It’s the last week of the regular season, and while some teams are fighting for their playoff hopes, others are starting to look towards the future.  This makes playing cash games more difficult at times.  This last week may not be about trying to build a bankroll as much as taking a few shots in some gpp’s.  The Ranger’s check in as having the highest team total of the slate going up against Garza, but teams like the Marlins, A’s, and Ray’s are my favorite teams to take mini-stack risks tonight.  Good luck!

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces 
Yadier MolinaSTLRHCINTim AdlemanR5080.3010.3550.4150.770.3380.1147.10%11.20%50.30%26.80%22.90%6.00%0.332$2,900$3,600$4,500 
J.T. RealmutoMIARHNYMBartolo ColonR4970.3080.3480.4370.7850.3430.1295.10%18.60%51.00%28.00%21.00%9.90%0.364$2,600$3,900$4,300 
Gary SanchezNYYRATORJ.A. HappL1800.3220.3970.7061.1030.460.38410.30%24.00%48.50%33.30%18.20%43.20%0.345$4,100$4,600$5,200 
Jonathan LucroyTEXRHMILMatt GarzaR4730.2820.3530.5480.9010.3670.2668.70%18.60%39.30%36.00%24.70%17.60%0.326$3,500$4,700$4,700 
Stephen VogtOAKLALAAJered WeaverR4640.2540.3080.4030.7110.3090.1496.50%16.10%32.30%45.10%22.60%7.00%0.283$3,000$3,300$4,000 
Tucker BarnhartCINBASTLJaime GarciaL3590.2510.3170.3790.6960.2990.1288.50%17.50%51.20%25.80%23.00%9.30%0.291$2,200$2,900$3,900 

Catcher

Cash/GPP Plays:  Both Gary Sanchez and Jonathan Lucroy are top catcher options tonight, but also both priced that way.  Due to this, I like them both more as gpp options.  Sanchez is 1-2 with a HR off Happ, but now has gone four games without a homer.  Lucroy is 2-4 off Garza, but hasn’t recorded a two hit games since September 13th.

With the two above having top price tag, as well as some concerns, I’m looking at cheaper options in both Yadier Molina and J.T. Realmuto.  Molina is on an 11 game hit streak, with at least two hits in five of his last six games.  Realmuto is better used for gpp’s in a Marlin’s stack, as he is 8-20 with a homer off Colon.  

Value Plays:  The two listed above are value plays as well on FD, but on DK, Stephen Vogt has a nice price to use in an A’s stack.  He’s 10-33 with 2 HR’s and only 3 K’s lifetime vs Weaver.  If looking to go with a long shot, you can take a look at whoever the Ray’s start, as well as Tucker Barnhart who is 5-12 with a HR off Garcia

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces 
Jose AbreuCWSRHTBDrew SmylyL6020.2970.3510.4770.8280.3550.186.20%18.00%47.50%31.10%21.40%16.90%0.33$3,500$4,100$4,700 
Joey VottoCINLASTLJaime GarciaL5250.320.4340.5330.9670.4110.21316.60%18.30%44.80%28.10%27.10%22.80%0.365$3,700$4,700$5,100 
Miguel CabreraDETRHCLECorey KluberR5720.3060.3860.540.9260.3920.23411.30%17.00%44.20%32.30%23.50%23.10%0.326$3,700$3,800$5,250 
Chris CarterMILRATEXMartin PerezL5270.220.3180.490.8080.3460.2711.50%32.30%32.80%43.90%23.30%25.90%0.26$3,800$4,500$4,950 
Marwin GonzalezHOUBHSEAHisashi IwakumaR4640.250.2890.4010.690.30.1514.40%23.50%51.70%28.60%19.70%13.00%0.307$2,800$3,400$4,250 
Justin SmoakTORBHNYYLuis SeverinoR2920.2230.3160.4010.7170.3160.17811.70%33.10%30.90%41.40%27.60%18.70%0.304$2,400$3,700$4,050 
Yonder AlonsoOAKLALAAJered WeaverR4550.2550.3180.3690.6870.3030.1148.50%14.30%47.80%30.30%21.90%6.10%0.287$2,500$3,200$3,650 

 

First Base

Cash/GPP Plays:  Yes, Anthony Rizzo is in play if you can afford him, but there are four similar priced players that are cheaper options to go with in just as good as spots.  Jose Abreu is 4-6 with a homer off Smyly.  Joey Votto is 16-43 off Garcia, and is on a seven game hit with a XBH in three of his last four games.  Chris Carter is 8-18 with 2 HR’s off Perez, and five of his last seven hits have went deep.  Miguel Cabrera has faced Kluber in 13 games, and has gone 21-45 with 5 HR’s over that span. Miggy has a great price on DK tonight.  None of the above really have other plays from their teams to do full stacks with, but would work in mini-stacks.  

