Saturday's Second Baseman Value Rankings
Here are theScore's second baseman value rankings for Saturday, June 4 (all stats exclude Friday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Ben Zobrist (CHC) | vs. ARI | 9 |
| Yangervis Solarte (SD) | vs. COL | 9 |
| Jose Altuve (HOU) | vs. HOU | 8 |
| Devon Travis (TOR) | at BOS | 8 |
| Javier Baez (CHC) | vs. ARI | 8 |
Zobrist is the prime example of when it's advisable to pay up at second base. He gets a lefty in Diamondbacks SP Edwin Escobar who allowed seven runs in fewer than four innings in his only start. Zobrist is hitting .356 against LHP and hits in the heart of the Cubs' order. Looking to save salary? Go to Solarte on sites that give him 2B eligibility; he's hitting a robust .400 over his last 10.
Altuve might have had the top spot if Athletics LHP Rich Hill was making his scheduled start because Altuve has toyed with lefties all season; he's rolling with an nine-game hit streak and stole a base Friday night. Baez and Travis are very inexpensive and Baez has numbers similar to Zobrist whenever a lefty is pitching.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Murphy (WAS) | at CIN | 7 |
| Chase Utley (LAD) | vs. ATL | 7 |
| DJ LeMahieu (COL) | at SD | 7 |
| Derek Dietrich (MIA) | vs. NYM | 6 |
| Jonathan Schoop (BAL) | vs. NYY | 6 |
| Neil Walker (NYM) | at MIA | 6 |
| Brett Lawrie (CWS) | at DET | 6 |
| Whit Merrifield (KC) | at CLE | 6 |
| Trea Turner (WAS) | at CIN | 6 |
Utley is almost a must-start against RHP. He has traditionally hit well against righties (.291 career average) and 2016 is no different. He's neither insanely expensive nor a complete bargain, but has the upside to be worth the investment. He's best suited for GPPs due to his boom-or-bust nature.
LeMahieu is a solid cash game option, even away from Coors Field. His low DFS salary makes it easy to spend a bit more at more premium positions. Turner is an uncertainty as he's set to play his second game of the season. If he is slotted in the second spot in the order again, he's worth a flier in tournaments.
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Harrison (PIT) | vs. LAA | 5 |
| Steve Pearce (TB) | at MIN | 5 |
| Robinson Cano (SEA) | at TEX | 5 |
| Ian Kinsler (DET) | vs. CWS | 5 |
| Jason Kipnis (CLE) | vs. KC | 5 |
| Aaron Hill (MIL) | at PHI | 5 |
| Johnny Giavotella (LAA) | at PIT | 5 |
| Brian Dozier (MIN) | vs. TB | 5 |
Cano and Dozier don't have particularly positive matchups, making them purely tournament options. Dozier is a must-start against LHP but is a hard sell otherwise. Kipnis usually rakes against RHP, but Royals SP Ian Kennedy has held opposing lefties to a .208 batting average in 2016 and .239 average for his career.
Kinsler versus White Sox LHP Chris Sale is a premium matchup and selecting Kinsler as a GPP contrarian is a solid option. He's hitting .426 over 51 plate appearances against LHP with three home runs and has generally had success against southpaws for his career. The risk is that no one has been able to hit Sale all that well in 2016.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Scooter Gennett (MIL) | at PHI | 4 |
| Jed Lowrie (OAK) | at HOU | 4 |
| Jean Segura (ARI) | at CHC | 3 |
| Joe Panik (SF) | at STL | 3 |
| Jimmy Paredes (PHI) | vs. MIL | 2 |
| Starlin Castro (NYY) | at BAL | 2 |
| Omar Infante (KC) | at CLE | 2 |
| Chase d'Arnaud (ATL) | at LAD | 1 |
Segura had a nice string of games against the Astros, but the Cubs should make life a lot more difficult. He's cooled considerably after a hot start to the season and hasn't utilized his speed in the way it was anticipated with only six steals and none in his last 10 games.
Panik's salary is too high across the board despite having the perceived handedness advantage over Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha. Wacha has actually held lefties to a worse slash line to date.