Save for Fantasy Aces not offering a full day slate and omitting the Cubs/ Braves game, we are all systems go today. Well, sort of as Sean Manaea is also not offered on Aces which is ridiculously odd as they have both Michael Fulmer and Adam Morgan fully available. I don’t know how they decide such things, but it’s a real bummer as Manaea may have been an intriguing option in a two-pitcher format with a reasonable price. His cost on Draft Kings seems a bit absurd and I won’t use him as anything more than a $2 dart in FanDuel given the one-pitcher format. His strikeouts could be solid against the Astros, but you need innings from your FanDuel starter and rookies tend to get held back after five as their pitch counts climb. In any event, here’s a look at today’s choices:
| vs L | vs R | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Name | Team | Hand | H/A | Opp | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | AVG | SwStr% | ERA | xFIP | WHIP | BABIP | GB% | FB% | GB/FB | wOBA | wOBA | FD | DK | Aces |
| Stephen Strasburg | WAS | R | A | STL | 29.0 | 9.62 | 2.17 | 0.31 | 0.198 | 11.1% | 2.17 | 2.70 | 0.93 | 0.275 | 55.9% | 27.9% | 2.00 | 0.172 | 0.294 | $11,500 | $11,400 | $7,400 |
| Jon Lester | CHC | L | H | ATL | 27.1 | 7.57 | 1.65 | 0.99 | 0.189 | 8.6% | 1.98 | 3.10 | 0.84 | 0.217 | 41.4% | 28.6% | 1.45 | 0.197 | 0.246 | $11,000 | $10,900 | N/A |
| Corey Kluber | CLE | R | A | PHI | 27.0 | 9.67 | 1.67 | 1.00 | 0.233 | 14.0% | 4.67 | 3.21 | 1.07 | 0.296 | 46.6% | 38.4% | 1.21 | 0.321 | 0.251 | $11,000 | $12,500 | $7,200 |
| Felix Hernandez | SEA | R | H | KC | 25.0 | 8.64 | 5.40 | 0.72 | 0.156 | 10.2% | 1.80 | 4.09 | 1.16 | 0.188 | 61.3% | 25.8% | 2.38 | 0.301 | 0.202 | $10,600 | $10,100 | $7,350 |
| Masahiro Tanaka | NYY | R | A | BOS | 24.2 | 8.39 | 2.19 | 0.73 | 0.200 | 13.8% | 2.92 | 3.15 | 0.97 | 0.246 | 56.7% | 25.4% | 2.24 | 0.254 | 0.280 | $9,500 | $8,200 | $6,800 |
| Drew Smyly | TB | L | H | TOR | 28.2 | 10.36 | 1.57 | 0.94 | 0.158 | 13.5% | 2.51 | 3.14 | 0.73 | 0.200 | 39.7% | 47.1% | 0.84 | 0.258 | 0.200 | $8,700 | $10,400 | $6,650 |
| Hector Santiago | LAA | L | A | TEX | 26.2 | 9.11 | 2.70 | 1.35 | 0.175 | 11.6% | 2.70 | 3.71 | 0.94 | 0.197 | 47.1% | 42.9% | 1.10 | 0.135 | 0.296 | $8,600 | $7,300 | $5,700 |
| Carlos Rodon | CHW | L | A | BAL | 20.0 | 9.00 | 4.50 | 0.90 | 0.231 | 8.7% | 4.05 | 3.60 | 1.40 | 0.286 | 51.8% | 23.2% | 2.23 | 0.115 | 0.352 | $8,500 | $7,700 | $6,100 |
| Steven Matz | NYM | L | H | SF | 15.0 | 10.80 | 2.40 | 0.60 | 0.295 | 8.4% | 5.40 | 2.73 | 1.47 | 0.405 | 50.0% | 25.0% | 2.00 | 0.427 | 0.299 | $8,500 | $7,900 | $6,250 |
| Colby Lewis | TEX | R | H | LAA | 24.0 | 7.50 | 3.75 | 2.25 | 0.280 | 8.1% | 3.38 | 4.92 | 1.50 | 0.299 | 34.7% | 48.6% | 0.71 | 0.429 | 0.283 | $7,900 | $6,200 | $5,600 |
| Alex Wood | LAD | L | H | SD | 21.0 | 5.14 | 4.71 | 0.43 | 0.299 | 7.5% | 6.00 | 4.99 | 1.76 | 0.338 | 64.3% | 22.9% | 2.81 | 0.445 | 0.308 | $7,800 | $6,400 | $5,800 |
| Mike Fiers | HOU | R | A | OAK | 22.0 | 6.95 | 1.23 | 2.45 | 0.297 | 9.6% | 5.73 | 3.43 | 1.36 | 0.309 | 37.8% | 28.4% | 1.33 | 0.344 | 0.391 | $7,800 | $7,800 | $5,800 |
