Clayton Kershaw headlines Wednesday’s pitching options in DFS play
Tonight provides an 11-game slate with Clayton Kershaw leading the way. There is a significant drop in pitching after Kershaw. Chris Archer isn’t cheap at $10,600 and faces a stingy Royals lineup. If you’re going to pay up for Kershaw, you won’t be able to fit in many hitters from Toronto, Anaheim and Colorado. The lineup provided below will start you off with Kershaw and allow you to fit in bats that are in good positions for success.
A few games could have weather implications, but it’s too far out to know how severe they’ll be. Make sure to stay updated on the weather by following Kevin Roth on Twitter. He will have a full DFS forecast and is the only guy you should go to for MLB weather information.
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Pitcher
Clayton Kershaw – LAD – $12,500
Kershaw is the best pitcher and it isn’t even close. If you’re playing in a head-to-head or 50/50, you absolutely have to play him. He comes into this game as a -400 favorite in Vegas. He has 147 K’s, 11.61 K/9, 32.4 K% and a 2.55 FIP. He is a must start vs. the Phillies on Wednesday night.
Other Notables
Jason Hammel – CHI – $9,000
Michael Wacha – STL – $8,600
Trevor Bauer – CLE – $8,400
Andrew Cashner – SD – $7,100
Catcher
Josh Phegley – OAK – $2,800
Phegley has been a pleasant surprise for the Athletics and has been finding more playing time behind the plate. He will definitely be in the lineup vs. C.C. Sabathia and should be hitting right in the thick of it. Phegley has a .389 wOBA, 155 wRC+, .224 ISO vs. left-handed pitching this season.
Other Notables
Russell Martin – TOR – $3,300
Nick Hundley – COL – $3,100
Wellington Castillo – ARI – $2,900
Wilson Ramos – WAS – $2,900
Chris Iannetta – LAA – $2,700
Dioner Navarro – TOR – $2,300
First Base
Billy Butler – OAK – $2,600
First base is one of the positions you’re not going to be able to pay up for if you’re playing Kershaw. Butler gets a park boost in New York and faces C.C. Sabathia. Butler doesn’t have a ton of power, but he did go deep yesterday and comes into this game with a .330 wOBA, 113 wRC+, .183 ISO vs. left-handed pitching this season.
Other Notables
Paul Goldschmidt – ARI – $5,200
Albert Pujols – LAA – $4,800
Edwin Encarnacion – TOR – $4,400
Prince Fielder – TEX – $3,600
Jose Abreu – CWS – $3,600
Mark Teixeira – NYY – $3,400
David Ortiz – BOS – $3,200
Adam LaRoche – CWS – $2,300
Second Base
Enrique Hernandez – LAD – $2,300
Hernandez has been getting playing time vs. lefties and could be slated to hit leadoff vs. Adam Morgan. The Dodgers are a -400 favorite with the run total sitting at 6.5. Vegas expects most, if not all of the runs to come from the Dodgers tonight. Hernandez is close to minimum salary and comes in as a top play at second base if he is in the lineup. He has a .451 wOBA, 197 wRC+, .333 ISO this season vs. left-handed pitching. Those are elite numbers, especially for the position he qualifies at.
Other Notables
Jason Kipnis – CLE – $4,200
Howie Kendrick – LAD – $3,300
D.J. LeMahieu – COL – $3,300
Dee Gordon – MIA – $3,200
Johnny Giavotella – LAA – $2,900
Rougned Odor – TEX – $2,800
Danny Espinosa – WAS – $2,600
Aaron Hill – ARI – $2,400
Third Base
Josh Donaldson – TOR – $4,900
If you know anything about baseball, this pick doesn’t need much explanation. Donaldson ranks as the top option overall tonight. He has destroyed Danks in the past and it won’t be any different tonight – .443 wOBA, 187 wRC+, .329 ISO vs. lefties this season. Enough said.
