On Tuesday, team rosters expanded to 40 players. They'll remain that way until the playoffs start. An influx of relief pitchers and utility hitters allow teams to substitute more frequently. Clearly, these roster adjustments change the way managers handle their squads.
The larger rosters also yield more volatility in daily fantasy on DraftKings. Think about it: With so many fresh and inexpensive faces to choose from, fantasy players can stack their squads with more top-dollar talent. The goal is to ride those epic hot streaks that guys like Carlos Gonzalez, Yoenis Cespedes and Nolan Arenado just had. It's easier to do that with a roster packed with some minimum-value talent.
So here's a short list of "cheapies" I like to contribute in a big way today.
One warning: Monitor Twitter, DraftKings and other sites like RotoGrinders to make absolutely sure your guys are in the starting lineups.
(P) Michael Lorenzen ($4,000) vs. Brewers
Lorenzen is no Clayton Kershaw. He's not going to go the distance and strike out 15. According to DraftKings, he hasn't won a game since June! But he's cheap, and he's taking the hill against the Brewers. NumberFire projects Lorenzen to be the third most valuable pitcher on today's slate because of that weak opponent.
Milwaukee ranks 25th in the league in wRC+ against right-handers this season, according to FanGraphs. They also have the 10th-highest strikeout rate in the bigs against righties. If Lorenzen can just go five innings for Cincy, he'll likely exceed value.
(P) Andrew Cashner ($6,000) vs. Dodgers
Since the All-Star Break, the Dodgers have been a below-average offensive club. In that time frame, per FanGraphs, they've struck out at the 10th-highest clip in the league, hit just 49 home runs and posted a wRC+ of 102, which ranks 18th in the league.
According to DraftKings, Cashner is 5-13 this season, but his 4.15 ERA is respectable and he should benefit from pitching in Petco Park. His last great outing came against the Cardinals on Aug. 21. That day, he went six innings and allowed one run while striking out eight. Maybe he's at his best when facing NL playoff teams.
Other options: Jarred Cosart ($4,100) @ Mets, Ivan Nova ($5,100) vs. Rays
(2B) Kelby Tomlinson ($3,500) at Rockies
Kelby Tomlinson likely would have been a typical September call-up were it not for starting second baseman Joe Panik's injury on Aug. 3. Though Panik was raking at the plate, Tomlinson has been a capable replacement.
According to Baseball-Reference.com, the 25-year-old rookie is hitting .300 with one homer and 13 runs batted in. Though he's still sitting on one stolen base in his short big league stint, he swiped a ton of bags in the minors and could contribute some bonus fantasy points on the basepaths tonight.
He also gets the Coors Field bump. The thin air just might push one of Tomlinson's fly balls over the fence tonight. If that's the case, he's a must-start.
Other options: (2B) Ehire Adrianza ($2,000) @ Rockies, (SS/3B) Andres Blanco ($2,700) @ Red Sox, (OF) Grady Sizemore ($2,400) @ Yankees, (OF/1B) Daniel Nava ($2,000) @ Yankees, (1B) Justin Smoak ($2,400) vs. Orioles, (3B/1B) Travis Shaw ($2,900) vs. Phillies
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