DFS Alerts
Stephen Piscotty scratched from starting lineup due to food poisoning
No word on the new lineup yet but Piscotty has been scratched due to food poisoning. He was to bat clean up. We’ll update the lineup on our lineups page as soon as it comes in.
As reported by: Jenifer Langosch on Twitter
Nothing better than a Coors game on Memorial Day; Nolan Arenado not playing
With a run total of 11.5, the Reds-Rockies game is one where we’ll want to target a lot of bats, even if they are going to be higher owned because of the game being played at Coors. While Dan Straily has been pitching well this year, pitching at Coors can bring out the worst in players. One good piece of news for him is that Nolan Arenado is taking the day off but with the Rockies projected to score over six runs, there are plenty of options to look at. LH bats Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez, and Gerardo Parra are the top options with the other five players in the lineup all in play. Daniel Descalso and Dustin Garneau provide some cheap exposure to the Rockies lineup. The top five (Cozart, Votto, Phillips, Bruce, Duvall) are top options from the Reds side and the other three (Suarez, Hamilton, Barnhart) provide some cheap options at the bottom of the order. There are some weather issues according to RotoGrinders Chief Meteorologist Kevin Roth but since we’re not targeting pitching and he feels a delay is unlikely, they are not too much of a concern.
As reported by: Thomas Harding on Twitter Other tagged players: Joey Votto, Nolan Arenado Some bats to like in Cardinals-Brewers game today
While Carlos Martinez and Junior Guerra are not terrible SP’s, there is a lot to like in terms of hitting today as the Cardinals visit the Brewers in their hitter-friendly park. Martinez has been shaky thus far in 2016 posting a 4.21 SIERA with a K rate of 19% (down from 24.4% in 2015). Guerra has been solid but faces a Cardinals team that is second in wOBA and first in ISO against RHP this season. Matt Carpenter is leading off for St. Louis and leads the hitters to target from that team – also look at Diaz, Holliday, Piscotty, and Adams as secondary options. Martinez is most vulnerable to LH bats so you’ll want to look at the likes of Jonathan Villar, Scooter Gennett, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Alex Presley if you are going to target Brewers bats. Villar is the most consistent of those four but you’ll be relying on his legs more than his power to accumulate fpts.
As reported by: Brewers official Twitter feed Other tagged players: Jonathan Villar, Carlos Martinez, Junior Guerra Some weather concerns in what should be high-scoring game between Red Sox and Orioles
RotoGrinders Chief Meteorologist Kevin Roth has classified the weather in Baltimore for the Red Sox-Orioles game as YELLOW/ORANGE meaning there is the potential for delays and/or postponement so take that into consideration when deciding whether to roster anyone from this game. Vegas sees the game as relatively high scoring, giving it a run total of nine with Steven Wright (BOS) and Tyler Wilson (BAL) taking the mound. Wright is worth consideration as a GPP play as he is durable and has a 22.0% K rate facing an Orioles team that is 23rd in K rate against RHP. Wilson, on the other hand, is a complete fade facing a potent Red Sox offense with no K (12.4% K rate) upside. As usual, Mookie Betts and David Ortiz are the top options from the Red Sox with Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley also worth considering. No one leaps out from the Orioles side of the plate but with a high run total you wouldn’t be wrong targeting some of their hitters – we’d recommend focusing on the top six (Jones, Kim, Machado, Davis, Trumbo, and Schoop).
As reported by: Red Sox official Twitter feed Other tagged players: David Ortiz, Manny Machado, Steven Wright Samardzija looks to continue to roll today against Braves
It’s a battle of the hard to spell SP’s today as Jeff Samardzija takes on Mike Foltynewicz. Samardzija is one of the top options today as he enters pitching like he hasn’t in nearly half a decade with a 3.57 SIERA (2.54 ERA) and 22.3% K rate. He gets the added benefit of facing the woeful Braves offense – they are 28th in wOBA and 30th in ISO against RHP. Foltynewicz is a large underdog and the Giants don’t strike out (2nd in K rate against RHP this season) so while there is some upside, this probably isn’t the day to target him. Buster Posey sits today for the Giants but the likes of Denard Span, Joe Panik, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, and Hunter Pence are worth consideration against Folty who has allowed a .412 wOBA to LH bats the last two seasons. There are no Braves hitters worth targeting in today’s game given the tough match up with Shark on the mound.
As reported by: David O'Brien on Twitter Other tagged players: Mike Foltynewicz, Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey Struggling Matt Harvey looks to turn things around against White Sox
To say that Matt Harvey has struggled thus far in 2016 would be an understatement as he enters todays game against the White Sox with a 6.08 ERA (4.33 SIERA) with a low K rate of 18%. However, this could be a game to target Harvey in GPP’s as he faces a White Sox team that is bottom 10 in the league in wOBA and ISO against RHP and Harvey’s BABIP of .374 suggests there is some regression due. Jose Quintana is also a viable SP target as he takes on a Mets offense that struggles against LHP and is having a great year thus far with a 3.41 SIERA (2.22 ERA) and 23.6% K rate. If you expect Harvey to continue to struggle and want to target White Sox bats, the top five (Eaton, Abreu, Cabrera, Frazier, Shuck) are the ones you want to look at. Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker have hit LHP well in 2016 and are secondary options against Quintana.
