A 9 game slate presents 2 top options in Zack Greinke ($12,000) and Michael Pineda ($10,500). For me it is Pineda in cash and both for GPPs. Greinke has been dominant this season, with at least 7Ks in his last 5 starts. He flirted with a no hitter a few starts ago, and then followed it up another good performance versus the Mets. Obviously Chase Field isn’t a good place to pitch, but Zack has been extremely good at home, and presents enough strikeout upside. Pineda has the better matchup versus the awful Royals. This is one of the worst offenses in the MLB, and Pineda will look to bounce back after a lackluster performance against them in KC. Now he did score 16.1 points in that matchup, but struggle to get the punch out pitch working. Pineda does have a 28.8K% this season, so I do expect the strikeouts to come in this matchup.
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Jake Odroizzi is my next option, and he should be fairly low owned with JC Ramirez throwing for the other side in this game. In his 2 loses this season, he has scored 8.1 and 15.9 points, giving up zero runs in both of them. He doesn’t have the biggest strikeout upside in this matchup, but there is also not a lot of expected runs from the Angels side. This is more of a safe option then a boom or bust play JC Ramirez will be.
The Baltimore bats draw another good matchup, facing Kyle Gibson in Camden Yards. For Gibson, it has been a tough season, winless in 6 starts and posting an ERA of over 8. He struggles more to lefties (.441 wOBA), but he is also very bad versing right handed bats too (.408 wOBA). The Orioles have a ton of pop in Jones, Machado (if he plays), Trumbo, Davis and Schoop. Don’t forget if Seth Smith leads off he is also in play.
Once again JC Ramirez will get a mention, not for a good reason though as he faces the Tampa Bay Rays in Tropicana Field. It is no secret the Rays strikeout a ton, but I think this is a trap spot for Ramirez. JC is worse against lefties than righties, and the Rays will roll out a ton of left handed power bats in Dickerson, Morrison and Rasmus. Rays end their at bats in a strikeout, walk or home run over 40% of the time, making them in play for GPPs. I like all the power bats and you can include Longoria Beckham in stacks too.