Clay Buchholz, SP, ARI
Buchholz posted another solid outing on Sunday, pitching 5 shutout innings against the Pirates before leaving the game with side discomfort. While the extent of the injury is not yet clear, this did mark the 6th time in 7 starts this year that Buchholz has allowed 2 ER's or less, resulting in a 2.56 ERA for the season. The peripherals aren't as shiny however as his xFIP is a mediocre 4.05, while his 7.22 K/9 isn't all that great either. It's been a nice comeback for Buchholz who only made two starts last season, but even if his injury isn't serious, I would be very hesitant to trust him in fantasy leagues.
A.J. Minter, RP, ATL
With Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino placed on the DL on Sunday and Dan Winkler blowing his first save opportunity while Vizcaino was unavailable, Minter would appear to be next in line for saves in Atlanta. This was somewhat confirmed by the fact that Minter pitched the 9th inning of the Braves' 7-3 win over the Orioles on Sunday, which although not a save situation, was usage typical of a closer. Minter has had a solid season for the Braves, posting a 3.19 ERA with 35 K's in 31.0 IP across 34 appearances. He has struggled at times with control (3.77 BB/9), but has been much better in that regard recently, compiling a 13:0 K:BB ratio across 9.2 IP this June. He's a worthwhile pickup if you're looking for saves in the short term.
Max Muncy, OF, LAD
The power surge continues for Muncy, who hit one of 7 Dodger HR's on Sunday, giving him 8 dingers in 18 June games and 15 HR's for the season through just 194 PA's. This doesn't look like a fluke either as his FB% is up to 46.3% for the season, while his Hard% sits at an elite 46.3% as well. Not only that, but there could be upside to his .261 BA as his .271 BABIP could very well see positive regression. And while his 24.2% K% is high, he actually has an excellent 7.5% SwStr% and 19.2% O-Swing% which suggest that the strikeout rate will probably deflate. Muncy is still available in nearly 40% of ESPN leagues!
Jose Peraza, SS, CIN
Peraza went 1-3 with a BB and 2 RBI against the Cubs on Sunday, and has been on a bit of a role recently, hitting .333 with 5 SB's over his last 22 games. Perhaps an even more encouraging development, Peraza has now walked 7 times over his last 11 games after taking just 9 walks through his first 63 games this season. It's a small sample size, but for a guy with a career BB% of merely 4.0%, adding a bit to his OBP could give a solid boost to his overall value. His excellent contact rate (9.8% K%) makes him a solid bet to hit for at least a decent average, and the more he gets on base, the better chance he has at racking up runs and steals, which is where he accumulates most of his fantasy value.
Seth Lugo, SP, NYM
Lugo has allowed a combined 11 runs (8 earned) in 8 IP over his last 2 starts, causing a drop in his daily price. In truth, Lugo wasn't as bad as those numbers indicate as he posted a 12:3 K:BB over those two starts, one of which was at Coors Field. Lugo 2.85 ERA for the season is backed by a 3.05 xFIP, and his xFIP has actually been better as a starter (2.40 across 4 starts). He has allowed 3 HR's over his last 2 starts, but that is less likely to be an issue against a Pirates team that ranks tied for 24th in HR's this season. DraftKings Value Play Salary $7,100.
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