In an effort to serve daily fantasy players and season-long fantasy players who use daily lineup settings, we present daily notes each day of the season. It's a daily version of our Fantasy Forecaster in which we project the best pitcher game scores as well as the best team-hitting matchups based upon a number of factors.
Pitching
Elite
There may not be a better setup today than Clayton Kershaw squaring off with the San Diego Padres in Dodgers Stadium. The talented southpaw will face an offense sporting a 0.347 weighted on base average (wOBA) versus lefties so they've hit them well so far but also carry a generous 25 percent strikeout rate versus left-handers. The other downside is that Los Angeles Dodgers hitters will need to get to the up-an-coming Drew Pomeranz, which won't be easy.
Speaking of won't be easy, runs will be at a premium in Citi Field as two of the game's finest pair off, putting the win in jeopardy for both Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard. The New York Mets righty has the tougher chore, as the San Francisco Giants are smacking around right-handers to the tune of a 0.342 wOBA with a stingy 14 percent strikeout rate. The Mets attack is equally prolific with a 0.342 wOBA, though they lend Bumgarner some strikeout potential with a 23 percent whiff rate against southpaws. Considering there are a couple of other elite DFS options for both cash and GPP play, this contest is best left for those that like to kick back and watch a good old-fashioned pitcher's duel.
The high-risk, high-reward play among the elite features Chris Sale toeing the Camden Yards rubber to take on the powerful but strikeout-ridden Baltimore Orioles. The lanky lefty has yet to get his strikeouts to his typical double digit level, but he's pitched at least seven frames in all five of his outings - keeping him a DFS asset. With the potent attack possessed by the home team, Sale profiles more as a GPP option than safe cash play.
Circling back to fun pitching match-ups, two of the top young arms in the game have a date in an interleague tussle as the Cleveland Indians wrap up a weekend set in Citizens Bank Park. Danny Salazar takes the hill for the visitors, bringing with him an impressive 10.2 K/9, though he's also been wild as evidenced by a 5.1 BB/9. The Philadelphia Phillies sport a slightly below average offense against right-handers, so if Salazar can find the plate, there's a potential for a big day. Opposing the Tribe is Vince Velasquez and his eye-popping 33:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 25 1/3 frames. The Indians whiff at an elevated 26 percent clip against righties, though they do sport a productive 0.333 wOBA against them, rendering Velasquez an intriguing GPP option.
The last elite option is Max Scherzer facing the St. Louis Cardinals in Busch Stadium. Considering the Washington Nationals right-hander's rough start, and the prolific attack the Redbirds have displayed early on (not to mention another solid mound foe in Carlos Martinez), DFS enthusiasts would be best suited to sit this one out.
Solid
On a slate with fewer elite options, Marcus Stroman would likely have been given ace billing, as he's the best swerve from Kershaw for DFS cash action. The Toronto Blue Jays righty takes on the Tampa Bay Rays in Tropicana Field. Stroman may not enjoy the skills boost most receive at home, but he benefits from a huge park upgrade in terms of run prevention. The home team is fanning at a huge 28 percent pace against right-handers, giving Stroman a path to plentiful points.
David Price is why the sage fantasy player will focus on skills and not outcomes. To wit, the Boston Red Sox southpaw has recorded a 14.0 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and .91 HR/9, all better than average peripherals so far with his new team. His 2.40 FIP and 2.39 xFIP portend a precipitous drop for his 5.76 ERA. If Price's salary reflects his surface stats and not skills, he's a solid DFS option as he'll have the platoon edge over several of the opposing New York Yankees best hitters, including table setters Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner.
Rich Hill may be 36-years old, but in a way he's like a youngster in his salad days as he's exhibiting a new repertoire that's, in essence, unfamiliar to opposing hitters the first few times around the league since he rejuvenated his career last September. The fastball-curveball specialist welcomes the strikeout-happy Houston Astros in pitcher-friendly O. Co. Coliseum, giving Hill the stage to continue his rebirth for another game.
