MLB DFS: Thursday Cheat Sheet

Thursday's slate of nine games features a road matchup for Clayton Kershaw against the Cardinals.
MLB DFS: Thursday Cheat Sheet
Here's a quick glance at Thursday's slate(s).

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    Park Factors & Lines

    Park factors in this piece are a three-year average from 2015-2017, indexed (100 = average). For example, left-handed home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the White Sox) have a three-year index of 122, which means there have been 22% more homers hit by lefties from all teams during that span in that park compared to a completely neutral environment. Left-handed hitters have a significant advantage when hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field.

    AT&T Park (home of the Giants), has a three-year run index of 90, which means that games played at AT&T park have had 10% fewer runs scored overall than a completely neutral environment. Overall offensive production is reduced by a significant amount for games played in San Francisco, making it a safer environment than most for pitchers.

    LeftiesRighties
    Road StarterHome StarterHome TmRAVGHRAVGHRKO/UHmL1st Pitch
    Clay BuchholzKyle FreelandRockies1381211171161188710.0-1353:10 PM
    Sandy AlcantaraSteven MatzMets909310190921068.0-1653:10 PM
    Mike MontgomeryJoe RossNationals1009889105114989.51104:05 PM
    Jeff BrighamJason VargasMets90931019092
    Here's a quick glance at Thursday's slate(s).

    Helpful Links

  • Today's MLB Lineups
  • MLB Optimizer
  • BvP Info
  • For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS Slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well.) To join those channels, e-mail support@rotowire.com.

    Park Factors & Lines

    Park factors in this piece are a three-year average from 2015-2017, indexed (100 = average). For example, left-handed home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the White Sox) have a three-year index of 122, which means there have been 22% more homers hit by lefties from all teams during that span in that park compared to a completely neutral environment. Left-handed hitters have a significant advantage when hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field.

    AT&T Park (home of the Giants), has a three-year run index of 90, which means that games played at AT&T park have had 10% fewer runs scored overall than a completely neutral environment. Overall offensive production is reduced by a significant amount for games played in San Francisco, making it a safer environment than most for pitchers.

    LeftiesRighties
    Road StarterHome StarterHome TmRAVGHRAVGHRKO/UHmL1st Pitch
    Clay BuchholzKyle FreelandRockies1381211171161188710.0-1353:10 PM
    Sandy AlcantaraSteven MatzMets909310190921068.0-1653:10 PM
    Mike MontgomeryJoe RossNationals1009889105114989.51104:05 PM
    Jeff BrighamJason VargasMets909310190921066:40 PM
    Brett AndersonDylan BundyOrioles106103114101121949.51607:05 PM
    Sam GaviglioEduardo RodriguezRed Sox11411278109105999.0-2707:10 PM
    Clayton KershawAustin GomberCardinals911029710082957.51707:15 PM
    Stephen GonsalvesHeath FillmyerRoyals1031028510276949.5-1058:15 PM
    Mike LeakeOdrisamer DespaigneAngels919691961021098.5-13510:07 PM

    Pitcher Skills

    These stats look at each starting pitcher's stats since the start of last season.

    The final two columns are team stats for each pitcher's opponent.

    OwRC+ is the team wRC+ for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    TeamK% is the strikeout rate of the opposing team for the current season, against the handedness of that pitcher.

    Note: Opponent team matchup data from 2018 season.

