We’re looking at a day with 12 games on the schedule, but only four during the evening, so make sure that you plan accordingly. Wake up, and take advantage of the early slate of games, people! But for today’s post, we are going to take a look at the later games, where there are still some tantalizing options.
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Straight to the cash, homie:
Chris Sale, P: $11,000 – There are plenty of offensive options in the evening games, but pitching is, well, not fun. Chris Sale is by far the best and subsequently most expensive option for today. He’s worth it, despite facing the stout Royals offense. Sale gave up six runs in 20 innings against the Royals last year, with a WHIP of 1.20 and a ERA of 2.70. Trust in Sale, bro.
Jess Chavez, P: $4,300 – From one end of the spectrum to the other, I’ll take the cheapest pitcher on the board to pair with Sale. Frankly, it’s because I’m not a fan of the others. I like Jake Odorizzi, but I’m going to fade him against the Red Sox to see how he handles the loaded lineup the first time around. Plus, he’s the second-highest priced pitcher of the evening. C.J. Wilson and Clay Buchholz are blah, and Yordano Ventura not only faces Sale, but he’s either going to get a cramp or challenge someone to a fight. I’d like to see him go after Jose Abreu, just to watch Abreu pop him like a pimple. Drew Hutchison isn’t appetizing in a matchup against the Orioles, and Chris Tillman is, well, Chris Tillman. So, Jess Chavez, you win by process of elimination. If I had to go another route, I would pay up for Odorizzi, whose numbers are legit early on.
Salvador Perez, C: $3,600 – He has a lifetime average of .297 off of Sale, and at his price point, it’s great value. If you’re looking for an alternate, aim for Stephen Vogt. He’s never faced Wilson, but he’s also a good value with high upside at $3,500.
Edwin Encarnacion, 1B: $5,300 – Did you know that E5 is only the third Blue Jay to reach the fifth deck of the Rogers Centre multiple times? What does it mean for fantasy, you ask? Well, absolutely nothing, but he is 12-38 lifetime against Tillman, with one homer. Encarnacion’s numbers, plus Tillman’s 40-plus percent flyball ratio makes E5 a must-play at home.
Ryan Flaherty, 2B: $3,300 – He’s going to be a staple in my DFS lineups while he has the job. He’s put up solid numbers thus far, and the price point is right in a matchup against Drew Hutchison. If you’re looking for a similarly priced alternate, Devon Travis looks to be healthy and back in the Toronto lineup.
Marcus Semien, 3B: $3,600 – I’m a believer in Semien, despite a not-so-hot start to the season. He’s a stronger hitter against southpaws (.277) over the course of his career than he is against right-handers, so I feel confident in rolling him out against the aforementioned Wilson.
Xander Bogaerts, SS: $3,500 – He’s hitting .319 to start the season, and even though the matchup against Odorizzi isn’t ideal, look at the rest of the options. Yeah, exactly.
Adam Jones, OF: $4,800 – Adam Jones is a DFS star. As long as they play on Thursday’s, he’s likely going to be in this column weekly. He’s only hitting .217 off of Hutchison in his career, but it’s a small sample size, with one of those hits being a home run.
Jose Bautista, OF: $5,100 – See, Bautista and Jones CAN get along, at least on my team. If not, I’ll look to trade one of them, because I’m a no-nonsense manager. Anyways, out of Toronto’s big three, Bautista has the worst numbers against Tillman, but I’m not shying away. The flyball ratio, the home ballpark and the alternate options make Bautista the call here.
Mike Trout, OF: $5,500 – I don’t get to to pay up for Mike Trout often — especially with the top pitcher in my lineup — so I’ll take advantage of it today. Yes, he’s facing Chavez, but that’s OK. While Chavez has done relatively well against the Halos, Trout is 4-11 with two homers off the veteran righty.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
The evening games will be fine, as there’s a perfect forecast in Chicago, and the other two venues are enclosed. In Anaheim, for the 4:05 p.m. EST start, there’s only a 20 percent chance of rain. All systems should be go.
Doing Lines In Vegas
It’s no surprise, but Toronto and Baltimore is the early points favorite, coming in at 8.5 for the over/under. Both offenses are sexy, but they haven’t been easy to predict so far this year for when they’ll go off. Bautista, Encarnacion and Jones are safe, and Josh Donaldson makes for an intriguing play, as well.
