A lot of weak starting pitchers will take the mound Sunday as guys fall out of the rotation due to injury or ineffectiveness. In general when there are a lot of favorable matchups I like to spend less on my hitters, trusting that even weaker batters can take advantage of guys like Aaron Blair and Justin Nicolino. That is certainly a viable strategy in Sunday’s slate, but not the only one. There are a lot of expensive bats I like a lot as well, and I will almost certainly end up with at least a few of them in my lineups.
| CATCHER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Team | POS | Bats | H/A | Opp | Probable Pitcher | Throws | AB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | ISO | BB% | K% | GB% | FB% | LD% | HR/FB | BABIP | FD | DK | Aces |
| Kurt Suzuki | MIN | C | R | A | TOR | R.A. Dickey | R | 288 | 0.28 | 0.323 | 0.43 | 0.75 | 0.326 | 0.15 | 4.50% | 12.20% | 42.30% | 35.90% | 21.80% | 6.70% | 0.304 | $2,300 | $2,900 | $3,450 |
| James McCann | DET | C | R | H | LAA | Tyler Skaggs | L | 262 | 0.22 | 0.274 | 0.38 | 0.652 | 0.289 | 0.16 | 6.60% | 28.30% | 45.10% | 38.70% | 16.20% | 16.40% | 0.272 | $2,800 | $3,400 | $4,150 |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia | DET | C | B | H | LAA | Tyler Skaggs | L | 199 | 0.19 | 0.307 | 0.39 | 0.699 | 0.308 | 0.2 | 14.70% | 35.70% | 28.00% | 53.40% | 18.60% | 17.50% | 0.252 | $2,400 | $3,100 | $3,850 |
| Buster Posey | SF | C | R | H | ATL | Aaron Blair | R | 418 | 0.3 | 0.369 | 0.46 | 0.824 | 0.354 | 0.16 | 10.30% | 11.20% | 49.60% | 28.50% | 21.90% | 11.70% | 0.313 | $3,500 | $4,100 | $4,700 |
Kurt Suzuki is 5-for-13 with a home run against R.A. Dickey.
All of the right-handed Tigers’ batters I liked for Saturday are in play Sunday as well. That starts with James McCann, but I would be fine with Jarrod Saltalamacchia if McCann gets the day off.
Buster Posey is 10-for-17 during his five-game hitting streak. He is cheaper than Gary Sanchez and has a better matchup.
| FIRST BASE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Team | POS | Bats | H/A | Opp | Probable Pitcher | Throws | AB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | ISO | BB% | K% | GB% | FB% | LD% | HR/FB | BABIP | FD | DK | Aces |
| Anthony Rizzo | CHI | 1B | L | A | LA | Brock Stewart | R | 465 | 0.3 | 0.396 | 0.56 | 0.953 | 0.404 | 0.26 | 11.60% | 15.60% | 39.70% | 40.50% | 19.80% | 16.80% | 0.318 | $3,800 | $5,200 | $5,450 |
| Mike Napoli | CLE | 1B | R | A | TEX | Derek Holland | L | 452 | 0.26 | 0.34 | 0.5 | 0.838 | 0.363 | 0.24 | 10.90% | 31.30% | 37.40% | 39.80% | 22.80% | 25.20% | 0.327 | $3,400 | $4,000 | $4,900 |
| Joey Votto | CIN | 1B | L | A | ARI | Archie Bradley | R | 427 | 0.31 | 0.435 | 0.53 | 0.962 | 0.406 | 0.22 | 17.60% | 20.30% | 45.20% | 27.10% | 27.70% | 24.70% | 0.367 | $4,100 | $5,000 | $5,300 |
| Albert Pujols | LAA | DH | R | A | DET | Anibal Sanchez | R | 487 | 0.26 | 0.32 | 0.44 | 0.764 | 0.33 | 0.19 | 8.30% | 11.70% | 46.70% | 36.10% | 17.20% | 16.60% | 0.249 | $3,600 | $4,400 | $4,700 |
| Victor Martinez | DET | DH | B | H | LAA | Tyler Skaggs | L | 452 | 0.31 | 0.358 | 0.5 | 0.86 | 0.366 | 0.2 | 7.50% | 14.20% | 38.10% | 36.80% | 25.10% | 16.50% | 0.318 | $3,500 | $3,900 | $5,000 |
Joey Votto is 8-for-20 over the last week, and there is no reason to believe Archie Bradley will slow him down.