    PlayerOppIPK%BB%K-BBHR/9ERAWHIPDKFDOwRC+OsK%
    Sandy Alcantara (R)at NYM20.320.714.95.70.892.211.38$7,200$6,9009422.3
    Brett Anderson (L)at BAL120.313.96.47.50.905.091.45$6,600$7,3007025.1
    Jeff Brigham (R)at NYM3.011.823.5-11.80.009.002.67$4,600$5,5009422.3
    Clay Buchholz (R)at COL105.719.95.814.10.852.731.15$8,300$8,0007823.4
    Dylan Bundy (R)v OAK319.722.97.415.51.774.871.30$6,300$6,50011221.7
    Odrisamer Despaigne (R)v SEA90.714.39.84.40.604.861.53$4,100$5,50010419.8
    Heath Fillmyer (R)v MIN60.714.111.13.11.194.751.48$4,900$6,1009622.1
    Kyle Freeland (L)v ARI332.318.38.99.40.893.471.35$8,500$9,0009722.4
    Sam Gaviglio (R)at BOS179.018.77.411.41.764.881.40$4,500$6,30011718.3
    Austin Gomber (L)v LAD61.319.510.39.20.442.931.34$8,100$7,10010021.6
    Stephen Gonsalves (L)at KC 12.38.318.1-9.71.4611.683.00$5,000$5,5008523.6
    Clayton Kershaw (L)at STL312.327.54.223.31.072.360.96$11,900$11,50010521.7
    Mike Leake (R)at LAA357.015.94.711.21.034.011.29$7,600$7,80011320.4
    Steven Matz (L)v MIA200.320.77.613.11.534.811.35$8,300$8,2008422.1
    Mike Montgomery (L)at WAS238.317.19.18.10.643.591.28$6,800$5,9009922.8
    Eduardo Rodriguez (L)v TOR251.025.98.117.81.183.941.26$9,100$8,6008820.8
    Joe Ross (R)v CHC73.721.16.214.91.955.011.47$5,400$6,70010420.9
    Jason Vargas (L)v MIA253.018.17.710.41.534.911.41$5,000$6,6008422.1

    Pitcher Splits

    These splits cover each pitcher's performance against left-handed and right-handed hitters since the start of the 2016 season.

    Stats highlighted yellow indicate matchups favoring the pitcher. Stats highlighted blue indicate matchups favoring opposing hitters.

    v. Leftiesv. Righties
    NameOppK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBAK%BB%K-BBHR/9wOBA
    Sandy Alcantara (R)at NYM16.713.33.30.000.27923.323.30.03.000.436
    Brett Anderson (L)at BAL11.57.73.80.340.40413.86.07.81.280.355
    Jeff Brigham (R)at NYM0.050.0-50.00.000.56515.415.40.00.000.424
    Clay Buchholz (R)at COL16.49.37.10.870.31618.46.412.01.440.304
    Dylan Bundy (R)v OAK18.07.610.41.560.35327.47.519.91.780.315
    Odrisamer Despaigne (R)v SEA13.011.11.90.770.36014.79.65.10.580.319
    Heath Fillmyer (R)v MIN14.914.20.70.280.27614.36.38.02.360.376
    Kyle Freeland (L)v ARI27.77.220.40.690.27415.29.35.80.940.330
    Sam Gaviglio (R)at BOS14.98.56.41.640.35721.76.815.01.750.344
    Austin Gomber (L)v LAD19.86.213.60.470.33218.712.36.50.500.293
    Stephen Gonsalves (L)at KC 0.014.3-14.33.380.48811.418.2-6.81.230.496
    Clayton Kershaw (L)at STL29.62.627.01.050.24628.53.824.70.820.241
    Mike Leake (R)at LAA13.75.18.61.010.32318.43.914.41.070.323
    Steven Matz (L)v MIA17.77.89.90.480.31422.76.516.21.530.326
    Mike Montgomery (L)at WAS19.38.610.80.620.27718.29.29.00.700.299
    Eduardo Rodriguez (L)v TOR29.57.522.00.910.32223.58.315.21.260.302
    Joe Ross (R)v CHC19.47.611.81.510.37022.45.117.21.040.294
    Jason Vargas (L)v MIA15.08.16.81.590.36219.37.611.81.410.332

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Derek was a frequent writer and media host. During his tenure, he'd been a two-time finalist for the FSWA's Baseball Writer of the Year award, and winner of the Best Football Article on the Web (2009) and Best Baseball Article on the Web (2010) awards. Derek also had hosted RotoWire's shows on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (XM 87, Sirius 210).
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