MLB DFS: Thursday Cheat Sheet

Thursday's slate of four games features a home matchup for Stephen Strasburg against Chicago.
MLB DFS: Thursday Cheat Sheet
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Here's a quick glance at Thursday's slate(s).

Helpful Links

  • Today's MLB Lineups
  • MLB Optimizer
  • BvP Info
  • For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS Slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well.) To join those channels, e-mail [email protected].

    Park Factors & Lines

    Park factors in this piece are a three-year average from 2015-2017, indexed (100 = average). For example, left-handed home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the White Sox) have a three-year index of 122, which means there have been 22% more homers hit by lefties from all teams during that span in that park compared to a completely neutral environment. Left-handed hitters have a significant advantage when hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field.

    AT&T Park (home of the Giants), has a three-year run index of 90, which means that games played at AT&T park have had 10% fewer runs scored overall than a completely neutral environment. Overall offensive production is reduced by a significant amount for games played in San Francisco, making it a safer environment than most for pitchers.

    LeftiesRighties
    Road StarterHome StarterHome TmRAVGHRAVGHRKO/UHmL1st Pitch
    Eric LauerLuis CastilloReds104100119981081068.5-1606:40 PM
    Kyle HendricksStephen StrasburgNationals1009889105114988.5-1107:05 PM
    Shane BieberSam GaviglioBlue Jays9910298101101979.01357:07 PM
    Anibal SanchezZack GreinkeDiamondbacks116109106105
    Here's a quick glance at Thursday's slate(s).

    Helpful Links

  • Today's MLB Lineups
  • MLB Optimizer
  • BvP Info
  • For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS Slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well.) To join those channels, e-mail [email protected].

    Park Factors & Lines

    Park factors in this piece are a three-year average from 2015-2017, indexed (100 = average). For example, left-handed home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the White Sox) have a three-year index of 122, which means there have been 22% more homers hit by lefties from all teams during that span in that park compared to a completely neutral environment. Left-handed hitters have a significant advantage when hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field.

    AT&T Park (home of the Giants), has a three-year run index of 90, which means that games played at AT&T park have had 10% fewer runs scored overall than a completely neutral environment. Overall offensive production is reduced by a significant amount for games played in San Francisco, making it a safer environment than most for pitchers.

    LeftiesRighties
    Road StarterHome StarterHome TmRAVGHRAVGHRKO/UHmL1st Pitch
    Eric LauerLuis CastilloReds104100119981081068.5-1606:40 PM
    Kyle HendricksStephen StrasburgNationals1009889105114988.5-1107:05 PM
    Shane BieberSam GaviglioBlue Jays9910298101101979.01357:07 PM
    Anibal SanchezZack GreinkeDiamondbacks1161091061051111008.0-1609:40 PM

    Pitcher Skills

    These stats look at each starting pitcher's stats since the start of last season.

    The final two columns are team stats for each pitcher's opponent.

    OwRC+ is the team wRC+ for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    TeamK% is the strikeout rate of the opposing team for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    Note: Opponent team matchup data from 2018 season.

    PlayerOppIPK%BB%K-BBHR/9ERAWHIPDKFDOwRC+OsK%
    Shane Bieber (R)at TOR85.024.14.219.91.064.661.36$8,000$8,60010521.8
    Luis Castillo (R)v SD 232.724.97.817.11.354.181.20$8,2008725.0
    Sam Gaviglio (R)v CLE174.718.77.511.11.704.741.40$7,000$7,40010818.8
    Zack Greinke (R)v ATL378.325.95.320.61.193.091.06$9,100$10,5009821.1
    Kyle Hendricks (R)at WAS304.320.76.414.31.093.431.20$7,700$9,00010119.8
    Eric Lauer (L)at CIN91.718.49.39.11.285.011.64$6,00010820.4
    Anibal Sanchez (R)at ARI214.022.76.716.01.644.671.34$7,500$7,9008823.2
    Stephen Strasburg (R)v CHC276.728.86.622.10.883.091.08$8,600$9,60010420.7

    Pitcher Splits

    These splits cover each pitcher's performance against left-handed and right-handed hitters since the start of the 2016 season.

    Stats highlighted yellow indicate matchups favoring the pitcher. Stats highlighted blue indicate matchups favoring opposing hitters.

    v. Leftiesv. Righties
    NameOppK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBAK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBA
    Shane Bieber (R)at TOR25.17.617.51.190.39022.81.321.50.910.293
    Luis Castillo (R)v SD 22.88.514.21.710.34625.87.018.81.120.281
    Sam Gaviglio (R)v CLE14.98.56.41.640.35721.76.815.01.750.344
    Zack Greinke (R)v ATL23.55.418.11.050.29125.05.719.21.360.296
    Kyle Hendricks (R)at WAS23.17.215.91.040.29620.25.414.90.900.273
    Eric Lauer (L)at CIN11.29.02.21.450.39921.09.411.71.320.370
    Anibal Sanchez (R)at ARI22.88.913.91.330.32420.45.614.72.110.364
    Stephen Strasburg (R)v CHC28.58.120.40.940.27030.35.624.70.870.281

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Derek was a frequent writer and media host. During his tenure, he'd been a two-time finalist for the FSWA's Baseball Writer of the Year award, and winner of the Best Football Article on the Web (2009) and Best Baseball Article on the Web (2010) awards. Derek also had hosted RotoWire's shows on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (XM 87, Sirius 210).
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