FANTASY MLB STRATEGY FOR TONIGHT’S GAME
DRAFTKINGS CONTEST : Lineup tips and player salaries are for the MLB $5K Quarter Jukebox, a ‘Classic’ rules contest featuring 11 games, starting at 7:05pm EST, 4:05pm Pacific Time.
THE WISE GUYS : The sportsbooks like the Yankees at home tonight, with a moneyline consensus Yankees -145, Rays +135. The Over/Under is 9.
WEATHER : Game-time temps are expected to be 75° under partly cloudy skies, an ESE breeze of 11mph and a 5% chance of rain, and humidity at 65%.
FAST FACTS : Tampa is looking for the series clincher tonight and the chance to bury the Yankees deeper in the AL East.
- The Rays have defeated the Yankees in their last 6 meetings, all straight up.
- Tampa is 9-0 straight up in their last 9 road games.
- The Rays have the 4th highest run differential in MLB with +41. The Dodgers are safely #1 with +90, while the Yankees are tied for the #9 with Houston* at +23.
MATCHUPS : The Rays look to continue their ownership of the Yankees in tonight’s middle game of a three-game set. Tampa will start righty Trevor Richards ($5,900), making his 7th appearance of the season with no win-loss record and an ERA of 5.14. He has trouble with right-handed hitters, who are batting .364 against him over 60 ABs. His BABIP (batting average on balls in play is .376.
The is little to go on in terms of pitcher vs hitter history with New York, but you should strongly consider 1B Luke Voit ($4,400), 2B DJ LeMaheiu ($4,900) and OF Clint Frazier ($4,000) as stacking targets tonight.
The Yankees will sent righty Masahiro Tanaka ($7,600) to the hill, still in search of his first victory in 2020. He had a solid outing agains the Braves in his last start cut short by fatigue. All eyes will be on him tonight.
If you’re thinking of stacking Rays, start with the newest member of the Yankee Killer Club, old-friend Ji-Man Choi ($3,300) — who can’t hot sand if he sell off a camel this season unless he’s playing the Yankees. Tanaka has been touched up for 3 home runs so far in 2020, all by left-handed hitters. Other considerations include OF Kevin Kiermaier ($2,300) and 2B Brandon Lowe ($5,500), who is leading the club with 10 home runs.
UPDATE: Tampa’s Ji-Man Choi is listed as DTD, so check starting lineup right before game time.