DFS Alerts
A Solid SP #2 Option on Multi-Pitcher Sites
This is a very similar case to what we saw yesterday with Kyle Hendricks’ teammate in Jon Lester. I am not really a fan of targeting these two pitchers in DFS formats these days, as the ceiling is pretty low for both of them. However, a matchup against the White Sox vaults them into consideration, especially with the wind blowing in at Wrigley Field. Hendricks doesn’t have a ton of strikeout upside, but he limits hard contact well, he doesn’t walk a lot of hitters, and he lets his defense work. That should be just fine in a plus matchup with favorable weather. Lock him in as a safe SP #2 choice on multi-pitcher sites today.
The Top Overall Pitching Choice
This somewhat depends on the format you are playing, but Corey Kluber is clearly ahead of the field for me today in terms of safety. He draws a matchup against a relatively weak Royals offense, and this provides a nice spot for him to bounce back from a few relatively poor outings (by his standards). His SIERA and xFIP still sit in the low-threes, which is right around his career average, and his 26% strikeout rate is still well above league average. The dip in swinging strikes is a bit of a concern, but we’ve often seen Kluber have slow starts to seasons and then turn it on. I’m banking on that, and he should get it rolling against the Royals. If you are playing in GPP formats, though, I like the pivot to Luis Severino at home against the A’s if he is going to be lower owned. Keep an eye on our projected ownership tool as we get closer to lineup lock.
Ready to Get Going Against a Lefty?
While his usual lefty-mashing ways haven’t shown through so far in 2018, much of that is due to a .240 BABIP against lefties. His batted ball profile is still solid, and it’s clear that his batting eye is still there with a 13% walk rate and 15% strikeout rate against southpaws. By comparison, he has a 3.5% walk rate and 19% strikeout rate against RHP. He also got things going with three hits in the second game of yesterday’s double-header. Cruz will be a key piece of my builds today, and his right-handed teammates also get consideration against an underwhelming lefty.
All Aboard the Matt Moore Implosion Wagon
Matt Moore has been one of the worst starting pitchers in baseball this season, competing forcefully with Chris Tillman for the distinguished honor. His 13.5% strikeout rate is well below league average. His ground ball rate is in the tank. He’s allowing hard contact at a 50% clip, which is a mark that I don’t think I have ever seen this deep into the season. His xFIP is near 6.00. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. He can’t get anyone out, and Houston’s lineup is full of dangerous hitters from top to bottom. They are my favorite GPP stack, and I will opt for Altuve and Gurriel as my cash game core. Altuve gets the nod given his career success against lefties, while Gurriel will have a key spot in the middle of the lineup and remains very cheap — value that we desperately need today.
Other tagged players: Yulieski Gurriel Value on a Slate That Needs It
There isn’t a ton of value out there today, which is a problem since we have a lot of ace pitchers and stud hitters to target. Salary cap is going to be a major issue, so hunting for value is absolutely necessary. Rajai Davis has not been his usual self against LHP so far this season, but he is still finding his way to the leadoff spot from time to time against southpaws. Assuming he is in the leadoff spot today, he is a great source of value against a declining LHP in Danny Duffy and would be a core play for me. If he is hitting 9th, I may look to pivot to another dirt cheap value that gets a good lineup spot. I will update the core tags as appropriate if that happens.
Upside if you have the balls
This guy is about as safe as leaving Grant Neiffer as a house sitter. That being said, this guy has some filthy stuff. In the second half of last season Duffy owned a 23.3% K% and owns a 20% K% this year. This guy has the potential to K every single guy in the Indians lineup, but has the potential to get blown up by the end of the first inning. Duffy owns a 38% hard hit rate on the year (which I expect to regress toward the mean), but can easily be the highest scoring pitcher on the slate. Fade if you’re the faint of heart, but play if you love the upside.
Going From The Best To the Rest
Just look at the prices. If you look at them you will see Bundy was a top guy just 2 weeks ago. Bundy is a guy that has top tier stuff and simply relies on being on the right side of FB/HR variance every time and nailing it. Look at his last 2 starts though…Now that you’ve finished vomiting now, just know that he was priced at 9.9k on DK and is now a bare bones price of 5.5k (for reference he’s 1.5k more than ever single relief pitcher). Now to the numbers. Bundy has a 26.1% K% with a 7.1 BB% since the beginning of 2017 and is priced like the worst pitcher in the majors. he draws a matchup against the Rays who, outside of Duffy, does not have a single batter with a higher than a .360 wOBA. The biggest problem for Bundy has been giving up home runs to lefties, and there is not a single lefty bat that makes me worry about them leaving the yard. I have nothing more to say about one of the most talented pitchers in the majors, who happens to be priced like Chris Tillman on a hangover. Fade him if you hate yourself.
