This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
DraftKings DAILY PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
Pitchers
Jon Lester, CHC vs. LAD ($11,300): Lester bedeviled the Dodgers last season to the tune of a 0.60 ERA and .140 BAA over two starts, and looked solid against the Cardinals on Opening Night as well. The Dodgers were notoriously bad against southpaws last season, as they posted the lowest wOBA (.275) and batting average (.213) in all of baseball against lefties. Nothing's changed in the early going of 2017, as they once again sport the lowest figures (.274, .212) in those respective categories.
James Paxton, SEA vs. HOU ($8,400): The Astros struck out at the fifth-highest clip (23.4 percent) against southpaws last season, while generating a mediocre .314 wOBA. They've been notably worse in the early going this season, tallying a .276 wOBA over 117 plate appearances against southpaws thus far. Paxton compiled an impressive 21.7 fantasy points against the Astros in his first start of the season at Minute Maid Park and could be primed for more of the same in the rematch at Safeco Field.
Batters
Catcher:
Salvador Perez, KC vs. OAK ($3,300): Perez has ripped off three straight double-digit fantasy point efforts and posted a .339 wOBA and 32.3 percent hard contact rate against right-handers at home last season. He's been even better in the early going this season, posting a .429 average, .636 wOBA and 38.5 percent hard contact rate over 14 plate appearances against right-handed pitching in the early going. A's starter Jharel Cotton also endured a rough first outing of the season and was a less effective pitcher on the road last season.
First Base
Joey Votto, CIN at PIT ($4,600) Pirates starter Tyler Glasnow ran into frequent trouble against lefty bats last season, surrendering a .308 average, .364 wOBA and absurd 8.64 BB/9 over a modest 47-batter sample. Meanwhile, Votto feasted on righty arms, posting 24 homers, a .330 average, .429 wOBA, .254 ISO and 41.9 percent hard contact rate. He also walked 17.8 percent of the time against righties, a trend that could certainly come into play factoring in Glasnow's previously stated control issues against lefty hitters.
Second Base:
Daniel Murphy, WAS vs. STL ($4,600): Murphy has raked against Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright over his career, hitting .471 (8-for-17) with two doubles, a triple and two RBI. He also dominated against right-handed pitching overall last season with a .354 average, .419 wOBA, .261 ISO and 41.1 percent hard contact rate. Wainwright also gave up a .361 wOBA and 33.1 percent hard contact rate to lefty hitters in 2016, enhancing Murphy's appeal even further.
Third Base:
Yangervis Solarte, SD at COL ($4,700): The switch-hitting Solarte hit 12 of his 15 homers last season against right-handed pitching while also posting a .350 wOBA and 33.2 percent hard contact rate against that handedness. He's at it again in the early going in 2017, with a .429 average against right-handed pitching thus far. Meanwhile, Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood got knocked around in his hitter-friendly home park last season, surrendering a .374 wOBA and a 37.1 percent hard contact rate against righty bats at Coors Field in 2016.
Shortstop:
Chris Owings, ARI at SF ($3,000): Owings thrived against southpaws last season, compiling a .306 average and .348 wOBA against lefty arms. Giants starter Matt Moore gave up 20 homers and a 1.18 HR/9 to right-handed hitters in 2016, along with a 32.4 percent hard contact rate when facing them at home. He also looked shaky in his first start of the season, giving up six runs in 5.1 innings against the Diamondbacks.
Outfield
Adam Eaton, WAS vs. STL ($4,200): Eaton hit 13 of his 14 homers last season against righties, while also posting a .350 wOBA and 31.9 percent hard contact rate versus that handedness of pitching. He racked up four double-digit fantasy point outings in his first five games, while Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright's troubles against lefties were detailed earlier.
Khris Davis, OAK at KC ($3,800): Corey Dickerson ($3,600) is a solid pivot as well for those who need to save a couple hundred, but Davis gets to tee off the home-run prone Ian Kennedy, who gave up 33 round-trippers last season, 17 of which came off righty bats. Right-handed hitters also made hard contact against him at a 40.2 percent clip in 2016, while Davis smacked 32 of his 42 homers against righty arms last season, along with a .343 wOBA, .276 ISO and 39.4 percent hard contact rate.
Steven Souza, Jr., TB at NYY ($3,800): Souza has gotten off to a blazing start and has also owned Yankees starter Michael Pineda throughout his career, hitting .476 with three doubles, four home runs and seven RBI over 21 at-bats. Pineda also ran into plenty of trouble against righty bats at Yankee Stadium last season, where he surrendered a .363 wOBA, 14 homers, 2.70 HR/9, 25.9 percent HR/FB rate and 34.1 percent hard contact rate to that handedness. Souza hit 12 of his 17 homers last season against righties, and posted a .333 wOBA against them on the road.
