DraftKings MLB: Thursday Picks

DraftKings MLB: Thursday Picks

This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.

PITCHER

Kyle Hendricks, CHC vs. ATL ($10,800): With the wind projected to be blowing in briskly at Wrigley Field, Hendricks is in a ripe spot to spin a gem against the Braves. Atlanta enters with an underwhelming .313 wOBA against righties for the year, and Hendricks sports a 2.48 ERA and 22.8 strikeout percentage through seven starts since returning from the disabled list.

Michael Wacha, STL at SF ($7,400): With Buster Posey dealing with a thumb injury, San Francisco checks out as a target-worthy matchup. The Giants own a league-worst .297 wOBA against right-handed hurlers for the year, after all. After allowing 17 runs through just 18.1 innings over his past four outings, Wacha is in position for a bounce-back showing, too.

CATCHER

Gary Sanchez, NYY vs. BOS ($4,700): In a shallow catching pool, Sanchez stands out as the top option, but his price also isn't too prohibitive. Opposing starter Eduardo Rodriguez has allowed 12 runs through 17.2 innings over his past three outings for a 6.11 ERA, and Sanchez boasts a .315 ISO against southpaws since entering the league.

FIRST BASE

Trey Mancini, BAL vs. TOR ($4,500): Dating back to June 1, Marco Estrada has allowed a .401 wOBA to right-handed batters through 16 starts. That's a large enough sample size to view this as a high-end matchup for Mancini. The rookie owns a .387 wOBA against righties this season and is locked into the heart of the lineup, after all.

SECOND BASE

Jonathan Schoop, BAL vs. TOR ($4,600): With Marco Estrada's struggles in mind, Schoop stacks with Trey Mancini for a high-upside, cost-effective duo from the middle of the Baltimore lineup. Schoop is in the midst of a career-best season and has posted a .367 wOBA against righties this year.

THIRD BASE

Josh Donaldson, TOR at BAL ($4,800): Since July 31, Donaldson has 13 homers and a .459 wOBA through 120 plate appearances. This salary doesn't match that recent surge at the dish, and there is nothing scary about a matchup with Jeremy Hellickson. The right-handed hurler has allowed a .507 slugging percentage to righty bats this year, too.

SHORTSTOP

Javier Baez, CHC vs. ATL ($3,400): As noted, the wind is going to be howling in at Wrigley Field on Thursday, so it's not an ideal setup for Baez. However, his salary opens up spending room at other positions, and he owns a .395 wOBA against lefties this season. It's a neutral matchup against Sean Newcomb, as the rookie has surrendered a middle-of-the-road .345 wOBA to right-handed hitters this year.

OUTFIELD

Rhys Hoskins, PHI at MIA ($4,600): With Odrisamer Despaigne making just his third start of the season, and Hoskins' salary in check, turning to the emerging star in a shallow player pool is a strong lean. Hoskins sports a .431 wOBA against right-handed pitchers this season.

Aaron Hicks, NYY vs. BOS ($4,100):Eduardo Rodriguez's recent struggles have been mentioned, and Hicks sports a .368 wOBA against lefties, so the outfielder presents nice value. Hicks is locked into the top half of the lineup, and his OPS is 58 points higher at Yankee Stadium this year.

Ryan Braun, MIL vs. WAS ($3,400): A contrarian flier, Braun's salary doesn't align with his dominant numbers against lefties. The outfielder has posted a .402 wOBA against southpaws dating back to last season. However, Gio Gonzalez has been stingy -- .287 wOBA allowed -- against righties this year, and he's allowed just six runs through his past six outings. Still, Braun's an upside source of cap relief.

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. Neil Parker plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: naparker77, DraftKings: naparker77.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neil Parker
A loyal Cubs, Cowboys and Maple Leafs fan for decades, Neil has contributed to RotoWire since 2014. He previously worked for USA Today Fantasy Sports.
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