Darwin Barney Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections
Three LH Detroit bats are below $3K on either site against Pelfrey (LHBs .373 wOBA since 2015)
Unlike most of the week, Friday is not lacking in affordable bats all over the lineup, which is great considering the pitchers many will be paying up for. The top value spot is certainly in Detroit, where the Tigers are forced to play cheap LHBs against Mike Pelfrey (LHBs .373 wOBA since 2015). Ty Collins (108 wRC+, .159 ISO vs RHP since 2015) bats 2nd, while Alex Avila (113 wRC+, .167 ISO) bats lower in the lineup, but Catcher is generally a position players are willing to go a bit further down for to save salary. Both, along with Jim Adduci (259 wRC+ last seven days) are all below $3K on either site. Matt Joyce (123 wRC+, .219 ISO vs RHP since 2015) is back in the two spot for the A's ($2.5K or less), while Jaff Decker leads off for barely the minimum. Darwin Barney is in the two spot for the Jays tonight and just above the minimum on either site. Joey Rickard (121 wRC+, .172 ISO vs LHP) costs the minimum on FD ($2.9K on DK) out of the leadoff spot against Sabathia. Players can also watch the Dodger lineup to see if Cody Bellinger is in the leadoff spot again ($3.1K DK, $2.3K FD) with massive power potential.
Ryan Merritt has not struck out more than 16% of batters at any stop above A-ball
Ryan Merritt is one of two rookie starters today, but at least Urias has some major league experience and a strong pedigree. Merritt has one major league start and has struck out just six of 37 major league batters. In over 300 innings of AA and AAA experience since the start of 2015, he's had a strikeout rate below 16% at every single stop and stint. Nearly immaculate control is the reason he's even made it to the majors. The Blue Jays had a 108 wRC+ and .185 ISO at home this season, but were just league average (100 wRC+, .168 ISO) vs LHP to the surprise of most people this year. Aside from having the advantage of being an unknown quantity, the Jays should have a major edge here against the soft-tossing rookie. Encarnacion (142 wRC+, .275 ISO vs LHP) and Donaldson (150 wRC+, .240 ISO vs LHP) have to be considered two of the top bats on the board today, while Melvin Upton (132 wRC+, .258 ISO vs LHP) and Jose Bautista (103 wRC+, .209 ISO) are the only other batter in the lineup that can boast either an ISO above .165 (Troy Tulowitzki) or wRC+ above 109 (Darwin Barney) vs LHP.
Devon Travis has been scratched from the Blue Jays lineup
Travis was scratched from the Toronto lineup due to "right knee irritation", according to the club. Darwin Barney will replace him at 2B and bat ninth. Ezequiel Carrera gets the bump all the way to lead off from the nine-hole and is certainly in consideration if fading Yu Darvish in any format.
Barney bats leadoff with Travis OUT as Blue Jays host Tyler Skaggs
Tyler Skaggs is probably better than a 5.19 ERA this season. His .372 BABIP comes with a 28.8 LD%, but he's successfully limited hard contact according to a 25.9 Hard% and 22.2 Soft%, but his 22.9 K% is not supported by a 7.0 SwStr% and he's in a difficult spot against a heavily RH lineup with power in Toronto. The Blue Jays have a 110 wRC+ at home, 106 wRC+ vs LHP and 124 wRC+ over the last week. For his career, RHBs have a .322 wOBA against Skaggs, just a bit higher than LHBs (.309), but also 22 of his 25 HRs surrendered and a 31.3 Hard%. The Blue Jays are projected for 4.8 runs and Darwin Barney (101 wRC+ vs LHP since 2015) becomes very interesting in the leadoff for the minimum price on DK ($2.4K on FanDuel). There are also four other bats with a 140 or better wRC+ vs LHP this season in Donaldson, Encarnacion, Upton and Saunders. Donaldson (.236 ISO) is the only one of the four with an ISO below .300 vs LHP this season. That's right, Michael Saunders has a 160 wRC+ and .323 ISO vs LHP this season. He's dropped to eighth tonight, but tournament players should note that he costs just above $3K on either site.
Josh Donaldson scratched Monday, Darwin Barney now batting 8th and playing 3B
This takes the Toronto offense down a few pegs. Doug Fister is certainly not a recommended target after this news, but it makes the Jays a much tougher team to feel comfortable stacking in GPPs. Darwin Barney will now bat 8th and play 3B.
Melvin Upton missing from the updated Blue Jays lineup
The top of the Blue Jays lineup will continue to be right-handed as usual as the Jays face off against Chris Tillman. With Upton missing from the lineup, another right-handed bat, Darwin Barney, will bat 9th and play 3B.
Barney leads off, Tulo cleans up with Martin OUT at home against LH Paxton
James Paxton throws hard and misses an above average rate of bats, but has not been able to generate any weak contact (9 Soft% with a 33.1 Hard%). He could be in trouble here against a hard hitting Toronto team that has made some alterations to the lineup even though Paxton has a reverse platoon split with LHBs hammering him for a .409 wOBA and 42.3 Hard%. Michael Saunders has just a -17 wRC+ and 11.1 Hard% since the break, but might be the most interesting bat in the lineup, as he's hammered LHP this year (157 wRC+, .302 ISO), but moves down to 5th in the order. RHBs have a more average .305 wOBA (28.5 Hard%). Donaldson (182 wRC+, .310 ISO vs LHP since 2015) and Encarnacion (139 wRC+, .268 ISO vs LHP since 2015) are always top bats against lefties, but very expensive. Troy Tulowitzki (121 wRC+, .192 ISO vs LHP since 2015) and Darwin Barney (106 wRC+ vs LHP since 2015) are now great values for $3.3K or less on either site in much stronger lineup spots.
Donaldson returns at DH
Josh Donaldson makes his way back to the lineup, though at DH, not 3B for the Blue Jays. Marcus Stroman, a pronounced ground ball pitcher might miss his defense at 3B, but the effect shouldn't be felt too hard as his replacement, Darwin Barney, is more known for his glove than his bat anyway. Justin Smoak, the expected DH vs RHP on most nights takes a seat on the bench.