Phil Hughes, SP, MIN
Hughes allowed another 2 homeruns in his start against the A's on Monday, ultimately allowing 5 ER in 6 IP. He has now allowed 8 homeruns on the season, which has been the primary culprit behind his 5.02 ERA. Hughes' low walk total (4 BB's in 37.2 IP) allows him to keep a solid WHIP even when he's struggling, but he will have to keep the ball in the park more often to have a useful ERA. His 20.0% HR/FB rate should regress soon enough, at which point Hughes will once again be a viable fantasy starter.
Fernando Rodney, RP, SEA
Rodney picked up his 8th save of the season on Monday, but allowed a homerun and a walk in the process. His BB/9 now sits at 5.56 for the season which is certainly not ideal for a closer, or for any pitcher for that matter. As long as Rodney keeps getting saves, he'll hold onto the closer job in Seattle and be worth owning in fantasy leagues despite a hurtful WHIP. However, it may not be long before all those walks come back to haunt him.
Chase Whitley, SP, NYY
Whitley pitched well again on Monday, pitching 7 shutout innings while striking out 6 and not walking a batter. His K:BB ratio now sits at an excellent 11:1 through 12 IP and his GB% of 57.1% is well above league average, leading to an xFIP of 2.67 through two starts. It's still too early to tell if Whitley can keep up this success, but for now it appears his spot in the Yankees' rotation is safe, and he is a solid streaming option in the immediate future.
Shin-Soo Choo, OF, TEX
After getting a couple days off to work on his swing, Choo has gone 5-16 with a HR and 4 RBI in the last 4 games. His strikeout rate is about the same as it was a year ago, but his BABIP sits at .170 on the season, partially due to a shockingly low 10.9% LD% on the season. Even if this does correct itself, Choo does not seem to be the power-speed combo that made him such a fantasy asset in years past. After stealing only 3 bases last season, he has not picked up a steal yet in 2015. His 2 homeruns put him roughly on pace to match last years' total of 13, still a far cry from the 20+ dingers he hit in 3 of the previous 5 seasons. Even if Choo can get his BA up to a respectable level, he would have to go back to flashing some power and speed to become a valuable fantasy player.
James Paxton, SP, SEA
Paxton enters his Tuesday start against the Angels with a 5.74 ERA and without a win on the season, but has actually pitched much better than those numbers indicate. He has an excellent 26:8 K:BB ratio through 26.2 IP, and his 51.8% GB% is above average as well. His high ERA may be keeping his price down, but Paxton has still averaged 19.7 DK points over his last two starts and will take on an Angels team that is currently in the bottom five in MLB in BA, OBP, and SLG. Value Play DraftKings Salary: $7,000.
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