John Lackey profiles as a nice complementary hurler on multiple-pitcher slates, as he'll challenge the Atlanta Braves in Wrigley Field. The visitors punch out at a league average-pace, but aren't likely to score a ton -- making Lackey a safe play at the price.
Streamers
You know the deal -- on Sunday, choices are dictated by situation and not statistics. That said, 21 of the 30 scheduled hurlers check in with a Game Score of 53 or higher, which usually means they're solid options to use in seasonal play, though we'll warn against one in a moment. Here's the skinny on the best of the rest.
Don't expect many punch outs from Doug Fister, but with the protection of the Coliseum, the Houston Astros righty should keep the Oakland Athletics in check -- giving ratios a late-week boost.
The same can be said for Jeff Locke, as the Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up a series in the Steel City with the Cincinnati Reds.
Tom Koehler isn't known for missing bats, but with a date in Miller Park against the Milwaukee Brewers and their 26 percent strikeout rate against right-handers, the Miami Marlins hurler may add a couple extra whiffs to his ledger.
Avoid
With the addendum that you do what you have to do to win your head-to-head week, here's a yellow flag on the riskiest choices.
Julio Teheran has been inconsistent, and the last team you want to make a mistake against is the Chicago Cubs.
Ricky Nolasco's 24 strikeouts, compared to just three walks in 27 2/3 stanzas, supports his fast start -- but he's still, you know, Ricky Nolasco. The Detroit Tigers bats, while susceptible to right-handed strikeout pitchers, are awakening. If your ratios are in jeopardy, you're taking a chance running with the Minnesota Twins' veteran right-hander.
Nathan Eovaldi's 1.14 WHIP is evidence he's pitched better than his 4.38 ERA indicates, but he's tasked with slowing down a Boston Red Sox offense that can turn around anyone's fastball.
The trio of Wily Peralta, Chad Bettis and Mike Pelfrey are only in play if you're ditching ratios and just looking for a couple more strikeouts, and maybe a win.
Hitters
The flip-side of an abundance of pitchers with a solid game score is a dearth of lineups with a favorable set-up. In fact, the best ploy on a Sunday slate is to monitor the lineups and look for reserves getting the start to give the regular a day off while focusing on the handful of possible stacking opportunities.
Chase Field's scoreboard operator should be busy with the Colorado Rockies wrapping up a series with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the desert. The Snakes are in the better spot facing Chad Bettis. Jake Lamb and David Peralta are the top options, as they have the platoon edge, but don't overlook Jean Segura and Paul Goldschmidt as Bettis is also vulnerable to right-handed hitters. For the Rockies, lefty swingers Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and Gerardo Parra are in the catbird seat against Shelby Miller.
Target Field should also be a busy place, with the Detroit Tigers sending out Mike Pelfrey to face Ricky Nolasco. Both teams are predominantly right-handed, which paves the way for a contrarian stack for either side as too many are overly reliant on looking for hitters with the platoon edge and not leveraging the more organic advantage of a good hitter facing a lesser pitcher -- and, Pelfrey and Nolasco are both lesser pitchers.
There's some risk as, if he's locating, Nate Eovaldi is tough to hit, but if he's not, the Green Monster could end Sunday evening with a few more dents. David Ortiz loves the spotlight, and he's a factor any time a righty is on the hill. Travis Shaw has the platoon edge and is in play, with Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts in the mix too.
The scratch of Raisel Iglesias and the subsequent summoning of Tim Adleman by the Cincinnati Reds to face the Pittsburgh Pirates puts all the Bucs in play in PNC Park. The hosts' wOBA versus righties is an impressive 0.359 with lefty swingers John Jaso and Gregory Polanco enjoying the platoon edge.
Most likely to hit a home run: Julio Teheran has served up 22 of his 32 homers allowed to lefty swingers since 2015, putting Anthony Rizzo in a great spot to plant one on Waveland Avenue.
Most likely to steal a base: Jean Segura is doing it all from the leadoff spot for the D-backs, including swiping bags.