As reported by: White Sox official Twitter feed Other tagged players: Jose Quintana, Neil Walker Yasmani Grandal will not catch for the Dodgers tonight, leaving A.J. Ellis to catch Kershaw
Yasmani Grandal will not catch for the dodgers tonight. The initial lineup posted by the Dodgers included Grandal, but it has since been corrected and will have A.J. Ellis catching and batting 8th.
As reported by: MLB Press Other tagged players: A.J. Ellis
Sunday special: Kelby Tomlinson batting second at Coors Field
Kelby Tomlinson will get an opportunity to bat second at Coors Field, facing opposing LHP Chris Rusin. Tomlinson is playing because regulars are getting a rest day, but he should not be overlooked. Kelby has a 154 wRC+ against LHP and although he does not have any power, his 0.425 OBP makes him well worth consideration batting at the top of a lineup in Colorado.
As reported by: FanGraphs and MLB Press Other tagged players: Chris Rusin Dodgers bats in the late game make for extremely sneaky, astute plays
Bartolo Colon has not been good lately. We all know that his velocity has not been what it used to be and his success is mystifying at times. Over his last few starts, Colon has an xFIP of 6.06. Using players like Corey Seager, Adrian Gonzalez, and Joc Pederson would be a high-, high-reward strategy that has the potential to pay huge dividends. Risk exists because the lineups won’t be known until the Dodgers-Mets game is the only game remaining, but the ownership should remained suppressed for these batters for that very reason.
As reported by: FanGraphs and MLB Press Other tagged players: Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson Yangervis Solarte facing a struggling pitcher, returning to the big leagues after a minor league stint
Yangervis Solarte should be an unpopular 3B option who will be facing a pitcher who has been up and down between the big leagues and minor leagues. Archie Bradley has a career 5.32 xFIP against left-handed batters, the side of the plate from which Solarte excelled in 2015. Solarte finished 2015 with a 0.165 ISO when batting as a left-handed batter against RHP. He is batting 4th today and gets a substantial park upgrade, batting in the 5th best park for LHBs, Chase Field, opposed to his home park in San Diego.
As reported by: FanGraphs and MLB Press and RotoGrinders Park Factors Other tagged players: Archie Bradley With Carlos Correa out of the lineup, Valbuena gets the rare top 5 lineup position on Sunday
Luis Valbuena has been on a tear lately, posting a massive 259 wRC+ over the last 7 days. As a bonus, he faces a right-handed pitcher, Nick Tropeano, who is allowing a 46% FB% to left-handed swingers. Valbuena has show he is plenty capable of getting the ball in the air, so today presents a good situation for a productive hitter to hit hard fly balls.
As reported by: FanGraphs and MLB Press Other tagged players: Nick Tropeano, Carlos Correa David Ortiz has been scratched, moving Shaw up to the cleanup spot
David Ortiz has been scratched from the Red Sox lineup, so get him out of your lineups. Travis Shaw will be cleaning up now, and Josh Rutledge will enter the Sox lineup and bat 7th. While it has only been 10 ABs, a tiny sample size, Travis Shaw has a massive 1.400 OPS against R.A. Dickey.
As reported by: Pete Abraham on Twitter Other tagged players: Travis Shaw, Josh Rutledge Francisco Liriano's K% has been a meager 11.5% in his last few starts, making Adrian Beltre a fantastic play today
Francisco Liriano has been striking out batters a paltry 11.5% of the time over his last few starts. Adrian Beltre will be batting 4th for the Rangers today, and he will be facing a struggling lefty. Beltre’s 0.218 ISO against left-handed pitchers is more than enough reason to insert Beltre into a Texas Rangers stack or use him as a one-off play with such upside against a pitcher who is struggling to put batters away.
As reported by: FanGraphs and MLB Press Other tagged players: Francisco Liriano Billy Hamilton leading off for the Brewers against Jimmy Nelson, an average pitcher at preventing steals
While DFS players target Billy Hamilton for stolen bases and runs, his matchup today is slightly below average. Jimmy Nelson is above average at allowing stolen bases and the Lucroy-Nelson battery pair has a 0.21 rating on the RotoGrinders stolen base tool. Still, Hamilton’s speed always makes him a high upside gamble and 0.21 is not too far above average for those DFS players willing to take risks in GPPs.
As reported by: RotoGrinders Batter Hub Other tagged players: Jonathan Lucroy Kris Bryant looks to take advantage of the hard contact allowed by Vince Velasquez
In 2016, Velasquez has given up more production to RHBs, surrendering 1.38 HR/9 to RHBs so far in 2016. If he is going to reduce this figure, he is going to have to lower his hard contact, giving up 35.4% hard contact to RHBs. Still, Velasquez has been able to strike out 29.8% of RHBs to help minimize the rallies by opposing teams. One Cubs right-handed bat stands out more than others, as Kris Bryant has been able to minimize his stikeouts against right-handed pitchers, striking out only 19.1% of the time. Bryant’s 0.220 ISO makes him an upside play against Velasquez.
As reported by: FanGraphs and MLB Press Other tagged players: Vince Velasquez