Zach Britton, RP, BAL
Britton hasn't looked quite as dominant as in the past since returning from the DL in early July, as he has allowed 6 ER's in 9 IP, with a mediocre 7:4 K:BB rate. With Britton currently being involved in trade rumors, his recent struggles don't help his cause of remaining a closer with a potential new team. He still boasts an excellent GB% and if he does stay with the Orioles, they would likely continue giving him save chances. But of the teams that have showed interest in Britton, the Dodgers are definitely not looking for a closer and even the Astros may be hesitant to use him in that role at this point. Be prepared for a potential drop in value.
Alex Cobb, SP, TB
Cobb allowed 1 ER in 7 IP against the Orioles on Wednesday, lowering his ERA to 3.46 on the season. That's quite impressive for a guy who missed most of the past two seasons because of Tommy John surgery. Over his last 9 starts, Cobb has posted a 2.24 ERA and 0.89 WHIP but has only struck out 38 in 64.1 IP and has benefitted from a .207 BABIP. This is why I still have a hard time trusting Cobb; his 5.87 K/9 is dead last in the AL and his Hard% isn't low enough to sustain a .268 BABIP. Cobb's 4.47 xFIP is probably more indicative of what to expect going forward.
Yu Darvish, SP, TEX
Darvish had a nightmarish outing on Wednesday allowing 10 ER's in 3.2 IP as the Rangers got smacked by the Marlins 22-10. This completes a July in which Darvish compiled a 7.20 ERA, mostly as a result of two disastrous outings. His ERA for the season jumped from a very solid 3.44 to an uninspiring 4.01 and comes at a very bad time for the Rangers who have been considering trading Darvish before the Trade Deadline. Still, teams will probably trust Darvish's track record and the same holds true for fantasy owners. He isn't striking out as many batters as in previous years, but he's still over a K per inning with a solid 11.8% SwStr%. He has been suffering recently from the long ball having allowed 5 in his last 2 starts. For what it's worth, 13 of the 20 HR's he's allowed have come at home, and his road ERA is 2.49, so perhaps a trade could be beneficial for Darvish's value going forward.
Didi Gregorius, SS, NYY
Gregorius has been sizzling since the break, hitting .388 (19-49) with 6 HR's in 13 games played. With a very modest Hard%, it's hard to explain how Gregorius maintains a 14.4% HR/FB, and it's not simply a result of Yankee Stadium as 9 of his 16 HR's have come on the road. His 14.1% K% also seems primed for some regression considering his surprisingly high 12.3% SwStr%. Despite the probable regression, I wouldn't stop rolling with Didi at the current moment.
Sean Manaea, SP, OAK
Manaea is one of the cheaper options for Thursday's slate despite facing a Blue Jays team that actually ranks last in the AL in runs scored. His solid 8.75 K/9 should allow him to provide good value relative to his price tag. DraftKings Value Play Salary $6,700.
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