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.
Red Sox (-122) at Rays (+113) — 7:10 PM EST
Red Sox out: Andrew Benintendi
Red Sox in: Mitch Moreland
Andrew Benintendi will receive a normal day of rest against the Rays on Thursday, and Mitch Moreland will enter the lineup and bat cleanup. The Red Sox implied total has decreased 0.6 runs since the line opened, and they are one of four teams presently implied to score less than 4.0 runs in the main slate. They also possess the fourth-lowest team wOBA and the eighth-highest strikeout rate against lefties this season, and Rays’ lefty Blake Snell presently has the second-highest K Prediction (6.8) on the slate. Snell has averaged a FantasyLabs’ +4.31 DraftKings Plus/Minus with a 65.2% Consistency Rating at home over the last three seasons. He doesn’t cost more than $8,100 on FanDuel or DraftKings, and when he faced the Red Sox last month, Snell recorded nine strikeouts and 30.9 DraftKings points.
Mets (+133) at Brewers (-144) — 8:10 PM EST
Brewers out: Travis Shaw
Brewers in: Ryan Braun (tight right mid-back)
Ryan Braun was activated off the disabled list and will bat third against the Mets and left-hander Steven Matz on Thursday. Travis Shaw isn’t in the lineup, and Jesus Aguilar will bat cleanup in Shaw’s absence. The Brewers are one of three teams presently implied to score at least 4.7 runs in the main slate, and Braun costs only $2,900 on FanDuel after a lengthy absence. The Brewers, however, rank in the bottom-three in wOBA and ISO against lefties this season, and despite allowing two homers to the Brewers in a start last month, Matz pitched into the sixth inning and provided value on DraftKings and FanDuel. His salary has dropped to $5,100 on DraftKings, and lefties have averaged a’ +4.83 DraftKings Plus/Minus against the Brewers this year. Matz doesn’t rate well in the Bales Model, but on a night with limited options, Matz will offer an avenue as a punt option in tournaments.
