Indians bright and early in a game that starts at 12:10 ET. Guthrie will be on the mound for Kansas City. He has been less than impressive over the last two seasons, posting a 4.56 SIERA with a strikeout rate of only 13.4%. The only good thing about Guthrie is that he plays on a team that gives their pitching staff plenty of run support. That could be an issue today though, as they face one of the best pitchers in baseball in Corey Kluber.
Pitcher Rating:34.4
Corey Kluber : FD: $11,000 — DK: $10,600
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 383.2 — SIERA: 2.67 — ERA: 2.89 — K%: 28.1% — BB%: 5.3% — HR/9: 0.6
Last 30 Days: IP: 44.1 — SIERA: 2.82 — ERA: 3.45 — K%: 27.8% — BB%: 5.1% — HR/9: 0.6
Kansas City Royals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 16.0% (Rank: 1)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.324 (Rank: 11) — Strikeout Rate: 15.7% (Rank: 2)
Pitchers per PA: 3.66 (Rank: 30)
Analysis: My two rules when it comes to pitching is to avoid those in Coors Field and to stay away from top-tier pitching against the Royals. Kluber has faced this team three times this season, giving up a combined 14 earned runs. While it’s certainly possible that he could come out and dominate this lineup, I’m not willing to take the chance at his price point. The Royals are the toughest team to strike out in all of baseball and they have shown time and time again that they can hit elite pitching well. I’d rather target Felix Hernandez, Jon Lester, or Chris Archer in the early slate of games.
Pitcher Rating:87.4
Batter Grind Down
Kansas City
Even though I will not be using Corey Kluber today, I will not be targeting any Royals’ hitters against him either. He is still an elite pitcher that is effective against hitters from either side of the plate. There are better matchups to exploit.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Cleveland
Jeremy Guthrie makes my job extremely easy. He is effective against hitters from the right side of the plate, but he has allowed a .376 wOBA to left-handed hitters over the last two seasons. Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis, and Carlos Santana are all in play.
Elite Plays:
Michael Brantley : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,600
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 666 — wOBA: 0.389 — ISO: 0.187 — wRC+: 155
Last 14 Days: PA: 45 — wOBA: 0.473 — ISO: 0.297 — wRC+: 214
Secondary Plays:
Jason Kipnis : FD: $3,700 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 644 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 137
Last 14 Days: PA: 42 — wOBA: 0.357 — ISO: 0.054 — wRC+: 132
Carlos Santana : FD: $3,300 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 694 — wOBA: 0.345 — ISO: 0.205 — wRC+: 124
Last 14 Days: PA: 42 — wOBA: 0.344 — ISO: 0.194 — wRC+: 124
Detroit at Tampa Bay – 12:10 PM EST
| Detroit | Tampa Bay | ||||||||
 | Justin Verlander |  | Chris Archer | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TBR (-164) | 7.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.239 | 0.698 | 0.309 | 18.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.219 | 0.610 | 0.275 | 24.90% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.312 | 0.000 | 0.369 | 15.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.236 | 0.633 | 0.285 | 24.40% |
| Batter Splits | DET BvP | DET vs R | Batter Splits | TBR BvP | TB vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Justin Verlander : FD: $7,000 — DK: $7,200
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 248.0 — SIERA: 4.27 — ERA: 4.72 — K%: 17.1% — BB%: 7.2% — HR/9: 0.9
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.1 — SIERA: 4.56 — ERA: 5.34 — K%: 16.0% — BB%: 6.9% — HR/9: 1.2
Tampa Bay Rays Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.289 (Rank: 30) — Strikeout Rate: 21.9% (Rank: 26)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.280 (Rank: 26) — Strikeout Rate: 20.9% (Rank: 20)
Pitchers per PA: 3.85 (Rank: 10)
Analysis: Verlander is coming off of his best start of the season, but that’s not saying a whole lot. Over the last month of play, he has a 4.56 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 16.0%. That said, if there was ever a matchup for him to gain some confidence, this would be it. The Rays are ranked 30th in team wOBA and 26th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Even in the favorable matchup, Verlander is nothing more than a tournament play today.
Pitcher Rating:43.6
Chris Archer : FD: $10,500 — DK: $11,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 329.1 — SIERA: 3.31 — ERA: 3.06 — K%: 24.7% — BB%: 7.7% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 31.2 — SIERA: 2.88 — ERA: 4.83 — K%: 29.6% — BB%: 6.8% — HR/9: 1.7
Detroit Tigers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.330 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 19.3% (Rank: 12)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.309 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 21.1% (Rank: 21)
Pitchers per PA: 3.84 (Rank: 11)
Analysis: The Tigers are typically a team that we want to avoid taking pitchers against, but they have looked very human in recent weeks, ranking 17th in team wOBA and 21st in strikeout rate. Archer’s indicators look good over the last month, as he had a 2.88 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 29.6%. He is certainly in play today at home, but he may not be as safe of a play as Felix Hernandez and Jon Lester. It’s one of the rare small slates where we have an abundance of pitching options.
