MLB Cash Game Picks : 8-15-15

Pitcher

The Cubs are red hot, and so is Jake Arrieta, coming off of a 1.42 ERA in July. He also has yet to allow a run in August. Arrieta is quite under the radar in terms of being the top ace of his team. He has the sixth best ERA in the league (2.38), and ranks 10th in strikeout rate. He will face the White Sox, who he dominated already this season throwing a complete game. The team from the south side have put up mediocre numbers against right-handed pitching all season (.306 wOBA, 93 wRC+, 20.5% strikeout rate). The money line is a little disappointing for the Cubbies, but I see Arrieta picking up the win today. His price on FanDuel, being the third highest priced pitcher is not bad at all.

Feel free to use Johnny Cueto as an SP2 on DraftKings, building a lineup with the two top guys is not difficult. However, I do like the lefty from Arizona, Patrick Corbin. Before going down with Tommy John Surgery in 2014, he won 14 games with a 3.43 ERA. Corbin has been solid this season, and his start against Washington really inflates his numbers. Take that start out, and he is much more on par with his career norm. He has an 11.1% swinging strike rate, which is up from his career average, and has the third best strikeout rate on the night slate. Atlanta ranks 27th in wRC+ against lefties, with a 20.7% strikeout rate.

Catcher

John Jaso comes in as one of the top catching options today, facing Colby Lewis in a friendly hitter's environment. Lewis has a poor ground-ball rate this season and has struggled against left-handed bats, allowing a .357 wOBA. Not often do you get a catcher hitting leadoff, and well you can't really consider Jaso a catcher anymore. It works for us, as his value gets a boost. Jaso has great numbers off right-handed pitching, especially while playing with the A's the last few seasons. Not much has changed in 2015, he has posted a .381 wOBA when healthy.

First Base

The Phillies are trotting out gas can after gas can, and Jerome Williams will take the bump today. Luckily for Williams, he only has to worry about a few Milwaukee bats, and one is Adam Lind. Since 2012, Williams has allowed a .344 wOBA to left-handed bats, and those numbers are similar in 2015 (.348). Lind offers some nice pop from the left side for a cheaper price at first base. Lind has a .387 wOBA off righties this season, and the ISO numbers are back up to par sitting at .232. Lind has also hit better at home, with a .398 wOBA, compared to just a .318 wOBA on the road.

Second Base

Justin Verlander has not shown strides of improving from an awful 2014, and right-handed bats are still having success. He has given up five-plus runs in four of 10 starts this season, and his 4.49 FIP and 4.47 xFIP could spell trouble down in Houston tonight. I love Jose Altuve's price tag on both sites, especially DraftKings. We usually target him against lefties in cash games, but not tonight. Altuve has a nice floor with his speed, having 31 stolen bases on the season, and he's hit .324 in the second half.

Third Base

Justin Turner has not missed a beat since coming back from the disabled list with three hits, two runs, and two RBI. The Dodgers' bearded man has been on fire for a majority of the season, and look for him to make a splash tonight. David Holmberg has allowed a career .339 wOBA to right-handed bats, with a 5.99 FIP. Turner has a weaker wOBA against lefties, but similar hard hit ball rates, and a strikeout rate on par with right-handed pitching. He should be in the lineup hitting third, but Don Mattingley has been shifty this year.

Shortstop

You should have some salary cap luxury tonight, and I really like paying up for Carlos Correa. Last night, he scored 5.5 FanDuel points without even recording a hit. His speed and power give him an enormous ceiling, which we should see him hit tonight. Correa just hits everything hard and is not an easy out. With Verlander's reverse splits over the last few seasons, he should take advantage of the regressing right-hander. If you are looking to go cheaper, Francisco Lindor has been a constant producer in the second half. Jose Reyes is also in play.

Outfield

Coors game play finally. Charlie Blackmon is worth the price tag almost every time he is at home. He has a .395 wOBA off right-handed pitching when at home and is a monster on the base paths with 31 stolen bases. With Blackmon being slightly cheaper than Carlos Gonzalez, and more of an all-around player, I prefer him of the two. They both have an excellent matchup against Andrew Cashner, who has allowed a .388 wOBA to lefties this season. Cashner has a career ERA near six in Coors, and the Rockies should tee off.

After a day off with the tight hammy, David Peralta was back in the lineup yesterday. Peralta has been swinging a hot bat in the second half, hitting .398 with eight extra base hits and three homers. He has a .385 wOBA against right-handed pitching and some nice power. Mike Foltynewicz has been hit hard by left-handed bats, allowing a .402 wOBA, and a 1.89 HR/9. Over the last three seasons Turner Field has had a 106 park factor for left-handed extra base hits. This somewhat makes up for the homers it can take away at times, but during the summer, it becomes an average hitter's park.

Dexter Fowler in the second half has been what the Cubs needed all along. He has a .432 OBP and is hitting .278. This is setting the table for the big power bats behind him, who are also clicking on all cylinders. Fowler has historically hit better from the right side, and that is the case here again in 2015, with a .351 wOBA. He is hitting in a friendly U.S. Cellular Field, and faces Jose Quintana, who is a slightly above average lefty at best. Right-handed bats have a .339 wOBA off Quintana this season.