Shortstop, High End Spend
Carlos Correa, $4,700
.333/.429/.333 with 0 HR in 6 at-bats
We’ve at least mentioned a bunch of Astros to this point because they are built to destroy lefties, especially the top of the order. The top of the position is loaded this evening but the best option might just be Correa. The weird thing is he’s not hitting fly balls yet, sitting at just 18 percent for the season. His line drive rate is spiked at nearly 70 percent which means that home runs should be coming given all the metrics. Correa has an OPS of .990 and a wOBA of .424 without a home run yet this season. That simply won’t continue and opposing starter Tyler Skaggs is giving up too much hard contact to get through this lineup without having some issues. It might just be a matter of picking the right Astros from the lineup.
Also Consider – Francisco Lindor, $4,300
Mid-Range
Marcus Semien, $3,600
If your lineup contraction can’t afford Correa, there is a great pivot spot in Oakland’s shortstop Marcus Semien. He’s shown a huge growth against lefties so far this season and has numbers that are at least close to what Correa has put up in 2018. Semien is making hard contact 45 percent of the time and is hitting a line drive or fly ball a whopping 70 percent of the time vs lefties. Matt Moore could potentially get crushed tonight as he’s giving up fly balls and hard contact at over 40 percent. His HR/FB is a tiny 3.8 percent so far which is going to skyrocket quickly at these rates.
Also Consider – Corey Seager, $3,300
Value
At least as of now, the bottom barrel of shortstop looks a little grim. Freddy Galvis is under $3,000 in Coors Field which is typically something we would jump at. He’s a fine play but still just feels a hair pricey. The lineup cards could always give us something good tomorrow.