Sunday's First Baseman/DH Value Rankings
Here are theScore's first baseman/DH value rankings for Sunday, June 5 (all stats exclude Saturday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jose Abreu (CWS) | at DET | 10 |
| Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) | vs. ATL | 10 |
| Victor Martinez (DET) | vs. CWS | 10 |
| Miguel Cabrera (DET) | vs. CWS | 9 |
| Edwin Encarnacion (TOR) | at BOS | 9 |
| David Ortiz (BOS) | vs. TOR | 8 |
| Joey Votto (CIN) | vs. WAS | 8 |
| Matt Adams (STL) | vs. SF | 8 |
| Dae-Ho Lee (SEA) | at TEX | 8 |
Abreu hasn't been at his best over his last 10 games, posting an OBP of just .279 with just three doubles and no other extra-base hits. His recent run plus a date with resurgent veteran Justin Verlander on Saturday has lead to a dramatically reduced price. For the same salary commitment to Chris Carter, DFSers can roster a slugger with a career .879 OPS against righties.
The pair of first base-eligible Tigers have tormented White Sox lefty Jose Quintana, each posting an OBP over .430 against their division rival in their careers. Martinez has been hotter, hitting .359 over the past 10 games, but Cabrera arguably has a higher ceiling that could be better suited for tournament play.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Eric Hosmer (KC) | at CLE | 7 |
| Brandon Belt (SF) | at STL | 7 |
| Joe Mauer (MIN) | vs. TB | 7 |
| Carlos Santana (CLE) | vs. KC | 7 |
| Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) | at CHC | 6 |
| Byung Ho Park (MIN) | vs. TB | 6 |
| Logan Morrison (TB) | at MIN | 6 |
| Albert Pujols (LAA) | at PIT | 6 |
| Anthony Rizzo (CHC) | vs. ARI | 5 |
| Mark Reynolds (COL) | at SD | 5 |
| Mike Napoli (CLE) | vs. KC | 5 |
| John Jaso (PIT) | vs. LAA | 5 |
| Justin Smoak (TOR) | at BOS | 5 |
| Prince Fielder (TEX) | vs. SEA | 5 |
| Wil Myers (SD) | vs. COL | 4 |
| Chris Carter (MIL) | at PHI | 4 |
| Freddie Freeman (ATL) | at LAD | 4 |
| Alex Rodriguez (NYY) | at BAL | 4 |
Goldschmidt has hit his stride, hitting .333 with a .998 OPS over his past 10 games. Since 2013, Goldschmidt has a .403 OBP against righties, which would be an encouraging rate if not for his opponent on Sunday: Cubs ace Jake Arrieta. At a discounted price, Goldschmidt can still be used in GPPs but keep him away from your cash lineups.
On one hand, Rizzo is expensive and has always fared worse against left-handed pitching in his career, slashing just .238/.342/.415 against LHPs. On the other hand, D-Backs SP Patrick Corbin has a 4.96 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 2016, and has given up 11 earned runs in his last two starts. This matchup could go either way but at Rizzo's price, you'd typically want more certainty.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Hanley Ramirez (BOS) | vs. TOR | 3 |
| Kendrys Morales (KC) | at CLE | 3 |
| James Loney (NYM) | at MIA | 2 |
| Justin Bour (MIA) | vs. NYM | 2 |
| Chris Davis (BAL) | vs. NYY | 2 |
| Ryan Howard (PHI) | vs. MIL | 2 |
| Tyler White (HOU) | vs. OAK | 1 |
When facing a lefty, Davis may as well be swinging a pool noodle. While he has always struggled against southpaws throughout his career, the gap is even more noticeable in 2016, as he's hit just .192 with just two homers off LHPs to date. Considering Davis is hitting just .167 over his last 10 games to begin with, chances are that he doesn't have a big night in him against CC Sabathia.