Tonight’s 15-game slate is among the most difficult I’ve seen all season for cash games. There are a number of quality pitchers, but all come with significant question marks. There is not much in the way to work with in terms of offensive value plays, nor is there a stack or superstar that ought to be locked into every lineup. Let’s take a look at how I decided how to approach it:
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Pitcher
Patrick Corbin (ARI) : $9,500 vs SDP
Corbin and the Diamondbacks are big favorites tonight at -225. San Diego’s offense has been abysmal all season, and while Corbin’s last start didn’t notch a quality start (it was at Coors), his previous 5 all did, and he has seen at least 49 points in every single one of them. Tonight, he is the safest play, even with Max Scherzer, Chris Archer and Yu Darvish on the slate.
Catcher
Travis d’Arnaud (NYM): $2,600 vs CIN
The Mets’ catcher, who has been batting in the middle of the order with all of the injuries in New York, and he has multiple hits in each of his last two starts. He hasn’t had a good season, but he is crushing lefties again this season, to a clip of .324/.400/.563.
First Base
Jose Abreu (CHW) : $3,300 vs SFG
First base is one of the few spots with plenty of strong options, but Abreu takes the cake. Matt Moore is on the mound for the Giants, and has a 6.88 ERA in away games this season. Abreu, meanwhile, is batting .374/.430/.659 against lefties so I consider him the top play on the slate.
Second Base
Robinson Cano (SEA) : $3,500 vs LAA
Tonight, second base is a dumpster fire. Fortunately, we have Cano who has 10 hits, 2 homers and 7 RBI in his previous 5 games. Ricky Nolasco is on the mound for the Angels tonight so Seattle’s implied total, as you might expect, is right around 5.00.
Third Base
Josh Donaldson (TOR): $3,700 vs DET
After a sluggish start, Donaldson posted a 1.132 OPS in August and has stayed hot early this month. Buck Farmer is pitching tonight against the Blue Jays, and while he has had a few strong starts, his season ERA is now up at 7.18. He is the easiest pitcher to pick on this evening, and Donaldson is the top play for the Jays.
Shortstop
Corey Seager (LAD) : $2,800 vs COL
Seager has been out of the lineup, but will be coming back tonight. He hasn’t hit a homer in over a month but that could change this evening with German Marquez pitching outside of Coors against the Dodgers tonight. We won’t get the all-star this cheap ever again.
Outfield
A.J. Pollock (ARI) : $3,800 vs SDP
David Peralta (ARI): $3,400 vs SDP
Harrison Bader (STL) : $2,400 vs PIT
The Diamondbacks have the highest implied total on the slate tonight at 5.82 against the Padres’ Jordan Lyles. This season, Lyles carries a 6.71 ERA and has surrendered 11 homers in just 51 innings. After tearing up righties to a .325/.384/.552 tune in his last full season, Peralta is back at it this year with a .308/.358/.475 line this year. At this price point and against a lackluster pitcher such as Lyles, he ought to be started any night. Pollock has been blazing lately with at least 9 points in 12 of his previous 15 games including 12+ in 7 out of his last 8.
Bader has been on the prospect radar for a while after knocking the ball out of minor league ballparks, and since being called up, he is producing at the big league level too. Bader is batting .326/.360/.565 over his first 50 plate appearances which has earned him a spot at the top of the Cardinals lineup. Tonight, they go against Trevor Williams, who has allowed lefties to hit .295 against him this season.
Other Top Options (in order)
- Giancarlo Stanton (OF – MIA): $4,500 @ ATL
- Francisco Lindor (SS – CLE): $4,100 vs BAL
- Justin Upton (OF – LAA): $3,400 @ SEA
- Jose Ramirez (2B – CLE): $3,900 vs BAL
- Jake Lamb (3B – ARI): $3,000 vs SDP
- George Springer (OF – HOU): $3,900 @ OAK
- J.D. Martinez (OF – ARI): $4,000 vs SDP
- Edwin Encarnacion (1B – CLE): $4,200 vs BAL
- Starlin Castro (2B – NYY): $3,300 @ TEX
- Ryan Zimmerman (1B – WAS): $3,500 vs PHI
- Carlos Gonzalez (OF – COL): $3,000 @ LAD
- Paul DeJong (SS – STL): $3,000 vs PIT
- Justin Smoak (1B – TOR): $3,400 vs DET
- Evan Longoria (3B – TBR): $3,400 @ BOS
- Austin Jackson (OF – CLE): $3,300 vs BAL
- Brian Dozier (2B – MIN): $4,400 @ KCR
- Gary Sanchez (C – NYY): $3,600 @ TEX
- Josh Reddick (OF – HOU): $3,500 @ OAK
- Buster Posey (C – SFG): $3,300 @ CHW
- Travis Shaw (3B – MIL): $3,100 @ CHC
- Brandon Crawford (SS – SFG): $3,000 @ CHW
- Eddie Rosario (OF – MIN): $3,500 @ KCR
- Joc Pederson (OF – LAD): $2,700 vs COL
- Yan Gomes (C – CLE): $3,000 vs BAL
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