Daily Fantasy Sports

There was a 10 game slate on Thursday May 23rd. I will go into detail on a few players who performed really well and a couple who underachieved. Salaries and points are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Lucas Giolito ($8,400)

Lucas Giolito of the White Sox had a phenomenal game on Thursday against the Houston Astros. The Astros have had the best offense in the league this year but they couldn’t get anything going on Thursday. Giolito pitched a complete game shutout and picked up nine strikeouts along the way. The Astros were only able to get four hits and worked one walk. Giolito gave his fantasy owners 43.65 fantasy points. Giolito has been great all year and his ERA is now at 2.77 with a WHIP of 1.06. He has racked up 59 strikeouts over 52 innings pitched; his K/9 is now at 10.21. He has only allowed two earned runs over his last four starts.

Giolito’s Outlook

Giolito’s next projected start will come against the Kansas City Royals at home. The Royals have had an average offense this year and produce 4.49 runs per game. They have a team batting average of .245. They have also struck out at just below the league average, at 8.45 strikeouts per game. Although the Royals have played okay, they have not blown the doors off anyone, especially lately. Over their last seven games they have only averaged 3.29 runs per game. This should be another spot for Giolito to thrive. I will continue to ride the hot hand and roll with him.

Max Kepler ($4,500)

The Twins put up 16 runs against the Angels on Thursday and Kepler was a big part of the success. Kepler was one of three Twins who scored over 30 fantasy points. He scored 37 fantasy points while going 3-for-5 with a double and a home run. He scored four runs, had two RBI and also took a walk. Kepler has had a decent start to the year and has a batting average of .260 with an OPS of .830. He has hit 10 home runs and has 25 RBI on the season. Kepler has been hot lately and has multi hit games in four of the last five and is currently on a six-game hit streak. He left the game late and was replaced by Byron Buxton. Although it is not expected to be serious, Kepler will be re-evaluated Sunday.

Kepler’s Outlook

The Twins will now head back home for a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox rank 25th in the league in team ERA at 5.02 and allow an opponent’s batting average of .265, which also ranks 25th. They have also allowed a batting average of .269 against left handed batters. The White Sox pitching has struggled this year and Kepler has been on a tear recently. With Kepler’s form and this matchup, I will be looking to roster him in this series if he is available.

Starling Marte ($4,700)

Starling Marte and the Pirates hosted the Rockies on Thursday and got the win 14-6. Marte went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double. He had two RBI and scored three runs. Marte rewarded his owners with 32 fantasy points. He has had a bit of a slow start to the year and has a batting average of .244 with an OPS of .689 and has also only taken three walks compared to 32 strikeouts Marte has hit five home runs and has 19 RBI. He is 8-for-9 on stolen base attempts.

Marte’s Outlook

The Pirates have a three-game series at home against the Dodgers, starting on Friday May 24th. The Dodgers have had one of the best pitching staffs in the league and have a team ERA of 3.47, ranking them at number three. They also rank third in opponent batting average, allowing a BA of only .244. The Dodgers have been much worse on the road though, with a team ERA of 4.49, nearly two full runs worse than their home ERA. Marte’s latest game seems to be a bit of a fluke and even with the Dodgers’ pitching being worse on the road, I will be staying away from him.

Losers

Adam Plutko ($7,400)

Plutko pitched against the Rays on Thursday and took the loss. Plutko gave up seven earned runs on 12 hits while getting through only 5.1 innings. He gave up four home runs in the game. He was also only able to get three strikeouts. This was Plutko’s second start of the year and he fell to 1-1. Plutko may have had some takers on Thursday as he pitched well in his first start and got the win while giving up only one hit in six innings. Plutko has had a decent start to his career with a record of 5-5 and a WHIP of 1.29.

Plutko’s Outlook

It will be hard to find much optimism going into his next start as he will face the Boston Red Sox on the road. Boston has the fifth most runs scored this year and average 5.29 runs per game. They have been even better at home with 5.57 runs per game. Although I do think Plutko will have some value moving forward, I do not expect much from him in this start. Leave him off your rosters against the Red Sox and re-evaluate for when he faces off against the Chicago White Sox.

Carlos Correa ($4,900)

Correa and the Astros could not get anything going against the White Sox and Giolito. They were shut out and Correa went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Alex Bregman joined him and also scored zero fantasy points. Correa has been really good this year and has been a very important part of the Astros offense. He has a batting average of .291 with an OPS of .912. He has hit 11 home runs and has 33 RBI. Five of those home runs and 15 of the RBI have come in the month of May.

Correa’s Outlook

The Astros will stay at home and host the Boston Red Sox for a three-game series. Boston’s pitching has been okay this year and they have a team ERA of 4.37 and allow an opponent’s batting average of just .235. They have pitched much better lately and have a team ERA of only 3.43 in the month of May. Correa and the Astros have been good enough this year that I will continue to roster him and stack them, even as the Red Sox have started to pitch better.

Injury Report

George Springer took BP on Thursday and should be back in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Red Sox.

There was a full slate of games on Wednesday May 22nd. The game between the Twins and Angels was postponed and there was a doubleheader between the Royals and the Cardinals. I will go into detail on some players who played well and some who underachieved. Points and salaries are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Frankie Montas ($9,500)

Frankie Montas pitched a gem against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. Montas got through six innings and gave up zero earned runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out nine over his 102 pitches thrown. He was the top fantasy scorer on the night with 31.30 fantasy points. Montas has been a great pitcher so far this year and has an ERA of 2.40 and a WHIP of 1.13. After Wednesday’s win, Montas improved to 6-2 on the season. Momtas has a K/9 of 9.15 and has been especially good recently. He has 26 strikeouts over his last three starts.

