Both Sites
Robbie Grossman, DET OF (DK - $3,500 / FD - $2,800)
It’s been tough sledding for Grossman swinging from the left side of the plate this year, but as a righty he’s raking. He’s batting .313 with a .989 OPS and a .417 wOBA against southpaws this season. Grossman is hitting north of .300 with an OPS over 1.000 over his last 10 games. His opponent, Patrick Sandoval, has allowed a .325 wOBA to RHH this year. During his time at the big league level he’s made it a point to get hit HARD as he’s allowed a 38% hard-hit rate up to this point in his career.
Abraham Almonte, ATL OF (DK - $2,800 / FD - $2,500)
The Braves keep plugging him into their lineups and he keeps hitting. Each and every night. He’s hitting over .300 over his last 10 games, has driven in at least one run in four straight and has five extra-base hits and five runs scored over his last six games. Not to mention, he’s still free across the industry and is hitting out of the cleanup spot each and every night. Adam Wainwright has been abysmal on the road this season. He has an ERA north of eight, but that has been par for the course in recent years. Attack him away from STL.
DraftKings
Logan Gilbert, SEA SP ($6,900)
At least one of the Mariners top prospects is su...JUST KIDDING! But Gilbert has settled down after two rocky starts to his career and has been lights out his last few. He’s allowed two earned or fewer in three straight, has struck out at least five opponents in each outing and has seen his pitch count hit and surpass 100 after being capped at 80 for his first four games. During the month of June, Tampa Bay ranks 24th in OPS and have struck out around 26% of the time. This is another game Gilbert can flash major upside in.
Raimel Tapia, COL OF ($3,500)
I don’t necessarily get this one. I understand if you want to price most of the Rockies for free considering how bad they’ve been, but Tapia is riding a 15-game hitting streak and is hitting .400 with an OPS a hair short of 1.000. He’s hitting in Coors Field against Adrian Houser who has allowed LHH a .280 AVG and .332 wOBA. Tapia is a great cash game play at this price point.
FanDuel
Tyler O’Neill, STL OF ($3,000)
What Drew Smyly has struggled with this year is power. He’s allowed 15 HR in 13 games (11 starts). Tyler O’Neill has excelled with power in his own right, belting...15 HR in 50 games. He has a .603 SLG, .322 ISO and .389 wOBA this year. Smyly has allowed nine of the 15 bombs to right-handed batters and RHH also have a .351 wOBA to boot.
Gavin Lux, LAD 2B/SS ($2,900)
This is a baaaad spot for Matt Peacock. He really, really struggles with lefties and Lux really loves facing off against right-handed pitching. All six of his homers are against righties and he’s driven in 28-of-30 runs against them too. Lux has an .804 OPS and .343 wOBA against right-handed pitching. On the other side of things, lefties have slashed .329/.381/.658 against Peacock. Lock-and-load Lux at this price point.
Player News
Astros signed C/OF Cooper Hummel to a minor league contract.
The 30-year-old has had a tumultuous couple of weeks, opting out of his deal with the Yankees, signing a one-year deal with the O’s, being designated for assignment, electing free agency, signing another one-year pact with the O’s, repeating the DFA process and now inking a minor league deal with the Astros. There’s probably an opt-out clause involved as well if he’s not on the big league roster by a certain date. A nice depth piece in real life, Hummel can continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.
Orioles’ interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters on Friday that Ryan Mountcastle has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain and is expected to be sidelined for 8-to-12 weeks.
Oof. Mansolino had said on Thursday that Mountcastle would be out “a while” and now we find out it’s going to be two or three months. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues without injured reserve spots should probably cut bait as that’s an awfully long time to wait for the production that Mountcastle could provide upon his return.
Gunnar Henderson is not in the Orioles’ starting lineup for Friday night’s showdown against the Athletics.
The 23-year-old superstar shortstop will get a rare night off with opposing left-hander JP Sears on the mound for the Athletics. Jorge Mateo will start in his place and will bat ninth for the O’s on Friday evening at Sutter Health Park.
Justin Verlander (pectoral) threw around 35 pitches over two innings during a simulated game on Friday.
While he came away from the session feeling well, the real test will be to see how the 42-year-old right-hander is feeling on Saturday. It sounds like Verlander may not require a minor league rehab assignment before rejoining the Giants’ rotation, so as long as he’s feeling alright they could choose to insert him back in there at any time.
Giants’ manager Bob Melvin told reporters on Friday that Willy Adames will get a scheduled day off on Sunday.
Adames has played in all 63 games so far this season, so with the Giants being off on Monday, that will give him a full 48 hours to rest and reset. Melvin noted that Casey Schmitt would cover the shortstop position with Adames off. The 29-year-old has really struggled in his first season with the Giants, slashing a cringe-inducing .198/.288/.312 with just five homers, 26 RBI and three stolen bases.
Alex Cobb (hip) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball in his second minor league rehab start at High-A West Michigan on Friday.
Cobb didn’t allow a hit in the contest while walking two and striking out two. He threw 34 pitches in the ballgame, 18 of them for strikes. The 37-year-old hurler has a long buildup ahead of him after missing all of spring training and the first two-plus months of the regular season. He has looked sharp so far though, with 4 1/3 scoreless frames allowing just one hit and two walks. He’s at least a couple of weeks away from being an option to help out the Tigers.