Josh Donaldson is arguably the hottest hitter in baseball (Getty).
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With less games on the schedule, the odds are better than ever to win some cash. More similarities between teams means closer contests, and often one player will mean the difference. Games with less days fit well with the contrarian style of drafting for that reason.
Today’s pitching matchups lack any real standout buys. Jason Hammel is the most expensive option, but he’s had some shaky starts recently and his best starts have been against weak lineups. When the pitchers don’t look reliable, focus on the hitting of the opponent. Here’s a tip: stay away from anyone pitching against Toronto.
On to the lineup:
Today’s Pitchers: Rodriguez & Feldman
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched well last time he faced the Yankees (Getty).
Eduardo Rodriguez got his first taste of the Boston-New York rivalry about a month ago, and he pitched well enough then to earn the start tonight. The Yankess, who’ve been red-hot since the break, were baffled last night by knuckleballer Steven Wright.
Scott Feldman hasn’t been lights-out this season, but has a favorable matchup tonight against Oakland. The Athletics have lost nine of their last thirteenhammel games, and are hitting just .219 since the break. Feldman hasn’t earned a win since May, but needs a solid performance to keep his spot in Houston’s rotation.
Featured Hitters: Hunter & Donaldson
Torri Hunter faces a familiar foe tonight in Mark Buehrle (Getty).
Torii Hunter is a strong play against Mark Buehrle, whom Hunter has 91 at-bats against. In those appearances Hunter is hitting .253, and has 16 RBI on 10 extra base hits.
Across the field, Josh Donaldson is chasing history against the Twins. Donaldson has recorded a hit in 22 straight games against the Twins, the longest such streak active in the majors. Donaldson also has gone deep in five of his last seven games. If you don’t have him in your lineup, everyone else will. He’s beasting.
Turn $3 into $800 with DraftKings’ MLB $10K Deep Moonshot fantasy contest, which gets underway tonight at 7:05 p.m. Eastern.
Here’s the full lineup:
SP: Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox, $9,100
SP: Scott Feldman, Houston Astros $7,000
C : Ryan Hanigan, Boston Red Sox, $2,800
1B: Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants, $4,200
2B: Jace Peterson, Atlanta Braves, $3,700
3B: Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays, $6,200
SS: Carlos Correa, Houston Astros, $5,300
OF: Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins, $4,100
OF: Aaron Hicks, Minnesota Twins, $3,700
OF: Nori Aoki, San Francisco Giants, $3,700
Total Cost: $49,800
Think we should make any changes? Let us know in the comments section below. Good luck and have fun!