Montas’ Outlook

Montas’ next projected start will come against the Los Angeles Angels in Oakland. The Angels have an average offense this year and have a team batting average of .253 and score 4.74 runs per game. They strike out with by far the lowest rate in MLB, as mentioned in Tuesday’s recap, and average only 6.15 per game. Montas has been so solid this year that I will still look to roster him in this spot. His strikeout numbers have been on the rise and he has been dominant in his last three starts. Montas’ salary is still below where it should be and because of this I will have him in lineups again in his next start.

Eloy Jimenez ($3,300)

Jimenez and the White Sox visited Houston to play the Astros on Wednesday. The White Sox were able to pull off the upset and beat Gerrit Cole and the Astros. Jimenez was a big part of this, as he went 2-for-4 with two home runs and two RBI. He also scored three runs and struck out once. That added up to 30 fantasy points for the White Sox outfielder. Jimenez has struggled to start the year and has a batting average of only .233 and an OPS of .703. He now has five home runs and 10 RBI on the year. He has also struck out 30 times in his 24 games played.

Jimenez’s Outlook

Jimenez and the White Sox have one more game against the Astros before heading to Minnesota for a three game series with the Twins. Corbin Martin will pitch for the Astros on Thursday and will be making his third career MLB start. He has an ERA of 3.86 and has nine strikeouts over 9.1 innings. . He then will face a good pitching staff in Minnesota. The Twins have a team ERA of 3.82, which ranks them eighth in the league. I will be fading Jimenez, as he has struggled for most of the year. Going into Wednesday’s game, Jimenez only had four hits in his last 11 games.

Eric Lauer ($6,400)

Lauer and the San Diego Padres hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Lauer pitched really well in this one and gave up only one earned run on four hits, over seven innings. He also struck out seven and did not walk a batter on the day. This gave Lauer 28.75 fantasy points. Lauer has been decent so far this year and has an ERA of 4.73 and a WHIP of 1.31. His K/9 is now at 7.60. This is now back to back good starts for Lauer, as he has only allowed one earned run in each of his last two outings.

Lauer’s Outlook

Lauer’s next probable start will come in New York against the Yankees. The Yankees have scored the seventh most runs in the league this year and average 5.26 runs per game. They have a team batting average of .255 and have hit 73 home runs, also ranking seventh in the league. Although Lauer has pitched well lately, it has not come against teams with the firepower that that Yankees have. The Yankees have also been hot lately and have averaged over 10 runs per game in their last four. I will not be moved to roster Lauer in his next start.

Losers

Zach Davies ($8,600)

Zach Davies of the Brewers was only able to get through three innings on Wednesday. He gave up six earned runs on six hits and one walk. Two of those hits were home runs. He was only able to strike out two and only threw 53 pitches. Davies netted his fantasy owners -5.25 fantasy points in this one. He has been rock solid most of the year and surprisingly kept his perfect 5-0 record as the Brewers came back to win. Davies’ ERA is now at 2.43 and his WHIP is at 1.24. He is not a hard thrower and only averages 6.15 Ks per nine innings. Going into Wednesday, Davies had three straight games with five strikeouts and had only given up four earned runs in his last four starts.

Davies’ Outlook

Davies’ next start will come in Minnesota against the Twins. The Twins surprisingly have the most runs scored in the league with 273 and average 5.69 runs per game. They have a team batting average of .269, which puts them at number two in the league. They also have the third least strikeouts in the league. This all adds up to a fade situation for Davies. He has been really good but the low strikeout numbers, along with the Twins strikeout avoidance, makes him a low upside play.

Luis Castillo ($11,100)

Davies was not the only pitcher to get roughed up in the Reds-Brewers game. Luis Castillo, who was the second highest priced player on the day, also did not pitch well. He was only able to get through 2.2 innings and gave up four earned runs on five hits and three walks. Castillo gave up two home runs in this short start. He only struck out two batters over 75 pitches. Before Wednesday, Castillo had been tremendous and now has an ERA of 2.38 with a WHIP of 1.04. He also has big strikeout numbers and his K/9 sits at 10.92. This was only Castillo’s second start of the year in which he gave up more than two earned runs.

Castillo’s Outlook

Castillo’s next projected start will come at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This should be a great spot for Castillo to bounce back. The Pirates have only averaged 3.76 runs per game, to go with their team batting average of .241. Pittsburgh has avoided strikeouts pretty well this year and have the fifth fewest in the league. I will take Castillo’s strikeout numbers to overpower the Pirates. I will be trying to get Castillo back in my lineup as he looks to bounce back after his worst game of the year.

Injury Report

CC Sabathia is expected to miss his next start and could find his way to the IL. He has had a sore knee and will be evaluated.

Robinson Cano left Wednesday’s game with left quad tightness. This shouldn’t be too major but is something to keep an eye on.

There was a 15 game slate on Tuesday May 21st. The Royals and Cardinals game was postponed due to weather. I will go into detail on some players who performed really well and some who underachieved. Salaries and points are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Justin Verlander ($11,300)

Verlander pitched at home against the White Sox on Tuesday and had another really good game. The Astros’ ace pitched eight full innings and racked up 12 strikeouts. He only gave up one hit and one walk over 101 pitches. The hit was a solo home run in the seventh inning. Verlander improved to 8-1 on the year. He also bettered his already impressive numbers and his ERA is now at 2.24 and his WHIP is incredible at 0.73. Verlander is striking batters out at a high rate and averages over 11 per nine innings. He has only given up four hits in his last three starts combined, spanning 22 innings.

