Hitters ----
Play of the Day: Anthony Rizzo-- Rizzo had a three hit, four rbi game last night, and faces another hittable pitcher in Pelfrey tonight. Rizzo has reached base nine times in this series, and looking to go deep for the first time since he had three straight games with a homer from July 15-17.
Top Play: Willson Contreras--Willson received a rare day off yesterday, but remains a top play tonight. Contreras went deep for the fourth time in six games Tuesday, and is batting .341 with five homers, 15 rbi’s, and a stolen base over his past ten games.
Value Play: Paul DeJong- DeJong went deep last night for the fourth time in five games, and is only second to Stanton with 13 homers since being called up again back in June. Continues to be hot while batting in the key third spot in the Cardinals lineup.
GPP Play: Evan Longoria-- Longoria is batting .405 with seven home runs in 74 AB’s over his career vs Sabathia. He went deep yesterday, and is now batting .400 since the All-Star break, raising his season average to .273.
Pitchers ----
Play of the Day: Jon Lester- Lester and the Cubs are the largest favorites tonight by a wide margin as the Cubs starting pitchers are 9-0 since the break. Lester hasa 16:1 K:BB ratio since the break, while allowing just six hits in those 15 innings.
Top Play: Chris Archer- The top priced pitcher of the slate is also an underdog vs the Yankees tonight. Archer has pitched at least six innings in 12 straight starts while striking out at least eight in four straight. Archer struck out 12 in his last matchup vs the Yankees, and their current roster is batting .285 vs him (45-158).
Pivot Play: Zack Godley- Godley heads to muggy St Louis for a matchup with the Cardinals. Godley has struck out at least six batters in eight of his last nine starts, including 19 over his last 11 ? innings. Makes for a nice pivot option off of Lester or Archer tonight.
Pivot Play: CC Sabathia- C.C. is 2-0 vs the Rays this season, including a win in a matchup vs Archer back in May. He pitched five innings in both of those starts, and has allowed one run or less in seven of his last nine starts. The Rays are batting .335 (54-161) off Sabathia which keeps him as a gpp only target tonight.