Pitcher Rating:87.7
Batter Grind Down
Detroit
As mentioned above, the Tigers’ offense has been reeling over the last few weeks. Maybe they are finally starting to feel the void that Miguel Cabrera leaves when he is not in the lineup. They should be avoided today against Chris Archer, who has held left and right-handed hitters under a .290 wOBA over the last two seasons.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Tampa Bay
The Rays have gotten to the Tigers’ pitching staff in this series and now they get their most favorable matchup yet. Since the start of the 2014 season, Justin Verlander has given up a .369 wOBA to right-handed hitters. That’s not to say that we can’t target the left-handed bats in the lineup, but the righties clearly have the splits in their favor.
Elite Plays:
Evan Longoria : FD: $2,800 — DK: $3,300
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 831 — wOBA: 0.303 — ISO: 0.141 — wRC+: 98
Last 14 Days: PA: 40 — wOBA: 0.272 — ISO: 0.205 — wRC+: 75
Joey Butler : FD: $2,200 — DK: $3,000
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 154 — wOBA: 0.330 — ISO: 0.121 — wRC+: 117
Last 14 Days: PA: 14 — wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.071 — wRC+: 125
Secondary Plays:
John Jaso : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,000
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 364 — wOBA: 0.356 — ISO: 0.178 — wRC+: 133
Last 14 Days: PA: 30 — wOBA: 0.290 — ISO: 0.107 — wRC+: 88
Steven Souza : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 265 — wOBA: 0.270 — ISO: 0.168 — wRC+: 74
Last 14 Days: PA: 25 — wOBA: 0.203 — ISO: 0.045 — wRC+: 27
Pittsburgh at Minnesota – 1:10 PM EST
| Pittsburgh | Minnesota | ||||||||
 | Francisco Liriano |  | Ervin Santana | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| PIT (-123) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.231 | 0.647 | 0.292 | 28.7% | SP vs. Left | 0.267 | 0.734 | 0.320 | 18.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.197 | 0.596 | 0.271 | 26.1% | SP vs. Right | 0.229 | 0.673 | 0.300 | 25.10% |
| Batter Splits | PIT BvP | PIT vs R | Batter Splits | MIN BvP | MIN vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Francisco Liriano : FD: $10,600 — DK: $10,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 283.0 — SIERA: 3.33 — ERA: 3.18 — K%: 26.6% — BB%: 10.5% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 32.1 — SIERA: 3.62 — ERA: 1.95 — K%: 24.2% — BB%: 10.9% — HR/9: 0.6
Minnesota Twins Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.303 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 19.4% (Rank: 7)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.284 (Rank: 25) — Strikeout Rate: 22.7% (Rank: 23)
Pitchers per PA: 3.80 (Rank: 15)
Analysis: Liriano has pitched well over the last month of play, posting a 3.62 SIERA with a 24.2% strikeout rate. I’m a little hesitant to roster him today though, as he heads to an American League ballpark to face a Twins’ offense that has gotten to more than one elite left-handed pitcher this season. The Twins are ranked 17th in team wOBA and seventh in strikeout rate against left-handed pitching. With the other options available in the early slate, Liriano can be avoided in cash games.
Pitcher Rating:82.7
Ervin Santana : FD: $7,700 — DK: $9,400
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 223.2 — SIERA: 3.68 — ERA: 3.78 — K%: 21.6% — BB%: 7.5% — HR/9: 0.8
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.2 — SIERA: 4.01 — ERA: 2.60 — K%: 18.9% — BB%: 6.3% — HR/9: 1.3
Pittsburgh Pirates Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.307 (Rank: 19) — Strikeout Rate: 20.7% (Rank: 22)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.307 (Rank: 18) — Strikeout Rate: 28.1% (Rank: 30)
Pitchers per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 17)
Analysis: It’s hard to figure out which Santana is going to show up. He has been very boom or bust this season, which is not a quality that we like to see from our pitcher. His indicators suggest that he hasn’t been as sharp as his 2.60 ERA would make us believe. Over the last month of play, he has a 4.01 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 18.9%. With all of the aces on the mound in the early slate, Santana can easily be avoided against a competent Pirates’ offense.
