DFS Picks:
Drew Smyly (SP-TB) - Ignore Drew Smyly's stat line against the Rangers, because it was his first start in over three months. Smyly, who had missed time with a shoulder injury, should look good as new against the A's on Friday. Smyly will pitch at the Coliseum, which has below average park factors in runs (0.901), hits (0.946), and home runs (0.762). Additionally, the A's have been cold lately. Over their last seven games Oakland has scored only 28 runs. During this stretch they have a .313 OBP. At a reasonable price, Smyly is a huge upside DFS pick. He may only have four starts under his belt this season but he has a 10.89 K/9 and a 1.06 WHIP. If he can pick up the win, then he'll be well worth his price tag. FanDuel Value Pick $7,400
Best Pick:
Chris Davis (1B-BAL) - Chris Davis thrives on lefty pitching. On Friday, Davis will put his .318 BABIP and .288 ISO to the test against Tommy Milone and his 6.25 K/9. Currently, Davis is in the middle of a hot streak, which includes seven home runs, 16 runs scored, and 21 hits over his last 15 games. Milone on the other hand has a below average 87.8 MPH fastball and a 1.5 HR/9. Considering Davis' .303 AVG, .549 SLG, and eight home runs against lefties in 122 at bats, this should be a cupcake matchup. FanDuel Pick $5,000
Stack of the Day Kansas City Royals vs Henry Owens:
The meat of KC's lineup consisting of Ben Zobrist, Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, and Kendrys Morales will be making noise on Friday. Zobrist, Cain, Hosmer, and Morales are set to take on the rookie Henry Owens at Fenway. This season Owens has three starts. To this point his WHIP is 1.50 and his BAA is .277. For those who want the scouting report on Owens, he's a fly ball pitcher that relies heavily on the strikeout to compensate for his lack of control. In Triple-A, Owens accumulated 56 BBs and 103 Ks in 122.1 innings. During this time he also averaged a 0.74 GO/AO. In a hitter's ballpark like Fenway, fly balls are a pitcher's worst nightmare. Throw in Kansas City's MLB leading 5.76 K/9 and Owens' .348 BABIP is an even bigger problem. Expect Kansas City to hit Owens hard. Owens is yet to prove himself at the big league level and is about to face baseball's peskiest lineup.
Add Drop Advice:
Drew Hutchison (SP-TOR) - Drew Hutchison was optioned to Triple-A following his start on Sunday. At a time like this it's important to pick Hutchison up. Realistically, Hutchison isn't going to spend much time in the minors. The Blue Jays only have a four-man rotation and they didn't call up a pitcher to replace Hutchison. Starting next Tuesday the Blue Jays play 19 games in 20 days. Without another arm, they risk overusing their starting pitchers. From a performance perspective, Hutchison had only given up four or more runs twice over his last ten starts. His away ERA is 9.00, but his 2.57 home ERA is too good to keep in the minors. Lastly, Hutchison is 12-2. He has the MLB's highest run support at 6.71 but who cares. If you're winning then why risk it. Come playoff time, Hutchison doesn't have to be in the rotation. For these reasons I don't see Hutchison staying in the minors too long. Therefore, be prepared to add him to your roster in the upcoming days.
Travis Shaw (1B-BOS) - Travis Shaw is still crushing the baseball out of Boston. In his first 68 at bats Shaw has 26 hits, six home runs, and 16 runs scored. Over the last seven days he has five multi-hit games and a combined 16 RBIs and runs scored. Shaw's power surge comes as quite a shock. Through 289 Triple-A at bats Shaw only had five home runs. At this rate, Shaw could've reached his career high 21 home runs in roughly 300 big league at bats. As long as Shaw maintains his 86% contact rate and .360 BABIP, his fantasy value will be high. Look to take advantage of Shaw's hot streak as he finishes up a spectacular August.
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Time Frame: Season