Verlander’s Outlook

Verlander has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year and there doesn’t seem to be anything slowing him down. His next start will come on Sunday May 26th at home against the Boston Red Sox. Boston is one of the teams in the league who will scare people away from Verlander, as they score 5.32 runs per game and have a team batting average of .257. They are top five in the league in both stats. They are also top five in strikeout avoidance with only under eight per game. Even with Boston’s offense performing well I will continue to ride Verlander’s hot start until he gives me a reason not to.

Clint Frazier ($4,200)

Clint Frazier of the Yankees, who hit seventh in the order Tuesday, went deep twice. Frazier went 2-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI. The two home runs were his only two runs he scored on the day. Frazier has played well to start the year and now has eight home runs with 23 RBI. His batting average is now at .268 and his OPS is .818. He has struggled recently and came into this game with only one hit in his last six games and did not have a multi hit game since April 20th.

Frazier’s Outlook

Frazier and the Yankees have two more games in Baltimore against the Orioles. This could be a spot where Frazier could continue his bounce-back. Baltimore has the worst team ERA in the league at 5.63 and give up an opponent’s batting average of .266, bottom five in the league. They also do not strike out many hitters, averaging only 7.53 per game. Frazier has struck out a lot this year and has 31 Ks through 31 games played. I am looking for Frazier continue to get back to his early-season form.

Lance Lynn ($6,800)

Lynn and the Rangers faced off against the Mariners on Tuesday and Lynn picked up his sixth win of the year. He improved to 6-3. Lynn pitched seven complete innings and struck out 11. He gave up two earned runs on five hits and one walk. He threw a whopping 120 pitches on Tuesday. Lynn improved his season ERA to 4.67 and his WHIP improved to 1.36. His K/9 is also at a healthy 8.77. Lynn has had a bit of an up and down year, as he has six games with two or less earned runs given up, but also has three games with five or more earned runs.

Lynn’s Outlook

Lynn’s next projected start will come on Sunday May 26th in LA against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels have an average offense this year and score 4.74 runs per game and have a team batting average of .253. They strike out by far the lowest rate in MLB and average only 6.15 per game. As strikeouts are the main source of scoring for pitchers, that stat scares me away from Lynn. He may pitch well, but you can not expect high a high strikeout number in this one. I will be fading Lynn after his big game and finding an alternative pitcher.

Losers

Eduardo Rodriguez ($8,900)

Rodriguez and the Red Sox played in Toronto against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. Rodriguez was hit hard all day and took the loss. He gave up six earned runs on on six hits and three walks. Rodriguez struck out five over five innings pitched. He also gave up three home runs. They Blue Jays hitters were tough to get out all day for Boston, as they scored 10 runs on 11 hits. Rodriguez only scored 3.85 fantasy points. There were a couple pitchers who scored less but none with the expensive price tag of Rodriguez. Rodriguez has struggled for the most part this year and has an ERA of 5.43 and a WHIP of 1.46. His K/9 is now at 10.05.

Rodriguez’s Outlook

Rodriguez’s next projected start comes against the Houston Astros on Sunday May 26th. It has been well documented how good the Astros offense has been this year. They average 5.44 runs per game this year and have the best team batting average in the league, which is .279. They’re also the second best home run hitting team in the league with 88 this year. The Astros also have a very good strikeout rate with only 7.17 per game. This is a definite stay away spot for Rodriguez.

Mitch Haniger ($5,100)

Haniger and the Mariners were only able to score three runs against the Rangers on Tuesday. Haniger went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. The Mariners lost 3-5. Haniger has struggled this year with a batting average of only .232. He has struck out 64 times already in 50 games. He does have some decent power numbers, with an OPS of .821 to go with his 12 home runs and 26 RBI.

Haniger’s Outlook

The Mariners have one more game at Texas before heading to Oakland for a three game series against the Athletics. Haniger will face off with Jesse Chavez as an opener followed by Adrian Sampson in Texas on Wednesday. Sampson has struggled this year with a WHIP of 1.55. I am looking for Haniger to bounce back immediately against Chavez and Sampson. He then gets the A’s, who have the 13th ranked team ERA in the league at 4.16. They give up an opponent batting average of .238. This is an interesting spot for Haniger against an average pitching staff.

Injury Report

Willie Calhoun left Tuesday’s game with left quad tightness. He will be evaluated Wednesday.

Khris Davis is going to be placed on the 10-day IL with a hip injury.

D.J. LeMahieu left in the sixth inning on Tuesday after fouling a ball off his foot. This is not expected to be serious but is something to monitor.

There was a 15 game slate on Tuesday May 21st. The Royals and Cardinals game was postponed due to weather. I will go into detail on some players who performed really well and some who underachieved. Salaries and points are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Justin Verlander ($11,300)

Verlander pitched at home against the White Sox on Tuesday and had another really good game. The Astros’ ace pitched eight full innings and racked up 12 strikeouts. He only gave up one hit and one walk over 101 pitches. The hit was a solo home run in the seventh inning. Verlander improved to 8-1 on the year. He also bettered his already impressive numbers and his ERA is now at 2.24 and his WHIP is incredible at 0.73. Verlander is striking batters out at a high rate and averages over 11 per nine innings. He has only given up four hits in his last three starts combined, spanning 22 innings.