| Aaron Sanchez | TOR | R | A | TB | 24.1 | 8.51 | 2.96 | 1.11 | 0.217 | 7.7% | 3.33 | 3.34 | 1.15 | 0.258 | 58.0% | 23.2% | 2.50 | 0.353 | 0.172 | $7,100 | $7,100 | $6,000 |
| Juan Nicasio | PIT | R | H | CIN | 20.0 | 9.45 | 4.95 | 1.35 | 0.216 | 5.9% | 4.50 | 4.27 | 1.35 | 0.260 | 41.5% | 39.6% | 1.05 | 0.379 | 0.248 | $6,800 | $5,800 | $6,000 |
| Jake Peavy | SF | R | A | NYM | 21.0 | 6.00 | 0.86 | 0.86 | 0.372 | 11.8% | 6.86 | 4.46 | 1.76 | 0.423 | 41.8% | 39.2% | 1.06 | 0.527 | 0.383 | $6,700 | $7,500 | $5,700 |
| Phil Hughes | MIN | R | H | DET | 25.1 | 6.75 | 1.42 | 0.71 | 0.253 | 7.2% | 3.91 | 3.59 | 1.14 | 0.295 | 44.3% | 31.6% | 1.40 | 0.317 | 0.275 | $6,600 | $7,000 | $5,850 |
| Kris Medlen | KC | R | A | SEA | 15.0 | 7.80 | 6.60 | 0.60 | 0.298 | 10.4% | 6.00 | 5.00 | 1.87 | 0.372 | 50.0% | 31.8% | 1.57 | 0.345 | 0.393 | $6,600 | $6,500 | $5,700 |
| Robbie Ray | ARI | L | H | COL | 21.1 | 9.28 | 5.48 | 0.00 | 0.256 | 10.9% | 3.80 | 4.30 | 1.59 | 0.350 | 44.1% | 27.1% | 1.63 | 0.155 | 0.374 | $6,500 | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Adam Conley | MIA | L | A | MIL | 19.1 | 9.78 | 3.72 | 1.40 | 0.280 | 10.8% | 5.12 | 3.84 | 1.50 | 0.353 | 36.5% | 40.4% | 0.90 | 0.513 | 0.328 | $6,400 | $6,600 | $5,700 |
| Mike Leake | STL | R | H | WAS | 22.1 | 6.85 | 2.82 | 0.81 | 0.298 | 5.3% | 5.64 | 4.10 | 1.57 | 0.347 | 42.9% | 22.1% | 1.94 | 0.317 | 0.382 | $6,400 | $6,900 | $5,800 |
| Mike Wright | BAL | R | H | CHW | 17.1 | 6.23 | 2.08 | 1.56 | 0.284 | 8.3% | 6.23 | 4.97 | 1.33 | 0.308 | 35.8% | 43.4% | 0.83 | 0.480 | 0.288 | $6,300 | $5,300 | $5,450 |
| Michael Fulmer | DET | R | A | MIN | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $6,300 | $6,800 | $5,900 |
| Sean Manaea | OAK | L | H | HOU | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $6,100 | $7,600 | N/A |
| Henry Owens | BOS | L | H | NYY | 3.1 | 10.80 | 10.80 | 2.70 | 0.333 | 8.1% | 8.10 | 7.06 | 2.70 | 0.400 | 27.3% | 54.5% | 0.50 | 0.345 | 0.516 | $5,900 | $6,600 | $5,300 |
| Zach Davies | MIL | R | H | MIA | 8.1 | 5.40 | 4.32 | 1.08 | 0.425 | 7.1% | 9.72 | 5.36 | 2.52 | 0.471 | 44.1% | 26.5% | 1.67 | 0.479 | 0.463 | $5,900 | $6,500 | $5,400 |
| Adam Morgan | PHI | L | H | CLE | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $5,700 | $5,000 | $5,400 |
| Cesar Vargas | SD | R | A | LAD | 5.0 | 5.40 | 5.40 | 1.80 | 0.278 | 8.0% | 1.80 | 4.63 | 1.60 | 0.286 | 64.3% | 21.4% | 3.00 | 0.000 | 0.480 | $5,700 | $4,400 | $5,250 |
| Dan Straily | CIN | R | A | PIT | 18.0 | 8.50 | 4.50 | 1.00 | 0.145 | 11.7% | 3.50 | 4.67 | 1.00 | 0.163 | 31.8% | 43.2% | 0.74 | 0.213 | 0.310 | $5,400 | $4,900 | $5,200 |
| Tyler Chatwood | COL | R | A | ARI | 23.1 | 6.17 | 1.54 | 1.16 | 0.274 | 8.2% | 3.47 | 3.69 | 1.29 | 0.303 | 53.2% | 25.3% | 2.10 | 0.244 | 0.397 | $4,900 | $6,700 | $5,000 |
| Aaron Blair | ATL | R | A | CHC | 5.1 | 1.69 | 3.38 | 0.00 | 0.316 | 5.0% | 5.06 | 6.15 | 1.50 | 0.333 | 29.4% | 47.1% | 0.63 | 0.455 | 0.115 | $4,500 | $6,700 | N/A |
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Investing Heavily