Start of Saturday's NYM-PHI game will be delayed due to rain
The start of the matchup between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night will be delayed due to rain. There’s yet to be any confirmation of an official start time, and the Phillies have not committed to a specific timeline for providing further updates. The late start is better news for the prospects of the starting pitchers like Noah Syndergaard not being pulled from his start early because of a mid-game delay, but as Kevin Roth has detailed in the latest update to his MLB weather forecast, the game is pretty risky all around and a late postponement cannot be fully ruled out.
As reported by: Jim Salisbury via Twitter
Start of Saturday's SF-PIT game will be delayed due to rain
The start of the matchup between the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night will be delayed due to rain. There’s yet to be any confirmation of an official start time, and the Pirates have not committed to a specific timeline for providing further updates. Since starting pitchers from this game weren’t realistic options for any daily fantasy formats, the late start won’t do much to add to their appeal, but the delay is obviously a potentially positive sign for hitters if the teams opt to play through any potentially additional precipitation. However, as Kevin Roth has detailed in the latest update to his MLB weather forecast, the game can realistically be expected to play through without a mid-game delay following the aforementioned late start.
As reported by: Adam Berry via Twitter Carlos Gonzalez scratched Saturday; Noel Cuevas replaces
Gonzalez has been scratched from the Colorado Rockies original confirmed lineup and will not start in Saturday’s matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers due to a manager’s decision. He’ll be replaced in the lineup by Noel Cuevas, who will play right field and slot into the sixth spot in the order, which will bump Trevor Story up to fourth and Ian Desmond up to fifth, respectively, while Gerardo Parra slides down one spot to seventh. It goes without saying that there have been some noteworthy changes to this Rockies order, so be sure to check out the updated lineup on the Starting Lineups page as they face off against left-hander Brent Suter at home this evening.
As reported by: Manny Randhawa via Twitter Chase Anderson (illness) scratched Saturday; Brent Suter will start
Anderson has been scratched from his previously scheduled start for the Milwaukee Brewers and will not pitch in Saturday’s matchup against the Colorado Rockies due to an illness. He’ll be replaced on the mound by left-hander Brent Suter, who will start and slot directly into Anderson’s ninth spot in the order, which means that the remainder of the Brewers lineup will stay intact as they face off against left-hander Kyle Freeland this evening. Obviously, with this game taking place at Coors Field, Suter isn’t a realistic daily fantasy option in any format, but since he is a not a right-handed pitcher like Anderson, his presence on the bump does alter the projected outlook of several Colorado hitters, so be sure to double check projections prior to submitting lineups for tonight’s main slate.
As reported by: the Milwaukee Brewers via Twitter Start of Saturday's KC-CLE game will be delayed due to rain
The start of the matchup between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians on Saturday afternoon will be delayed due to rain. There’s yet to be any confirmation of an official start time, and the Indians have not committed to a specific timeline for providing further updates. The late start is better news for the prospects of the starting pitchers like Mike Clevinger not being pulled from his start early because of a mid-game delay, and as Kevin Roth has detailed in the latest update to his MLB weather forecast, the delay isn’t expected to be significant and the teams should be able to play through any remaining precipitation later in the afternoon.
As reported by: Paul Hoynes via Twitter Start of Saturday's CHW-CHC game will be delayed due to rain
The start of the matchup between the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon will be delayed due to rain. There’s yet to be any confirmation of an official start time, though the system is not forecasted to make its way through the area until approximately 2:30 pm EST, and the Cubs have not committed to a specific timeline for providing further updates. The late start is better news for the prospects of the starting pitchers like Jon Lester not being pulled from his start early because of a mid-game delay, and as Kevin Roth has detailed in the latest update to his MLB weather forecast, the delay shouldn’t be significant and the teams should be able to play through any remaining precipitation later in the afternoon.
As reported by: Bruce Miles via Twitter Bradley Zimmer (bruised chest) scratched Saturday; Brandon Guyer replaces
Zimmer has been scratched from the Cleveland Indians original confirmed lineup and will not play in Saturday’s matchup against the Kansas City Royals due to a bruised chest. He’ll be replaced in the lineup by Brandon Guyer, who will play right field and slot directly into Zimmer’s vacated ninth spot in the order, which does move Greg Allen over to center field, but ultimately, the remainder of the Indians lineup stays intact as they face off against right-hander Jakob Junis at home this afternoon.
As reported by: Jordan Bastian via Twitter
I could stack these guys every day.. and today is no different.
The Braves have been really good to us all to start the season.. Today should be no different. The jury is still out on Jarlin Garcia and I think we will find he is a mediocre pitcher who had a few nice early season starts. Certainly not someone I am afraid to target against, especially with Atlanta. Against lefties so far this season the Braves are number 1 in the league in batting average and number 2 in slugging percentage. Albies and Acuna have been two of the best in baseball and Freeman has always been almost as good as lefties as he is righties. Throw in either Suzuki or Flowers and you have a nice low owned 4 man stack. The stadium isn’t ideal but the Braves are still one of the top stacks of the night.
Other tagged players: Ronald Acuna, Ozzie Albies, Tyler Flowers, Kurt Suzuki