Daily Dime: Backing a J.A. and a J.D.
As always when playing Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball, be sure to check the final lineups and the weather.
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My full (stars-n-scrubs) lineup:
SP: Jacob deGrom ($56) - Most expensive player on Thursday's board, and for good reason. deGrom has allowed just two earned runs in 17.2 IP this season, and he faces a San Diego offense that has the second-lowest OPS (.631) against right-handed pitching this season, ahead of only the Atlanta Braves.
SP: J.A. Happ ($40) - Happ is tied for the MLB lead in Quality Starts, producing one in each of his five outings this season. In fact, you have to go back to August 4 of '15 (16 regular-season starts ago) to find the last time he's allowed more than three earned runs. He's 11-4 since that outing.
C: Jonathan Lucroy ($18) - Reds starter Alfredo Simon has had little luck fooling Lucroy, as the Brewers' backstop has collected a hit against Simon in six of his 10 career ABs, including two home runs. Lucroy enters the contest on a nice little roll, with six hits in his past 15 ABs.
1B: Matt Adams ($9) - Adams is 7-for-17 (.412) in his past six games, including two home runs. And he owns a .893 OPS vs. righties this season - he's facing Phillies RHP Jerad Eickhoff, who has allowed a .840 OPS (63 ABs) to lefty hitters this season.
2B: Jose Altuve ($26) - Altuve has long abused the Mariners, and he's also had his way with Seattle starter Wade Miley (7-for-12 lifetime). He's a costly bat, for sure, but it is not unusual for him to top 20 points in this format, and this matchup has a nice high-ceiling set-up.
3B: Lonnie Chisenhall ($10) - This is mostly a warm-body play, but at least Chisenhall has the lefty vs. righty advantage facing Detroit rookie Michael Fulmer.
SS: Jose Iglesias ($9) - Reasonable low-price dice roll as he faces always-an-adventure Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer, who Iglesias has delivered a hit against in each of his only two career ABs facing Bauer.
OF: J.D. Martinez ($17) - Leaning heavily on the history card here, as Martinez has six hits (including a HR) in 14 career ABs vs. Trevor Bauer.
OF: Tyler Naquin ($8) - Like teammate Chisenhall, expect Naquin to be in the starting lineup given he'll have the platoon advantage as a lefty facing Tigers rookie RHP Michael Fulmer.
OF: Adam Duvall ($7) - Home run trifecta? Duvall has homered in each of his past two games and faces a Milwaukee pitcher in Chase Anderson that has allowed six home runs in his past three outings.
