Daily Dime: Paying for Gerrit Cole and looking for hitting bargains
Here are 10 DFS recommendations for Wednesday but be sure to double-check the weather and lineups before first pitch approaches.
Gerrit Cole, SP, vs. Cin (Leake), $11,100 at FanDuel: I’m as big a fan of Chris Sale as anyone, but he’s more expensive, and the Pirates are bigger favorites Wednesday (an MLB-high -190). Of course, Cole isn’t exactly cheap, but as usual, I recommend spending big on SP, and he’s emerged as a true ace this season, combining a 20.7 K-BB% with a 1.98 GB/FB ratio and a 10.0 SwStr%. The Reds also rank in the bottom-five in baseball in runs scored both on the road and against RHP. Cole has a 1.88 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with a 42:6 K:BB ratio over 38.1 innings at home this season.
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, at CHC (Hendricks), $3100: He’s been in a prolonged slump, which is why there are 15 first basemen priced higher Wednesday. But Gonzalez still owns a .304/.391/.539 line against right-handers this season, so he sure looks like a bargain hitting cleanup in that Dodgers lineup.
David Ortiz, 1B, vs. Bal (Norris), $3000: There’s a chance of rain in the Dodgers game, so an alternative (and affordable) first baseman is Ortiz, who’s been a total disaster against southpaws but owns a .922 OPS against RHP but isn’t priced as if he’s starting against one.
Kevin Kiermaier, OF, vs. Tor (Estrada), $2800: He’s a leadoff hitter who’s 8-for-17 (.471) with two steals over his past four games and is facing a pitcher who’s typically been very homer-prone during his career.
Roughned Odor, 2B, vs. Oak (Graveman), $2200: He spent some time in the minors after a disappointing start, but he entered the year with plenty of promise and is back up now and even hitting leadoff. Odor has played better since getting recalled, and the switch-hitter was better from the left side last season and will be facing a pitcher Wednesday who’s ceded a 1.58 WHIP versus LHB on the year. Odor is also as cheap as it gets on FanDuel.
Pablo Sandoval, 3B, vs. Bal (Norris), $2600: He’s been terrible defensively and hopeless against lefties, but Sandoval has a .914 OPS against RHP and is batting .352 at home this season, so he continues to be a nice bargain in this price range.
Brandon Crawford, SS, vs. SD (Kennedy), $2600: He’s actually hit better against LHP dating back to last year, but Fangraphs ranks him as easily the No. 1 offensive shortstop this season. That doesn’t totally translate to DFS since he’ll be playing Wednesday’s game at AT&T Park, but it still reveals he’s a bargain at this price.
Nick Hundley, C, vs. Ari (Webster), $3300: While not super cheap, Hundley plays a thin position and has hit .330/.352/.534 at Coors Field this season.
Jon Jay, OF, at Mia (Latos), $2600: This is something of a long shot, but Jay owns a career .858 OPS over 30 at bats against Latos, who’s allowed a .333 BAA and a 1.77 WHIP when facing left-handed batters this season.
Charlie Blackmon, OF, vs. Ari (Webster), $4500: He has eight homers and a .913 OPS over 191 at bats against righties on the year, and it always helps to play guys in Coors Field, a park in which he’s stolen 11 bases over 37 games.