Pitcher Rating:62.3
Batter Grind Down
Pittsburgh
The Pirates scored eight runs last night in a win over the Twins. They will look to keep it going today against Ervin Santana, who has given up a .320 wOBA to left-handed hitters over the last two seasons. Gregory Polanco and Neil Walker have the splits in their favor, while red-hot Jung-Ho Kang is also in play.
Elite Plays:
Gregory Polanco : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 538 — wOBA: 0.319 — ISO: 0.130 — wRC+: 105
Last 14 Days: PA: 44 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.214 — wRC+: 127
Secondary Plays:
Neil Walker : FD: $3,100 — DK: $3,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 769 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.194 — wRC+: 127
Last 14 Days: PA: 42 — wOBA: 0.283 — ISO: 0.244 — wRC+: 80
Jung-Ho Kang : FD: $2,900 — DK: $3,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B/SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 230 — wOBA: 0.341 — ISO: 0.117 — wRC+: 120
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.459 — ISO: 0.200 — wRC+: 201
Minnesota
Even though the Twins have fared well against elite southpaws this season, that doesn’t mean that we should go out of our way to target their hitters. This is still a difficult matchup, as Francisco Liriano has held right-handed hitters to an impressive .271 wOBA over the last two seasons.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Colorado at Chicago Cubs – 2:20 PM EST
| Colorado | Chicago Cubs | ||||||||
 | Eddie Butler |  | Jon Lester | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CHC (-260) | 8.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.345 | 1.017 | 0.433 | 8.7% | SP vs. Left | 0.258 | 0.699 | 0.309 | 25.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.285 | 0.825 | 0.359 | 10.9% | SP vs. Right | 0.231 | 0.640 | 0.283 | 24.10% |
| Batter Splits | COL BvP | COL vs L | Batter Splits | CHC BvP | CHC vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Eddie Butler : FD: $5,100 — DK: $4,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 76.1 — SIERA: 5.35 — ERA: 5.19 — K%: 9.8% — BB%: 11.2% — HR/9: 1.1
Last 30 Days: IP: 6.0 — SIERA: 5.20 — ERA: 4.50 — K%: 11.5% — BB%: 11.5% — HR/9: 0.0
Chicago Cubs Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.297 (Rank: 25) — Strikeout Rate: 24.4% (Rank: 29)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.279 (Rank: 27) — Strikeout Rate: 24.7% (Rank: 27)
Pitchers per PA: 3.99 (Rank: 1)
Analysis: Butler has not pitched well over the last two seasons, posting a 5.35 SIERA with a walk rate (11.2%) that is higher than his strikeout rate (9.8%). He has given up quite a few runs in his major league stint and he has to face a potent Cubs’ offense on the road. The Rockies are by far the biggest underdogs on the schedule today. Butler should be avoided in all league formats.
Pitcher Rating:27.2
Jon Lester : FD: $9,500 — DK: $9,100
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 344.1 — SIERA: 3.14 — ERA: 2.77 — K%: 24.4% — BB%: 5.6% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 35.1 — SIERA: 2.50 — ERA: 1.53 — K%: 26.7% — BB%: 3.0% — HR/9: 0.0
Colorado Rockies Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.290 (Rank: 26) — Strikeout Rate: 23.5% (Rank: 26)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.363 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 18.2% (Rank: 8)
Pitchers per PA: 3.75 (Rank: 22)
Analysis: Lester is the largest favorite on the board today and that includes all of the evening games as well. He has really pitched well over the last month of play, posting a 2.50 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 26.7%. He is a pitcher that throws a ton of strikes, which should suit him well against a Rockies’ offense that is ranked 26th in team wOBA and 26th in strikeout rate against right left-handed pitching this season. The Rockies should really struggle with southpaws now that they have traded away Troy Tulowitzki. Lester is right there with Felix Hernandez as the top pitching option in the early slate of games.
Pitcher Rating:91.4
Batter Grind Down
Colorado
The Rockies do not hit left-handed pitching well as a team. The only good news is that there is a slight helping wind blowing out to right field. The bad news is that it doesn’t help the right-handed hitters all that much. Nolan Arenado is the only fantasy option of note here and he is a secondary play at best.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Nolan Arenado : FD: $3,400 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 209 — wOBA: 0.377 — ISO: 0.234 — wRC+: 125
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.281 — ISO: 0.194 — wRC+: 60
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs may be the top offense to target in the early slate of games. In addition to their matchup against Eddie Butler, they get to play at home with a helping wind blowing out to right field. Hitters from both sides of the plate are in play here, but you have to give the edge to those that can hit from the left side. The splits and the wind both favor the left-handed hitters in this matchup.
