This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
PITCHER
Jose Fernandez, MIA vs. PIT ($12,400): The opposing Pirates and their fourth-ranked offense (in terms of wRC+) against righties and second overall offense over the last 14 days may cause some to look elsewhere behind opponent difficulty and pricing concerns. Frankly, $12,400 is a LOW price on Fernandez. Fernandez has started five times this month, recording five wins, 50 strikeouts and a 1.69 ERA (2.20 xFIP, justifying sabermetrically just how dominant he has been). It's worth revisiting Fernandez's home dominance over his career as well, as he has an extremely impressive 1.64 ERA at home versus 3.54 away (which, really is pretty solid in its own right).
Joe Ross, WAS at PHI ($8,500): The Phillies, to the awe of many, are above .500 on the season, but it's in no way due to their offense. They rank 27th with a 75 wRC+ against righties and have an above average strikeout rate of 21.5 percent. Ross' ERA of 2.52 is likely a bit overstated with an inconsistent K rate of 18.6 percent and an xFIP sitting just above 4.00. However, his highs are reasonable, reaching seven innings on multiple occasions including one 7.2-inning shutout against this very Phillies team back in April.
CATCHER
Buster Posey, SFG at ATL ($4,200): Sticking to wRC+, as three of the games were at Coors Field, Posey has a wRC+ of 220 over the past 10 days. A return to health and his potent bat has reappeared, and opposing starter Matt Wisler has garnered some respect due to his 3.08 ERA, but an unsustainable .237 BABIP and an xFIP sitting at 4.62 says the success is due for a regression.
FIRST BASE
Matt Adams, STL at MIL ($3,900):Wily Peralta, in tow with a 6.62 ERA, can be written off as an easy target. The Cardinals have the second-best offense (in terms of wRC+) against righties this season, and Adams now with a wRC+ of 149, largely contrived from his platoon against righties, and he has undoubtedly played a large part in this right-handed pitching crushing by St. Louis.
SECOND BASE
DJ LeMahieu, COL vs. CIN ($3,800):LeMahieu is an under $4K lefty likely batting in a favorable position at Coors Field against a gas-can righty in Jon Moscot, who has allowed a .372 wOBA and a 6.34 xFIP against lefties on the season. Rain could figure, as is often the case, so be cognizant and check the forecasts and radars prior to lock.
THIRD BASE
Nick Castellanos, DET at LAA ($4,500):Hector Santiago has allowed a .356 wOBA and 5.29 xFIP against right-handed bats this season. Castellanos gets picked on for his high BABIP, but now in his fourth year it's time to accept that he packs a Miguel Cabrera like BABIP with a higher K rate. What I would overlook on the season is his mediocre 106 wRC+ against lefties (fueled by a .192 BABIP) in comparison to the 160 wRC+ against righties. The numbers were inverted last season, as Castellanos had a .414 wOBA and 165 wRC+.
SHORTSTOP
Manny Machado, BOS at BAL ($4,900): Machado, who has a .415 wOBA and 166 wRC+ this season, is a tad unconventional, sporting better numbers against righties than lefties in his career. Eduardo Rodriguez, taking Clay Bucholz's spot (and boy was it time to demote Bucholz to the pen), appears to be an unconventional lefty, relying on fly balls and not performing particularly better against either lefties or righties.
OUTFIELD
Brandon Moss, STL at MIL ($4,000): What is said of Moss largely echoes the sentiments of the Matt Adams blurb, even down to his first base eligibility. Against righties this season, Moss has a wRC+ of 130 and a .259 BABIP which is due to rise towards his career mean of .295.
Gerardo Parra, COL vs. CIN ($4,000): Much like a mimicked Matt Adams in the Brandon Moss write-up, Parra stands for a similar treatment with LeMahieu (though, he only has outfield eligibility). Parra's bat has been pretty bad this season, but with Jon Moscot on the mound at Coors Field and reasonable stolen base upside, it is enough to overlook it.
J.D. Martinez, DET at LAA ($4,200): Appearing as a broken record surely, as the first two outfielders were to their infield counterparts, Martinez is to Nick Castelllanos. Martinez has been 15 points on the wRC+ scale worse against lefties on the season, but his career numbers are almost identically flipped, as he's 17 wRC+ points higher against southpaws. After a real struggle through a good portion of the beginning of the season, since May 9 Martinez has a .429 wOBA, 177 wRC+ and a .385 ISO.
