A Cardinals stack might be a good idea tonight
Friday is finally here! We have a full slate to work with as we head into the weekend. It may be draft season for season long fantasy football, but there is still plenty of action to be had in this baseball season. Let’s take a look at a lineup for FanDuel.
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Pitcher
Gio Gonzalez (WAS): $8,100 vs. COL
When adjusted for park (wRC+), the Rockies rank 24th in the league against left-handed pitching, while they strike out at a 22.5% clip. Gonzalez’s strikeouts have been there for the majority of the season (8.66 K/9), and he’s actually seen an uptick in his fastball velocity as the season has progressed. By utilizing Gonzalez in a good matchup at home, we can spend more dollars on hitters tonight.
Other Notables
- Chris Sale (CWS): $10,700 vs. SEA (GPP)
- Felix Hernandez (SEA): $10,600 @ CWS (GPP)
- Justin Verlander (DET): $9,600 vs. LAA
- David Phelps (MIA): $7,000 vs. SD
Catcher
Welington Castillo (ARI): $3,200 vs. CIN
The Reds are sending Brandon Finnegan to the mound tonight, and that has to be music to the ears of the Arizona hitters. Finnegan is allowing a ton of hard contact, and he’s been getting destroyed by right-handed hitters this season. Castillo has some nice pop against lefties (.246 ISO since 2014), but he likely will be hurt by a spot lower in the batting order. Still, he’s my top ranked catcher as not only will he face a bad starter, but the Cincinnati bullpen is atrocious.
Other Notables
- Gary Sanchez (NYY): $3,400 vs. BAL (GPP)
- Russell Martin (TOR): $3,200 vs. MIN
- Brian McCann (NYY): $2,800 vs. BAL (if cleanup)
First Base
Paul Goldschmidt (ARI): $4,200 vs. CIN
First base is absolutely loaded tonight. I just got done picking on Brandon Finnegan, so let’s take a look at Goldschmidt’s numbers against left-handed pitching the last couple of seasons. Since 2014, the first baseman has posted a .460 wOBA/.246 ISO/191 wRC+ against lefties, which makes him my top overall play tonight, regardless of position.
Other Notables
- Edwin Encarnacion (TOR): $4,300 vs. MIN
- David Ortiz (BOS): $4,300 vs. KC
- Miguel Cabrera (DET): $4,200 vs. LAA
- Anthony Rizzo (CHC): $3,900 @ LAD (GPP)
- Joey Votto (CIN): $3,600 @ ARI
- Chris Davis (BAL): $3,600 @ NYY
Second Base
Darwin Barney (TOR): $2,600 vs. MIN
If Devon Travis is forced to miss another game, Barney should find himself atop the batting order again. The Blue Jays have a whopping 6.17 implied run total, so there should be all sorts of scoring chances tonight. Keep an eye out as lineups are released, and if he makes another start, utilize his salary relief in your roster construction.
Other Notables
- Daniel Murphy (WAS): $4,200 vs. COL (GPP)
- Ian Kinsler (DET): $3,900 vs. LAA
- Jose Altuve (HOU): $3,800 vs. TB
Third Base
Josh Donaldson (TOR): $4,200 vs. MIN
Donaldson is a certified lefty masher, posting an absurd .313 ISO since 2014. I noted the high team total for the Blue Jays, so you’ll definitely want exposure to them as they face a bad left-handed pitcher in Pat Dean. It’s a limited sample, but Dean has allowed a .388 wOBA and seven home runs in just 35.2 innings pitched to right-handed batters. Look for a monster night from Donaldson tonight.
Other Notables
- Manny Machado (BAL): $3,900 @ NYY (GPP)
- Jonathan Villar (MIL): $3,800 vs. PIT (GPP)
- Alex Bregman (HOU): $3,400 vs. TB
Shortstop
Troy Tulowitzki (TOR): $3,000 vs. MIN
I’m going back to the well one more time, as I love the Blue Jays in cash games tonight. Tulowitzki hasn’t decimated left-handed pitching like he once did, but he’s still put up a .340 wOBA/.193 ISO this season, which is nothing to run away from at this price.
Other Notables
- Trea Turner (WAS): $4,200 vs. COL (GPP)
- Carlos Correa (HOU): $3,900 vs. TB
- Francisco Lindor (CLE): $3,500 @ TEX
- Asdrubal Cabrera (NYM): $2,800 vs. PHI
Outfielders
Bryce Harper (WAS): $3,900 vs. COL
Outfield is incredibly deep in the mid-to-upper $3k range tonight, but I’m going to side with Harper, who has turned things on in the month of August (.344 AVG, but just two home runs). The Nationals have a healthy implied run total of 5.43 against Jeff Hoffman, who has a ZiPS projected ERA of nearly five.
Billy Hamilton (CIN): $3,000 @ ARI
Hamilton has a solid chance at four plate appearances on the road, with five not being out of the realm of possibility. Braden Shipley has struggled with control (3.63 BB/9), which has led to him being very hittable when you factor in his lack of strikeouts (5.71 K/9). This should lead to plenty of chances for Hamilton to get on base and run wild tonight.
Tommy Pham (STL): $2,800 vs. OAK
Pham has produced a .351 wOBA and .193 ISO against left-handed pitching, albeit in a limited sample. With that in mind, he would hold nice value if he leads off for the Cardinals tonight. Ross Detwiler has been destroyed in his last two starts, and he’s been awful against right-handed hitters in his career.
Other Notables
- Mookie Betts (BOS): $4,300 vs. KC (GPP)
- Mike Trout (LAA): $4,200 @ DET (GPP)
- Yoenis Cespedes (NYM): $3,900 vs. PHI
- Gregory Polanco (PIT): $3,900 @ MIL
- George Springer (HOU): $3,800 vs. TB
- Jose Bautista (TOR): $3,600 vs. MIN
- Stephen Piscotty (STL): $3,600 vs. OAK (GPP)
- Miguel Sano (MIN): $3,100 @ TOR
- Rajai Davis (CLE): $3,000 @ TEX
My Lineup
- SP – Gio Gonzalez (WAS): $8,100 vs. COL
- C – Welington Castillo (ARI): $3,200 vs. CIN
- 1B – Paul Goldschmidt (ARI): $4,200 vs. CIN
- 2B – Darwin Barney (TOR): $2,600 vs. MIN
- 3B – Josh Donaldson (TOR): $4,200 vs. MIN
- SS – Troy Tulowitzki (TOR): $3,000 vs. MIN
- OF – Bryce Harper (WAS): $3,900 vs. COL
- OF – Billy Hamilton (CIN): $3,000 @ ARI
- OF – Tommy Pham (STL): $2,800 vs. OAK
Adam Sutton is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Adam, follow him @DraftStars_Adam. You can find more of Adam’s work at DraftStars.net.
