Bargain Plays: Why is Nomar Mazara Still So Cheap?
Here are the top sleeper picks for Sunday, May 1:
OF Nomar Mazara, Rangers (vs. Angels)
Mazara has still somehow not received a significant price bump. I sound like a broken record listing him as a bargain, but Mazara won't stop hitting. It's still a small sample size of 74 PAs, but the The Big Chill is slashing .333/.392/.460. The Rangers will have themselves a good problem once Shin-Soo Choo returns.
While it's unlikely Mazara continues to get a base hit in one out of every three at-bats, it's feasible that he could sustain long-term success given his abilities and his spot in the batting order. He's been hitting second after Rougned Odor, who has an OBP of .343 in his last 17 games and in front of big name sluggers Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder, who offer great protection regardless of how they're hitting.
RHP Garrett Richards may be the best pitcher the Angels have to offer, but it's a great matchup. Richards relies heavily on the old No. 1, and Mazara, a left-handed hitter, has been a great fastball hitter this season.
2B/OF Kiké Hernández, Dodgers (vs. Padres)
Jot this down onto your own personal DFS cheat sheet: Anytime the Dodgers are facing a left-handed starter, Hernandez needs to be in your lineup no matter what. The Dodgers' super-utility man has a career slash line of .376/.451/.656 against lefties, albeit in the small sample size of 144 plate appearances.
Lefty Drew Pomeranz will take the mound for the Padres on Sunday, making Hernandez a no-brainer for DFS. He's not an everyday player because of a log-jam in LA's outfield and his inability to consistently hit right-handed pitching, but that just drives his daily fantasy salary into the ground.
SP Wily Peralta, Brewers (vs. Marlins)
Peralta could also be considered a contrarian option here given his struggles this season, but he comes in as one of the cheapest pitchers on the slate. His price is so low because of his 7.40 ERA.
The Brewers' right-hander has been somewhat unlucky this season. His .354 BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play) is way above the league average of .300.
Peralta's inconsistencies this season are large in part due to his lack of command, having walked 12 batters in 24 1/3 innings. However, Peralta registered a quality start in his last outing, pitching six innings, allowing three runs and handing out zero free passes.
Peralta's ground ball/fly ball ratio is 1.42 this season - much below his career rate of 1.87. Yet, in his last three starts, Peralta has induced 26 ground balls compared to 11 fly balls. Look for him to turn a corner against a weak Marlins lineup, who are much worse without their spark plug Dee Gordon.