The weekend has arrived and brings an outstanding lineup of MLB games to choose from. Here are our top picks for Friday using Draft Kings prices.
P – Scott Kazmir – Oakland
Kazmir opened at $8,000. The A’s are at the Texas Rangers with a starting time of 7:05 p.m. ET. Terrible Texas is 7-14 and ranks 25th for run production and 30th for batting average. Kazmir has been outstanding so far with a 0.99 ERA in four starts with a .158 batting average allowed.
C – Evan Gattis – Houston
Gattis opened at $3,900. The Astros will host the Seattle Mariners with a starting time of 7:10 p.m. ET. Gattis is far below his career numbers with a .174 average, .208 OBP, .304 SLG, and .513 OPS. He has perked up the last seven days however with a .429 average. With his fast climb after a terrible start, we’ll come along for the ride.
1B – Edwin Encarnacion – Toronto
Encarnacion opened at $4,500. The Blue Jays are at the Cleveland Indians with a starting time of 6:10 p.m. ET. Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco has had a rough start with a 4.60 ERA and a .290 batting average allowed. The Cleveland bullpen ranks a poor 26th for ERA. Encarnacion has flopped out of the gate with a .190 average, .247 OBP, .345 SLG, and .593 OPS which are all number that are far below his career averages. Encarnacion is going to break out and break out soon. Cleveland looks like the team that he may blow up on.
2B – Brandon Phillips- Cincinnati
Phillips opened at $3,800. The Reds are at the Atlanta Braves with a starting time of 6:35 p.m. ET. Atlanta starter Trevor Cahill has been shelled for a .9.42 ERA in his first four starts with a .344 batting average surrendered. Phillips is off to a promising start with numbers that are comparable to his career averages. Phillips is hitting .275 with six runs and 10 RBI. The Atlanta bullpen ranks 28th for ERA.
3B – Mike Moustakas – Kansas City
Moustakas opened at $3,800. The Royals host the Detroit Tigers with a starting time of 7:10 p.m. ET. The Royals American League pennant run of last year was a catalyst to Moustakas finally breaking through as a top line big leaguer. He has gone from a player that was going back and forth to the minor leagues to the most productive Kansas City hitter. Moustakas is hitting .353 with a .939 OPS with 18 runs, eight RBI, five doubles and three home runs.
SS – Alexi Ramirez – Chicago White Sox
Ramirez opened at $4,100. The White Sox are at the Minnesota Twins with a starting time of 7:10 p.m. ET. Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson has been rocked for a 4.84 ERA and has surrendered a .295 batting average with a WHIP of 1.70. Ramirez has stumbled badly out of the gate with a .194 batting average, .235 OBP, .274 SLG, and .509 OPS, all of which are far below his career averages. The Minnesota bullpen ranks 23rd for ERA. It all adds up to a potentially big night for Ramirez.
OF – Yasiel Puig – Los Angeles Dodgers
Puig opened at $5,000. The Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks at 9:10 p.m. ET. We are yet to use Puig so far on the season but will call for him against an Arizona team that ranks 21st for bullpen ERA. D-backs starter Rubby De La Rosa has a 4.68 ERA with 27 hits and four home runs allowed in 25 innings of work. Puig is hitting .279 with just two home runs, four runs, and four RBI which illustrates the potential upside that he has. Puig will soon explode and it’s likely to be sooner rather than later against a 10-11 Arizona team.
Sleeper – Gregory Blanco – San Francisco
Blanco opened at $3,800. The Giants host the Los Angeles Angels with a starting time of 9:15 p.m. ET. Blanco brings plenty of value and potential upside as a player that is far below his career averages. Blanco is significantly better than his current .229 batting average and is certainly capable of more than the one RBI he has on the season.
