DFS MLB: Top Five Hitters Visiting Chase Field
By Matt Rogers
In our daily quest to conquer Daily Fantasy Sports, we need the best information to beat our opponents. We’re reviewing the top five hitters visiting each MLB ballpark, from the 2017 season, to arm you with information you need to conquer you DFS MLB cash game and GPP’s.
If you’re starting DFS MLB for the first time, or have played DFS MLB for years, you’ll learn quickly, or already know, the daily pitching match ups and ballpark location information is vital to conquering your cash or GPP plays. We’re going to look at the top five hitters taking at least 20 or more plate appearances when visiting each ballpark across Major League Baseball.
We’re starting our top hitter visiting each ballpark research with in Arizona where the Diamondbacks host opponents in hitter-friendly Chase Field. With a capacity crowd of just over 48,000 seated fans, and a grass field, Chase is known by DFS MLB players for it’s retractable roof, which often results in more home runs, and runs in total, when open.
Left field is guarded by a 7′ 6” wall 330′ from the batters box. The right field line extends 335′, and is also 7’6” high. Center field is 407′ away from the batters backs, and has a high 25′ wall. The center field wall extends 376′ between center and the left and right field foul lines to the batters box.
But the key components of the field, like Coors Field, is the natural landscape where the field is located, in Phoenix, Arizona. Without going into all of the physics and math driving the outcome, we’ll simply state that balls fly when the roof is open at Chase Field. The air is more dense leading to a lighter ball, with less water weight, allowing hitters to absolutely jack the baseball.
However, this season, the team is installing a humidor in the stadium, and there is concern offensive production could be almost cut in half by the additional water-weight on the ball. But, only time will tell and no one knows if that’s accurate yet. We do know, a similar scenario at Coors Field reduced HR’s by 25%. So keep that in mind as a major caveat to these results.
Now that we’ve covered the stadium, who’s enjoyed the visits the most?
DFS MLB: Top Five Hitters Visiting Chase Field
Our top offensive player with at least 20 plate appearances in 2017 at Chase Field is a bit of a shocker, Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez. With a 215 wRC+, league standard is 100, Baez is well above most of the league, including a Cubs slugger and a few other hot-hitters in the 2017 season.
In 21 plate appearances, Baez had a .400 batter average, one walk, eight hits, five singles, a triple, two home runs, and seven RBI’s. Javier also had a stolen base, additionally improving his wRC+. The low 4.8% walk rate is concerning, but Baez had a modest 14.8% strikeout rate and consistently crushed the ball while moving the bases often, with most at bats. Even with a humidor, Javier is likely still a dangerous hitter in Chase Field, and he should be on your DFS MLB target list each time he’s in Arizona.
Beaz Cubs teammate Kris Bryant, who I expected to be on this list but not behind Javier, comes in second with an awesome 207 wRC+. Bryant has a better walk rate, 10.3% and .517 OBP, but he also hit .458 with mostly singles, two doubles, and a home run. While Kris hit mostly singles, his value increases with his six runs and RBI’s, great production with the opportunities he’s giving. Bryan is expensive for most DFS MLB plays, but he’s always worth considering when swinging the wood in Chase Field.
Who rounds out the top five? A couple of former dynamic Marlins sluggers and a surprise fifth from Milwaukee…
DFS MLB: Rounding Out Top Five Hitters Visiting Chase Field
While it’s surprising some sluggers aren’t in the top five of this list, it’s certainly not surprising to see new Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton in the top-three. Unfortunately for baseball, but fortunate for the Diamonbacks, Stanton and his Yankees won’t face the D-Backs in the regular season this year. Stanton was traded to the Yankees, but the Marlins, this offense, and oddly enough they do play the Marlins in a four-game split series, but not the D-backs.
That being said, it’s worth visiting Giancarlo’s 2017 effort, in the event we see another Stanton-like National League character emerge in 2017. With 32 play appearances, Stanton had a 201 wRC+, as a result of a .360 batting average, 18.8% walk rate, and hitting more extra base hits (three doubles and two home runs) than singles (four). Giancarlo also had eight runs and eight RBI’s, making it easy to ignore his high 18.8% K-rate.
However, Stanton’s former Marlins teammate Marcell Ozuna is still in the National League, but with the Saint Louis Cardinals. Ozuna arguably has a more well-rounded lineup surrounding him this season too. In 2017, Ozuna had a 194 wRC+ due to a .346 hitting average, six walks, five singles, two doubles, and two home runs.
Marcell grounded out into two double-plays and had five K’s in 32 plate appearances, but his five runs and four RBI’s add to the impressive Chase Field slugging in 2017. When the Cardinals are in town, plug Ozuna in DFS MLB lineup immediately.
Finally, our fifth best hitter in Chase Field during the 2017 is a bit of a surprise. Sometimes slugging home runs isn’t the most effective way to earn DFS MLB points, and Orlando Arcia makes that case. The 23-year-old Venezuelan shortstop for the Brewers had a 192 wRC+ with an incredible .476 batting averages in 26 plate appearances.
Arcia only had three strikeouts with eight singles and two doubles. Orlando never put a ball over the fence, but he also had three runs and one RBI along with two stolen bases. Best of all, Arcia is generally a cheap DFS MLB shortstop with most applications. When the Brew-crew is in town, start the man at SS!
Honorable Mentions: Eduardo Nunez (180 wRC+) has stats similar to Arcia and comes in sixth. And Justin Bour (174 wRC+) has slugger stats more like Stanton, Baez, and Ozuna but also an ugly 32.1% strikeout rate. Still, Eduardo has consistent offensive production and if you can stomach the strikeouts, Bour hit three home runs in 28 Chase Field plate appearances, ideal for a DFS MLB slugger.
If you liked this article and want to know about the top-five DFS MLB hitters visiting other parks, look out for an article for each MLB stadium. Also, with enough positive feedback, we may dig further into the list, and arm you with a great list of hitters visiting each stadium.
Next: FanDuel MLB Opening Day 2018
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