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.
Cubs (-132) at Phillies (+122) — 7:05 PM EST
Cubs in: Kris Bryant (shoulder)
Kris Bryant will return to the lineup after missing the previous 35 games due to left shoulder inflammation. He’ll hit fifth in the lineup for the first time this season and the Cubs are currently projected to score 4.6 runs against the Phillies and right-hander Zach Eflin. Addison Russell (finger) was also activated from the disabled list but is absent from the lineup in favor of Javy Baez, who remains at shortstop. Eflin has exceptional recent batted-ball statistics and leads all starting pitchers in Saturday’s slate by limiting batters to a 28% hard-hit percentage over the last 15 days. Daniel Murphy still provides value hitting leadoff while leading the team with a .390 wOBA against right-handed pitchers in the previous season. He also benefits from home run upside as Eflin has allowed nine home runs to left-handed batters in just 181 at-bats this season.
Blue Jays (-110) at Marlins (+102) — 7:10 PM EST
Marlins in: Lewis Brinson (right hip bone bruise), Martin Prado (strained left quad)
Both Lewis Brinson and Martin Prado were activated off the disabled list on Saturday, and both are in the lineup vs. the Blue Jays and right-hander Marco Estrada. After batting leadoff the previous 18 games, Rafael Ortega is not in the lineup and JT Riddle will bat higher than fifth for the first time all season as the leadoff man. In a related note, the Marlins are presently implied to score 3.7 runs and Riddle leads the Marlins with nine DraftKings Pro Trends. Riddle leads all shortstops with a 245-foot recent batted ball, and he’s extremely cheap at $2,300 on FanDuel. Brinson costs the minimum and Prado’s salary has dropped to $2,200 on FanDuel due to his extended stays on the disabled list. While a stack isn’t ideal, a triumvirate of Riddle, Brinson, and Prado costs a combined $6,500 on FanDuel, and Estrada has been torched to the tune of a 235-foot recent batted ball distance and 56% recent fly ball rate.