Anthony Rizzo is 9-for-22 over the last week.
Mike Napoli is 5-for-15 with two home runs against Derek Holland.
Victor Martinez is 9-for-18 during his five-game hitting streak.
Albert Pujols is 8-for-24 against Anibal Sanchez and 8-for-17 during his four-game hitting streak.
Steve Pearce is 5-for-12 with a home run against CC Sabathia.
Wil Myers has a .916 OPS against left-handed batters, and he is your best bet if you want some exposure to Justin Nicolino.
| SECOND BASE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Team | POS | Bats | H/A | Opp | Probable Pitcher | Throws | AB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | ISO | BB% | K% | GB% | FB% | LD% | HR/FB | BABIP | FD | DK | Aces |
| Brian Dozier | MIN | 2B | R | A | TOR | R.A. Dickey | R | 485 | .270 | .341 | .538 | .879 | .371 | .268 | 8.80% | 16.80% | 36.20% | 48.10% | 15.70% | 16.00% | .274 | $3,700 | $4,700 | $5,000 |
| Daniel Murphy | WSH | 2B | L | H | COL | Chad Bettis | R | 459 | .346 | .390 | .612 | 1.002 | .421 | .266 | 6.20% | 10.00% | 37.60% | 39.60% | 22.70% | 15.90% | .344 | $4,200 | $5,400 | $5,350 |
| SD | 3B | L | A | MIA | Justin Nicolino | L | 183 | .235 | .360 | .601 | .961 | .400 | .366 | 14.40% | 28.40% | 24.20% | 60.00% | 15.80% | 22.20% | .255 | $3,000 | $4,100 | $4,350 |
Brian Dozier is 4-for-12 with two home runs against R.A. Dickey. Dozier is 8-for-23 with two home runs and two stolen bases over his last five games.
Ben Zobrist is 12-for-30 during his seven-game hitting streak.
Jose Peraza is 14-for-31 with a home run in seven games since his recall from Triple-A.
Ryan Schimpf is 5-for-8 with two home runs over his last three games.
Daniel Murphy is 7-for-17 with two home runs during his four-game hitting streak and he has a .427 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
THIRD BASE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Team | POS | Bats | H/A | Opp | Probable Pitcher | Throws | AB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | ISO | BB% | K% | GB% | FB% | LD% | HR/FB | BABIP | FD | DK | Aces |
| CHI | 3B | R | A | LA | Brock Stewart | R | 485 | .303 | .395 | .586 | .981 | .417 | .283 | 10.80% | 22.00% | 32.60% | 44.20% | 23.20% | 22.40% | .340 | $4,200 | $5,500 | $5,650 | |
| BAL | 3B | R | A | NYY | CC Sabathia | L | 507 | .306 | .358 | .564 | .922 | .389 | .258 | 7.40% | 17.00% | 39.90% | 38.20% | 21.90% | 20.30% | .322 | $4,200 | $4,800 | $5,100 | |
| MIA | 3B | R | H | SD | Luis Perdomo | R | 489 | .323 | .376 | .436 | .812 | .353 | .113 | 7.70% | 10.10% | 51.40% | 24.30% | 24.30% | 6.80% | .350 | $3,000 | $3,500 | $4,250 | |
| SF | 3B | L | H | ATL | Aaron Blair | R | 161 | .242 | .287 | .398 | .685 | .294 | .156 | 5.30% | 14.00% | 41.00% | 34.30% | 24.60% | 10.90% | .258 | $2,500 | $3,300 | $3,400 | |
| Jose Reyes | NYM | SS | B | H | PHI | Vince Velasquez | R | 126 | 0.29 | 0.343 | 0.49 | 0.835 | 0.356 | 0.2 | 7.30% | 16.10% | 40.00% | 42.00% | 18.00% | 9.50% | 0.327 | $3,200 | $3,800 | $4,800 |
Manny Machado is 5-for-13 against CC Sabathia and 4-for-9 over his last two games.
