MLB

3 FanDuel MLB Hitters to Avoid on 8/15/16

Jordan Sharp  —  @TehSharp Aug 15th, 2016
The National League leader in homers goes up against Max Scherzer. Who else should you avoid on the shorter slate?

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 Monday.

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

FanDuel Price: $3,900

Nolan Arenado is the second-most expensive third baseman tonight on a shorter FanDuel slate, and he is the 13th-highest priced player overall. However, with Josh Donaldson and Anthony Rendon sporting much better matchups, there is no reason to risk rostering Arenado tonight against Max Scherzer.

Scherzer has been lights out against other righties this season. They have a .202 wOBA across 292 batters faced this season. Righties are also striking out at an insane rate against Scherzer, who has a strikeout rate of 39 percent against righty hitters.

Arenado has a great wOBA of .372 against righty pitchers this season, but his hard hit rate drops three points to 36.4 percent, and his fly ball rate falls seven percentage points as well against right-handers. Scherzer isn’t your average righty either, so with his high price, it’s best to avoid the Nation League home run leader on Monday.

Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels

FanDuel Price: $3,100

Albert Pujols has had no problem driving in runs this season. His 89 RBI rank fifth in the Majors, but tonight against Felix Hernandez might not be the greatest time to roster Pujols.

Hernandez has looked good since coming off the disabled list, and for the season, he has predictably been very good against right-handed hitters. They own a .286 wOBA across 211 righty hitters faced this season. Right-handers have a 22.3 percent strikeout rate against him this season. and for his career, they have a 25.4 percent hard hit rate.

Not only has Pujols been poorer against righties this season, but King Felix has owned Pujols in their past matchups. Pujols has just a .303 wOBA against righties in 2016, and his isolated power drops from .245 against lefties to .150 against righties. Plus, in 60 career at-bats against the Mariners’ ace, Pujols is just 11 for 60 with a strikeout rate of more than 23 percent.

Gregory Polanco, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

FanDuel Price: $3,400

There is always a chance that Gregory Polanco gets sat down tonight with a lefty like Matt Moore on the hill for the Giants, but even if he is in the lineup tonight in San Francisco, it may be a night to lay off of him for his price of $3,400.

Polanco has not hit lefties well this season with a .324 wOBA on a .333 BABIP. His isolated power falls to .195 against them as well. Plus, his strikeout rate soars upward to 28.6 percent when he faces southpaw pitchers.

Moore, on the other hand, has been good against other lefties, and he has been very good since coming over to San Francisco. While he is still walking too many hitters, his performance against other lefties can’t be ignored. Lefties have a .286 wOBA across 136 batters faced this season against Moore, so don’t waste your salary dollars on Polanco tonight.