MLB Cash Game Picks : 8-13-15

Pitcher

On a very short five game slate we are looking at limited options on the bump, and outside of the Dodgers, nobody has a clear-cut chance for an easy win. Francisco Liriano possesses the strikeout upside to rack up points without necessarily getting the W, making him the top option in tonight's slate. He has averaged about seven strikeouts per start against the Cardinals this season, who have had their troubles against left-handed pitching. They rank 24th in wRC+, and 6th in K%. Liriano has the best K% on the slate, with Lance Lynn being next. On DraftKings the lack of options really hurt, but I don't believe squaring these two off against each other is a good move. Liriano has done well on the road this season, with a 2.11 ERA.

After Liriano and Lynn it gets incredibly bland for pitching. Trevor Bauer has pitched well, but his inconsistency has him not ready for the cash game locks quite yet. You are essentially taking a slight risk on all these guys, so why pay up for it? Mat Latos has Vegas in his favor tonight, with the Reds having just a three run total, and the Dodgers being heavy favorites. There are a couple high priced bats I want in my lineup tonight, and Latos helps me achieve that. Cincinnati ranks 23rd in wRC+ against right-handed pitching.

Catcher

Yasmani Grandal comes in as the lone option behind the dish, and good news is he is not that expensive. Grandal has hit right-handed pitching well, rocking a .386 wOBA wOBA. He also has been one of the more consistent hitting backstops this season, with no real drop-offs as the seasons worn on. Keyvius Sampson has pitched moderately well in his first two starts, but he has put up an ERA north of five in his last three minor league seasons.

First Base

I will be picking on Latos with one batter, and one only, Joey Votto. His price tag is great among the other first baseman tonight, and gets the softer matchup. With the Royals options facing Garrett Richards, they are more of a GPP move than anything. With a .418 wOBA off right-handed pitching, and hitting over .400 in the second half, it is really hard to ignore Votto on a short slate. Dodger Stadium has had a 121 park factor for left-handed homers in the last three seasons.

Second Base

This is where things get dicey, the rest of the infield does not have any players worth paying up for, and even moderately priced players I am not excited about. I am looking to pay down in the infield do grab the bigger outfield bats. Kike Hernandez has been getting the nod with all the injuries, and will likely do so again tonight. He has a .446 wOBA in the second half, and is hitting the ball very well. He is only second base eligible on FanDuel, but on DraftKings I am leaning towards Jose Ramirez for the Indians, given the same reasons as Francisco Lindor.

Third Base

The only knock on this game is being in AT&T Park, but you have to like the Nationals offense against Ryan Vogelsong. He goes from being a poor right-hander on the road, to an average one at best when starting at home. Vogelsong has been coming out of the pen for the last few weeks, and his last start was a short outing against the Cubs. Yunel Escobar has a .350 wOBA off right-handed pitching this season, and has plenty of value in the leadoff spot. He has a solid .373 OBP against righties, and I like him for some cheap production.

Shortstop

Given Nathan Eovaldi's struggles against left-handed bats, the Indians could be the top offensive option on tonight's slate. He has allowed a career .345 wOBA, and a .373 wOBA this season. Francisco Lindor has looked great in the second half, and is looking like the top prospect he was touted to be. He is hitting .333 since the break, and has his average up to .278 against right-handed pitching.

Outfield

Michael Brantley has been looking like the player we used numerous times in our cash games last season. He is the outfielder I am most certainly getting into my lineups tonight. He is hitting .398 in the second half, and already nearing the home run total from the first half. He has a .410 OBP against right-handed pitching, with a .387 wOBA. One of my favorite stats about Brantley is the 8% strikeout rate. He simply gets on base and makes contact.

The Angels don't have a lot of lefties to attack Jeremy Guthrie with, but Kole Calhoun makes up for the rest of him. He has a .337 wOBA off right-handed pitching, and the ISO has come up to .171. Calhoun is not flashy, but he will get the job done against bad right-handed pitching. If you are new to DFS, Jeremy Guthrie is lit ablaze by left-handed bats, allowing a career .357 wOBA. Nothing has changed in 2015, allowing a .401 wOBA. If you are looking for a value play, David Murphy will likely leadoff and hits from the left side.

Paying up for Bryce Harper in AT&T is something I won't do often, but short slates can cause me to do go outside the box at times. Vogelsong has allowed a .372 wOBA to left-handed bats this season, with a 6.49 FIP. As if Harper needs explaining, he has a slashing line of .335/.465/.677 against right-handed pitching this season. He leads the league in ISO, and if anyone finds the bay tonight with a homer, it is going to be Harper.