Giancarlo Stanton (OF-MIA) - They weren't intentional walks in the box score, but Stanton went 0-for-1 with three free passes on Tuesday. It sure didn't look like Alex Wood and the Braves wanted any part of the slugger. With Mike Morse and Marin Prado providing "protection" behind Stanton, there was no real incentive to pitch to him. Stanton has walked at a 14.7% clip in each of his last two years, a number that he may well top this year. Stanton should be a lock for 30-35 homers again this year, but the rate at which Dee Gordon gets on base ahead of him will obviously determine his RBI count. Stanton's $5,000 DraftKings salary ranks sixth among all hitters and he'll face Shelby Miller on Wednesday.
Yusmeiro Petit (SP/RP-SF) - With Jake Peavy already dealing with a sore back and Matt Cain a sore elbow, Petit might be worth a speculative pickup in deeper leagues. Ryan Vogelsong has already been named to fill in for Cain, but if he struggles and Peavy needs a DL stint, Petit would be next up. Petit's numbers in 117 innings last year were eye-popping: 10.2 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9. Only a .92 HR/9 rate kept Petit from a sub-3.00 ERA (it was 3.69), as his FIP clocked in at 2.85. Petit posted a 5.03 ERA last year as a starter (68 innings), allowing a whopping 11 home runs in that time versus just one in 49 relief innings (1.84 ERA). Safe to say that his $7,700 Draft Kings salary is a bit excessive given he probably belongs in the bullpen as a long man. Still, if you need another pitcher in deeper formats and he's available, go for it. Edit: The Giants recalled Chris Heston from Triple-A Sacramento. He'll start Wednesday.
Chris Heston (SP-SF) - Heston has been tapped to replace Matt Cain (elbow) in the rotation, starting Wednesday against Arizona. After posting a solid 3.38 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League a year ago, Heston made his big league debut last September, tossing 5.1 innings of three-run ball. In that September start, Heston averaged a modest 89.7 mph with his fastball, perhaps helping to explain a so-so 6.5 K/9 rate. At 26, he probably winds up in the bullpen where perhaps he can get that velocity up a little and be a multi-innings guy. At this point, I'd only go with Heston in the very deepest of formats.
Jeurys Familia (RP-NYM) - It's time to jump on the "We Are Familia" bandwagon. With Jenrry Mejia avoiding structural damage to his pitching arm, but dealing with inflammation, Mejia appears headed to the DL to join Bobby Parnell. That would seem to leave Familia as the Mets' temporary closer, this despite Buddy Carlyle getting the save on Monday. Remember, Familia pitched the eighth, and Mejia was scheduled to pitch the ninth before feeling some tightness in his elbow, thus the Carlyle appearance. Familia certainly has the stuff to close given his average velocity last year was 96.4 mph on the fastball. He also generates a ton of ground balls, so if he can just improve upon last year's 3.7 BB/9, Familia has the upside of an elite closer. In fact, with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts on Monday, Familia has a fun -0.80 FIP (yes, negative). He also allowed RH hitters to bat .293 against him last year, but this is a new year and he should be added right now in all formats.
Mat Latos (SP-MIA) - Well that was ugly. Latos failed to make it out of the first inning Tuesdsay against the Braves, allowing seven runs on six hits with a pair of walks and a wild pitch. It didn't appear that he was injured, so just chalk this one up to "one of those nights" we suppose. Latos has been incredibly consistent the last four years, striking out between 185 and 189 hitters annually with an ERA right around the mid three's. He did lose a couple mph off his fastball last year, so that's something to watch in 2015. Hopefully you looked elsewhere in daily leagues, but Latos should turn things around next time.
This is just a small sample of our daily analysis, join our member area for more premium content: http://www.fantistics.com/join/join.php3