Brett Gardner- OF- NYA- Idea- Gardner has had success against RH pitching this season, with a slash line of .304/.379/.424. The Yankees will be facing Colby Lewis, who has a slash line of .282/.356/.470 against LH hitters over his career. At Yankee Stadium this season, Gardner's slash line has been .322/.385/.458. This bodes well for him having a solid game. Value play- DraftKings salary $4500
David Price- P- DET- Great Player- After throwing 117 pitches to get through 6.2 IP the last time out, Price was far more efficient yesterday. He showed no effects from his intense prior outing, going 6.2 IP again, but only throwing 100 pitches. He was charged with 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and a single walk. Price appears to have regained his strikeout form, fanning 12 Astros after collecting 9 Ks in his previous start. I have been cautious about Price's durability, given his career work pattern, but that 117-pitch outing is his only high-pitch start this season. He has 4 quality starts in his last 5 outings.
Steve Pearce- 1B- BAL- Hot- Pearce hit his 2nd homer in 5 games yesterday and knocked in 4 runs. Overall he went 1-for-3 with a walk. Before these last two homers, he hadn't hit one out since his second game of the season. This could be the start of a turnaround. Pearce has a .209 BABIP so there is likelihood that he will get a significant boost to his average when luck turns his way. Add in a return of power and Pearce has potential to be a buy low candidate at this time.
Delino Deshields - OF- TEX- Rookie- Deshields is looking more and more like a successful Rule V draft pick. He went 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a run last night against Boston. This raised his average to .279. Deshields does have a .378 BABIP but his outstanding speed should keep that higher than for the average player. He, not surprisingly, has 11 steals already. Deshields will likely lose some playing time with the return of Josh Hamilton to LF for the Rangers next week. He will probably be in a platoon situation in CF. However, he will be ready to jump back in the lineup on a regular basis if Hamilton has a slow start or if Leonys Martin and his .208 average don't show more improvement.
Wandy Rodriguez -PF- TEX- Hot- It's amazing how perspective can shift. After getting tagged for 5 runs in 4.2 IP in his last start, Rodriguez could be assessed at having 3 poor starts in his first 5 since being added to the Rangers. After last night's 6.2 IP effort in which he gave up 1 run on 4 this and 2 walks while striking out 5, he can be said to have tossed 3 quality starts in his last 4 outings. It's looking more like Rodriguez has settled down after the made his first two starts, in which he walked 8 batters in 9.1 IP. Since then he has walked 5 in 25.1 IP. His ERA of 3.38 is not that far off from his FIP of 3.59. I've been skeptical but am starting to believe Rodriguez is a comeback candidate.
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