After a two-day absence, I am happy to be back to talk fantasy baseball.
Having a guys retreat definitely was fun and nice way to recharge the ol’ DFS battery.
Today we have 12 games, but split into two slates with 6 early and 6 late games.
Both slates have a stud option at pitcher, and then you have to figure out that rest, at least for cash games.
We have a lot to dive into, so let’s get to it!
EARLY
Jose Abreu – 1B- Chicago White Sox – $4,500
Analysis: First base is loaded in both slates, but there are only a couple of 1B that really stand out in the early edition. That one guy is Abreu, who has been on fire in June. The White Sox take on a young gas came named Nik Turley, who has been dreadful this season. The White Sox are one of the top offenses against lefty pitching this season and are getting to play in a ballpark that is allowing a lot of runs this season. Abreu mashes lefties – .461 wOBA, .212 ISO and a 47% hard contact rate. Turley against RH bats – .509 wOBA, 41% hard contact rate.
Travis Shaw – 3B – Milwaukee Brewers – $4,300
Analysis: Josh Donaldson is going to be chalk and he should be. I am playing himself, but I also love me some Travis Shaw. He’s cheaper, playing in a hitter’s park against a pitcher who is bad against lefties. Shaw also has BvP against Ivan Nova – 4-for-6, 1 HR, 1 BB. Nova has been better against lefties this season, but has a 33% hard contact rate allowed and a very low .268 BABIP. The regression will come, and hopefully it starts today.
Carlos Gonzalez – OF – Colorado Rockies – $4,100
Analysis: After being so cheap the past couple of days, CarGo makes it back into the $4K range. He’s still a steal for a Coors bat, and he’s showing signs of life. Zack Godley is the opposing pitcher, but a pitcher in Coors at this time of the year is likely going to struggle. I think it’s time to keep riding the CarGo train before his price catches up to his production.
Avisail Garcia – OF – Chicago White Sox – $3,900
Analysis: The only person on the White Sox that has a higher wOBA against lefties. Garcia has a .470 wOBA, a .191 ISO and a 42% hard contact rate against southpaws. The White Sox are an awesome contrarian pivot from Coors today.
EVENING – A quick note here. I LOVE Rizzo, E5, Matt Adams (who should still be OF eligible) and Wilmer Flores at 1B today. I just didn’t want to pick one, but you should be using those 1B today.
Buster Posey – C – San Francisco Giants – $4,000
Analysis: Get ready, you are going to see a continual theme with the evening picks and it starts with Buster Posey….facing a lefty. Posey gets Jaime today in SunTrust Park, in the Atlanta heat. Posey has BvP against Garcia – 8-for-18 with a double and a home run. Now we get the matchup in a hitter’s park with one of the lone Giants’ bats who is worth a damn.
Logan Forsythe – 2B – Los Angeles Dodgers – $3,300
Analysis: I might be crazy with this pick, but Forsythe was once a guy we loved to use against lefties in DFS. Steven Matz isn’t a lefty I like to pick on, but from what I’ve seen, he’s not as good as people think he is. Forsythe has a nice little hit streak going, with multiple hit games too, so I like the punt option at 2B in his spot against Matz, who in limited action this season, is allowing 36% hard contact against RH bats.
Kris Bryant – 3B – Chicago Cubs – $4,900
Analysis: I love the Cubs against Jeff Locke today. I love Bryant against lefties and Locke is a lefty. If Javier Baez cracks the lineup, I am in there, too. Rizzo has awesome BvP against Locke, is leading off and no one will use him. Bryant has BvP too – 5-for-14, 1 HR, 6 walks. Locke sucks, so lock in the Cubs.
Nelson Cruz – OF – Seattle Mariners – $4,500
Analysis: He look, Cruz against a lefty. No way! See the theme now? Cruz and the Mariners face Daniel Norris, who is allowing a .346 wOBA and a 43% hard contact rate against RH bats. It’s not shocking that Cruz is 4-for-6 with a triple and a home run against Norris in 6 ABs.
Yoenis Cespedes – OF – New York Mets – $4,100
Analysis: You might see Alex Wood as the Dodgers’ starter tonight, but it’s actually Hyun-Jin Ryu, a steep downgrade from Wood. The Mets are priced like Wood is the pitcher, thus why I love Flores, and why I love Cespedes, who destroy lefties.
