Alejandro De Aza Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

Noah Syndergaard and the Mets take on the Diamondbacks today and "Thor" is the top SP option today as he gets a favorable matchup against a team that is ranked 17th or worse in team wOBA, ISO, and K% against RHP. Syndergaard has a SIERA below 3 with a K rate of 30%. Vegas agrees and has given the Dbacks a projected run total of under three while making the Mets -240 favorites. While there is merit to fading Syndergaard in GPP's (probably wise to have some exposure though), he's the obvious cash game play. The Mets face Brandon Shipley who has struggled in his first three starts. It's a good matchup for them but it's hard to figure out who to target from a mediocre lineup. Alejandro De Aza is a cheap option leading off as Curtis Granderson gets the day off and he's worth considering along with Neil Walker, Jay Bruce, and James Loney at the top of the lineup. Michael Conforto bats sixth and is also in play.

Nathan Eovaldi has shown off a brand new Cutter since returning to the rotation a few weeks ago. It's given him the same 50% ground ball rate, but a reduction in hard contact (25.9% last three starts). That, however, has come at the cost of strikeouts (6.9 K-BB% last three starts). The Mets lose Cespedes, but that may actually hurt Eovaldi today as they lineup up seven LHBs, whom have a .391 wOBA against him at home this year. Neil Walker (111 wRC+, .170 ISO vs RHP since 2015) has been on fire (247 wRC+, 41.4 Hard% last seven days) and may be the value play at Second Base today at $3.7K or less on either site. Curtis Granderson (138 wRC+, .223 ISO vs RHP since 2015) hit a popup HR last night and has two in eight PAs against Eovaldi in his career. Michael Conforto (130 wRC+, .245 ISO vs RHP career) is very cheap today and Alejandro DeAza (103 wRC+, .153 ISO vs RHP since 2015) has a 195 wRC+, 54.6 Hard% over the last week.

Junior Guerra hasn't been bad (3.61 ERA, 4.05 SIERA, 22.7 K%, 11.6 SwStr%), but it didn't appear as if he'd be able to hold his 8.7 HR/FB with a 37.0 Hard%. The Mets initially appeared to have a bit too much firepower against him (although he's shown a reverse platoon split so far - .373 wOBA vs RHBs). In a lineup with Alejandro de Aza (109 wRC+ vs RHP since 2015) batting 2nd and James Loney batting cleanup (92 wRC+ vs RHP since 2015), he may deserve a 2nd look for just $7K. Incidentally, both of those bats are just $2.2K on FanDuel and need to be considered under the circumstances, especially with all of the expensive pitching on the board. Granderson and Cespedes both have a 141 wRC+ vs RHP with an ISO above .225 vs RHP since last season, though both are $4.4K or higher on DK.

Curtis Granderson gets the day off after playing both ends of a DH yesterday and a slumping Michael Conforto (147 wRC+, .268 ISO vs RHP) bats 2nd tonight as Pirates star prospect Jameson Taillon makes his debut. Unfortunately, he costs $8.9K on DraftKings and is not even available on FanDuel, diminishing his daily fantasy usefulness. There has been no word about a pitch count (91 pitchers or more four of last five starts) and this is a pitcher who has returned from a two year absence (two different surgeries) to post a 23.3 K-BB% in 62 AAA innings this year, but DraftKings appears to be pricing him as if that will immediately translate over to the majors. Against a tired and slumping Mets offense, he could start his career strong. We're not looking to attack him, but if you're looking to punt an OF spot, Alejandro De Aza (110 wRC+ vs RHP since 2015) bats leadoff for $2.4K or less tonight.

De Aza will get an opportunity to lead off which would be a good thing on most days. Today, however, De Aza is facing Jose Fernandez. Fernandez has been electric in recent starts and is whiffing LHBs 26.2% of the time. De Aza only strikes out 1/4 of the time against RHPs, but Fernandez is elite, so consider De Aza the most high risk of contrarian value plays today.

Alejandro De Aza will face Tyler Chatwood in Colorado today. De Aza has been productive against right-handed pitchers, finishing 2015 with a wOBA of 0.345 against RHP, and all seven of De Aza's stolen bases were off of RHPs. Tyler Chatwood, like many Rockies pitchers before him, is learning the consequence of pitching half of his starts at Coors Field. Chatwood's home wOBA against left-handed batters is 0.457, compared to his much smaller wOBA of 0.102 on the road. De Aza makes for a viable value play, as he will try and take advantage of the Coors Field bump.

Jon Moscot should be a punching bag tonight with an 8.3 K% and 5.03 ERA with estimators running a run higher. The question is only which Mets batters to use. Conforto (155 wRC+, .275 ISO) is obvious name even with his price increasing finally. He has a 60.0 Hard% over the last week. With Granderson and Cespedes out, Alejandro De Aza (110 wRC+ vs RHP since 2015) lands in the coveted leadoff spot. David Wright is swinging and missing too often, but punishing what he makes contact with (54.6 Hard% last seven days, 256.35 foot avg distances this season). Lucas Duda (127 wRC+, .232 ISO vs RHP) and Neil Walker (116 wRC+, .187 ISO vs RHP) can round out any stacks. Both have a 150+ wRC+, 35+ Hard% over the last week.