Today is the second week of the second Tout Daily period. The pitching is replete with intriguing options at all price points with hitting also offering solid choices up and down the schedule.
Here’s who the Touts are clicking in, trying to chase down Period 2 leader Vlad Sedler.
Lawr Michaels (CreativeSports2, @lawrmichaels)
Andrew Heaney: The Coloradans hold the second-highest strikeout total facing lefties at 129, while Heaney, with 24 whiffs over 20.3 frames, has had games with nine and 10 whiffs and today could rank right there with Rockies misses.
Robinson Cano: Cano, who is hitting a more than respectable .283-3-18, gets to swing against righty Marcus Stroman (7.52 ERA, 1.639 WHIP) at home. Since lefties are batting .303 against the Toronto hurler with a .374 OBP, Cano looks like a no-brainer pick.
Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire, @JeffBoggis)
Luis Severino: Severino’s only loss on the season was at Boston on April 10th. In that game, Severino had a season low 6.7 Draft Kings fantasy points. On the season, Severino is averaging 26.9 fantasy points per game on Draft Kings. Throw out the Boston game and he’s averaging 30.3 fantasy points per game. He faces Boston again tonight, but this time at home, where Severino will be looking for redemption.
Didi Gregorius: Gregorius has a larger sample size when facing Pomeranz and he’s owned him in the past. He’s had 21 at bats when facing Pomeranz, and owns a .381 batting average with 1 home run, 2 RBI, and 2 walks against him. Gregorius has been cold as of late, which explains his depressed $4,500 salary. He is averaging 11.2 fantasy points per game on Draft Kings.
Howard Bender (Fantasy Alarm, @RotobuzzGuy)
Aaron Nola: Money in the bank, in my opinion and he’s still not priced as high as the elites. The Giants were a hot-hitting team this past week, but let’s not kid ourselves as to what they are really made of. Are we that desperate for a hero in SF that Allen Hanson is getting so much buzz? Nola should have no issues putting the Giants down tonight.
Corey Dickerson: Ever see Lucas Giolito try to successfully pitch against a lefty hitter? Me neither. The damage will have to be done early though because an early exit for Giolito puts Dickerson up against a very tough White Sox bullpen. Still willing to make the move for Dickerson though.
Patrick Davitt (BaseballHQ, @patrickdavitt)
James Paxton: Going pitcher-heavy today, including James Paxton against a TOR lineup that is a little above-average at striking out vs LHP.
Jurickson Profar: Jurickson Profar has been productive lately and is very reasonably priced at $3300. Also a switch-hitter, which is helpful.
Tim McCullough (Rotoexperts, @Tim_Rotoexperts)
Dylan Bundy: The Royals are one of the weakest teams in MLB vs. RHP with a .294 wOBA and Bundy has done his best work at home, where he has a .314 wOBA against. Bundy had the Royals’ number last season with a 1.29 ERA, .643 WHIP and a .143 BAA over two starts. Hopefully, the money saved on pitching will give me enough offense to finish in the money.
Jurickson Profar: I wanted Trout, Hoskins and Conforto in my outfield so I needed salary relief somewhere (besides at P). That led to my choice of Profar. Granted, Profar has been awful across the board but he faces Mike Fiers tonight, a pitcher who has been equally awful (5.00 ERA, 5.33 K/9). He’s allowed above average Hard contact (34.4% Hard%) resulting in six HRs in just 27 IP, so I’m rolling the dice on Profar having a good night at home where he’s been slightly less awful historically.
Todd Zola (Mastersball, @toddzola)
Sean Newcomb: Fun slate for pitching, great choiced up top and in the middle. I’m waffling up top (leaning Nola) but am probably settled on Sean Newcomb as SP2. Tampa has decent wOBA v LHP, but anything vLHP is the most unreliable sample. I’ll take the strikeout upside in a pitcher’s park and hope Newcomb keeps C.J. Cron in check.
John Hicks: Hicks qualifies at catcher but is getting run at first base with Miggy on the DL. He checks all the boxes (high in the order, platoon edge, hitter’s park).
Clay Link (Rotowire, @claywlink)
Aaron Nola: He’s not missing bats like an ace (6.9 K/9), but he’s not being priced up quite as high either. The Giants have totaled four home runs so far in May and with Derek Holland on the other side, Nola stands a great chance to earn the win.
Aaron Altherr: Speaking of Holland…Altherr is off to a poor start this season and he’s not the bargain on DK that he is on Fanduel, but he has the platoon advantage and is batting cleanup.
Brian Walton (CreativeSports2, @B_Walton)
Mike Minor: For $6300, Minor is a great $-saving pick. The right-hander has a 2.86 ERA in four home starts this year and gets to face the tooth-less Tigers tonight.
Michael Conforto: It is only one game in a row (so is that even a row?), but Conforto homered Monday night and his Tuesday opponent is not the same Luis Castillo of 2017.
Jeff Erickson (Rotowire, @Jeff_Erickson)
Aaron Nola: The Giants surprisingly have struck out frequently this year, including nine times yesterday against Zack Efflin.
Michael Conforto: I like the intersection between his price, skills, batting order and ballpark.