FanDuel Lineup and Picks for Tuesday, May 8

Indians at Brewers

Indians Probable Starter – Corey Kluber, RHP

2.41 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 9.11 K/9

Vs LHH – .156 average, .225 wOBA and 31.0 hard contact rate

Vs RHH – .192 average, .245 wOBA and 35.6 hard contact rate

There would actually be a reasonable argument to be made that Kluber might not be worth the price if he was facing a different team. Since he faces the Brewers and their top 10 strikeout percentage, I’m more willing to pay the premium. Kluber is a fabulous pitcher but when you get into the $11,000 range for a pitcher, you need a mammoth score to justify that. Kluber’s K/9 is good but it’s also down form last year’s 11.71. That’s a very large drop-off and something that needs to be monitored through the season. He still has games with 10 and 13 strikeouts this season and the Brewers could represent a ceiling game for him.

Brewers Hitters to Target

Elite Options – None

Secondary Options – None

Brewers Probable Starter – Wade Miley, LHP

*All stats from one start* 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 6.00 K/9

Vs LHH  – .000 average, .115 wOBA and 80.0 hard contact rate

Vs RHH – .188 average, .245 wOBA and 66.7 hard contact rate

We never want to take too much from just one start but Miley’s metrics sure look like a pitcher that could be in a bad spot tonight. The Indians offense is waking up a little bit and gets to enjoy the benefits of Miller Park. Miley has kept lefty hitters to a wOBA of .304 or less in the past three seasons, so we’re really only looking at righty hitters tonight. All the usual suspects for the Indians are in play but one that could fly low is Yan Gomes. He’s a good way to get cheap exposure to the Indians offense and also helps afford Kluber.

Indians Hitters to Target

Elite Options – Jose Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion, Francisco Lindor

Secondary Options – Yan Gomes

Home Run Pick – Francisco Lindor

Tigers at Rangers

Tigers Probable Start – Mike Fiers, RHP

5.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 5.33 K/9

Vs LHH – .298 average, .400 wOBA and 32.5 hard contact rate

Vs RHH – .277 average, .347 wOBA and 35.7 hard contact rate

One park you don’t want to give up a lot of fly balls or have a high HR/9 is Globe Life Park in Arlington. It’s one of the friendliest parks in baseball for hitters and Fiers might get tuned up tonight. I want lefty hitters ore than righties, which means one of my favorites is in play tonight. Joey Gallo is in a prime spot against Fiers, who doesn’t strike many batters out. His strikeout percentage against lefties is down at 14.3 percent, which means Gallo has a higher chance of putting a ball in play. When Gallo does that, it tends to end up in the stands.

Rangers Hitters to Target

Elite Options – Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, Shin-soo Choo

Secondary Options – Jurickson Profar, Delino DeShields

Rangers Probable Starter – Mike Minor, LHP 

4.36 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 7.64 K/9

Vs LHH – .191 average, .231 wOBA and 50.0 hard contact rate

Vs RHH – .264 average, .364 wOBA and 40.0 hard contact rate

I wouldn’t say I’d be tempted to actually use Minor, but the Detroit lineup isn’t great right now. There’s a big difference between Minor and yesterday’s lefty, Matt Moore. Some of the righties for the Tigers are still in a reasonable spot but they could get lost on a giant slate like we have on our hands. I will say that Minor is giving up a ton of fly balls to righties which puts them further into play than normal. A ground ball percentage of over 60 percent to lefties keeps me off of lefty batters for the Tigers tonight.

Tigers Hitters to Target 

Elite Options – Nicholas Castellanos, Jeimer Canelario, James McCann

Secondary Options – John Hicks

Home Run Pick –  Gallo is easy just like yesterday, so the other pick is Shin-soo Choo