Value Plays:  There are a few options at first that provide salary relief with Yonder Alonso providing that option across the board.  He’s 4-11 off Weaver, and works best paired with a few A’s.   Marwin Gonzalez is 10-22 with a homer off Iwakuma, and looking for his first XBH since going deep on September 16.  Justin Smoak is a great pivot play off the higher priced guys.  He’s 3-6 with a homer off Severino, but hasn’t been playing much lately, with only one hit this month so check to see if in the lineup.  

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces 
Robinson CanoSEALAHOUCollin McHughR6260.2960.3460.5080.8540.3650.2126.30%13.60%47.30%33.50%19.30%18.60%0.301$3,300$4,200$5,250 
Ben ZobristCHIBAPITChad KuhlR5080.2720.3850.4310.8160.3580.15915.00%12.90%49.00%27.40%23.70%12.60%0.294$3,000$4,400$4,800 
Jose AltuveHOURHSEAHisashi IwakumaR6170.3370.3950.5360.9310.3960.1998.20%9.80%45.30%30.30%24.30%14.50%0.346$3,800$4,900$5,350 
Dee GordonMIALHNYMBartolo ColonR3040.2570.2970.3190.6160.2720.0625.60%15.80%61.80%20.10%18.10%0.00%0.307$2,700$4,500$4,750 
Joey WendleOAKLALAAJered WeaverR730.2740.3130.3150.6280.2790.0416.30%18.80%54.20%23.70%22.00%7.10%0.322$2,400$2,600$3,500 

Second Base

Cash/GPP Plays:  Jose Altuve is 15-35 with a homer and only one K vs Iwakuma, but his price is a little too high for me to use for anything but in an Houston stack.  Both Robinson Cano and Ben Zobrist are cheaper options in just as good of spots.  Cano is 10-33 with 2 homers off McHugh, and was 6-9 before going 0-4 in his last game.  Zobrist has been swinging the bat well lately by going 8-13 over his last four games.  He is 1-2 with a homer in his only game vs Kuhl.

Value Plays:  Although I’d rather pay slightly more for Zobrist, Dee Gordon continues to come with a cheap price tag on FD.  He always is a threat to steal a base or two once he reaches base.  On DK and Aces, Joey Wendle is a dirt cheap option if leading off for the A’s.  He’s cooled off a bit lately, but if going with a four A’s stack, Wendle should be a part of it.

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces 
Adrian BeltreTEXRHMILMatt GarzaR5660.30.3590.5230.8820.3770.2237.60%10.30%42.20%37.20%20.60%17.40%0.292$3,400$4,200$5,250 
Todd FrazierCWSRHTBDrew SmylyL5620.2260.3060.4680.7740.3330.24210.00%23.80%36.90%47.20%15.80%19.80%0.233$3,500$5,100$4,900 
Josh DonaldsonTORRHNYYLuis SeverinoR5540.2850.4030.5540.9570.4090.26915.50%17.00%40.00%38.00%21.90%21.40%0.3$4,500$5,300$5,450 
Danny ValenciaOAKRALAAJered WeaverR4520.2880.3490.4510.80.3490.1638.20%21.70%47.00%29.30%23.70%17.20%0.343$3,000$3,500$4,300 

Third Base

Cash/GPP Plays:  Not a plethora of options to go with a third tonight.  Kris Bryant is in play although not mentioned. Adrian Beltre is 11-26 with 3 homers vs Garza, and has at least one hit in 14 of last 15 games.  His price tag across the board makes him my favorite cash game play at third.  Josh Donaldson and Todd Frazier make for nice gpp options tonight.  Donaldson is 2-7 with a HR off Severino, and is 4-11 with a homer and four runs going into the final game of this series.  Frazier is on a nine game hit streak, with a homer in three of them.  Pair him with Abreu, and one of the two should go deep tonight.

Value Plays:  May have to wait for lineups to come out to find a value option such as Marte, but my last Oakland player for the four stack off Weaver is Danny Valencia.  He’s only 6-25 off him, but half of those hits have went deep.  My Oakland idea does come with risk, but should also come with low ownership levels.  