Verlander’s Outlook

Verlander has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year and there doesn’t seem to be anything slowing him down. His next start will come on Sunday May 26th at home against the Boston Red Sox. Boston is one of the teams in the league who will scare people away from Verlander, as they score 5.32 runs per game and have a team batting average of .257. They are top five in the league in both stats. They are also top five in strikeout avoidance with only under eight per game. Even with Boston’s offense performing well I will continue to ride Verlander’s hot start until he gives me a reason not to.

Clint Frazier ($4,200)

Clint Frazier of the Yankees, who hit seventh in the order Tuesday, went deep twice. Frazier went 2-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI. The two home runs were his only two runs he scored on the day. Frazier has played well to start the year and now has eight home runs with 23 RBI. His batting average is now at .268 and his OPS is .818. He has struggled recently and came into this game with only one hit in his last six games and did not have a multi hit game since April 20th.

Frazier’s Outlook

Frazier and the Yankees have two more games in Baltimore against the Orioles. This could be a spot where Frazier could continue his bounce-back. Baltimore has the worst team ERA in the league at 5.63 and give up an opponent’s batting average of .266, bottom five in the league. They also do not strike out many hitters, averaging only 7.53 per game. Frazier has struck out a lot this year and has 31 Ks through 31 games played. I am looking for Frazier continue to get back to his early-season form.

Lance Lynn ($6,800)

Lynn and the Rangers faced off against the Mariners on Tuesday and Lynn picked up his sixth win of the year. He improved to 6-3. Lynn pitched seven complete innings and struck out 11. He gave up two earned runs on five hits and one walk. He threw a whopping 120 pitches on Tuesday. Lynn improved his season ERA to 4.67 and his WHIP improved to 1.36. His K/9 is also at a healthy 8.77. Lynn has had a bit of an up and down year, as he has six games with two or less earned runs given up, but also has three games with five or more earned runs.

Lynn’s Outlook

Lynn’s next projected start will come on Sunday May 26th in LA against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels have an average offense this year and score 4.74 runs per game and have a team batting average of .253. They strike out by far the lowest rate in MLB and average only 6.15 per game. As strikeouts are the main source of scoring for pitchers, that stat scares me away from Lynn. He may pitch well, but you can not expect high a high strikeout number in this one. I will be fading Lynn after his big game and finding an alternative pitcher.

Losers

Eduardo Rodriguez ($8,900)

Rodriguez and the Red Sox played in Toronto against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. Rodriguez was hit hard all day and took the loss. He gave up six earned runs on on six hits and three walks. Rodriguez struck out five over five innings pitched. He also gave up three home runs. They Blue Jays hitters were tough to get out all day for Boston, as they scored 10 runs on 11 hits. Rodriguez only scored 3.85 fantasy points. There were a couple pitchers who scored less but none with the expensive price tag of Rodriguez. Rodriguez has struggled for the most part this year and has an ERA of 5.43 and a WHIP of 1.46. His K/9 is now at 10.05.

Rodriguez’s Outlook

Rodriguez’s next projected start comes against the Houston Astros on Sunday May 26th. It has been well documented how good the Astros offense has been this year. They average 5.44 runs per game this year and have the best team batting average in the league, which is .279. They’re also the second best home run hitting team in the league with 88 this year. The Astros also have a very good strikeout rate with only 7.17 per game. This is a definite stay away spot for Rodriguez.

Mitch Haniger ($5,100)

Haniger and the Mariners were only able to score three runs against the Rangers on Tuesday. Haniger went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. The Mariners lost 3-5. Haniger has struggled this year with a batting average of only .232. He has struck out 64 times already in 50 games. He does have some decent power numbers, with an OPS of .821 to go with his 12 home runs and 26 RBI.

Haniger’s Outlook

The Mariners have one more game at Texas before heading to Oakland for a three game series against the Athletics. Haniger will face off with Jesse Chavez as an opener followed by Adrian Sampson in Texas on Wednesday. Sampson has struggled this year with a WHIP of 1.55. I am looking for Haniger to bounce back immediately against Chavez and Sampson. He then gets the A’s, who have the 13th ranked team ERA in the league at 4.16. They give up an opponent batting average of .238. This is an interesting spot for Haniger against an average pitching staff.

Injury Report

Willie Calhoun left Tuesday’s game with left quad tightness. He will be evaluated Wednesday.

Khris Davis is going to be placed on the 10-day IL with a hip injury.

D.J. LeMahieu left in the sixth inning on Tuesday after fouling a ball off his foot. This is not expected to be serious but is something to monitor.

There was a 10-game slate on Thursday May 16th. I will go into detail on some players who performed really well and a couple who under-performed. Points and salaries are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Christian Yelich ($5,800)

Yelich and the Brewers played against the Phillies on the road on Thursday and he continued to excel. Yelich went 3-for-5 with two home runs and a double. He also scored three times. He added his ninth stolen base of the year. This all added up to 42 fantasy points. Yelich has not slowed down after his hot start and his average is now at .342 with an incredible OPS of 1.218. He has 18 home runs and 40 RBI through 41 games played. He looks every bit the player who ran away with the MVP last year.

Yelich’s Outlook

Yelich and the Brewers will now head to Atlanta for a three-game series with the Braves. The Braves’ pitching staff has been sub-par this year with a team ERA of 4.50 and they allow an opposing batting average of .248. Yelich has been matchup proof for the last year and half, and Atlanta’s pitching staff has struggled early. Yelich will be worth the price in this series.

