MLB Cash Game Picks: 5-2-15

Cash Game Locks: MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball

Cash games typically reward high floor rosters. You don't need to score 60 points on FanDuel or 160 on DraftKings to win money. Instead you should aim for a nice base of around 40 and 120 points respectively. Our MLB Cash Game Picks will highlight the top pick and a value pick at each position for both platforms.

Pitcher

Chris Archer comes in as my number one cash game option tonight. He has been pitching lights out this season, and this game being played in Tampa Bay, instead of Baltimore, is a boost to Archer. The Orioles have been solid offensively, but they strikeout at a 23.8% rate against right-handed pitching so far this season. Archer is striking out hitters at an extreme rate in 2015 and has an impressive 13.8% swinging strike rate, which is third in the league among starting pitchers. Vegas has Tampa as the favorites tonight, at -137, which is the second highest favorite tonight behind Scott Baker and the Dodgers.

The motto is "pay up for pitching in cash games," and that will carry into tonight with David Price. He has had rocky starts in the last two and faces a tough Kansas City team tonight on the road. His career numbers and upside are enough for me to overlook the matchup tonight, especially on DraftKings. On FanDuel, I will likely be leaning towards Archer. Price has not faced the Royals since 2012, so not much recent history between the two. They don't call these guys aces for nothing as they are almost always in play.

Catcher

Oakland was very quiet for most of the game, and then exploded for seven runs in the eighth inning. When the A's move to hitter's stadiums, like Texas, they have quite a bit of value. As a team, they have a 116 wRC+ against right-handed pitching this season, and Stephen Vogt has a lot to do with that. He is hitting .367 off right-handed pitching this season with a 200 wRC+. Nick Martinez has allowed a .352 wOBA, and a 20% groundball rate over the last three seasons to right-handed bats.

Vegas predicts this game to be low scoring, and I believe they are way off on this one. The Padres put up 14 runs last night off Eddie Butler and company. Tonight they take on lefty Jorge De La Rosa, who has allowed a .348 wOBA to right-handed bats in the last three years. The Padres are a top five offensive team against lefties, which is why I am confused on the run total. Derek Norris lacks in the park factor comparison to Vogt, but the matchup is just as good. Norris has crushed lefties over the last three seasons, and is no different this year, hitting .611 in 18 plate appearances.

First Base

Adrian Gonzalez has cooled off to normal hitting levels over the last week, hitting .304 in the last seven days. He is hitting .380 with eight home runs off right-handed pitching this season, and Jeremy Hellickson has struggled to get hitters out so far in 2015. Lefties are hitting .429 off Hellickson early this season with a 36% line drive rate. He does not have a bad price on either site, and Vegas predicts this one to be high scoring tonight.

Jason Marquis has allowed a .386 wOBA to left-handed bats in the last three years, and goes with a horrible 1.89 HR/9 too. Freddie Freeman has been a great cash game play over the last few seasons. He is relatively cheap on FanDuel, and faces a less than stellar right-handed pitcher. I will be getting some exposure in this game from both sides tonight.

Second Base

There is no must play second baseman tonight, but if you have the excess cash, I am leaning toward Jose Altuve yet again. He is hitting .515 over the last seven days, and although a lefty is not on the hill, Altuve should have no problem against Taijuan Walker. His ability to steal a base makes him a very consistent play.

There is not much in between Altuve and the lower tier second basemen, but the fact Eric Stults is pitching creates some options in the middle infield for the Reds. Brandon Phillips has not proven to hit lefties better, but Stults is one of the sub-par ones in the league. He has allowed a .336 wOBA to right-handed bats in the last three seasons, and the trend is continuing this season. I like the price for a position which is not strong tonight.

Shortstop

Jimmy Rollins hitting first or second tonight at this price should be instant value. Hellickson has really struggled this season and has a 4.26 FIP in the last three seasons against lefties. The Dodgers have some favorable hitters tonight to pick from, and most are at an affordable price. Much like second base, it will be a position I won't be investing a ton of money into.

Zack Cozart has moved up to the second spot in the lineup, which gives him a big boost in value. He is not a big time producer, but the guys around him are, which creates opportunities for him. Another boost for Cozart is he will be facing Stults tonight, not impressive numbers against lefties, but the price and matchup are in our favor.

Third Base

This is a guy I will be fitting into my lineups tonight. Todd Frazier is a definite Cincinnati play who can knock around Stults tonight. He has solid numbers against left-handed pitching in the last three seasons. He has a low average against lefties this season, but has a 25% line drive rate and two home runs. He stands out as an elite option tonight at the hot corner.

It has been a slow start for Adrian Beltre this season, but he has been one of the better hitters in the league against lefties over the last three seasons. Vegas has set this game to be high scoring tonight, and I am on board with them. Beltre has a low strikeout percentage this season and gets the benefit of hitting in Texas tonight. Drew Pomeranz is allowing a .356 wOBA to right-handed bats so far this season and has struggled away from home. He is a nice value play on FanDuel tonight.

Outfield

The only thing against the Padres tonight is they are playing in Petco, but the matchup is too good to pass up on some of these guys. Matt Kemp has crushed lefties all his career and knows De La Rosa quite well. He is hitting .450 against left-handed pitching this season, and comparing to the tier one outfielders tonight, he is not badly priced. As we saw last night, the Padres are capable of scoring runs at home, and I believe they will do so again.

Josh Reddick is hitting .450 over the last seven days, and really has been red hot since coming off the DL to start the season. He is hitting .377 off right-handed pitching, and Martinez should not continue to letdown those who stack against him. Lefties have a 29% line-drive rate against him this season, and he is not striking out many hitters. Reddick makes for a great cash game option tonight, as he has since returning from injury.

Everyone needs a value outfielder from time to time, and Nick Markakis is one of the better cash game options tonight. He is hitting .339 off right-handed pitching so far this season, and he has a 148 wRC+. With Marquis struggling against lefties over the last few seasons, Markakis is in an excellent spot in the lead-off role tonight.