Washington Nationals Stephen Strasburg
- The Straaaaaz has been getting absolutely crushed lately – last 3 starts (@COL, vs. ATL, vs. SF): 11.2 IP, 24 H, 19 ER, 6 BB, 18 K (0-3 record)
- Manny Machado (FD: $3800 – FD2: $8700) is 3-for-3 against The Straaaaaz lifetime, but as a whole, the current Orioles are only 6-for-38 against him (20 Ks in 38 ABs)
Baltimore Orioles Dylan Bundy
- Has never faced anyone on the Nationals, so that unfamiliarity could work in Bundy’s favor
- Got blasted in his last start (vs. BOS) – 9 H, 5 ER in 4.1 IP
- No one really stands out from the Nats lineup – but of course Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy and the one I’m finally coming around to, Trea Turner, all deserve your attention this evening
Houston Astros Doug Fister
- Allowed seven or more hits in four of his last five starts
- LHBs against Fister: .294 avg, 14 HRs – RHBs: .208 avg, 4 HRs (Gregory Polanco is batting fourth, Josh Bell is sixth…but that’s it for lefties in the Pirates lineup)
- Andrew McCutchen: 5-11 lifetime against Fister
Pittsburgh Pirates Jameson Taillon
- A guy that keeps the game within reach, it never gets crazy … but these Astros just had a fun time playing HR Derby in Baltimore this weekend
- Tallion does provide a great source of value, though … not too expensive on any site and also has the strikeout potential factor working for him – Other than the top four of the Astros lineup, the rest is a bit watered down and they have to bat the pitcher instead of the DH
- Check out this article from FantasyLabs about Taillon as well – you make like his chances after reading it
Boston Red Sox David Price
- Welcome back to Tampa (St. Petersburg), Mr. Price
- You’re going to see a lot of love for Price, and for good reason with Tampa striking out a ton against LHPs (25.5% – highest in MLB), but I’m going to be that a-hole and not roll with him tonight – Logan Forsythe is back, Blake Snell has been awesome lately…thus, not making the win a slam dunk like everyone is perceiving it to be
- Really like Evan Longoria and Logan Forsythe for low-owned one-offs in this game against a pitcher that has allowed a HR in four straight games
Tampa Bay Rays Blake Snell
- Snell has been excellent over his last few starts but he’s facing an offense that is loaded with pop, especially from the right side – Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez all great GPP options
- I really liked Aaron Hill at the beginning of the day, but he’s batting eighth and now I don’t
Colorado Rockies Chad Bettis
- On two-pitcher sites, Bettis is my SP2 without a doubt
- Yes, if you’re a recency bias freak, you’re going to hate his last three starts – 14 IP, 21 H, 10 ER, 6 K – howevahhh, these were against the Nationals, Rangers and Marlins…the Brewers suck and Bettis has had plenty of games with a fair amount of Ks
- Bettis also doesn’t have to face perennial bag-swiper/pain in the ass, Hernan Perez, tonight
Milwaukee Brewers Jimmy Nelson
- Great pitcher to target against tonight, especially in Miller Park
- Charlie Blackmon is OUT tonight, and David Dahl takes his place in the leadoff spot – If you listened to the pod today, you know how great I think that is … Don’t forget about DJ Lemahieu, Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado, who are all in tremendous spots tonight
Atlanta Braves Mike Foltynewicz
- We’ve seen this guy get blown up numerous times, especially on the road, and this time around he is ripe for the picking
Arizona Diamondbacks Zack Godley
- I’m not buying into the fact that Godley could be a nice value pitcher tonight – Vegas doesn’t think so, and I respect their opinion
- Love me some Nick Markakis, who is $2800 on FD (highway robbery)
Cleveland Indians Carlos Carrasco
- Last two starts: 19 Ks and no walks – however, he’s allowed eight hits in each of the two starts (accounted for 41 and 48 FD points – 24.20 and 24.95 on FD2 in those two)
- With Carrasco, you get a pitcher that is on the West coast where the weather is not as humid – kind of cold, in fact, (being right there on the bay) and that prohibits the ball from traveling further than it normally would … also a -176 favorite tonight
- The A’s are typically a pesky team, in terms of succumbing to strikeouts, but when Carrasco is on, it doesn’t matter who is at the plate
Oakland Athletics Andrew Triggs
- Don’t know much about Triggs at all, but I’m not going bananas with Indians bats…Take a lefty here or there, but it’s not highly recommended
New York Yankees Michael Pineda
- I like Pineda much better at home than on the road, but I don’t see a good enough reason to roll him out tonight against this M’s lineup
Seattle Mariners Cody Martin
- The Yanks bats are HOT HOT HOT and I like them all at their discounted price across the industry – if I had a child, I would love the Yanks bats as much as him/her
- Really like Brian McCann tonight, absolutely love the way he’s been swinging lately … the rest of the Baby Bombers (especially Gary Sanchez) are in play as well
Chicago Cubs Jon Lester
- Lester should be the hands down pitcher to roster tonight – with the departures of Matt Kemp and BJ/Melvin Upton, the Padres have more lefties than competent righties at the plate
- Recently, they have gotten rung up by the likes of Drew Smyly, Blake Snell and Robbie Ray – Lester trumps all of those fools
- There’s always a risk of Lester letting opposing base runners simply walk around the base paths, but I think he’ll be able to keep them off tonight
San Diego Padres Edwin Jackson
- Fiiiiiiiinally this idiot gets blasted in his last start, like we all knew he would eventually
- Cubs bats are probably a good idea, Ben Zobrist and Miguel Montero have good BvP history against E-Jax