Catcher/First Base, High End Spend
Early
Freddie Freeman, $4,000
.600/.667/1.400 with 1 HR in 5 at-bats
Nationals starter AJ Cole has not shown he’s anything approaching a competent starting pitcher at the MLB level. There’s a good shot at stacking as many Braves as possible today because they have destroyed Cole in 32 career at-bats. He has a career 45 percent fly ball rate and 32 percent hard contact rate. Going against one of the best hitters in baseball on a five game slate makes Freeman a lock for me.
Main
Joey Gallo, $3,600
N/A
Gallos is not usually someone we’ll target for cash games to his propensity to strikeout. Tonight might be an exception because he gets to face a righty pitcher making his first career start. If that wasn’t enough, Jamie Barria was an extreme fly ball pitcher when he was in the minors. Across almost 80 innings the past two seasons, his percentage has been over 50. That’s not going to be a very good match for one of the premier power hitters in the game. Gallo is for sure a GPP play and for once is in the cash game conversation.
Mid-Range
Early
Matt Adams, $3,000
.500/.545/.700 with 0 HR in 10 at-bats
The only reason that Adams is on this squad is to face righties on occasion. He gets a mediocre one today in Brandon McCarthy. The Braves starter has done a fine job so far of keeping the ball out of the air and limiting hard contact. However, his best days are still behind him. If Adams is in the lineup(solid chance in a day game after a night game), he’s definitely on the radar.
Main
Gary Sanchez, $3,500
.455/.538/1.545 with 4 HR in 11 at-bats
Sanchez has been putrid to start the 2018 campaign. He’s hitting .056 with one home run so far but maybe this matchup is just what he needs to snap out of his funk. If you’ve been playing Bryce Harper against Julio Teheran, that same logic could extend to Sanchez vs. David Price. For his career, Sanchez carries an OPS over .870, an ISO of .310 and a wOBA of .365. There are likely plenty of folks who will shy away since he’s scuffled so badly out of the gates.
Value
Early
Wilson Ramos, $2,100
.333/.600/1.333 with 1 HR in 3 at-bats
Ramos may have some of the best upside at a near-minimum price on the slate today. He gets to square off against White Sox starter James Shields, who gives up home runs at one of the worst rates in the league. Ramos can certainly hit the ball out, even though he’s not the player he used to be. The advanced stats are just OK. All we’re chasing here is the home run upside off of Shields.
Main
Wilmer Flores, $2,200
N/A
The Mets draw a lefty and if you played yesterday, DFS players use him vs. lefties. He was well over 70% owned in cash games because of his prowess against south paws and the fact that he’s dirt cheap. We’re in the exact same scenario again and there’s really no reason not to go right back to the well tonight.