MLB DFS: Monday, August 12th has a doubleheader between the Orioles at Yankees with Game 2 as part of the main slate action and Coors Field is back in our lives on Yahoo, DraftKings, FanDuel and FantasyDraft. Before you lock in your fantasy baseball lineups and MLB picks, make sure to check out Awesemo’s MLB rankings and projections. Not a member? Sign up HERE and use Promo Code: MLBSTACKS for 50% off any one month subscription.
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Greetings Gamers! Welcome to the Monday slate, which has some intriguing pitching options both as potential hurlers on our roster and gas cans we can target with bats particularly with the Rockies back in Coors Field.
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Main Slate
Cincinnati Reds at RHP Erick Fedde – 5.1 implied runs
Keep in mind that the Orioles at Yankees is a doubleheader and as of this writing we do not have Game 2 pitchers listed for either team, that is definitely going to be a target rich environment, though in the absence of more information – let’s turn to what we do have…
The Reds are on the road in a somewhat friendly matchup against RHP Erick Fedde who is coming off one of the best outings of his career with six shutout innings in San Francisco. The big red flag of course is that he had just two strikeouts and in the start prior he allowed nine runs in 2.2 innings against Atlanta.
It is going to be hot and humid in our Nation’s Capital with game time temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s with a 50-55% humidity range which should favor hitters. Over his last 470 batters faced, Fedde has a combined 16.6 K% and 10.0 BB% which means he allows too many base runners and that it is hard for him to get many “clean” innings. We can target him with hitters from both sides of the plate so we can begin with Eugenio Suarez, Joey Votto, Josh VanMeter and Jesse Winker who should be at the top of the lineup and then we can look to Nick Senzel and also recent call-up Aristides Aquino who is on one heck of a heater having hit three home runs on Saturday night and seven total in his first 31 at bats. As Crash Davis once said “Respect the streak.”
Evening Slate
Coors Field Extravaganza – 14.0 implied runs
By now you have all heard the story of RHP Merrill Kelly, particularly if you have been reading this article series, but as a quick recap for the newcomers: he was drafted three times, returning to college twice before going with Tampa Bay where he toiled for five seasons in their farm system, never rising beyond AAA-Durham before spending the next five years in the Korean League.
This season as a 30-year old rookie he has had mixed results for the Diamondbacks, though this is a daunting matchup for anyone… While our preference should be to look to the same-handed hitters like Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado as Kelly has allowed a .217 ISO over 300 right-handed hitters faced this season, do not be shy about adding Charlie Blackmon and Daniel Murphy into the fun. Raimel Tapia, Ian Desmond and Ryan McMahon are additional roster filler as needed on Monday for the evening game set.
On the other side we have 22-year old RHP Peter Lambert who has struggled in 115.2 AAA innings with a 5.06 ERA, 1.435 WHIP and just a 6.4 K/9 rate. Over 55.0 innings in The Show (29.2 in Coors Field) he has compiled a 6.87 ERA, 1.58 WHIP with just 41 strikeouts and 13 home runs. Target hitters as you see fit as he has allowed 114 lefties to accrue a .421 wOBA, .286 ISO, 47.7 HH% and just a 17.5 K% while 137 righties have a .373 wOBA, .244 ISO and a 15.3 K%. Our priorities should be Eduardo Escobar, Christian Walker, Ketel Marte and David Peralta. Jake Lamb and Carson Kelly are differentiation options.
Late Slate
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs RHP Mitch Keller – 5.2 implied runs
Control is an issue for RHP Mitch Keller as the 23-year old has allowed six walks in his dozen MLB innings. While the 15 strikeouts are promising, he has been around the plate far too much and allowed too many balls in play, though just one has left the yard on his way to a 10.5 ERA and 2.25 WHIP.
In his 156.0 innings a AAA the 10.4 K/9 does show promise, but he needs more seasoning before getting a full-time starting gig in The Show. The Halos active roster has a 9.4 BB% against righties which is the eighth best in the league and they are in the bottom-third for strikeouts. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani are the dynamic duo though Kole Calhoun, Matt Thaiss and if he makes the lineup Brian Goodwin are potential differentiation options we can look to on the main slate and they will be core plays on the final game set of the night.
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Good Luck Gamers! ~ EMac
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