MLB DFS: Thursday Cheat Sheet

MLB DFS: Thursday Cheat Sheet

This article is part of our DFS MLB series.

Here's a quick glance at Thursday's slate(s).

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    Park Factors & Lines

    Park factors in this piece are a three-year average from 2015-2017, indexed (100 = average). For example, left-handed home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the White Sox) have a three-year index of 122, which means there have been 22% more homers hit by lefties from all teams during that span in that park compared to a completely neutral environment. Left-handed hitters have a significant advantage when hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field.

    AT&T Park (home of the Giants), has a three-year run index of 90, which means that games played at AT&T park have had 10% fewer runs scored overall than a completely neutral environment. Overall offensive production is reduced by a significant amount for games played in San Francisco, making it a safer environment than most for pitchers.

    LeftiesRighties
    Road StarterHome StarterHome TmRAVGHRAVGHRKO/UHmL1st Pitch
    Blake SnellMasahiro TanakaYankees1039514299123928.0-1801:05 PM
    Corey OswaltRanger SuarezPhillies9895120971241094:05 PM
    Jon LesterIvan NovaPirates969710110383948.5-1107:05 PM
    Tanner RoarkLuke WeaverCardinals911029710082957:15
    Here's a quick glance at Thursday's slate(s).

    Helpful Links

  • Today's MLB Lineups
  • MLB Optimizer
  • BvP Info
  • For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS Slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well.) To join those channels, e-mail support@rotowire.com.

    Park Factors & Lines

    Park factors in this piece are a three-year average from 2015-2017, indexed (100 = average). For example, left-handed home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the White Sox) have a three-year index of 122, which means there have been 22% more homers hit by lefties from all teams during that span in that park compared to a completely neutral environment. Left-handed hitters have a significant advantage when hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field.

    AT&T Park (home of the Giants), has a three-year run index of 90, which means that games played at AT&T park have had 10% fewer runs scored overall than a completely neutral environment. Overall offensive production is reduced by a significant amount for games played in San Francisco, making it a safer environment than most for pitchers.

    LeftiesRighties
    Road StarterHome StarterHome TmRAVGHRAVGHRKO/UHmL1st Pitch
    Blake SnellMasahiro TanakaYankees1039514299123928.0-1801:05 PM
    Corey OswaltRanger SuarezPhillies9895120971241094:05 PM
    Jon LesterIvan NovaPirates969710110383948.5-1107:05 PM
    Tanner RoarkLuke WeaverCardinals911029710082957:15 PM
    Jon GrayJulio TeheranBraves1021061169881988.5-1107:35 PM
    Steven MatzZach EflinPhillies9895120971241097:35 PM
    Taylor ColeAriel JuradoRangers117108107110106938:05 PM
    Francisco LirianoErvin SantanaTwins10510395105113939.0-1608:10 PM
    Sam GaviglioGlenn SparkmanRoyals1031028510276949.51158:15 PM
    Clay BuchholzJacob NixPadres92978597971038.011510:10 PM

    Pitcher Skills

    These stats look at each starting pitcher's stats since the start of last season.

    The final two columns are team stats for each pitcher's opponent.

    OwRC+ is the team wRC+ for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    TeamK% is the strikeout rate of the opposing team for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    Note: Opponent team matchup data from 2018 season.

