Thursday's First Basemen/DH Value Rankings
Here are theScore's first basemen/DH value rankings for Thursday, April 28:
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Rizzo (CHC) | vs. MIL | 10 |
| Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) | vs. STL | 9 |
| Brandon Moss (STL) | at ARI | 8 |
| Matt Holiday (STL) | at ARI | 8 |
| Victor Martinez (DET) | vs. OAK | 8 |
Rizzo has driven in 12 runs and scored seven himself (six off of homers) in his last 10 games. He's put up those kind of counting stats despite hitting just .222 over that span. This Cubs lineup is just so potent that Rizzo should be a high-level cash-game play all season long. He will only improve as his batting average rises.
Both Moss and Holiday are playing well; if you're fond of the Cardinals' platoon at first, ensure you actually roster the starter.
Given how the two 1B-eligible Tigers are playing right now, Martinez is a much safer bet in cash games than the more expensive Miguel Cabrera.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Carter (MIL) | at CHC | 7 |
| John Jaso (PIT) | at COL | 7 |
| David Ortiz (BOS) | vs. ATL | 6 |
| Hanley Ramirez (BOS) | vs. ATL | 6 |
| Ben Paulsen (COL) | vs. PIT | 6 |
| Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) | vs. MIA | 5 |
| Miguel Cabrera (DET) | vs. OAK | 5 |
| Jose Abreu (CWS) | at BAL | 4 |
| Ryan Zimmerman (WAS) | vs. PHI | 4 |
Carter has four two-hit games in his last six, atypical for the slugger. His slugging isn't impacted much by whether there's a lefty or righty on the mound, but his batting average and OBP have been higher against LHPs. He's a solid tournament play against Jon Lester.
Cabrera and Abreu are both expensive despite getting off to very rocky starts in 2016. Still, their contact and power numbers are bound to come around sooner than later, so it's hard to rate them much lower than the middle tier in terms of value.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Davis (BAL) | vs. CWS | 3 |
| Justin Bour (MIA) | at LAD | 3 |
| Freddie Freeman (ATL) | at BOS | 2 |
| Ryan Howard (PHI) | at WAS | 2 |
Crush Davis has always been an all-or-nothing type of hitter, but his fantasy production is down across the board in his last 10 games. He hasn't hit well against lefties over the past several years, and even though White Sox LHP John Danks doesn't strike an imposing stature, Davis is at risking of being a bust at his very high salary.
Freeman has dropped from his usual spot batting third, hitting as low as sixth in his past three games. The Braves have such a poor lineup built around their star that it's understandable why his counting stats are down, though that doesn't excuse his poor average and on-base rates.