Bargain Plays - Smoak Monster Meets Green Monster
Here are the top sleeper picks for Friday, April 15:
1B Justin Smoak, Blue Jays (at Red Sox)
Smoak is the definition of an all-or-nothing slugger; he has plenty of power and is not afraid to swing for the fences, but he strikes out a bunch and has a low batting average. Limit him to tournament lineups because of this.
With regular 1B Chris Colabello just 1-for-19 to begin the season, expect Smoak to get the start on Friday. Smoak is just 1-for-8 himself, but he was a Red Sox killer in 2015 - slugging four of his 18 home runs against Boston while posting a .417/.462/1.042 slash line in 24 at-bats.
He'll slot low in the order, but this is a Blue Jays team that could turn thelineup over many times against SP Rick Porcello. It always seems to be a high-scoring affair when Toronto and Boston square off at Fenway. Porcello and R.A. Dickey met last week in Toronto, and the teams combined for 12 runs.
OF Nomar Mazara, Rangers (vs. Orioles)
When Shin-Soo Choo was placed on the 15-day DL, Mazara was immediately called up to not only take Choo's position in right field, but also take his second spot in the batting order. Batting behind Delino DeShields and in front of Prince Fielder and Adrian Beltre is not a bad situation for a rookie.
In his brief big league career (20 at-bats), Mazara is hitting .400/.409/.600 with one homer and three RBIs. Keep drafting the 20-year-old until the league figures him out or his price increases. Expect a big performance from the Rangers against mediocre right-hander Vance Worley.
2B/OF Kike Hernandez, Dodgers (vs. Giants)
Like Mazara, Hernandez also has just 20 at-bats under his belt this season, but he's made the most of them, recording eight hits. The 24-year-old hit .307/.346/.490 a season ago in 218 plate appearances, but especially excelled against LHP, registering a .423 average. This season Hernandez has led off whenever a lefty has taken the hill.
He'll be facing no ordinary left-hander on Friday however, as Madison Bumgarner will be on the bump. As dominant as Bumgarner is, he struggled away from AT&T Park last season (by his standards) posting a 4.15 road ERA.