Jason Kipnis ($3,600)

Kipnis and the Indians hosted the Orioles on Thursday and got the win, 14-7. Kipnis went 2-for-6 and hit two home runs. He scored three runs and racked up six RBI. Kipnis has struggled this year and those were his first two home runs of the year. He also only had five RBI coming into Thursday before the six he put up against Baltimore. Kipnis’ batting average is now at .216 and his OPS is at .640. He also has three stolen bases on the season.

Kipnis’ Outlook

The Indians have three more games at home against the Orioles. This should be a series where Kipnis can build on this game and up his numbers on the season. The Orioles have the worst team ERA in the league at 5.44 and also allow an opponent batting average of .266. Kipnis has struggled this year but should have some positive regression. His career numbers are much better than this season, as he has a career batting average of .262. I expect to see him get back on track against one of the worst pitching staffs in the bigs.

Joey Gallo ($5,700)

Gallo and the Rangers went up against Homer Bailey and the Royals on Thursday. Gallo went 4-for-5 with a home run and two doubles in this one. He had one home run, one run scored, and four RBI. He also drew a walk and scored 35 fantasy points for his owners. Gallo has had a good start to the year with a batting average of .269 and a really good OPS of 1.065. He has 13 home runs and 31 RBI this year. Gallo has been boom or bust this year, as he has also racked up 58 strikeouts and has 17 in his last eight games.

Gallo’s Outlook

Gallo and the Rangers will now head back home for a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have had an average pitching staff this year with a team ERA of 4.23 while allowing an opposing batting average of .233. St. Louis has been quite a bit worse on the road this year with a road team ERA of 4.81. The Cardinals have also given up the fifth most road home runs in the league this year with 32. This will again be a boom or bust spot for Gallo. He has a high ceiling and low floor in this series.

Losers

Trevor Bauer ($10,800)

Thursday was a tough day for pitchers and that included the highest priced player on the slate. Bauer was roughed up by the Orioles and gave up seven earned runs over five innings pitched. He gave up five hits, two of which were home runs, while walking four. He was only able to get three strikeouts. Bauer has pitched well this year but this start raised his ERA to 3.76 and his WHIP to 1.16. His K/9 is now at 10.44 on the season. Bauer has now given up seven earned runs in two of his last three starts.

Bauer’s Outlook

Bauer’s next projected start will come against the Oakland Athletics at home on Tuesday May 21st. The A’s have averaged 4.41 runs per game and have a team batting average of .236, both just below average on the year. Oakland has done well at avoiding strikeouts this year and average only 7.73 per game. Bauer will again be highly priced and with his inconsistency on the year I will most likely be staying away in this start.

Adam Wainwright ($7,500)

Wainwright also got roughed up on Thursday. Wainwright took the loss at Atlanta while giving up five earned runs and pitching only four innings. He gave up five hits, five walks, and struck out only two. He scored -3.00 fantasy points for those who invested in him. Wainwright dropped to 3-4 on the year and his ERA grew to 4.75. His WHIP is now at 1.35 and his K/9 is also at an underwhelming 7.42. Wainwright now has negative points in two of his last three starts.

Wainwright’s Outlook

Wainwright’s next projected start will come on Wednesday May 22nd at home, against the Kansas City Royals. The Royals are right at the league average in runs per game at 4.60 and have a team batting average of .245, just below league average. They also strike out 8.49 times per game. Wainwright has traded off bad starts with good starts in his last five games. If that trend is to continue he should have a good game on Wednesday. That trend, along with the Royals’ below average offense, will keep Wainwright on my radar on Wednesday.

Injury Report

Kenta Maeda is going to be placed on the 10-day IL after fouling a ball off his leg on Wednesday.

Anibal Sanchez left Thursday’s game with left hamstring soreness.

There was a 15-game slate on Wednesday May 16th. I will go into detail on some players who performed really well and a couple who underachieved. Points and salaries are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Patrick Corbin ($10,000)

Corbin and the Nationals hosted the New York Mets on Wednesday May 16th and Corbin came out dealing. Corbin pitched eight innings and only allowed one earned run on four hits and one walk. He was able to rack up 11 strikeouts while throwing 108 pitches. He gave his owners 39 fantasy points. Corbin’s ERA is now at 2.91 and his WHIP is also at an impressive 1.04. He also has a good K/9, which sits at 10.59 on the year. Corbin now has back-to-back great starts and has given up one earned while striking out 19 in his last two turns.

Corbin’s Outlook

Corbin’s next projected start will come on Monday May 20th. He will again face off against the New York Mets, this time on the road. The Mets have a very average offense this year and rank 19th in runs while averaging 4.65 per game. They have a team batting average of .249, which ranks them 13th in the league. Corbin just dominated the Mets in Washington, but the Mets offense has been better at home, scoring 4.88 runs per game, while putting together a team batting average of .256. Corbin has pitched really well this year, but with him facing the same team two turns in a row I expect the Mets to have more success this time around. Players will be looking to roster him again after he pitched well against Mets on Wednesday, but I see this as a good spot to fade him.

Kenta Maeda ($9,200)

Maeda and the Dodgers hosted the Padres on Wednesday. Maeda pitched well in this one and improved to 5-2 on the year. He gave up zero earned runs and three hits. Maeda struck out 12 batters and only threw 85 pitches. He gave his owners 41.20 fantasy points, which gave him the top spot on the night. Maeda’s ERA is now at 3.51 and his WHIP is at 1.19. He has struck out just over one hitter per inning this year. This was Maeda’s second straight good outing, as he has given up zero earned runs over his last two starts, which accumulates to 12.2 innings.

