MLB

3 FanDuel Hitters to Avoid on 8/11/16

Jordan Sharp  —  @TehSharp Aug 11th, 2016
With a tough battle on tap against Carlos Martinez, Kris Bryant is a player to stay away from at his expensive price tag.

As is the case in most daily fantasy sports, finding information on players you might want to roster is a lot easier than finding players to avoid.

While you can get away with a zero from a hitter in daily fantasy, you certainly don't want to target guys whose matchups aren't enticing.

Here are three hitters you may want to lessen your exposure to or even fade altogether on Thursday.

Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs

FanDuel Price: $3,900

After three straight games of solid fantasy scoring for the Chicago Cubs’ stud third baseman, Kris Bryant comes into his matchup with Carlos Martinez as one of the 12 most expensive position players on Thursday’s short slate. However, he is in a tough spot as Martinez has been lights out against right-handed hitters.

Righties own a .228 wOBA against Martinez this season while posting a 24.9% strikeout rate. After a bad home start his last time out, Martinez returns to the road where he has pitched very well this season with a .266 wOBA. Plus, in seven career appearances at Wrigley Field, Martinez has limited hitters to a .170 average and has allowed only three extra-base hits and no homers.

Bryant has hit everyone well enough this season, including posting a .373 wOBA versus right-handers. While he isn't a terrible play, he is certainly not a good one for his price and matchup.

Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels

FanDuel Price: $3,000

Albert Pujols, the Los Angeles Angels’ aging slugger, has to run up against Corey Kluber tonight in a critical series for the Cleveland Indians.

The Tribe will turn to Kluber to try and start the series off right. Kluber has been exceptional this season and right-handed hitters have seen the brunt of his dominance. Righties own a .247 wOBA against him while they also have a 27.4% strikeout rate. With a 0.92 WHIP and a 2.58 FIP against righties, Kluber might get the better of Pujols.

Pujols has just a .309 wOBA against righties this season, and his ISO has fallen to .155 against them. With this game being on the road, it makes Pujols even more avoidable. His wOBA away from home is just .289 this season, while his wOBA against righties on the road falls to .283.

Brandon Moss, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

FanDuel Price: $2,900

When the St. Louis Cardinals signed Brandon Moss to a one-year contract worth $8.25 million this past offseason, they probably would have locked him down for longer if they knew they would give them 18 homers and 47 RBI’s with a .375 wOBA through mid-August.

Even though he has been a nice addition for the Cardinals, he is probably not a great addition to your DFS rosters tonight against Jon Lester.

Moss has a 32.5% strikeout rate and just a .257 wOBA against lefties this season. Lester has been dominant against left-handed hitters. This season, lefties have a .261 wOBA and 27.6% strikeout rate against the Cubs’ southpaw. Their fly-ball rate is just 22.7% against him, and for his career, lefties own just a 27.6 hard hit rate.

There is always a chance Moss sits for the tough matchup with Lester, but either way he is a stick to avoid.