Tonight’s pitching matchup at The Stadium pairs a past and future high hope for the Yankees starting rotation.
Yankees MLB Fantasy Baseball Cheat Sheet for Friday, June 15, 2018
The following suggestions are for the 7:05pm EST Yankees-Rays matchup in Draft Kings’ Classic mode.
Tonight’s Pitching Matchup
Yanks Up Against Eovaldi’s 100MPH Fastball
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Nathan Eovaldi ($5,300). This is the day a buddy and I joked about and feared since we heard Eovaldi was acquired by the Tampa Rays. The day Nasty Nate would bring his 100mph fastball to the mound on Yankee Stadium in an enemy uniform. “Oh $%#@!, we’re gonna get no-hit!” said my friend. Well, here we are.
Eovaldi indeed tossed a no-hitter against the Oakland A’s in his first game back after 2 years on the DL, but it was a 6-inning affair thanks to the pitch count he was under.
The Houston, Texas native had Tommy John surgery during his junior year in high school, but was drafted in the 11th round of the 2008 Amateur Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and made his pro debut August 6th of that year.
By July of 2012, Eovaldi was traded to the Marlins in a deal that brought Hanley Ramírez and (former Yankee) Randy Choate to Los Angeles. Two years later, the Marlins would trade Eovaldi, Garrett Jones, and Domingo Germán to the Yankees for Martín Prado and David Phelps.
A beneficiary of strong run support in 2014, Eovaldi pitcher to a 14–3 record with a 4.20 ERA, but was shut down in September with inflammation of the elbow. In August of 2016, his season would be cut short due to a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. He would have another Tommmy John surgery and miss the entire 2017 season, at the end of which he became a free agent. The Yankees released him on November 23, 2017.
Eovaldi signed a $2M one-year deal with Tampa on February 14, 2017, which included an option for 2018. The Rays exercised that option, and the 28 year-old righty is presently in the Rays rotation and throwing heat.
PREDICTION: If Nate is on, it won’t be pretty for the pinstripes. He is exactly the type of pitcher that gives the Yankees fits, and mix in the fact that the offensive is in a general stupor at the moment. Eovaldi could have 13 strikeouts with ease!
Who Should Give Eovalidi Trouble?
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Cleyber Torres ($4,200). Torres could be the prefect foil for Nasty Nate. He is fearless, can get around on a 100mph heater and is in a nice groove at the moment.
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Didi Gregorius ($4,600). Didi has had a night off to rest up and he’ll need it to catch up to Evo’s hard stuff. Gregorius is swinging a good bat again and could also get around on Eovaldi.
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Aaron Judge ($5,400). Judge can definitely turn on a mistake pitch by Eovaldi and send it to Connecticut.
Loaisiga Makes Jump From Double-A Trenton
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Jonathan Loaisiga ($6,400). The Nicaraguan-born Jonathan Stanley Loáisiga Estrada was originally an international free agent signed by the San Francisco Giants in September of 2012 at the age of 18. After two injury-plagued seasons the Giants released him in May of 2015, then he signed with the Yankees in February of 2016.
Loaisiga will be starting in place of Masahiro Tanaka, who is presently on the 10-day DL (hamstrings).
Like his opponent tonight, Loaisiga underwent Tommy John surgery while pitching for the Charleston River Dogs. But New York had faith in his abilities and after recovering from surgery, he started 2018 at Class-A level (Tampa Yankees) and worked his way up to Double-A Trenton Thunder where he has had 4 starts, pitching to a 3-0 record with a 1.35 ERA.
His bag of tricks include a fastball that tops out around 98 mph, a changeup and curveball.
PREDICTION: We have no idea how the young man will handle his professional debut, under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium no less, and in the heat of a hotly-contest American League East. It’s not exactly getting throw to the wolves with a career debut in Fenway Park, but no cake-walk either.
Who Might Give Loaisiga Trouble?
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Matt Duffy ($3,400). Duffy got the fireworks started quickly last night with a first pitch home run off Domingo Germán, and is a scrappy hitter that Tampa relies on to get a big inning going.
Check back before game time for any critical updates.
Remember this is for speculation only, not meant to be taken as gospel. And don’t forget to double-check your lineup(s) just prior to game time as the weather may create havoc for you. We exist under the manta that “You can’t predict baseball” but it’s fun trying. Good luck with your lineup and let’s go Yankees!
