Despite the fact that Pablo Sandoval is hitting just .167 through his first three games with the Boston Red Sox, you still have to like him for your DraftKings squad on Friday.
Sandoval has the most favorable pitching matchup of any player in the majors as he and the Red Sox face New York Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi. In 11 at-bats, Sandoval has eight hits for a .727 batting average with nine RBI against Eovaldi.
That, my friends, is complete ownership at the plate. Sandoval’s DK salary is a mere $4,200. This should make him the steal of the day.
The Panda is my pick to be the top third basemen. Here’s a look at my picks for the top performer at every position.
Andrew McCutchen, OF, ($5,200) at Milwaukee Brewers
Another player with a favorable matchup on Friday is the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen. Cutch faces the Milwaukee Brewers’ Michael Fiers, and the batter has gotten the better of this matchup. McCutchen is hitting .429 with four home runs and nine RBI against Fiers.
It gets better.
McCutchen is also hitting .303 at Miller Park, and his 14 home runs and 36 RBI are the most he’s tallied at any visiting ballpark in his career.
Though he’s gotten off to a slow start with a .167 average through his first 12 at-bats, there’s every reason to believe McCutchen will break out on Friday.
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, ($4,700) at Arizona Diamondbacks
No one is quite as hot as Adrian Gonzalez so far this season. Through three games, Gonzalez is putting up numbers like he’s playing MLB 15: The Show on rookie. He’s hitting .769 with a league-leading five home runs and seven RBI.
According to ESPN Stats and Info, Gonzalez’s start marks a first in the sport.
That pace alone is enough to tab him as the top DK first baseman for Friday, but he’s also had good success against Arizona Diamondbacks starter Chase Anderson. Gonzalez is hitting .333 against Anderson with a home run. I like Gonzalez to continue his torrid hitting.
Tim Lincecum, P, ($7,600) at San Diego Padres
We’re in the first week of the regular season, so most teams are getting to the back of their starting rotations. That could create some high-scoring games and difficulty picking a pitcher to anchor your DK team.
Tim Lincecum is far removed from the pitcher who took the league by storm in 2008, but he’s still set up for a pretty good outing on Friday against the San Diego Padres.
This current group of Padres is hitting a combined .192 against Lincecum overall. Even if he’s not quite as dominant, there’s still some room for falloff while still being productive.
Petco Park is also notoriously a pitcher’s park, so that should aid Lincecum in keeping the score down and your DK fantasy points up.
Jose Reyes, SS, ($4,700) at Baltimore Orioles
Through three games, Reyes has just three hits. He hasn’t been able to steal any bases as of yet, but all that could change on Friday.
Reyes and the Toronto Blue Jays travel to Maryland to take on the Baltimore Orioles. The 31-year-old shortstop has done well against Orioles starter Bud Norris in his career. Reyes has hit .357 with two doubles and an RBI.
If Reyes can get on, he has a chance to cause some issues on the base paths. The Orioles are still without normal catcher Matt Wieters, and that could create an opening for Reyes to be aggressive on the bases. The Tampa Bay Rays stole two bases against the O’s in the first series of the season. Reyes could lead the charge on Friday.
All pitcher vs. batter stats per ESPN.com
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