Maeda’s Outlook

Maeda’s next projected start will be in Tampa Bay against the Rays on Wednesday May 22nd. The Rays have averaged 4.6 runs per game this year and have a team batting average of .255. The Rays have also struck out 383 times this year, which equals out to just over 9.5 per game. With Maeda pitching well over the last couple weeks and the Rays having an average offense at best, I will be looking to roster Maeda.

Justin Verlander ($11,000)

Verlander and the Astros played in Detroit against the Tigers on Wednesday. Verlander pitched seven innings and got the win while striking out nine. He gave up one earned run on two hits and two walks. One of the hits he gave up was a home run. Verlander continued his impressive start and improved to 7-1 on the year. His ERA is now at 2.38 and his WHIP is at an incredible 0.79. He also has 77 strikeouts over 64.1 innings.

Verlander’s Outlook

Verlander’s next projected start will come on Tuesday May 21st against the Chicago White Sox. Verlander will be one of, if not the most expensive pitcher on the slate Tuesday. The White Sox average 4.56 runs per game on the year and have a team batting average of .254. Verlander has now given up one or less earned runs, while pitching at least six innings in six of his last seven starts. I do not see the White Sox as the team that will break this run that Verlander is on. Fire him up as the top pitcher on Tuesday and roster him with confidence.

Losers

Chris Archer ($8,400)

Chris Archer of the Pirates struggled on Wednesday in Arizona against the Diamondbacks. He was only able to get through three innings and gave up six earned runs. He gave up four hits and four walks while also striking out five. The strikeouts are the only thing that kept him from scoring negative points as he gave his owners only 1.45 fantasy points. Archer took the loss and fell to 1-3 on the year. His ERA has now grown to 5.58 and his WHIP is at 1.40.

Archer’s Outlook

Archer’s next projected start will be against the Colorado Rockies at home on Tuesday May 21st. This game will be played in Pittsburgh, which will obviously leave the Rockies away from Coors Field. The Rockies average only 4.42 runs per game and have a team batting average of .214 on the road. That team batting average is the third worst away team average in the league. Archer’s salary has dropped nearly every week and it should hit its low point of the year on Tuesday. This is going to be a good spot for Archer to bounce back and find some rhythm. I will be looking to roster Archer at a discounted price on Tuesday.

Pete Alonso ($5,000)

Alonso and the Mets hosted the Nationals on Wednesday and Alonso struggled badly. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Alonso accounted for two of the 15 strikeouts the Mets had against Corbin and the Nationals. His batting average dropped to .263 on the year and his OPS also dropped to .913. Alonso has had good power numbers, with 12 home runs and 32 RBI. He has been in a bit of a slump lately, going hitless in five of his last eight games.

Alonso’s Outlook

The Mets have one more game in Washington before heading to Miami for a three-game series against the Marlins. The series opener will be a good spot to roster Alonso as the Mets face Trevor Richards, who is 0-5 on the year with an ERA of 4.46. The Marlins have also struggled as a whole with a team ERA of 4.83 and allow an opposing batting average of .249. The Marlins have been a little better at home this year but that will not scare me away from rostering Alonso in the series at Miami. I will be looking for a rebound from Alonso in the next few games.

Injury Report

Trevor Story suffered an injury in the ninth inning on Wednesday but he seems to have avoided anything serious. He hopes so suit up and play on Friday against the Phillies.

Miguel Andujar will have surgery on his right shoulder labrum and will be out for the rest of the year.

There was a 15 game slate on Tuesday May 14th. I will go into details on some players who performed well and some who underachieved. Salaries and points are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Chris Sale ($10,800)

Chris Sale has found himself in the winners column for his second straight start. He racked up a whopping 17 strikeouts over seven innings. Sale gave up three hits and two earned runs to the Colorado Rockies. He scored 43.95 fantasy points for his second straight 40+ point performance. Sale’s ERA has now dropped to 4.24 and his WHIP is at 1.02. He has an incredible 73 strikeouts over 51 innings. That adds up to a K/9 of 12.88 and 41 of his strikeouts have come in his last three starts.

Sale’s Outlook

Sale’s next projected start will be a tough one, as the Red Sox will host the Houston Astros on Sunday May 19th. The Astros have scored the second most runs in the league and average 5.45 runs per game. They lead the league in batting average by a wide margin at .281. They have an impressive combination of power and average with 79 home runs this year, second most in the league. This will be a marquee matchup, as Sale has found Cy Young form just as the Astros offense has caught fire. Over the Astros’ past seven games they have 19 home runs and 52 runs scored. Sale will be a popular pick, but I will be fading him against the best offense in the league.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($3,500)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had his coming out party on Tuesday against the Giants. He went 3-for-4 and hit the first two home runs of his career. He had four RBI, scored twice, and also walked once. Guerrero Jr. racked up 37 fantasy points for his owners. He now has a batting average of .235 with an OPS of .720. After Tuesday, he now has a three-game hitting streak. Guerrero Jr. has struggled to start his career, but he has immense upside and we can expect more games like this in the future.

Guerrero Jr.’s Outlook

The Blue Jays have one more game in San Francisco before heading to Chicago for a four game series with the White Sox. The White Sox have the 28th ranked team ERA at 5.07 and allow a opposing batting average of .263. They have also surrendered 56 home runs this year, ranking eighth worst in the league. Guerrero Jr. has seemed to find his way in the last couple games and he could be a scary hitter moving forward. He will have high upside in his series against the White Sox and I will be looking to get him in some lineups.

