After yesterday’s big 15-game slate, we saddle back up for a 12-game main slate here for Wednesday. Let’s take a look at some of the key bats we’re going to want in our builds today for the main slates across the salary spectrum.
Top Tier
Pete Alonso 1B NYM - Alonso is in a delectable match-up tonight against a former Met in Matt Harvey and his 7.65 SIERA. Harvey has been a batting practice pitcher and in Camden Yards that’s a dangerous thing to be and along with his .381 wOBA allowed to RHHs, like Alonso. Match that with the Polar Bear’s .360 wOBA against RHPs and it’s a match-up made in, well Baltimore.
Nick Castellanos OF CIN - Castellanos has been flexing over, and on, pitchers all year and now on the side of Great American Ballpark as well. Not only does Castellanos have a .353 wOBA in the previous 17 at-bats against Brett Anderson and against southpaws he’s had a .410 AVG and three homers this year. We all know GABP is a launching pad but Castellanos’ 10 homers there already are impressive as is his .496, that’s right FOUR HUNDRED NINETY-SIX, wOBA against southpaws. Lock him in.
Xander Bogaerts, SS or Rafael Devers, 3B BOS - This one is splitting hairs and so both get inclusion, but it’s likely hard to fit both into a single lineup, unless on FD. Bogaerts has more at-bats against the batting practice arm, I mean pitcher, Jake Odorizzi, with 32 recording 10 hits in those at-bats while Devers is 2-for-5 off of Odorizzi. Both also have very similar wOBAs this year against RHPs with .399 and .398 marks respectively, the differences though come with Devers hitting 13 homers off of righties with a .278 AVG and Bogaerts leaving the park seven times with a .331 AVG. Both are appealing options but picking one on DK is almost certainly required.
Mid Tier
Mike Zunino C TB - Patrick Corbin has been garbage this year, and I’m saying that as a Nats fan. His ERA on the road is 10.00 and when looking at what he’s done against RHHs it’s not great either with a .315 BAA and .404 wOBA allowed and a 7.51 SIERA overall. All this means a good day should be in store for Zunino who has been mashing southpaws with a .491 wOBA, six homers, 13 RBI, and a .326 AVG. Playing a catcher at the 1B/C spot on FD is a risk, but not in this case in this match-up.
Justin Turner 3B LAD - Turner is hitting .500 off of Tyler Anderson in his career in 26 at-bats while taking him deep too. The .339 wOBA against southpaws is solid for Turner too but the real advantage is that Anderson allows a .338 wOBA to RHHs compared to a .234 wOBA to same-handed hitters.
Marcus Semien 2B TOR (FD ONLY) - Semien’s price in this matchup on FD is too good to ignore here. He’s done well against Lynn in past meetings, going 7-for-17 with a homer for a .444 wOBA, and this year Semien has been hitting RHPs well too with 10 homers off of them already and a .408 wOBA. On the road has favored Semien too. DK he’s in the $5K range but in the low-$3K range on FD is appetizing.
Value Tier
Andrelton Simmons SS MIN - Simmons has faced Cole 19 times in the past and gotten seven hits off of him. It’s nothing special but as a cheap middle infield option who’s posted a .381 wOBA against Gerrit Cole it’s worth noting. What’s also worth noting is that Cole seems to not be wanting to talk about or use the sticky stuff any more and was hit around for five ER in his last start (the first one after the announcement that MLB was looking into it). Simmons also has a five-game hit streak going with three of those being multi-hit games.
Rougned Odor 2B NYY - Look it’s been ugly on the field for sure. There’s no denying that. However, he’s been far better on the road this year (.254 AVG to .109 AVG) in the same number of at-bats and 10 of his 13 RBI have been on the road. He’s also facing Randy Dobnak today who’s been pounded by LHHs to the tune of a .417 wOBA. Why not take the shot on a low-played value option?