Some days on DFS, it’s like standing sadly in the grocery store at 7 a.m. the morning after a long weekend (happy upcoming Canada Day, by the way, fellow Canadians!); i.e., the shelves are BARE. Other days, it’s as if you’ve been let loose in Whole Foods with a $500 gift card and everything’s on sale. [Sidebar: I may or may not be hungry at time of writing.] This is one of those latter days, people. One of those delirious days where the pitchers are good, many of the parks are pitcher-friendly, and there are bargains a-plenty to be had for your slate on FanDuel. I’m putting Jacob DeGrom at the top of my list today, but really I could just do the eenie-meanie-miny-mo thing over Streamonator’s top 10 and be reasonably happy about whomever I landed upon. Of course not all of them are cheap (that would be too much to ask), but let’s take a look at some options for hitters alongside all that sumptuous pitching.
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Jacob deGrom, SP: $11,700 – Today Jacob is the lobster, or perhaps the caviar or some other imported fishy thing, sitting atop your pile of groceries: pricey, yes, but worth it as a one-off treat. [Sidebar: some days I think about the actual players reading these blurbs (spoiler: they don’t) and wonder what on earth they would think of us.] He’s Streamonator’s number 1 pick today for his match-up against Miami (lobster-marlin FITE!). Yes, he coughed up 3 runs versus the Dodgers in his last outing, but I’m figuring today is going to go better. In the past he’s held 26th-ranked-in-all-of-MLB (hold on, we’re getting there) Miami to a .610 OPS and a 2.77 ERA (most of the damage done by Justin Bour; more on him below). In the same delicacy category, I’d put Gerrit Cole ($11,500) for his start in Tampa Bay, and Trevor Bauer in Oakland ($12,000). Any of those three should be rock(-lobster) solid, but luckily there are cheaper, less chalky plays that may put you atop your food chain.
Rich Hill, SP: $7,400 – Let’s face it, this could go either way, versus the Dodgers: will it be Riches beyond our wildest dreams, or Hill of beans? It’s risky, and that’s why he’s this price. However, Streamonator likes the start a lot — Hill is the sad robot’s 3rd-rated pitcher overall today — and I do too, given the Rockies’ 4-game losing streak and Hill’s generally good numbers at home.
Marco Gonzales, SP: $7,300 – I’m throwing this out there even though I know you’re all going to say “pfft” and move on, and really who could blame you: in his last 2 starts, he earned 6 and 5 runs, respectively. BUT. Those were in Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, again respectively. Streamonator pegs Gonzales as its 6th-place pitcher today, for the start versus the 29th-place Royals in the cavern that is Safeco Field. I actually like this a lot, too, and he’d be an under-the-radar play. Another, even cheaper option in the same category: Marcus Stroman ($6,200) versus the Tigers–just to note that Streamonator has Stro sitting 7th overall today…
Joe Musgrove, SP: $7,200 – So this is your possibly-even-riskier-but-cheap play. He’s been rough his last couple of times out, I know, and many of your FanDuel competitors may steer clear because of that. But let us bear in mind that today sees him squaring up against the 24th-place San Diego Padres, in San Diego. If that doesn’t offer hope for redemption, I don’t know what does.
Austin Romine, C: $2,300 – With Gary Sanchez on the DL, there’s an awfully good chance Romine will be in the lineup today versus the Red Sox’s Eduardo Rodriguez. He hasn’t faced Rodriguez a whole bunch, but when he has, he’s thwacked him around to a sweet 1.833 OPS, which includes a home run. He’s also hitting LHP to the tune of .296 this season, and he’s .317 at home in Yankee Stadium. Lastly, he costs a mere $2,300. With numbers like that, it’s a case of Romine, let us (sorry). It’s the big salad.
Sandy Leon, C: $2,300 – I realize I’m recommending two catchers who, if they play, will play against each other, but I don’t think it matters terribly much. As long as he’s in the lineup, Sandy “de” Leon is worth the fistful of dollars for his 1.017 OPS and 1 home run versus CC Sabathia. Another option, if you’d like to get out of the BOS@NYY (sounds like “Bosnia”; close, but it isn’t) loop? The also-hot John Ryan Murphy ($2,600).
Joey Votto, 1B: $4,300 – His hitting has been somewhat meh this season, but he’s starting to warm up and he’s been getting on base consistently, which is handy for DFS. Also, he has a nice history versus Milwaukee’s Chase Anderson: an 1.079 OPS and 7 BBs (I mentioned he’s getting on base, yeah? As in, leading the NL in walks?). Eric Thames ($3,900) is another slightly cheaper option, for his 1.042 OPS when facing Cincinnati’s Sal Romano.
Justin Bour, 1B: $3,000 – Here’s your cheap-ish 1B if you’re trying to save cash for pitching and/or bigger bats. Miami is, frankly, gross for hitters, but Bour has done weirdly well against my first-paragraph boo, Jacob deGrom: he has a 1.266 OPS against him. He has a lovely .371 OBP on the season, so he may get you some BBs at the very least.
