:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49816847/usa-today-9329107.0.jpg)
Reminder: Always double check the lineup card before rosters lock to make sure that a player you've chosen to roster is playing that day, and check the weather to make sure your players won't get rained out of their game.
FanDuel has made some tweaks to their scoring criteria for 2016. Check that out here. FanDuel is also only available to play for money in specific states. See their website for more details to see if FanDuel is playable for cash in your home state.
Today's game is loaded with good hitting options. The Rockies are back in Coors Field to take on the Padres and Andrew Cashner. Mike Pelfrey and his 4.76 ERA/5.47 FIP pitches in Yankee Stadium. Paul Goldschmidt faces a below average lefty at home in Chase Field. Nelson Cruz faces a below average lefty. The Reds start a below average pitcher at home in Great American Ballpark against the A's.
In particular, Cashner is pitching to a 4.78 ERA and 4.75 FIP in PetCo, so Coors Field looks to be a good bet to treat him poorly. Carlos Gonzalez ($4,300) has a 133 wRC+ and .238 ISO vs RHP this year. Nolan Arenado ($4,300) has a 123 wRC+ and .279 ISO vs RHP this year.
Goldschmidt has hit LHP to an OPS over 1.000 since the start of last year and faces a below average, very hittable lefty at home in hitter friendly Chase Field. Justin Nicolino has a 4.37 ERA, 4.47 FIP and 9% strikeout rate.
I want to start a lot of these hitters, so I will probably avoid pricey pitching like Clayton Kershaw ($13,100) and Stephen Strasburg ($12,000) and instead take somewhat of a risk on a mid tier priced pitcher.
Matt Harvey ($8,700) has looked objectively awful for most of the season for reasons that baffle me, but the Mets claim that they worked out a mechanical issue he had, and he's pitched much better his last 2 starts. It isn't just randomness, because his fastball and slider velocities are back up these last 2 starts to about what you'd expect from him, and he's holding them later in games. Harvey faces a Brewers offense that has a ton of swing and miss in their lineup. The Brewers strike out 26.3% of the time vs RHP, most in baseball, giving the possibility of a high strikeout total from Harvey in this game. The Brewers also have a bottom third offense vs RHP by wRC+. Harvey is a pretty good high upside play that is affordable, and he should be in position to get the win against a weak team. The risk with him is that he reverts to how he's pitched prior to his last 2 starts, which was very poor, but that is the trade off that comes with a lower salary.