MLB Cash Game Picks : 7-20-15

Pitcher

With an 11 run over/under total at Coors Field, you're going to want to spend a sizable chunk of your dough on hitters there. It helps that the top pitching options have warts. Matt Harvey and A.J. Burnett have posted the best stats this year, but both are road underdogs. There are other things that make the duo less appealing, too, and that enhances the case for using Andrew Heaney. The lefty is a home favorite against a Red Sox squad that has been clowned by lefties all year. They rank 21st in wOBA (.296) and 24th in wRC+ (84) against left-handed pitchers this year. The once highly-touted prospect, Heaney, has figured things out in his second chance in the majors. In addition to the glowing numbers above, Heaney owns a 3.19 xFIP and 3.25 SIERA this season. He's been a model of consistency pitching six innings in his first start and seven or more in his next three, and he hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any start. I will be using Heaney on 100% of my cash games rosters on FanDuel and DraftKings.

Yordano Ventura is a non-option in cash games on FanDuel since I'm using Heaney there, but on DraftKings, Ventura makes for a great value play at $5,900. He's a home favorite against a Pirates offense that ranks 20th in wRC+ (93) and 22nd in wOBA (.303) against righties. Ventura's 4.73 ERA is misleading as his FIP, xFIP and SIERA all check in under 3.90. The righty wasn't overly impressive in his first start after being activated from the disabled list, but he's healthy. Odds makers aren't projected many runs to be scored in this contest, making Ventura a nice target as an SP2 in cash games.

Catcher

Kyle Schwarber has been too much for minor league pitchers totaling a 188 wRC+ at the Double-A level and a 174 wRC+ at the Triple-A level. Big league pitchers have had their hands full, too. His 31.0% strikeout rate is a bit alarming, but Michael Lorenzen hasn't been a bat misser (15.3% strikeout rate this year). Schwarber's pop will get a sizable lift playing at Great American Park, also. As a left-handed batter, he'll be hitting with a park factor of 153 for homers, per StatCorner. He's a great, cheap option to stick in at catcher with your hitters in Colorado.

First Base

Justin Bour has been a pleasant surprise for the Marlins this year. The power-hitting lefty has swatted 10 homers against lefties this year and totaled a .245 ISO and 137 wRC+ against righties. He'll get a break from his home run suppressing home ballpark to play at Chase Field. The left-handed batter park factors are dreamy at Chase Field and are 118 for doubles/triples, 114 for homers and 117 for runs. If you're not already sold on using Bour for cheap at DraftKings and FanDuel, take note of Rubby De La Rosa's struggles with lefties. The righty has allowed a .384 wOBA to left-handed batters since 2013.

Second Base

Second base is awful tonight. If you're going to pay a bit of money to secure an option at the keystone position, DJ LeMahieu has some appeal. The appeal is real simple, he hits second for a club with a 5.5 run over/under total. Okay, that's not the only reason to like him tonight, but it is the primary reason. The secondary reasons include the great park factors at Coors Field and Nick Martinez's .351 wOBA allowed to righties in his major league career. If you're not punting second base, LeMahieu is a decent option. That said, I'll probably be punting second base tonight.

Third Base

Get used to seeing hitters touted at Coors Field. Unlike LeMahieu, I love Adrian Beltre as a hitter. LeMahieu struggles in righty/righty matchups, and Beltre thrives against lefties. This isn't a banner year for him against lefties, but since 2013, he has a .198 ISO, .387 wOBA and 144 wRC+ against southpaws. Chris Rusin is a below average left-handed pitcher who struggles mightily with right-handed batters. Since 2013, Rusin has ceded a .351 wOBA to right-handed batters. Beltre offers a sizable discount to rostering Nolan Arenado at either DraftKings or FanDuel, and as a result, he's my preferred option in cash games since I can use that savings to get more exposure to the game.

Shortstop

There isn't an easier pick for cash games at any position than Troy Tulowitzki at shortstop. He remains a supremely talented offensive player, and he's hammered righties at home in his career. In 1,580 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers at Coors Field, Tulo has a .234 ISO, .395 wOBA and 134 wRC+. It hasn't been a Tulo-like year for him against righties at home, but his .193 ISO is quite appealing. Also, don't forget about the previously cited struggles of Martinez against righties.

Outfield

Who'd think that the leadoff hitter for a team with a 5.5 runs over/under total would get a tout as a cash games pick? Joking aside, Charlie Blackmon was an easy pick for the outfield. There aren't dreamier situations for using Blackmon than when he's at home facing a righty. In 571 plate appearances against righties at Coors Field in his career, he has a .173 ISO, .397 wOBA and 139 wRC+, and he's besting the wOBA and wRC+ marks this year (.414 and 151, respectively). He's also a great base stealer with 24 in 31 attempts. Also, while I already brought up Martinez's struggles with righties, he's allowed a .337 wOBA to lefties in his career, too.

Carlos Gonzalez is a cheap alternative to Blackmon, and on DraftKings, he can be easily budgeted into the same outfield. Cargo continues to be a thorn in the side of right-handed batters at home. This year, he has a .173 ISO, .414 wOBA and 151 wRC+ against righties at Coors Field. Not mentioned yet, the park factors for lefties are amazing. The left-handed batter park factors at Coors Field are 111 for singles/doubles/triples, 109 for homers and 129 for runs.

Piggybacking on the left-handed batter park factors, the right-handed batter park factors at Coors Field are even better at 115 for singles, 117 for doubles/triples, 120 for homers and 137 for runs. Enter Delino Deshields Jr. as a nice right-handed hitting option. The speedy leadoff hitter has been above average against lefties and gets the same boost teammate Adrian Beltre gets from Rusin's struggles with right-handed batters. The Rangers have a high team over/under total of five runs, elevating the floor of all members of the lineup, but especially hitters in the top of the order. Expanding on the speedy adjective used to describe Deshields Jr., he's stolen 15 bases in 17 chances this year. Last year, he swiped 54 bases at the Double-A level. He's a burner, and his ability to steal bases creates a nice high floor for him.