Ian Kinsler, 2B: $3,100 – Baltimore’s David Hess is the very lowest-rated pitcher on Streamonator today, and you could probably do worse than stack some Angels in your FanDuel lineup. Meanwhile, Hittertron rates Kinsler as its very favorite 2B o’ the day (after Jose Ramirez, whom FanDuel counts as a 3B). He hasn’t been crazy hot, but he does love him some Camden Yards, where he’s hit a delicious .489 in 47 at-bats over 3 years.
Ketel Marte, 2B: $3,000 – I’m the pot (not the kind soon to be legal here in Canada; the lobster-boiling kind) calling this Ketel BACK, baby. In June he’s hit .324/.373/.706 with 5 home runs and 18 RBIs. Nom! There’s a chance for him to keep steaming on versus Andrew Suarez; he’s hitting .296 versus lefties.
Anthony Rendon, 3B: $3,800 – Grab Jose Ramirez ($5,000) if you can afford him, but you probably can’t, so you might look to Rendon instead. It’s a wee small sample size of 5 at-bats, but he still managed to work 1 home run in there versus Nick Pivetta. Rendon’s been so hot (FINALLY, says the girl who owns him in almost all her roto teams), and this match-up goes down in Philly, where Rendon’s hit .325 over 3 years.
Justin Turner, 3B: $3,400 – Another nice-but-pricy 3B option would be the super-hot Matt Carpenter ($4,000), who’s doubtless very excited for the lefty-righty match-up today versus Julio Teheran (they have a history in which Carpenter’s gone 6 for 12, 2 home runs). But again, to save cash, try Turner: in 18 at-bats, he’s squared up against Colorado’s lefty Tyler Anderson for a 1.460 OPS with 1 home run. I wish it were in Coors, but he still hits .296 at home, so, you know.
Alex Bregman, SS: $4,600 – He was pretty to watch in the recent Astros-Jays series (albeit depressing, as a Jays fan). He gets on first base and then he just keeps going. I like him for his hot-hot-hot June and for his 2.000 OPS versus the excellently named Wilmer Font. Not so much for this price, though. *cough*
Brandon Crawford, SS: $3,400 – I have two favorite shortstops on my roto teams: Crawford and Jean Segura ($3,800). Sure, they are not your Manny Machados ($4,300) or Trea’T “Yo’self” Urners ($3,600… actually, that’s not a bad price!), but they get it done. I’m looking to Brandon to continue that today, as he faces up against lefty Patrick Corbin: in 32 at-bats, he has a .917 OPS with 2 home runs at Corbin’s expense.
Mookie Betts, OF: $5,200 – M is for Mookie, and Mookie is for me. (…If only I could afford him.) He had a couple of down days post his DL stint, but he’s heating it up again now, plus he’s hitting .356 versus LHP this year. Ya, I probably wouldn’t start CC Sabathia in FanDuel today.
Justin Upton, OF: $3,900 – He’s not terrifically cheap, but he’s not in the Mookie stratosphere. He’s also Hittertron’s fourth-favorite chap overall today, for the match-up against the hapless David Hess of Baltimore.
Ryan Braun, OF: $3,200 – In 2 years of writing for Razzball (post #50 today, fact fans!), I don’t think I’ve ever recommended Braun [Sidebar: I’m too lazy to search so that may be a lie], so hold onto your hats: here’s A First. Braun has been at a low sizzle over the last week, smacking .333, and he has a nice 5-for-10 history versus the Reds’ Sal Romano. At this price, he could be worth slotting into your lineup so you can afford your Mookie Bettses and/or Mike Troutses.
Hunter Pence, OF: $2,200 – All right, this is your Hear Me OutTM play of the day. Yes, the Gangly Manbird (or “Underpants”, as he’s known in our house, owing to a tragic miscommunication when I was new to baseball, in which Dr. Easy said “Hunter Pence is at the plate”, and I heard something very different) has been horrible with a capital “H” and also capital every other letter, but he has faced LHP Patrick Corbin 38 times and hit him for 15 of them, so maybe? At this price? <smiles winningly>
Bonus: Marcell Ozuna, OF: $3,200 – Here’s a bonus OF for you, in case you can’t bring yourself to start Hunter Pence. In brief: OZUNA getting hot. OZUNA like Teheran: 17 for 42 and 3 home runs.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
Don’t tell the baseball gods, but at time of writing, it actually looks…pretty clear out there today. And wherever there is rain, there are also roofs. Which sounds like it should be some sort of proverb.
Doing Lines In Vegas
I mentioned Marcus Stroman in passing above; I have a good feeling about him, and so does Vegas, giving it to the Jays at -171 over the Liriano and the Tigers. Meanwhile, it’s leaning so heavily toward the Mets versus the Marlins it’s practically falling over: -233. Almost too close to call: Reds and Brewers, with the edge to the Reds at -104.
