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MLB DFS: Bulletproof Bashers-Sat. July 27 Evening Slates

By Juan Carlos Blanco

ATLANTA, GA JULY 19: Atlanta Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) hits a game-winning walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on July 19th, 2019 at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA JULY 19: Atlanta Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) hits a game-winning walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on July 19th, 2019 at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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MLB DFS: Last Friday’s Bulletproof Bashers Revisited

CATCHER:

Danny Jansen, TOR:
Opposing Starting Pitcher: RH Jordan Zimmermann (DET)

Final Line: 1-for-5, three RBI

Quick Summary: Jansen didn’t find any success against Zimmermann, although he did ground into a fielder’s choice that drove in a run against the right-hander. However, the favorable matchup against the Tigers bullpen did come through, as he knocked in two runs with a single in the sixth off reliever Victor Alcantara.

FIRST BASE:

Josh Bell, PIT:
Opposing Starting Pitcher: RH Jake Arrieta (PHI)

Final Line: 0-for-3, one BB

Quick summary: Bell essentially came up empty against Arrieta, even as he saw three straight instances in one of his at-bats of Arrieta’s fastball sinker that we’d noted was his most often-used pitch against left-handed hitters.

Additional suggestion:

Edwin Encarnacion, NYY

Final line: 1-for-5, 1 HR, 4 RBI

SECOND BASE:

D.J. LeMahieu, NYY:
Opposing Starting Pitcher: LH Kyle Freeland (COL)

Final line: 2-for-5, two RBI, two runs

Quick summary: LeMahieu laced a fourth-inning single to right off Freeland’s trademark low 90s fastball, which we’d highlighted was frequently a favorable pitch for the Yankees’ second baseman and often a disastrous one for Freeland. LeMahieu struck again in the fourth by with an RBI single off the slider, which we’d identified as Freeland’s second-most used pitch versus righty bats and also one that LeMahieu often raked against.

SHORTSTOP:

Paul DeJong, STL:
Opposing Starting Pitcher: RH Tyler Mahle (CIN)

Final line: 2-for-4, double, home run, four RBI, two runs

Quick summary: Here at Bulletproof Bashers, we’re old enough to remember when DeJong began his current tear with an impressive night where he simultaneously validated some pitch-split data and the vulnerability of the Reds bullpen. DeJong’s two big hits didn’t come until Mahle had exited, but his sixth-inning double did come off a Matt Bowman low-90s fastball, the same speed of four-seamer that we’d pointed out DeJong had been crushing all season. He did it again an inning later off reliever Robert Stephenson, blasting another heater for a 420-foot shot with Kolten Wong aboard.

THIRD BASE

Anthony Rendon, WAS:
Opposing Starting Pitcher: RH Julio Teheran (ATL)

Final line: 2-for-4, RBI single

Quick summary: Rendon wasted no time validating his favorable BvP against Teheran and his solid work against sliders. Rendon singled off the breaking pitch in the first inning, and he then tagged Teheran’s low 90s fastball for an RBI hit in the sixth.

OUTFIELD

Austin Meadows, TAM:
Opposing Starting Pitcher: RH Reynaldo Lopez (CWS)

Final line: 1-4, triple, run

Quick summary: Like Rendon, Meadows made his selection worthwhile right from the start of the game, lacing his three-bagger in the first inning off Lopez’s mid-90s fastball. That wasn’t any surprise, because as pointed out, Lopez was allowing a .374 wOBA/.424 CXwOBA on the pitch and Meadows was blasting that speed of fastball for a jaw-dropping .578 wOBA/.533 CXwOBA.

Additional suggestions:

Aaron Judge, NYY:

Final line: 1-for-3, one home run, two RBI, two walks, two runs

Mike Trout, LAA:

Final line: 0-for-4

Justin Upton, LAA:

*Did not play*