Elite Plays:
Kyle Schwarber : FD: $3,200 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.516 — ISO: 0.342 — wRC+: 236
Last 14 Days: PA: 34 — wOBA: 0.480 — ISO: 0.276 — wRC+: 211
Anthony Rizzo : FD: $3,100 — DK: $4,800
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 759 — wOBA: 0.387 — ISO: 0.252 — wRC+: 147
Last 14 Days: PA: 50 — wOBA: 0.205 — ISO: 0.023 — wRC+: 21
Dexter Fowler : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 702 — wOBA: 0.314 — ISO: 0.128 — wRC+: 99
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.403 — ISO: 0.114 — wRC+: 158
Secondary Plays:
Kris Bryant : FD: $3,400 — DK: $5,100
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 306 — wOBA: 0.351 — ISO: 0.178 — wRC+: 122
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.251 — ISO: 0.178 — wRC+: 53
Jorge Soler : FD: $2,400 — DK: $3,600
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 295 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.193 — wRC+: 112
Last 14 Days: PA: 49 — wOBA: 0.278 — ISO: 0.111 — wRC+: 72
Arizona at Seattle – 3:40 PM EST
| Arizona | Seattle | ||||||||
 | Patrick Corbin |  | Felix Hernandez | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| SEA (-182) | 6.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.286 | 0.976 | 0.413 | 26.7% | SP vs. Left | 0.204 | 0.560 | 0.251 | 22.90% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.229 | 0.752 | 0.324 | 25.7% | SP vs. Right | 0.201 | 0.574 | 0.256 | 29.90% |
| Batter Splits | ARI BvP | ARI vs R | Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Patrick Corbin : FD: $6,900 — DK: $7,900
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 22.0 — SIERA: 2.73 — ERA: 3.68 — K%: 25.8% — BB%: 3.4% — HR/9: 2.1
Seattle Mariners Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.299 (Rank: 21) — Strikeout Rate: 20.5% (Rank: 12)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.337 (Rank: 8) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 13)
Pitchers per PA: 3.88 (Rank: 4)
Analysis: Corbin has pitched well this season, posting a 2.73 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 25.8%. The sample size is still small, but I like what I have seen thus far from the young left-hander. He draws a mediocre matchup against the Mariners, who are ranked 21st in team wOBA and 12th in strikeout rate against left-handed pitching. The bad news is that he is one of the biggest underdogs on the board today. Run support will be an issue with Felix Hernandez pitching opposite him.
Pitcher Rating:63.9
Felix Hernandez : FD: $11,500 — DK: $11,200
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 366.1 — SIERA: 2.73 — ERA: 2.33 — K%: 26.0% — BB%: 5.9% — HR/9: 0.7
Last 30 Days: IP: 33.0 — SIERA: 3.25 — ERA: 1.09 — K%: 23.9% — BB%: 8.2% — HR/9: 0.3
Arizona Diamondbacks Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.314 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 21.0% (Rank: 23)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 16) — Strikeout Rate: 25.9% (Rank: 28)
Pitchers per PA: 3.69 (Rank: 29)
Analysis: King Felix has not been in superb form, but even when he’s not at his best, it is better than most. Over the last month of play, he has a 3.25 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 23.9%. He is the premier pitching option in the early slate, as he squares off against a Diamondbacks offense that has the eighth-highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Don’t overthink this one, use Hernandez in your cash games in the early slate.
Pitcher Rating:94.2
Batter Grind Down
Arizona
The Diamondbacks draw the worst matchup on the board today, as they have to face Felix Hernandez in the pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. Since the start of the 2014 season, Hernandez has held left and right-handed hitters under a .260 wOBA. The Diamondbacks’ hitters should be avoided in all league formats.
Elite Plays:
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Seattle
The Mariners draw a mediocre matchup today against Patrick Corbin, who has actually pitched very well this season. The sample size is still small though and if you look at his splits from the last two seasons, he has given up a .324+ wOBA to hitters from both sides of the plate.
Elite Plays:
Nelson Cruz : FD: $4,200 — DK: $4,800
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 248 — wOBA: 0.445 — ISO: 0.292 — wRC+: 192
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.435 — ISO: 0.298 — wRC+: 187
Secondary Plays:
Robinson Cano : FD: $3,800 — DK: $4,300
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 365 — wOBA: 0.294 — ISO: 0.083 — wRC+: 89
Last 14 Days: PA: 49 — wOBA: 0.512 — ISO: 0.419 — wRC+: 241
Austin Jackson : FD: $2,500 — DK: $3,400
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 271 — wOBA: 0.326 — ISO: 0.109 — wRC+: 109
Last 14 Days: PA: 52 — wOBA: 0.279 — ISO: 0.083 — wRC+: 79