MLB DFS: Friday Cheat Sheet

MLB DFS: Friday Cheat Sheet

This article is part of our DFS MLB series.

Here's a quick glance at Friday's slate(s).

Helpful Links

  • Today's MLB Lineups
  • MLB Optimizer
  • BvP Info
  • For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS Slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well.) To join those channels, e-mail [email protected].

    Park Factors & Lines

    Park factors in this piece are a three-year average from 2015-2017, indexed (100 = average). For example, left-handed home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the White Sox) have a three-year index of 122, which means there have been 22% more homers hit by lefties from all teams during that span in that park compared to a completely neutral environment. Left-handed hitters have a significant advantage when hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field.

    AT&T Park (home of the Giants), has a three-year run index of 90, which means that games played at AT&T park have had 10% fewer runs scored overall than a completely neutral environment. Overall offensive production is reduced by a significant amount for games played in San Francisco, making it a safer environment than most for pitchers.

    LeftiesRighties
    Road StarterHome StarterHome TmRAVGHRAVGHRKO/UHmL1st Pitch
    Chad KuhlMike MontgomeryCubs989988981141002:20 PM
    Andrew SuarezStephen StrasburgNationals1009889105114987.5-2107:05 PM
    Jhoulys ChacinVince VelasquezPhillies9895120971241098.0-1257:05 PM
    Andrew CashnerJ.A. HappBlue Jays9910298101101979.0-2107:07 PM
    Dylan CoveyChris SaleRed Sox11411278109105998.0-3157:10 PM
    Marco GonzalesWilmer FontRays92959794901107.51007:10 PM
    Luke WeaverMatt HarveyReds104100119981081069.51157:10 PM
    Trevor BauerMichael FulmerTigers103981041031011048.51457:10 PM
    Masahiro TanakaJacob deGromMets909310190921067.01007:10 PM
    Eric LauerCaleb SmithMarlins84938691831037.5-1407:10 PM
    Justin VerlanderDoug FisterRangers117108107110106939.01808:05 PM
    Garrett RichardsLance LynnTwins10510395105113938.51058:10 PM
    Zack GreinkeGerman MarquezRockies1381211171161188710.5-1108:40 PM
    Jakob JunisFrankie MontasAthletics9697849787967.5-14510:05 PM
    Brandon McCarthyWalker BuehlerDodgers909511396901037.5-18510:10 PM

    Pitcher Skills

    These stats look at each starting pitcher's stats since the start of last season.

    The final two columns are team stats for each pitcher's opponent.

    OwRC+ is the team wRC+ for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    TeamK% is the strikeout rate of the opposing team for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    Note: Opponent team matchup data from 2018 season.

    PlayerOppIPK%BB%K-BBHR/9ERAWHIPDKFDOwRC+OsK%
    Trevor Bauer (R)at DET254.327.28.219.01.063.751.31$11,800$10,2009020.5
    Walker Buehler (R)v ATL55.327.28.318.90.653.581.19$9,300$8,40010720.2
    Andrew Cashner (R)at TOR233.014.39.64.81.003.861.42$4,600$5,9009523.8
    Jhoulys Chacin (R)at PHI249.319.29.69.70.873.751.27$6,200$7,5009326.6
    Dylan Covey (R)at BOS92.315.210.84.41.956.531.61$4,200$6,40012619.0
    Jacob deGrom (R)v NYY273.730.27.223.01.022.991.15$10,600$10,80012023.8
    Doug Fister (R)v HOU151.318.38.310.01.134.581.38$4,000$6,10010720.9
    Wilmer Font (R)v SEA26.715.99.16.84.3910.801.99$4,100$5,50010819.4
    Michael Fulmer (R)v CLE231.317.67.010.60.864.091.21$5,700$7,10010721.8
    Marco Gonzales (L)at TB 106.719.76.113.71.104.391.47$7,100$8,30010323.8
    Zack Greinke (R)at COL275.726.85.121.71.183.261.07$7,400$8,2008023.3
    J.A. Happ (L)v BAL216.025.07.217.81.173.711.25$10,400$9,4009321.5
    Matt Harvey (R)v STL144.016.19.36.81.946.381.60$4,800$5,8009222.4
    Jakob Junis (R)at OAK173.020.65.914.71.404.011.21$8,100$9,00010422.8
    Chad Kuhl (R)at CHC225.021.210.011.21.164.201.42$7,90011120.5
    Eric Lauer (L)at MIA34.319.010.18.91.836.821.98$5,500$6,0009220.4
    Lance Lynn (R)v LAA242.320.111.28.91.233.901.35$5,100$7,40011019.8
    German Marquez (R)v ARI225.721.27.713.51.324.391.40$5,800$7,6007223.6
    Brandon McCarthy (R)at LAD156.018.87.011.80.814.331.35$5,900$7,00010722.2
    Frankie Montas (R)v KC 46.022.010.711.21.965.091.54$7,900$8,5008518.7
    Mike Montgomery (L)v PIT167.717.99.68.40.703.491.19$6,70011619.4
    Garrett Richards (R)at MIN88.726.39.916.40.812.941.13$7,700$8,1009621.8
    Chris Sale (L)v CWS295.335.65.430.11.042.930.97$11,100$11,5008827.6
    Caleb Smith (L)v SD 79.027.411.316.11.254.901.30$9,100$8,00010426.2
    Stephen Strasburg (R)v SF 254.029.26.522.70.852.731.03$10,800$10,40010924.7
    Andrew Suarez (L)at WAS43.723.54.519.01.444.741.21$6,500$6,9009721.4
    Masahiro Tanaka (R)at NYM246.025.15.719.41.834.761.21$9,500$8,60010420.5
    Vince Velasquez (R)v MIL135.725.19.615.51.594.511.40$8,300$8,80010024.1
    Justin Verlander (R)at TEX293.327.57.619.90.982.731.04$12,400$11,6009324.3
    Luke Weaver (R)at CIN123.725.07.217.81.024.001.25$7,500$7,7009819.9

