SportsTradeX Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks 6/5/15

If you haven’t tried out SportsTradeX yet, you are missing out on a chance to experience daily fantasy sports outside of the traditional salary cap format. They have a unique tiering style that allows you a number of different mix and match options. Choose to play 9, 10, or 11 players depending on the tiers. Click through the banner below to get the best deposit bonus possible.

If you want the rest of our plays, check out Friday’s SportsTradeX today and roster only one pitcher in the top tier. Going for two on this slate makes very little sense.
Tyson Ross
When he is arguably the top overall points pitcher on a slate, you know you are in trouble. Ross is an interesting case. He walks a ton of guys (4.45 per nine) and yet his xFIP is in the perfectly acceptable range. This is thanks to a unreal groundball rate. He is allowing a 63.5% GB% to go with a (lowest I’ve seen in a while) 18% FB rate. That is extreme to say the least. He is facing a tougher Reds’ squad in a good hitter’s park. But if he can put it together for a start there is a ton of upside here.

Consider Jake Odorizzi and really no one else.

Tier B

Giancarlo Stanton
I suspect he’ll be a near universal start in this tier. And why not? He’s taking his particular set of skills into the mile high air of Denver. That could turn itself into a boatloads of power. Without his salary to consider you are basically locked into playing him on this tier. Stanton’s been running a little bad in the BABIP department this season which has knocked his OPS down some. He’s also striking out a little more than usual. But this is Coors, and that’s Eddie Butler (he of the 5.24 xFIP and more walks than strikeouts) on the mound. Stanton is a lock for this tier and I don’t suggest fading him under any circumstances.

Mike Trout
Man I love playing without salaries sometimes. On a slate like this one, where pitching is a necessary evil rather than something to be celebrated, it is great getting in multiple big bats. Trout heads to Yankee Stadium that plays about average power for righties. He’ll face Nathan Eovaldi who’s striking out less than seven batters per nine on the season. Trout’s turning in another Trout-like season with a .900+ OPS and already 14 home runs to his name. I don’t need to roll through his superlatives. If you’re reading this you already know. On any given slate of games he’s one of the top overall point expectations because of the power, speed and just general greatness.

Tier C

Joey Votto
I know I mentioned Ross in the pitcher’s section. And I’m not necessarily advocating playing these guys together. But Votto is in a nice spot today. He takes a ton of walks and that’s one of the huge weaknesses in Ross’s repertoire. Dude gets wild and Joey is a guy who can take advantage. Votto’s also hitting second in the lineup which gives him a nice plate appearance expectation and is going in a great hitter’s park. Votto’s turning in a bounce back season with an OPS hovering around .900 and is the best option in Tier C today.

Nolan Arenado
I always like him facing a lefty more of course, but Tom Koehler will have to do the trick today. Arenado has actually even out his splits some this season and is having much more success against righties. Even with a .250 BABIP in that split, he’s still rocking a .913 OPS against right-handed pitching. Koehler is a garbage arm and this game is going off in Coors so you get the picture.

Consider Josh Donaldson and George Springer

Tier D

Evan Longoria
He’s a must in this tier. Longoria has routinely killed lefties throughout his career. This year’s been no different. On the season he has a 145 wRC+ with an .850 OPS. He doesn’t get any extra points for the ballpark, but J.A. Happ is a perfectly average pitcher and Longoria owns this platoon. I’ve been known to over buy on Longoria in the past. But this isn’t one of those cases. He’s a no-brainer on this slate.

Billy Butler
He’s another guy in a favorable matchup on the vastly better side of his split. For his career, Butler has a 143 wRC+ and .912 OPS against southpaws. Those are incredibly impressive numbers and he’s been almost as good this season. He faces Wade Miley who’s been garbage this season with a 4.75 xFIP to go with a career of getting hammered by righty bats. Butler and Longoria are everywhere for me in this tier as their splits and matchup (plus slots in the batting order) make them clear options.

Strongly consider Curtis Granderson
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