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces 
Brad MillerTBLACWSJames ShieldsR5290.250.3080.4950.8030.3440.2457.40%24.60%46.50%37.60%15.90%20.80%0.283$3,700$4,600$4,550 
Troy TulowitzkiTORRHNYYLuis SeverinoR4660.2510.3150.440.7550.3280.1897.80%19.00%42.10%38.00%19.80%17.10%0.267$3,200$3,800$4,850 
Addison RussellCHIRAPITChad KuhlR5080.2440.3240.4270.7510.3240.1839.20%22.50%43.10%36.80%20.10%15.10%0.284$2,200$3,700$4,750 
Asdrubal CabreraNYMBAMIAAdam ConleyL4980.2810.3360.4820.8180.3520.2016.50%18.60%39.90%37.10%23.00%15.60%0.311$3,400$4,400$4,700 
Jose PerazaCINRASTLJaime GarciaL2150.3260.3520.4190.7710.3370.0933.10%12.80%45.90%24.90%29.30%6.70%0.362$3,500$4,000$3,500 
Alexei RamirezTBRACWSJames ShieldsR4540.1820.250.3030.5530.2620.1214.20%13.10%52.50%26.90%20.70%5.80%0.261$2,100$2,600$3,850 

ShortStop

Cash/GPP Plays:   Please note Lindor is not listed, but works as a nice play.  Brad Miller has a great price on Aces, but will have to pay a little to get him elsewhere.  He’s 3-7 with a homer off Shields, and on a nice six game hit streak.  A nice pivot off Miller would be to his teammate Alexei Ramirez.  He is pretty much minimum price across the board, and has a long track record against Shields, going 23-58 with 2 HR’s and only 5 K’s.  Troy Tulowitzki will be a popular play at his price on DK.  He’s 3-6 off Severino, but still looking for his first XBH in this series.  I’m not sure why FD has priced Addison Russell at the bottom of their list of SS.  Probably the cheapest price you can find a player who has 21 HR’s and 94 RBI’s on the best team in baseball.  Also bats in the middle of the lineup most nights. Asdrubal Cabrera has gone deep in three of his last five games, and should be lower owned than Miller tonight.

Value Plays:  Russell is the best you are going to find on FD, with Alexi as a sneaky DK pivot off Miller.  

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces 
Jose BautistaTORRHNYYLuis SeverinoR4010.2370.3650.4590.8240.360.22216.40%19.30%39.00%38.30%22.70%17.80%0.255$4,000$4,700$5,150 
Bryce HarperWSHLHARIArchie BradleyR4950.2440.3750.4440.8190.3490.217.30%17.80%42.30%38.40%19.20%16.20%0.261$3,400$4,500$5,400 
Giancarlo StantonMIARHNYMBartolo ColonR4020.2410.3280.4950.8230.3520.25410.70%29.70%41.30%38.60%20.10%26.50%0.29$3,800$4,400$5,200 
Mike TroutLAARHOAKSean ManaeaL5320.3160.4380.5530.9910.4220.23716.80%20.10%42.70%33.80%23.50%20.90%0.371$4,500$5,000$5,500 
Christian YelichMIALHNYMBartolo ColonR5570.2940.3720.4760.8480.3680.18210.60%21.20%58.40%19.10%22.50%24.70%0.354$3,400$4,100$4,800 
Stephen PiscottySTLRHCINTim AdlemanR5570.2710.3410.4580.7990.3480.1877.90%20.80%44.60%35.00%20.40%14.80%0.316$3,200$3,600$5,100 
Nelson CruzSEARAHOUCollin McHughR5630.2860.3590.5560.9150.3880.279.20%23.40%44.40%35.70%19.90%27.50%0.316$3,900$4,200$5,400 
Justin UptonDETRHCLECorey KluberR5500.2440.3060.4530.7590.3270.2097.60%28.60%39.90%38.00%22.00%20.00%0.301$3,100$2,900$4,800 
Mikie MahtookTBRACWSJames ShieldsR1610.180.2220.2550.4770.2140.0754.10%37.20%38.80%43.90%17.30%4.70%0.281$2,200$2,400$3,450 

Outfield

Cash/GPP Plays:  Jose Bautista is one of my favorite players on the slate tonight. His only hit in 7 AB’s vs Severino went deep, which Bautista has done in three of his last four games.  He also has two doubles during the time timeframe.  I’m not sure where the Marlin’s players heads may be at after the start of the game, but on paper, they have a great chance to put up some runs tonight.  Both Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yellich have the best matchups.  Stanton is 5-13 wiht 2 HR’s off Colon with Yellich at 10-31 with a homer off him.  They went a combined 1-19 in the weekend series vs Atlanta, and should be able to get back on track tonight.  

Another player that is “due” is Bryce Harper.  A triple yesterday extended his hit streak to four games, but Harper only has one HR this month, and seems to be getting to him.  Hopefully he takes out some frustration tonight on Bradley.  


Value Plays:  If looking at Miggy at first and don’t want him as your only Tiger, Justin Upton is swinging a hot bat.  He’s coming off a series vs the Royals in which he went 7-13 with 3 doubles and 2 HR’s.  Upton is 3-9 with 2 HR’s off Kluber and not opposed to playing him on multiple lineups.  Shields is a nice pitcher to pick on, especially knowing that when he misses his spots, the ball is going to leave the yard.  I’m hoping Mike Mahtook receives the start tonight.  Will only use him in a Ray’s stack after his 7 K’s over last three games.