    Pitcher Splits

    These splits cover each pitcher's performance against left-handed and right-handed hitters since the start of the 2016 season.

    Stats highlighted yellow indicate matchups favoring the pitcher. Stats highlighted blue indicate matchups favoring opposing hitters.

    v. Leftiesv. Righties
    NameOppK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBAK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBA
    Trevor Bauer (R)at DET24.88.216.61.120.31824.18.515.50.920.308
    Walker Buehler (R)v ATL28.48.819.60.690.26026.27.918.30.610.288
    Andrew Cashner (R)at TOR17.511.65.91.400.35214.78.16.60.850.330
    Jhoulys Chacin (R)at PHI14.310.93.31.110.33523.87.616.30.650.281
    Dylan Covey (R)at BOS16.711.55.21.790.35813.910.23.72.110.392
    Jacob deGrom (R)v NYY25.47.318.10.770.28430.56.224.31.190.287
    Doug Fister (R)v HOU15.19.35.81.610.37817.86.910.90.740.285
    Wilmer Font (R)v SEA12.08.04.04.500.48318.39.88.54.320.470
    Michael Fulmer (R)v CLE18.17.310.90.850.29519.46.313.00.900.287
    Marco Gonzales (L)at TB 16.04.911.11.450.32920.56.314.21.020.352
    Zack Greinke (R)at COL23.95.418.51.140.29824.65.619.01.310.299
    J.A. Happ (L)v BAL21.25.615.60.730.25223.37.815.51.190.306
    Matt Harvey (R)v STL15.99.46.61.910.39918.46.811.61.090.320
    Jakob Junis (R)at OAK18.86.312.51.220.32622.35.516.81.570.307
    Chad Kuhl (R)at CHC20.310.79.61.460.37120.47.812.60.790.301
    Eric Lauer (L)at MIA10.57.92.61.350.40621.510.810.81.950.424
    Lance Lynn (R)v LAA15.214.01.21.660.35624.68.715.90.870.285
    German Marquez (R)v ARI17.78.19.60.890.33523.77.016.61.660.353
    Brandon McCarthy (R)at LAD20.79.511.20.660.30719.87.911.90.800.319
    Frankie Montas (R)v KC 16.213.13.02.860.39127.48.518.91.130.343
    Mike Montgomery (L)v PIT19.68.211.50.650.27019.59.99.60.730.288
    Garrett Richards (R)at MIN26.69.517.10.710.24624.110.313.80.750.304
    Chris Sale (L)v CWS31.53.528.00.900.24931.25.525.71.080.275
    Caleb Smith (L)v SD 26.08.018.00.830.34428.012.715.31.410.288
    Stephen Strasburg (R)v SF 29.08.120.90.940.26230.45.524.90.810.274
    Andrew Suarez (L)at WAS27.52.025.50.000.20721.95.516.42.150.387
    Masahiro Tanaka (R)at NYM22.74.817.91.390.29823.55.518.01.510.310
    Vince Velasquez (R)v MIL25.310.115.31.710.35827.37.719.61.330.310
    Justin Verlander (R)at TEX31.38.622.71.150.26824.55.618.91.000.266
    Luke Weaver (R)at CIN23.48.215.11.160.33427.16.320.81.200.305

    The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Derek VanRiper plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: RotoWireDVR, DraftKings: BentleysChair, Yahoo: d.vanriper,.
    RotoWire Community
    Join Our Subscriber-Only MLB Chat
    Chat with our writers and other RotoWire MLB fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
    Join The Discussion
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Derek VanRiper
    Derek was a frequent writer and media host. During his tenure, he'd been a two-time finalist for the FSWA's Baseball Writer of the Year award, and winner of the Best Football Article on the Web (2009) and Best Baseball Article on the Web (2010) awards. Derek also had hosted RotoWire's shows on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (XM 87, Sirius 210).
    Farm Futures: Rookie Outfielder Rankings
    Farm Futures: Rookie Outfielder Rankings
    Offseason Deep Dives: Reynaldo Lopez
    Offseason Deep Dives: Reynaldo Lopez
    Offseason Deep Dives: Hunter Greene
    Offseason Deep Dives: Hunter Greene
    Farm Futures: November Dynasty Mailbag!
    Farm Futures: November Dynasty Mailbag!
    All-Bust Fantasy Team: Relief Pitchers
    All-Bust Fantasy Team: Relief Pitchers
    Collette Calls: Thinking About Pitchers Returning From Injuries
    Collette Calls: Thinking About Pitchers Returning From Injuries