Baseball is back! Check back here throughout the day for updated blurbs as teams confirm their lineup. We’ll keep you updated on some of the day’s highest-impact trends by utilizing our Models and Vegas dashboard. Projected and confirmed lineups for every game can be found on our MLB Daily Lineups page.
Cardinals (+111) at Pirates (-120) — 7:05 PM EST
Cardinals in: Kolten Wong (left knee inflammation)
Cardinals out: Dexter Fowler (fractured left foot)
Kolten Wong hasn’t played since July, 21, but he’ll bat seventh for a Cardinals lineup presently implied to score 4.1 runs against the Pirates. Dexter Fowler has been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a fractured left foot. Ivan Nova has allowed three or fewer runs in eight of his last nine starts, although his inability to limit the long ball has continued to be a problem. Overall, Nova has allowed 10 home runs during that span, and he’s allowed the sixth-most home runs per nine innings pitched over the past 12 months among all pitchers in Saturday’s main slate. He’ll particularly have his hands full with Matt Carpenter, Tyler O’Neill, and Wong, each of whom have posted positive wOBA and ISO splits vs. right-handed pitchers over the past 12 months. Exposure to Carpenter should be focused on FanDuel, where his $4,200 price tag comes with an 82 percent Bargain Rating and a low 2-4 percent projected ownership rate.
Angels (+255) at Indians (-282) — 7:10 PM EST
Indians in: Roberto Perez
Indians out: Yan Gomes (hamstring tendinitis)
Yan Gomes is expected to miss a few days with hamstring tendinitis, but the injury shouldn’t send him to the disabled list. Francisco Lindor, Michael Brantley, and Jose Ramirez will get things started for an Indians lineup presently implied to score an impressive 5.5 runs. They offer plenty of power at the top of the order, as only Yonder Alonso has failed to post positive ISO splits vs. right-handed pitchers over the past 12 months. The Indians are especially in play on FanDuel, where each starter boasts a Bargain Rating of at least 70 percent (with the exception of Roberto Perez). Lindor will look to continue to crush the ball, as he ranks among the main slate’s top-five shortstops in average batted ball distance, exit velocity, and hard-hit rate over the past 15 days. Felix Pena will have his hands full with an Indians lineup that has combined to post a .336 wOBA vs. right-handed pitchers over the past 12 months – the third-highest mark in Saturday’s main slate.
Orioles (+134) at Rangers (-145) — 8:05 PM EST
Rangers in: Carlos Tocci
Rangers out: Delino DeShields (concussion)
Delino DeShields has been placed on the 7-day concussion disabled list, so the Rangers will roll with Jurickson Profar, Rougned Odor, and Elvis Andrus at the top of the order for their matchup against the Orioles. The Rangers are presently implied to score a slate-high 5.8 runs and boast the second-highest Team Value Rating on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Overall, Profar, Odor, Andrus, and Adrian Beltre form the highest-rated four-man stack on FanDuel on the Bales Model, while swapping out Beltre with Joey Gallo yields the highest-rated four-man stack on DraftKings. Each of Profar, Odor, Andrus, and Beltre rank among the main slate’s top-six highest-rated overall batters in the Bales Model on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Dylan Bundy needs to do a better job limiting big hits, as he ranks among the main slate’s bottom-three pitchers in average batted ball distance, exit velocity, and fly-ball rate allowed over the past 15 days. Both pitchers will have to deal with the second-most hitter-friendly Weather Rating in Saturday’s main slate. Still, current forecasts call for estimated wind gusts of 11 miles per hour blowing in from center field.