    PlayerOppIPK%BB%K-BBHR/9ERAWHIPDKFDOwRC+OsK%
    Clay Buchholz (R)at SD 71.319.86.313.51.013.661.29$9,500$8,5008824.9
    Taylor Cole (R)at TEX19.329.57.721.80.474.661.19$4,000$5,50010124.7
    Zach Eflin (R)v NYM155.018.64.813.91.684.651.23$8,200$9,3009522.3
    Sam Gaviglio (R)at KC 157.719.17.811.31.714.621.40$6,800$7,2008121.8
    Jon Gray (R)at ATL237.725.86.619.10.914.281.30$8,700$9,1009920.4
    Ariel Jurado (R)v LAA20.79.29.20.02.185.661.40$4,800$6,20012419.5
    Jon Lester (L)at PIT315.021.48.413.01.374.141.33$7,300$7,4009920.7
    Francisco Liriano (L)at MIN192.718.912.76.21.175.041.54$5,800$5,8008024.6
    Steven Matz (L)at PHI174.319.27.811.41.505.011.41$5,100$6,8008821.4
    Jacob Nix (R)v ARI6.016.78.38.30.000.001.00$7,800$6,4009422.5
    Ivan Nova (R)v CHC311.316.64.811.81.424.251.29$6,500$7,60010520.7
    Corey Oswalt (R)at PHI39.316.45.710.71.605.031.07$5,200$6,20010523.3
    Tanner Roark (R)at STL325.721.07.913.11.084.421.31$9,100$8,6009821.5
    Ervin Santana (R)v DET232.018.97.011.91.443.571.16$7,000$6,0007522.6
    Blake Snell (L)at NYY257.324.910.314.70.983.111.18$9,000$8,70012622.4
    Glenn Sparkman (R)v TOR17.017.49.38.11.068.472.12$4,500$5,50010322.6
    Ranger Suarez (L)v NYM5.014.34.89.53.607.201.40$7,100$5,5007827.2
    Masahiro Tanaka (R)v TB 286.325.65.919.71.794.491.19$8,000$9,80010122.5
    Julio Teheran (R)v COL315.019.910.09.91.514.431.32$8,200$7,8008323.0
    Luke Weaver (R)v WAS182.023.57.715.81.144.401.35$7,100$7,00010519.6

    Pitcher Splits

    These splits cover each pitcher's performance against left-handed and right-handed hitters since the start of the 2016 season.

    Stats highlighted yellow indicate matchups favoring the pitcher. Stats highlighted blue indicate matchups favoring opposing hitters.

    v. Leftiesv. Righties
    NameOppK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBAK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBA
    Clay Buchholz (R)at SD 15.910.25.80.880.32218.56.412.11.570.316
    Taylor Cole (R)at TEX27.510.017.50.000.24831.65.326.31.080.376
    Zach Eflin (R)v NYM14.66.08.62.420.37018.44.513.91.020.300
    Sam Gaviglio (R)at KC 15.28.76.51.550.35822.37.015.31.840.343
    Jon Gray (R)at ATL25.57.518.01.100.31426.37.119.20.750.307
    Ariel Jurado (R)v LAA10.015.0-5.02.160.4218.54.34.32.190.330
    Jon Lester (L)at PIT27.35.222.20.940.27321.38.412.81.280.312
    Francisco Liriano (L)at MIN22.68.514.10.870.28820.313.27.11.420.355
    Steven Matz (L)at PHI17.27.89.40.510.32122.26.715.51.490.328
    Jacob Nix (R)v ARI13.313.30.00.000.26922.20.022.20.000.098
    Ivan Nova (R)v CHC12.54.48.01.600.36321.44.616.81.190.308
    Corey Oswalt (R)at PHI10.18.71.41.590.31321.13.317.81.610.279
    Tanner Roark (R)at STL19.810.09.81.060.32021.56.315.30.830.283
    Ervin Santana (R)v DET16.26.99.31.200.29022.37.215.11.240.307
    Blake Snell (L)at NYY27.610.716.90.130.23524.211.013.11.030.311
    Glenn Sparkman (R)v TOR16.218.9-2.71.290.39218.42.016.30.900.441
    Ranger Suarez (L)v NYM33.30.033.30.000.2956.76.70.04.910.442
    Masahiro Tanaka (R)v TB 23.35.018.31.390.29523.85.518.21.530.311
    Julio Teheran (R)v COL17.012.64.41.420.33324.54.120.31.270.284
    Luke Weaver (R)v WAS22.38.913.41.300.34825.76.419.31.180.311

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Derek VanRiper
    Derek was a frequent writer and media host. During his tenure, he'd been a two-time finalist for the FSWA's Baseball Writer of the Year award, and winner of the Best Football Article on the Web (2009) and Best Baseball Article on the Web (2010) awards. Derek also had hosted RotoWire's shows on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (XM 87, Sirius 210).
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