(Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports)
Leading off
Tonight’s meager seven-game slate starts at 7:05 p.m. On these light nights, it pays to go with a stars-and-scrubs strategy because the middle tiers of players don’t offer much upside. Click for more tips on how to win days like this.
There are eight lefties on the hill — seven not named Chris Sale. Use the platoon cheat sheet. In fact, the Los Angeles Angels aren’t the best matchup for Sale, so it’s not a day to blindly avoid Mike Trout.
Two lefty-on-lefty games are potential stack options, especially the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Washington Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez. The Blue rank tied for fourth in OPS against southpaws (.749). One sneaky sleeper is noted below.
Pitchers
Johnny Cueto, Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers
$9,300 salary | 18.6% of cap
The Tigers, sans the injured Miguel Cabrera and after trading away Yoenis Cespedes, have fewer claws in their lineup. Use an ace against them before Cabrera returns in the near future.
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Risk/reward
Ian Kennedy, San Diego Padres vs. Cincinnati Reds
$5,700 salary | 11.4% of cap
Cincy has the lowest OPS in August (.564) and already suffers away from Great American Ball Park. Petco Park isn’t as pitcher-friendly as it used to be, and Kennedy actually has a 5.26 ERA at home. But this is a great opportunity to go against the grain, riding Kennedy’s 3.12 second-half ERA.
Jon Niese, New York Mets vs. Colorado Rockies
$6,700 salary | 13.4% of cap
Colorado has been hot this month, and Niese has a 4.30 ERA at Citi Field, which isn’t a pitcher’s haven anymore. But, as usual, the Rox are less of a threat away from Coors Field, and now Troy Tulowitzki is in Toronto.
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Batters
OF Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers (Matt Boyd)
$5,800 salary | 11.6% of cap
Against southpaws, Cain boasts a .357/.426/.504 line as one of DFS’s surest bets. Boyd has a bull’s eye on him.
1BJose Abreu, Chicago White Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels (Matt Shoemaker)
$5,700 salary | 11.4% of cap
Shoemaker gives up 1.39 homers per nine innings and has a 4.42 ERA on the road. Abreu is batting .302/.358/.534 against righties.
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2B Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals at Los Angeles Dodgers (Brett Anderson)
$4,800 salary | 9.6% of cap
He hasn’t really gotten going since returning, but he’s 8-for-23 against lefties this year (plus a .313 clip in 160 at-bats last year).
OF Enrique Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals (Gio Gonzalez)
$1,600 salary | 3.2% of cap
Hernandez boasts a .408 average, .474 on-base percentage and .776 slugging percentage against southpaws. The clip leads all hitters with a minimum of 50 at-bats vs. lefties.