Jon Lester, CHC – I think we’re all, pretty much, in agreement that an established lefty starter such as Lester is a must-use against a hapless Braves offense. Atlanta’s .275 wOBA and 20.4-percent strikeout rate should give you a nice leg up if you use the early pitcher on an all-day slate.
Corey Kluber, CLE – Ah, the Phillies. Another solid DFS punching bag. Their 22.1-percent K-rate and .297 wOBA look ripe for picking on, but when you see their .260 wOBA and 24.7-percent K-rate at home, Kluber owners really start licking their chops.
Felix Hernandez, SEA – King Felix has been solid on the road and now gets to try and extend a scoreless innings streak at home facing the Royals. They’re a scrappy bunch but have really only been playing middle-of-the-road ball against righties and/or on the road this season. I’m putting my faith in Felix’s 61.3-percent ground ball rate against the Royals’ 45.4-percent ground ball rate against righties and their bland .300 wOBA over the last seven days.
Drew Smyly, TB – I would have thrown him in the next pricing tier but it looks like DXraft Kings is going to make you pay up for this match-up. The Blue Jays are sitting on a .288 wOBA against lefties with a 25.6-percent strikeout rate. Add to that their .294 wOBA on the road and the fact that that K-rate jumps to 26.7-percent and Smyly looks even better in this match-up.
Moderately Priced
Colby Lewis, TEX – I’m really not a big fan of using Lewis regularly, but for the two-pitcher sites, his price is super-tasty with this match-up. The Angels .274 wOBA, .118 ISO and 79 wRC+ versus right-handers looks great and then you put them on the road where their wOBA is .284 and the ISO drops to .101 and suddenly Lewis looks like a nice complementary piece.
Mike Fiers, HOU – Facing the A’s with their .293 wOBA and near 20-percent strikeout rate against righties is one thing, but facing them at Oh-No.com Park or whatever it’s called where that wOBA sits at .258 is even better.
Aaron Sanchez, TOR – While I’ve got my eyes on Smyly for this one, Sanchez still has a pretty nice match-up here. The Rays have a .289 wOBA with a 28.1-percent strikeout rate against right-handed pitching, their wOBA drops to .267 at home with a strikeout rate just above 25-percent and that K-rate jumps to just over 28-percent if you look at their numbers over the last seven days. If he can go deep into this game, he should be able to post a solid points total as a second pitcher.
Middle Class
Juan Nicasio, PIT – Gets the major benefit of not pitching in Coors and having this start at home and against a sad-sack Reds club that has just a .281 wOBA and 22.1-percent K-rate against righties. The wOBA sits at .293 for the last seven days but that strikeout rate jumps to 27.1-percent. Numbers are just as stinky on the road.
Bargain Basement
Henry Owens, BOS – The Yankees are having some serious trouble lately with just a .289 wOBA and strikeout rate just over 20-percent against lefties. On top of that, their wOBA drops to .271 on the road, even if it is Boston. This is a dart, people. Nothing more than for the $3 Moonshot on DK or a $2 Squeeze on FanDuel.