Yahoo DFS Baseball: Sunday Picks

Yahoo DFS Baseball: Sunday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.

PITCHER

Carlos Carrasco, CLE vs. CWS ($49): For those who can't quite foot the bill for Max Scherzer ($62), Carrasco makes for an appealing cost-savings pivot. He already dominated this same White Sox squad, scoring a season-high 40.4 fantasy points on April 22, and he also posted 29.4 fantasy points in a previous start against them on April 11. The White Sox continue to be one of the most punchless squads in the majors against righties, posting a .295 wOBA and 81 wRC+ .

Dinelson Lamet, SD vs. KC ($34): On a full slate, there are plenty of options if you need to save some cash, and Lamet checks in with one of the better matchups. The Royals sport an anemic .279 wOBA, 23.5 percent strikeout rate and 71 wRC+ versus right-handed pitching on the road, and Petco Park is certainly one of the most favorable pitching environments in all of baseball. Lamet's numbers are a bit out of whack after he got hammered by the Diamondbacks in his last start, but he scored 28.5 and 24.7 fantasy points in his first two trips to the mound, respectively, while racking up eight strikeouts in each.

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CATCHER

Evan Gattis, HOU vs. LAA ($10): Gattis' bargain price makes him an excellent cap-friendly option against Angels starter Jesse Chavez, who's allowed a .370 wOBA, 2.0 HR/9 and 48.4 percent hard contact rate on the road to right-handed hitters. Gattis has a .351 wOBA against righties at home, along with a 20.9 percent line drive rate and 34.9 percent hard contact rate against that handedness overall. Additionally, Angels relievers have allowed a 24.3 percent line drive rate and 34.7 percent hard contact rate to that handedness on the road.

FIRST BASE

Joey Votto, CIN at LAD ($24): Dodgers southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu has been a revere-splits pitcher, giving up a .399 wOBA, 22.2 percent line drive rate and 34.8 percent hard contact rate to left-handed hitters. That plays right into the hands of Votto, who's posted a .455 wOBA, .447 ISO and 34.7 percent hard contact rate (including 35.3 percent on the road) against lefties. Votto also has a .511 wOBA, .367 ISO and 220 wRC+ over his first 35 plate appearances this month, a stretch that's included four games with double-digit fantasy points.

SECOND BASE

Josh Harrison, PIT vs. MIA ($16): Harrison has posted a .502 wOBA, .273 ISO and 219 wRC+ in 27 plate appearances against southpaws at home, along with a 27.8 percent line drive rate and 31.6 percent hard contact rate. Meanwhile, Marlins lefty Jeff Locke had an impressive debut at home against the D-Backs two starts ago, but he was touched up for four runs over 4.2 innings against the Cubs at Wrigley in his last start. Locke's sample size is very limited this season, but it's worth noting he gave up a .372 wOBA (including .396 on the road), 13 homers and a 5.04 xFIP to right-handed hitters in 2016 while with the Pirates. The Marlins' bullpen makes for a favorable matchup for Harrison as well, considering they've posted a 5.07 ERA and allowed a .320 wOBA to right-handed hitters.

THIRD BASE

Wilmer Flores, NYM at ATL ($15): As effective as Braves starter Jaime Garcia has been of late, it's hard to pass up on Flores any time there's a southpaw on the hill. Flores has a .400 batting average with two homers and five RBI against Garcia in 10 career encounters, and he's boasting a .431 wOBA (including .581 on the road) and 40.0 percent hard contact rate against southpaws overall. Garcia has been a bit on the fortunate side against right-handed hitters, as evidenced by a .244 BABIP, and peripheral stats such as a 5.08 K/9, 3.65 BB/9 and 4.46 xFIP indicate that there may be some eventual regression. It's also worth noting that the Braves' bullpen has been pummeled by righty bats all season, as they've given up 19 homers to that handedness, along with a 5.96 ERA and .362 wOBA at home.

SHORTSTOP

Freddy Galvis, PHI at STL ($10): The switch-hitting Galvis has been better against righties, hitting four of his six homers on the season against that handedness and posting a .319 wOBA. He's also mustered a 31.3 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching on the road, while Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright has yielded a .349 wOBA, 25.8 percent line drive rate and 33.0 percent hard contact rate to lefty bats. Galvis has also touched him up for a .417 batting average, two doubles, a homer and five RBI over 12 career plate appearances, while the Cardinals' bullpen has surrendered an NL-high .366 wOBA to lefty hitters at home.

OUTFIELD

Aaron Judge, NYY vs. BAL ($24): Judge continued his season-long tear Saturday, scoring 27.6 fantasy points on the strength of a three-hit day that included a homer. He'll be in a prime position for more Sunday, considering Orioles starter Kevin Gausman has surrendered a .412 wOBA to right-handed hitters, including .435 when facing them on the road. He's also posting a poor 5.7 K/9 and 2.3 HR/9 against that handedness away from Camden Yards, along with a 25.8 percent line drive rate and 40.3 percent hard contact rate. Meanwhile, Judge has a .510 wOBA , .412 ISO and 19.2 wRAA at home, and a .489 wOBA and 53.3 percent hard contact rate when facing righties at Yankee Stadium. Orioles relievers have been hit hard by righty bats as well, allowing a .367 wOBA, 5.37 ERA and 10 homers to that handedness on the road.

Nelson Cruz, SEA vs. TOR ($19): As with Flores, it's never a bad idea to run Cruz out there when he's facing a lefty, particularly one who's been hit hard this season. That shoe certainly fits J.A. Happ, who has a 5.84 ERA in 12.1 road innings, and a 2.8 HR/9 over 25.1 frames overall. Cruz has pounded lefties for a .427 wOBA and .409 ISO at home, along with a 34.4 percent hard contact rate overall. His track record against Happ is the icing on the cake, as he has a .421 batting average, a double and a triple over 21 career plate appearances versus the lefty.

Andrew Benintendi, BOS vs. DET ($9): Benintendi's bargain-bin price makes him all the more appealing against southpaw Daniel Norris, whose reverse-splits tendencies include a .383 wOBA allowed to lefty bats, along with a 5.72 xFIP and 38.5 percent hard contact rate. Benintendi has a .313 wOBA versus southpaws, and boasts a .378 wOBA, .346 ISO and 45.5 percent hard contact rate overall this month.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Juan Carlos Blanco plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: jcblanco22, FanDuel: jc_blanco22, DraftPot: jc_blanco22, FantasyDraft: jc_blanco22, OwnThePlay: jcblanco22.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juan Carlos Blanco
Winner of the FSWA 2016 Newcomer of the Year Award, Juan Carlos Blanco has been playing fantasy sports for over 20 years and covers NBA, MLB, NFL, CFL and Arena Football for Rotowire.com, including serving as the beat writer for teams in multiple sports. He has previously written for KFFL.com and remains an avid season-long and daily fantasy player in multiple sports as well.
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