Josh Bell ($5,100)

Josh Bell faced the Diamondbacks in Arizona on Tuesday. He went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI, while scoring two runs. Bell also added a walk while striking out once. He ended with 34 fantasy points. Bell has been off to a monstrous start with a batting average of .329 and an OPS of 1.093. He has 12 home runs with 39 RBI. Bell now has a 14-game hitting streak and eight of those are multi-hit games. Bell is hitting .409 with an OPS of 1.265 in the month of May.

Bell’s Outlook

The Pirates have one more game in Arizona before heading to San Diego for a four game series with the Padres. Bell will have a tough matchup against Zack Greinke on Wednesday before facing the Padres. The Padres pitching staff ranks 11th in team ERA at 3.96. They allow a opposing team batting average of .238, which ranks 11th. Bell has been arguably the hottest hitter in the league over the past couple weeks and is showing no signs of slowing down. There is some concern against Greinke, but I would line him back up in the series against the Padres.

Losers

Jerad Eickhoff ($9,200)

Eickhoff and the Phillies played the Brewers on Tuesday and lost 6-1. Eickhoff gave up five earned runs on eight hits and surrendered two walks. He also gave up home runs the Yasmani Grandal and Ryan Braun. While only getting through four innings, he was only able to get two strikeouts. Eickhoff dropped to 2-2 on the year and his ERA grew to 2.65 while his WHIP is now at 1.15. He now has 33 strikeouts over 34 innings pitched. This was a disappointing result after Eickhoff pitched eight shutout innings in his last start.

Eickhoff’s Outlook

Eickhoff’s next projected start will be on Sunday May 19th against the Colorado Rockies. This game will be played at Coors Field and will make Eickhoff come at a huge discount. The Rockies average 5.95 runs per game at home this year, while putting together a team batting average of .284. With Eickhoff coming off a bad start and playing at Coors Field, he will be worth a look only as a contrarian play.

Mike Foltynewicz ($8,100)

Foltynewicz and the Braves hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday and he was roughed up early. Foltynewicz was only able to get through 4.2 innings while giving up eight earned runs on seven hits. Three of those hits were home runs. He was able to strike out four batters while walking three. Foltynewicz dropped to 0-3 on the year. He has struggled badly to start the year and has an ERA of 8.02 with a WHIP of 1.59. He also has only 14 strikeouts in 21.1 innings.

Foltynewicz’s Outlook

Foltynewicz’s next projected start will come at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday May 19th. The Brewers have an above average offense, scoring 4.72 runs per game with a team batting average of .244. But they do strike out at a high rate and had 417 in their first 43 games played. Foltynewicz should be able to get some strikeouts in this game and he has a low floor and high ceiling in the matchup. He will be a high risk, high reward pitcher but will be someone I will be staying away from.

Injury Report

Elvis Andrus will have an MRI on Wednesday. He has a right hamstring injury.

Felix Hernandez is expected to be out 4-6 weeks with a right shoulder strain.

Travis Shaw was placed on the 10-day IL. This move opened up a roster spot for Keston Hiura, who had two hits in his MLB debut on Tuesday.

There was a seven game slate on Monday May 13th. The Orioles – Yankees game was postponed. I will go into detail on some players that played really well and some who underachieved. Salaries and points are based on DraftKings.

Winners

Eduardo Escobar ($5,000)

Escobar and the Diamondbacks faced off against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. Escobar had a good game, going 3-for-5 with a home run. He had three RBI and two runs scored. He added a triple to go along with his home run. Escobar finished the game with two runs scored. His batting average now is at .288 with an OPS of .852. He has seven home runs and 21 RBI.

Escobar’s Outlook

Escobar and the Diamondbacks have two more games against the Pirates. The Pirates have the 12th best team ERA in the league at 4.12 and they also give up an opponent batting average of .238. Escobar is in the middle of rebounding from a slump and I expect that to continue against the Pirates. Roster him with confidence moving forward.

Yoan Moncada ($4,900)

Moncada went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a single. He had two RBI and two runs scored on Monday. This game improved Moncada’s average to .289 and his OPS is now at .877. Moncada has been consistent but not great. He has 12 hits over his last 11 games with four of those being extra base hits.

Moncada’s Outlook

Moncada and the White Sox have one more game against the Indians before hosting the Blue Jays for a four game series. Toronto has the 10th best ERA in the league at 3.93. The give up an opponent’s batting average of .231, which ranks eighth in the league. Moncada has been consistent but hasn’t put up numbers to win any fantasy leagues. He has tough matchups with the Blue Jays so I would stay away for the next week.

Reynaldo Lopez ($6,800)

Lopez faced off against the Cleveland Indians at home on Monday. He gave up two hits and two walks over seven innings. He gave up one earned run and one home run and struck out six. Lopez gave his owners 28.85 fantasy points. His ERA now is at 5.58 with a WHIP of 1.56. Lopez has been one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the league so far this year.

Lopez’s Outlook

Lopez has been a boom or bust pitcher so far this year. He now has four games over 20 fantasy points. He also has five games under five fantasy points. Lopez is the type of pitcher that can make or break a lineup. His next projected start is at home against the Blue Jays. Toronto averages just over 3.5 runs per game on the year. I will look to roster Lopez in his next start because the Blue Jays have the fifth most strikeouts in the league. The upside is there at his price.

Losers

Jose Berrios ($9,400)

Berrios and the Twins played the Angels at home on Monday. Berrios gave up 12 hits and three walks over five innings. He gave up five earned runs and two home runs on the day. He was only able to get three strikeouts. His ERA is now at 3.05 and his WHIP is at 1.08. His win loss record is now at 6-2. Berrios’ K/9 is at an average 8.23.

