This has been a long time coming but today is the MLB trade deadline. That’s something baseball fans have been waiting for all season but it’s a disastrous day for DFS players. Just be sure to keep an eye on the news and make sure you don’t get any inactives into your lineups!
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Pitcher
Jacob deGrom (NYM): $12,000 at CWS
Reliability is key in DFS, so let’s go with deGrom in a superb matchup. This guy has been one of the best pitchers in the league for the past five years but especially the last two years. In fact, deGrom is pitching to a 2.13 ERA and 0.98 WHIP since the beginning of last season while generating a 31.7 percent K rate. Those absurd numbers are backed by a 2.05 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over his last 10 starts. The icing on the cake is this matchup though, with the White Sox ranked 24th in K rate, 28th in runs scored, 27th in OPS and 23rd in wOBA.
Catcher/First Base
Paul Goldschmidt (STL): $4,200 vs. CHC
Goldschmidt is one of the hottest hitters in the game right now and it’s tough to fade a guy who’s on such a home run rampage. Since July 5, Goldy has 10 homers, 18 runs scored and 26 RBI en route to a .708 SLG and 1.046 OPS. That’s an absurd stretch in just 20 games, as all that positive regression is hitting quickly. Kyle Hendricks is not necessarily a guy we’re worried about either, as his 4.34 xFIP is nothing to be scared of.
This has been a long time coming but today is the MLB trade deadline. That’s something baseball fans have been waiting for all season but it’s a disastrous day for DFS players. Just be sure to keep an eye on the news and make sure you don’t get any inactives into your lineups!
Get a $5 bonus w/ your 1st deposit on FanDuel
Pitcher
Jacob deGrom (NYM): $12,000 at CWS
Reliability is key in DFS, so let’s go with deGrom in a superb matchup. This guy has been one of the best pitchers in the league for the past five years but especially the last two years. In fact, deGrom is pitching to a 2.13 ERA and 0.98 WHIP since the beginning of last season while generating a 31.7 percent K rate. Those absurd numbers are backed by a 2.05 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over his last 10 starts. The icing on the cake is this matchup though, with the White Sox ranked 24th in K rate, 28th in runs scored, 27th in OPS and 23rd in wOBA.
Catcher/First Base
Paul Goldschmidt (STL): $4,200 vs. CHC
Goldschmidt is one of the hottest hitters in the game right now and it’s tough to fade a guy who’s on such a home run rampage. Since July 5, Goldy has 10 homers, 18 runs scored and 26 RBI en route to a .708 SLG and 1.046 OPS. That’s an absurd stretch in just 20 games, as all that positive regression is hitting quickly. Kyle Hendricks is not necessarily a guy we’re worried about either, as his 4.34 xFIP is nothing to be scared of.
Second Base
Rougned Odor (TEX): $2,800 vs. SEA
Odor is really starting to turn things around and he’s a fantasy producer despite his ugly batting average. The little second baseman is still on pace for 30 homers and 12 steals, which is on par with his 27-homer, 14-steal averages over the last three years. That’s surprising in itself and a lot of that damage has been coming recently. Over his last 20 games, Odor has eight homers, four doubles and 20 RBI en route to a .610 SLG. It’s undetermined who’s going to start for the Mariners but that’s obviously nothing to be concerned with anytime it’s not an established starter.
Third Base
Jose Ramirez (CLE): $3,900 vs. HOU
Much like the last two guys, Ramirez is really turning his season around. This guy has much more upside than anyone else though, as he was a Top-10 pick in season-long formats. A nightmare start had fantasy owners panicking but positive regression is turning his season around. Over his last 20 games, J-Ram is hitting .357 while generating a .786 SLG and 1.163 OPS. That’s the guy we’ve been waiting for and it doesn’t even take into consideration that he’s one of the league leaders with 22 steals. The icing on the cake is a matchup with a righty, with the switch-hitter career numbers being significantly better from the left side.
Shortstop
Jorge Polanco (MIN): $3,800 at MIA
Can I just say something? Polanco may be the most underrated player in baseball right now. This dude has done nothing but mash for the Twins this season and he seems to be an afterthought for this club. We’re talking about a guy with a .305 average and .875 OPS. He’s been even better against righties, generating a .393 OBP, .583 SLG and .975 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor. That makes him a huge value below $4,000, especially against a guy with a 5.44 xFIP and 1.45 WHIP (Sandy Alcantara).
Outfield
Mike Trout (LAA): $4,800 vs. DET
This play really doesn’t take a whole lot of explanation. Trout is the best hitter in baseball and gets to face a bad lefty. That puts him in play pretty much whenever but his form right now is downright laughable. Over his last 19 games, Trout has collected six doubles, 12 homers, 18 runs scored and 29 RBI en route to a 1.269 OPS. That’s scary from the best hitter of my generation, particularly against a lefty with a 4.89 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
Max Kepler (MIN): $4,100 at MIA
Those ugly numbers from Alcantara put all of the Twins bats in play, specifically, these lefties. Kepler usually finds himself atop the lineup when facing a righty and it’s no surprise when looking at his statistics. Against right-handed pitching, Kepler is generating a .560 SLG and .906 OPS. He also has 55 of his runs and 21 of his homers against righties and those are simply some of the best splits in the game.
Ryan Braun (MIL): $3,100 at OAK
Braun has put together a heck of a career and he’s really tough to fade anytime the Brewers face a left-hander. Not only does he have a career .990 OPS against southpaws, Braun also has a .282 ISO and .415 wOBA with the platoon advantage in his favor. Those are just bonkers numbers and it definitely puts him in play against Brett Anderson. The Oakland lefty is currently pitching to a 4.91 xFIP and 1.28 WHIP. That’s why Braun will likely be in the heart of this potent lineup and why he should be $500 more.
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Joel Bartilotta is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @BartilottaJoel.
