DFS MLB Hitting Coach: August 21

When I play DFS on days I write the hitting coach, I only use players from the hitting coach, unless weather or lineups dictate making a change. Even though that leaves me with only a handful of players to choose from at each position, my lineups often wind up looking drastically different from site to site. Even though I like all of the players in the hitting coach, the price differences between sites means, for instance, that while I like Gary Sanchez overall, I almost certainly will play somebody else on DraftKings.

It occurs to me I should have done this months ago, but I thought it a good idea nonetheless to discuss briefly how I use the hitting coach spreadsheet to construct my lineups every day. Based on the salary structures of each site, players tend to cost more on DraftKings than on FanDuel and more on FantasyAces than on DraftKings. If I see a player costs the same on FanDuel and DraftKings, like Nick Hundley or Jonathan Schoop, I usually play him on DraftKings. Similarly, when I see someone like Keon Broxton is $500 less on FantasyAces than on DraftKings, I will most likely pounce.

If I am really torn between two players, often I will use their OPS or wOBA as a tie-breaker. If the choice is that tough, you may as well go back to how the players have fared for the entire season, against righties and lefties. Strikeout percentage can also be a useful tiebreaker on sites that penalize for strikeouts.

Willson Contreras is 4-for-12 over his last three games, and he is worth paying up for at Coors Field.

Nick Hundley is 7-for-18 with a home run against Jason Hammel and 4-for-11 with a home run over his last three games.

Jason Castro is 8-for-21 with a home run against Yovani Gallardo and he has hit a home run in three of his last five games. Evan Gattis is 4-for-9 against Gallardo and 7-for-12 with a home run over his last three games.

Gary Sanchez is 12-for-22 with five home runs during his six-game hitting streak, and there is no reason to believe Jhoulys Chacin can slow him down.

David Ortiz is 11-for-32 with two home runs against Justin Verlander. Ortiz is 11-for-23 with three home runs during his seven-game hitting streak.

Jose Abreu is 5-for-13 with a home run during his four-game hitting streak.

Chris Carter is 7-for-23 with a home run and two stolen bases over the last week and he has a .418 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season.

Ryan Howard is 8-for-23 with three home runs and eight RBI against Mike Leake. Howard is 7-for-19 with three home runs over his last six games.

Adam Lind is 9-for-29 against Matt Garza and 3-for-10 with a home run over his last three games.

Robinson Cano is 12-for-32 with two home runs against Matt Garza.

Jonathan Schoop is 6-for-14 during his four-game hitting streak and right-handed batters have a .335 wOBA against Dallas Keuchel this season.

Ivan De Jesus Jr. is 4-for-10 over his last three games and right-handed batters have a .356 wOBA against Julio Urias.

Is there a price at which I would not play Kris Bryant at home against Jorge De La Rosa? I’m not sure there is. Bryant is 10-for-21 with three home runs and 10 RBI over his last three games and right-handed batters have a .371 wOBA against De La Rosa this season.

Alex Bregman is 11-for-24 with three home runs and nine RBI during his five-game hitting streak.

Hernan Perez? Is 4-for-13 with a home run and two stolen bases over the last three days.

Maikel Franco is 4-for-7 against Mike Leake and 7-for-20 with a home run during his five-game hitting streak.

Matt Duffy is 10-for-27 in his seven games since joining the Rays and right-handed batters have a .343 wOBA against Martin Perez.

I suspect a ton of people will play Dansby Swanson Sunday, but I’m not sure that would scare me off. There is a reason most people have heard of him and any right-handed bat who is that cheap should be a consideration against Gio Gonzalez. Swanson is 4-for-12 in three games since his promotion.

Francisco Lindor is 9-for-25 during his six-game hitting streak.

Erick Aybar has been batting second lately, and that would give him some value, against Henry Owens.

Jonathan Villar is 5-for-12 with a home run and two stolen bases over his last three games.

George Springer is 3-for-6 against Yovani Gallardo and 8-for-13 with two home runs over his last three games.

Ryan Braun has a 1.038 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season, and I certainly like his chances against Ariel Miranda.

Keon Broxton has batted first or second the last two times Milwaukee has faced a lefty, going 4-for-8 with a home run and two stolen bases in those games.

Adam Eaton is 5-for-16 with a home run during his four-game hitting streak and left-handed batters have a .376 wOBA against Zach Neal.

Jeff Francoeur is 11-for-28 with a home run against Gio Gonzalez, and he will be a nice, cheap play if he starts.

Gerardo Parra is 9-for-25 in his career against Jason Hammel and he is extremely cheap on DraftKings.

Dallas Keuchel has gotten rocked in two of his last three starts after he strung together seven consecutive quality starts in June and July. That makes it a lot less scary to play Mark Trumbo, who is 6-for-13 with three home runs in his career against Keuchel. Trumbo has home runs in two of his last three games.

J.D. Martinez is 14-for-27 with four home runs over the last week and he has a .952 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season.

Alex Gordon is 17-for-41 with five home runs and 13 runs scored during his 11-game hitting streak.