Kris Bryant extended his hitting streak to nine games Saturday, and he has an excellent chance to keep it going against Brock Stewart.
Martin Prado is 6-for-8 over his last two games and right-handed batters have a .379 wOBA against Luis Perdomo.
Jose Reyes is 6-for-13 over his last three games.
Conor Gillaspie batted fifth with Brandon Belt out Saturday, and he would have some value in that spot against Aaron Blair Sunday.
SHORTSTOP | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Team | POS | Bats | H/A | Opp | Probable Pitcher | Throws | AB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | ISO | BB% | K% | GB% | FB% | LD% | HR/FB | BABIP | FD | DK | Aces |
| Andrelton Simmons | LAA | SS | R | A | DET | Anibal Sanchez | R | 342 | 0.28 | 0.312 | 0.34 | 0.648 | 0.287 | 0.06 | 4.90% | 8.20% | 56.60% | 23.60% | 19.70% | 1.40% | 0.296 | $2,300 | $2,500 | $3,950 |
| J.J. Hardy | BAL | SS | R | A | NYY | CC Sabathia | L | 291 | 0.27 | 0.304 | 0.41 | 0.709 | 0.306 | 0.14 | 5.80% | 15.30% | 46.30% | 33.60% | 20.10% | 8.50% | 0.292 | $2,200 | $2,800 | $4,250 |
| Orlando Arcia | MIL | SS | R | H | PIT | Ivan Nova | R | 85 | 0.2 | 0.277 | 0.29 | 0.571 | 0.258 | 0.09 | 9.60% | 20.20% | 59.10% | 24.20% | 16.70% | 6.30% | 0.246 | $2,700 | $3,100 | $3,750 |
| Asdrubal Cabrera | NYM | SS | B | H | PHI | Vince Velasquez | R | 405 | 0.27 | 0.32 | 0.44 | 0.764 | 0.33 | 0.18 | 5.50% | 19.60% | 42.10% | 35.20% | 22.60% | 14.30% | 0.305 | $3,100 | $3,500 | $4,400 |
| Brandon Crawford | SF | SS | L | H | ATL | Aaron Blair | R | 449 | 0.27 | 0.341 | 0.44 | 0.784 | 0.333 | 0.17 | 9.10% | 18.50% | 42.30% | 35.70% | 22.00% | 9.40% | 0.316 | $3,000 | $4,400 | $4,700 |
J.J. Hardy is 9-for-18 with three home runs against CC Sabathia.
Andrelton Simmons is 8-for-22 over the last week and 4-for-7 against Anibal Sanchez.
Orlando Arcia is 7-for-17 during his five-game hitting streak.
Asdrubal Cabrera is 11-for-21 with three home runs during his five-game hitting streak and left-handed batters have a .358 wOBA against Vincent Velasquez.
Aaron Blair has been pretty terrible this season, but there are still only a few Giants I trust against him. Brandon Crawford is one of them.
OUTFIELD
Nolan Reimold is 4-for-11 against CC Sabathia.
Mookie Betts has a six-game hitting streak.
Once again, the entire Detroit outfield is in play.
Jason Heyward is 7-for-23 with a home run during his six-game hitting streak.
Brett Gardner is 7-for-19 against Kevin Gausman and 5-for-17 during his four-game hitting streak.
Jake Smolinski is 6-for-20 over the last week and he has a 1.017 OPS against lefties this season.
Odubel Herrera is 6-for-17 during his four-game hitting streak.
Andrew McCutchen is finally heating up, going 8-for-17 with a home run during his five-game hitting streak.
Nelson Cruz is 4-for-11 over his last three games and he has a .401 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
Denard Span is 5-for-13 over his last three games and left-handed batters have a .407 wOBA against Aaron Blair this season.
Jose Bautista hasn’t been great since he was activated from the disabled list, but he has been leading off, and he doesn’t have to be great to pick on Kyle Gibson.
For all of his struggles this season, Bryce Harper still has a .896 OPS against right-handed pitchers. He is 9-for-21 during his five-game hitting streak. Trea Turner has been even better, with a .961 OPS against righties. Turner is 14-for-24 during his own five-game hitting streak.