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 (-111) at Phillies (+103) — 7:05 PM EST
Red Sox out: Mookie Betts
Mookie Betts is receiving a routine day of rest vs. the Phillies and right-hander Vincent Velasquez on Wednesday. JD Martinez will move into the outfield rotation since he is unable to assume his regular role as the designated hitter in a National League ballpark. Andrew Benintendi will bat leadoff for the second time since mid-June, and when he’s previously been atop the order this season, he’s averaged a FantasyLabs’ +3.93 FanDuel Plus/Minus with a 47.1% Consistency Rating. The Red Sox are presently implied to score 4.4 runs, but their total has declined 0.5 runs since the line opened and they are currently dealing with negative reverse line movement. Velasquez has been hit hard recently, but he’s also generated a ton of ground balls. It bodes well for him that the top five hitters in the Red Sox order all have a higher recent ground ball rate compared to fly ball or line drive rates, and only three hitters in the entire order possess a positive batted ball distance differential. Benintendi has a solid track record as the leadoff hitter, but Velasquez may prove beneficial at Citizens Bank Park, where he has averaged 29.64 FanDuel points per start this season.
Phillies out: Carlos Santana, Jorge Alfaro
Phillies in: Justin Bour, Wilson Ramos
Justin Bour and Wilson Ramos will both make their team debuts on Wednesday as Carlos Santana and Jorge Alfaro receive a day of rest. Ramos has been on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring and will hit sixth, while Bour will hit second after not starting in his first four games since being acquired. The Phillies offense has struggled lately as the team has scored just nine total runs over the last five games. Asdrubal Cabrera has moved up to the three-hole and warrants tournament consideration with a team-high 46% hard-hit percentage over the last 15 days. He matches up well against opposing pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who has allowed hitters to produce a top-six recent batted-ball distance and flyball percentage out of all starting pitchers in Wednesday’s main slate.
