Before we begin: a large, AROOGA-AROOGA caveat to this post. I’m writing it in advance without knowing whether more games will be postponed today, owing to the protests over racial justice. All this to say, please be sure to check your line-ups before start of play. Should everything go ahead, FanDuel is offering us a slate of 6 games (starting at 6:37 ET) — to accommodate the double-headers, I suspect — which slims down our options somewhat, but let’s look at what we can do within those parameters. Because I started this post really far in advance, I was originally going to tell you to play Zac Gallen at home, where he holds a 2.37 ERA, versus the Rockies. He’ll also give you Ks and his WHIP is pretty good. But he’s not part of today’s slate on FanDuel, so I’ll just say now, if you have the opportunity to play him anywhere in a DFS or roto league, give him a shot! As it stands, pitching is a little ouch-it-hurts on this slate. With any luck, your competitors will flock to Max Scherzer ($10,600) for their pitching needs, but I prefer Hyun-Jin Ryu ($9,100). Buffalo is starting to look like a hitting park, but Boston’s offense is limited other than Mitch Moreland (who likely won’t face LHP).
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Chris Bassitt, SP: $7,800 – If you decide to save money on pitching and stock up on batters instead, give Bassitt a look. I’m flying in the face of Streamonator here — after Scherzer and Gallen (sigh), it likes Matthew Boyd ($7,300), who will get you Ks and could indeed be on the verge of turning things around after a shaky start — but I think I trust Bassitt a little more. Given Oakland’s good showing, he might get you a win, and the Texas ballpark is fairly good for pitchers.
Matt Olson, 1B: $3,500 – Low average (.175) plus power (10 HRs!) evens out to equal this FanDuel price for Olson today. I’d give him a look for his donkey ways, the lefty-righty match-up versus Jordan Lyles, and the love from Hittertron, which has him as its top 1B of the day.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B: $3,200 – Vladdy had a slow start to the season but is starting to pick it up — perhaps happy to be back in Buffalo without even being demoted. The home runs are scarce, but he’s hitting and his average and RBIs are creeping up; last night, he even managed 2 doubles. The price is pretty good, too. I like him for this match-up versus Boston’s spot-starter Chris Mazza.
Jonathan Schoop, 2B: $3,100 – Schoop has been hitting consistently lately (.300 AVG, 7 HRs) and should be good for a couple more at home in Detroit, versus Randy Dobnak, whose numbers, I think, look better than he actually is.
Howie Kendrick, 2B: $2,900 – Hittertron is all over Kendrick today, ranking him high in 1B, 2B or 3B, but in FanDuel, we only get to slot him in at 2B, and I would do so as long as he plays. Especially at this decent price. He’s not hitting for power (only 1 HR), but he is hitting steadily, with a .302 average.
Yandy Diaz, 3B: $2,800 – 3B is a struggle today, TBH. Hittertron suggests Matt Chapman ($3,700) and Rafael Devers ($3,300), but I’m a bit meh about both. So I might punt 3B and keep it cheap with a lefty-righty match-up: Yandy Diaz versus Baltimore’s John Means.
Trea Turner, SS: $3,900 – He’s on the pricey side but that’s how it goes when you TreaT Yo’self; he’s Hittertron’s top overall, hands-down, any-position favourite player today, for the match-up versus Spencer Howard. I’m going to take all the money I saved on 3B and spend it here. Howard’s debut did not go so well and today might be better for him, but the fact remains that Turner is hitting RHP for .321 — and any pitching at all for an average of .309 — and has reached base for 14 games in a row, sooooo….
Jorge Polanco, SS: $2,800 – Here’s your cheaper SS option. I’d give him a look for the price and the fact that he’s hitting .313 versus lefties like Matt Boyd this year. Again, I’m on the fence about Boyd for today, but I can’t ignore the fact that in 39 at-bats, Polanco has whacked 2 HRs off Boyd, with an OPS of .804.
Juan Soto, OF: $4,500 – Here’s another one you might want to pay up for. Hittertron’s top OF of the day has a very nice lefty-righty match-up (he’s hitting .405 versus RHP) in Spencer Howard. What’s more, he’s hitting .323 at home.
Michael Conforto, OF: $3,000 – A mid-range pick so you can maybe have your Turners and your Sotos! But also, here’s another left-hand batting meets right-hand pitching opportunity as the Mets take on Miami’s Sixto Sanchez.
Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., OF: $2,900 – This suggestion is mostly a price pick alternative so we can ease in one of those big names, but Lourdes has been good for double-digit FanDuel points for the last 4 games, and again, Buffalo is looking like a hitting park and Chris Mazza someone whom the Jays might hit, within it.
Ramon Laureano, OF: $2,800 – Another price pick, but also because in consulting the Hittertron oracle, and after wading into the weeds to find an OF actually playing on FanDuel today, Laureano was next after Juan Soto: OF no. 8. Also also, Laureano hasn’t been raking since he came back from his suspension, but has an excellent chance of turning it around versus the Rangers’ Jordan Lyles and his 9.25 ERA.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
“Humid and partly cloudy” (gross) is the forecast for several places in the east today, with only rain threatening for the Buffalo Blue Jays. Here’s hoping the rain keeps away. (And thinking especially of anyone staring down hurricanes … and anything else right now. Stay safe. [Man, it feels like we’ve said that a lot this year, doesn’t it.])
Doing Lines In Vegas
Vegas is preeeeeeetty sure that the Nationals (Scherzer) are going to beat the Phillies (Spencer Howard) today, at -212 (that’s a 67.9% chance, math fans!). Like me, it’s a little on the fence about Detroit versus Minnesota, ultimately giving the edge to Matt Boyd at -130 (58.7%) over Randy Dobnak. It’s a little surer of itself for Chris Bassitt and the A’s to take it over Jordan Lyles and the Rangers: -153 (60.4%).
