This series uses the FantasyLabs Tools to analyze three key MLB players in the day’s slate.
Chris Sale: Pitcher, Red Sox
Today’s slate features two of the best pitchers in the game in Sale and Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole. While Cole has the superior Vegas data, it’s hard to pass on the elite combination of the strikeout upside and recent Statcast data that Sale offers. He leads all pitchers with a K Prediction of 8.9 and has allowed an average distance of just 168 feet over his past two starts. That represents a 34-foot decline when compared to his 12-month average, and pitchers with comparable Statcast data and K Predictions have historically been valuable (per the Trends tool):
And while Sale’s Vegas data isn’t as strong as Cole’s, he still owns awesome marks in both opponent implied team total (3.1 runs) and moneyline odds (-237).
Rich Hill: Pitcher, Dodgers
Coors Field is available in addition to the stud pitchers, and Daily Fantasy Sports players will likely have to make a choice between the two. Those opting for the former could consider Rich Hill at the pitcher spot. He’s taking on the New York Mets, who have been the worst team in MLB this season against left-handed pitching. They rank dead last in wOBA, while their strikeout rate of 25.8% is the second-worst mark this season. Hill’s resulting K Prediction of 8.6 trails only Sale’s, while the Mets’ implied team total of 3.5 runs is the third-lowest mark on the slate:
Hill has only made one start since coming off the disabled list, but his Statcast data in that start was impressive. He allowed an average distance of 202 feet, an exit velocity of 90 miles per hour, and a hard hit rate of just 20%, all three which represent decreases when compared to his 12-month averages.
Chris Iannetta: Catcher, Rockies
Not all Coors exposure has to be expensive. Iannetta is currently slated to occupy the seventh spot in their projected lineup at just $3,900 DraftKings, but leads all of their batters with 10 Pro Trends:
He enters today’s contest in elite recent form, owning 15-day/12-month distance, exit velocity, and distance differentials of +30 feet, +3 mph, and +15 percentage points respectively. Historically, batters at Coors with comparable differentials have posted an average Plus/Minus of +2.18. The Rockies implied team total of 6.3 runs is almost a full run higher than every other team on the slate.
Good luck, and be sure to check out The Action Network if you’re looking for more baseball coverage!
After this piece is published, FantasyLabs is likely to provide news updates on a number of players. Be sure to stay ahead of your competition with our industry-leading DFS-focused news blurbs.
Pictured above: Chris Iannetta
Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilias-USA TODAY Sports