Berrios’ Outlook

Even after his rough start, Berrios has been pitching really well this year. I expect him to bounce back in his next projected start against the Mariners in Seattle. The Mariners have had one of the highest scoring offenses in the league but they haven’t faced many pitchers like Berrios this year. Roster him in a contrarian spot and take the points.

Injury Report

Shohei Ohtani hit his first home run of the season on Monday. As a hitter, he should be in roster consideration every day.

There was a 15 game slate on Mother’s Day, May 12th. The Marlins – Mets game was postponed due to weather. I will go into some players who performed really well and some who underachieved. Points and salaries are based off of DraftKings.

Winners

George Springer ($5,700)

George Springer and the Astros played host to the Texas Rangers on Sunday and the Astros’ offense had a huge day, scoring 15 runs. Springer played a big part in that by going 5-for-5 with two home runs. He racked up four RBI and scored five times. If you paid up for him on Sunday, he rewarded you with 47 fantasy points. Springer is off to a huge start and is now hitting .321 with an whopping OPS of 1.060. He has 15 home runs and 37 RBI. He also has four stolen bases. In May alone, Springer has four home runs and nine RBI while batting .378.

Springer’s Outlook

Springer and the Astros head to Detroit for a three game series. Detroit’s pitching staff has not been very good this year, with a team ERA of 4.67 which ranks them 21st in the league. They also give up an opponent’s batting average of .258, which is in the bottom half of the league as well. They just gave up 17 runs in a four game series against the Twins and never gave up less than three in any game. I will be looking for ways to get Springer in my lineup, even at his extremely high price. He has been one of the most consistent and productive players over the last month or so. He has had a hit in 11 of his last 12 games.

Alex Bregman ($5,100)

Alex Bregman, also of the Astros, had a big game in the 15-5 win over the Rangers as well. Bregman went 3-for-5 and like Springer, hit two home runs. He had five RBI and scored two runs. He gave his owners 37 fantasy points. An Astros’ stack would have been very profitable on Sunday. Bregman’s batting average is now at .277 and he has an impressive OPS of .967. He has 12 home runs and 31 RBI. This was a big bounce back game for Bregman, as he only had one hit over his last four games.

Bregman’s Outlook

Bregman will face the same Tigers team I went into detail on above. I will also be looking to fit Bregman into lineups moving forward. He is a little more reasonably priced than Springer. So if you want a piece of the potent Astros’ lineup but want to save some money, Bregman might be the way to go. It will be popular after their big games, but stacking Bregman with Springer could again be profitable in the upcoming favorable series. I expect his next game to get Bregman out of his mini slump and back to a top hitter moving forward.

Hyun- Ji Ryu ($10,000)

Ryu and the Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals at home on Sunday. Ryu pitched eight innings and got the win. The Nationals were only able to get one hit and draw one walk against Ryu. He struck out nine while throwing 116 pitches. He racked up 38.8 fantasy points. Ryu has been sensational this year with an ERA of 1.72 and a WHIP of 0.73. He has been especially great in his last two games, giving up no runs over 17 innings. Ryu has now improved to 5-1 on the year. He is striking out just over one batter per inning as well.

Ryu’s Outlook

Ryu’s next projected start will come on Sunday May 19th against the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds’ offense has been below average this year, scoring only 4.15 runs per game while hitting only .214, worst in the bigs. They strike out 8.75 times per game, which is not terrible considering their low batting average. Ryu has been nearly unhittable in his last couple starts and I do not expect that to change against the team with the worst batting average in the league. Pay up for Ryu next Sunday and reap the benefits of his hot streak.

Losers

Steven Brault ($7,300)

Brault and the Pirates played at St Louis against the Cardinals on Sunday. Brault was only able to get through three innings and gave up six earned runs. The Cardinals racked up nine hits, two home runs, while also drawing two walks. Brault was only able to get two strikeouts. He has been off to a rough start, while working out of the bullpen for the majority of the season. He was moved into the starting rotation due to injuries. His ERA currently sits at a whopping 8.82 while his WHIP is at 1.84. His K/9 is at 9.94 through six appearances.

Brault’s Outlook

Brault will most likely make at least one more start with Chris Archer and Jameson Taillon on the shelf with injuries. His next projected start is Friday May 17th at San Diego against the Padres. The Padres are averaging only 3.9 runs per game and have a team batting average of .231. Brault has been off to such a rough start that even against a struggling offense I will be staying away in all formats.

Marcell Ozuna ($4,900)

Ozuna and the Cardinals lost to the Pirates on Sunday 10-6. Ozuna was no help, as he went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. He has struggled mightily lately and his batting average has dropped all the way to .236. His OPS is currently at .833. He has hit 11 home runs and has 34 RBI. Ozuna only has six hits over his last 11 games and has nine strikeouts in that same span. After a huge month of April in which his OPS was 1.017, he has struggled in May with an OPS of only .625.

Ozuna’s Outlook

Ozuna and the Cardinals now head to Atlanta for a three game series against the Braves. Atlanta’s pitching staff has been average with a team ERA of 4.41 and an opponent batting average of .244. Ozuna has been in an extended hitting slump and I will be staying away until he can find his form again. If you are looking to roster him soon, it may be in the next series against Texas, the team with the third worst team ERA in the league.

Injury Report

Nelson Cruz left Sunday’s game with a left wrist injury. He will have an MRI on Monday.

Jose Altuve has been put on the 10-day IL with a hamstring injury.