Joey Ricotta | June 17th, 2019
None of the excess fat. All of the DFS info to get you jacked and increase your stacks. Let’s take a look at some of the core plays I’ll be using for tonight’s main slate of games.
Core Plays
Kenta Maeda ($9,000 on DK and $8,600 on FD)
Just give me safety and security. Maeda provides that. In 32 innings pitched at home this season, Maeda has struck out 35 batters while holding them to a .145 avg and posting 1.69 ERA. The San Francisco Giants rank bottom four in all of MLB in average (.226), wOBA (.290), and wRC+ (79). They also strikeout at 23.4% vs right-handed hurlers. Not a terrible number, but good enough for Maeda who is striking out 25.3% of batters this season. Pitching at home and going up against Giants starter Tyler Beede, the win should be there for Maeda.
Other Targets: Danny Duffy, Masahiro Tanaka, Lance Lynn, and Mike Clevinger.
1B Rowdy Tellez ($3,400 on DK and $2,500 on FD)
Tellez feels like the best play from a point per dollar perspective. We have to save salary somewhere, and first base isn’t the worst spot to do it. Tellez offers power upside and Felix Pena allows 1.63 HR/9, along with a .355 wOBA to left-handed batters.
1B/2B Max Muncy ($5,000 on DK and $3,700 on FD)
We could beat around the bush but there’s no need to. Tyler Beede is not a good Major League pitcher. Muncy has at least one walk or RBI in each of his last nine games, making him a tremendous cash game play. To me, you have to get either him or Cody Bellinger into your cash game lineup. I’m paying up for Mike Trout, so I’m taking the discount and going with the Munster.
3B Josh Donaldson ($4,100 on DK and $3,000 on FD)
Donaldson is in the middle of a six-game hitting streak, during which he has bopped four homers and knocked in eight RBI. The price hasn’t quite caught up to his recent production. Although he has a tough matchup tonight against Zack Wheeler, Donaldson is 4-7 with two doubles and an RBI, in the small sample size.
OF Shohei Ohtani ($5,100 on DK and $3,800 on FD)
Ohtani is on a tear as of late, going 9 for his last 20 with two HR and five RBI. Last week, he became the first Japanese born player to hit for the cycle. He draws a juicy matchup tonight against Edwin Jackson (1-4, 10.22 ERA). Eight of Jackson’s nine home runs allowed have been to right-handed batters, but he is still allowing 41% of hard contact to lefties.
OF Khris Davis ($4,000 on DK and $3,600 on FD)
He’s getting close to his usual .247 average marker, sitting at .242 right now with 15 HR and 37 RBI. Davis hit a homer yesterday and this match-up is heavily in his favor. Cashner struggles mightily vs right-handed hitters, allowing 42.5% HC rate and a 6.27 FIP against them. Righties also have a .374 wOBA against Cashner, and Davis has a .354 career wOBA against righties.
Other Targets: Mike Trout, Cavan Biggio, Alex Verdugo, Freddie Freeman, and Justin Bour.
Stacks
Los Angeles Angels vs Edwin Jackson
Jackson has an HR/9 rate of 3.28 this season and is allowing 41.9% hard contact. He’s getting struck hard and often and I expect the Angels to do the same on Monday night. Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Tommy La Stella, Justin Bour (if in the lineup), Justin Upton, and Jonathan Lucroy, just to highlight a few of my favorite plays.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Tyler Beede
It’s only a matter of time before Beede gets demoted or DFA’d. He has an 8.06 ERA, 6.18 FIP, and 2.01 HR/9 rate. The Dodgers are top three in baseball in just about every offensive category. As a team vs RHP, they have a .345 wOBA, .822 OPS, and 116 wRC+. Fire up all of the left-handed bats and Justin Turner in tournaments as well.
Atlanta Braves vs Zack Wheeler
In their last 8 games, the Braves have put up no fewer than five runs in each contest. They are killing the ball, averaging 8.75 runs per game during that stretch. Wheeler isn’t terrible but has given up two home runs in four of his last five outings. Basically, a hot lineup vs a not so hot pitcher.
Oakland Athletics vs Andrew Cashner
Cashner’s 4.88 FIP and 6.53 K/9 leave a lot to be desired. He doesn’t miss many bats and the Oakland A’s have some thumpers in their lineup that could add on to Cashner’s 11 home runs allowed this season. 10 of the 11 homers have been given up to right-handed hitters this season. Khris Davis, I’m talking to you.
Questions and comments?
thescorecrowsports@gmail.com
Follow Us on Twitter @thescorecrow
Follow Us on Reddit at u/TheScorecrow
Follow Us on Facebook at The Scorecrow
Follow Us on Instagram at The Scorecrow
Follow Joey Ricotta on Twitter @theriot326
Main Image Credit: [getty src=”1149690074″ width=”594″ height=”416″ tld=”com”]