Other Notables
Nolan Arenado – COL – $5,100
Todd Frazier – CIN – $4,00
Justin Turner – LAD – $3,400
Brett Lawrie – OAK – $2,900
Danny Valencia – TOR – $2,800
Adrian Beltre – TEX – $2,600
Pablo Sandoval – BOS – $2,500
Short Stop
Ian Desmond – WAS – $2,200
If you have Kershaw and Donaldson in your lineup you won’t be able to squeeze Tulowitzki in. Minimum salary is the route to take tonight at shortstop. Ian Desmond is in his contract year and has underperformed all year, but he draws a favorable matchup vs. Michael Lorenzen and has the talent to hit a home run.
Other Notables
Troy Tulowitzki – COL – $4,400
Carlos Correa – HOU – $4,100
Jose Reyes – TOR – $3,400
Erick Aybar – LAA – $3,200
Xander Bogaerts – BOS – $2,900
Elvis Andrus – TEX – $2,200
Outfield
Scott Van Slyke – LAD – $2,900
Kevin Kiermaier – TB – $2,600
Alexander Guerrero – LAD – $2,200
Scott Van Slyke is an elite play when he is in the lineup vs. left-handed pitching. Van Slyke owns a .414 wOBA, 171 wRC+, .242 ISO this season vs. lefties. He should be hitting fifth tonight and provides a ton of value.
Kevin Kiermaier draws a favorable matchup and will hit at the top of the order. Jeremy Guthrie cannot get lefties out. Guthrie has allowed a .410 wOBA this season to left-handed bats. Kiermaier is a solid option tonight and comes in with a .318 wOBA, 108 wRC+, .191 ISO vs. right-handed pitching.
Nobody knows what Don Mattingly will do with his lineup tonight. If he has any clue what to do, he will start Alex Guerrero tonight. He has 10 home runs in 151 at-bats. Adam Morgan should get lit up tonight and Guerrero provides the homerun potential at minimum salary. If he is not in the lineup, feel free to pivot towards Will Venable, Leonys Martin or Gregory Polanco.
Other Notables
Mike Trout – LAA – $5,600
Jose Bautista – TOR – $5,200
Bryce Harper – WAS – $4,900
Charlie Blackmon – COL – $4,600
Kole Calhoun – LAA – $4,300
Hanley Ramirez – BOS – $4,200
Mookie Betts – BOS – $3,900
Carlos Gonzalez – COL – $3,900
A.J. Pollock – ARI – $3,800
Yasmany Tomas – ARI – $3,500
Yasiel Puig – LAD – $3,300
Christian Yelich – MIA – $3,200
Mitch Moreland – TEX – $3,100
Billy Hamilton – CIN – $3,100
Michael Brantley – CLE – $3,000
Matt Joyce – LAA – $3,000
Justin Upton – SD – $2,800
Clint Robinson – WAS – $2,500
Will Venable – SD – $2,200
Leonys Martin – TEX – $2,200
Gregory Polanco – PIT – $2,200
FanDuel is offering a variety of tournaments tonight with a range of low-to-high dollar entry fees. Browse through the lobby and reserve your entries before they fill up. Always be sure to check lineups when they come out. You can find sneaky value plays when someone moves up in the lineup, especially if they’re playing in a favorable ballpark or facing a below average pitcher.
My Lineup for Wednesday July 8:
P: Clayton Kershaw – LAD – $12,500
C: Josh Phegley – OAK – $2,800
1B: Billy Butler – OAK – $2,600
2B: Enrique Hernandez – LAD – $2,300
3B: Josh Donaldson – TOR – $4,900
SS: Ian Desmond – WAS – $2,200
OF: Scott Van Slyke – LAD – $2,900
OF: Kevin Kiermaier – TB – $2,600
OF: Alexander Guerrero – LAD – $2,200
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Matthew Davis is a correspondent for FantasyPros. You can find more from Matthew by viewing his archive or following him @_mattywood_.
