Roto Riteup: August 11, 2015

In case you missed it yesterday, here at FanGraphs we launched Daily Projections courtesy of SaberSim! I’d make sure to cross check your streaming pitchers or DFS picks with the projection system before clicking the ol “Submit” button.

On today’s agenda:
1. Avisail Garcia continues to rake
2. Howie Kendrick out with hamstring injury
3. Quality start from Jonathan Gray
4. Streaming Pitching Options

Avisail Garcia continues to rake
After cracking two home runs in yesterday’s game, Garcia now has 11 dingers on the season and four in his past six games. His current .266/.313/.388 is modest from a corner outfielder, but with an adjusted approach at the plate in August (warning: autoplaying video ad), the (very) early results are positive. I can’t buy into a 37 plate appearance sample just yet, though if the change is real both at the plate physically and mentally, then Garcia could post very useful numbers down the stretch. He started off very hot in April and May before cooling off considerably in June and July, and thus many owners have seemingly dropped him. Garcia is available in over 40 percent of CBS leagues, half of Yahoo! formats and over 80 percent of ESPN settings.

Howie Kendrick out with hamstring injury
A strained left hamstring is going to cost Kendrick at least 15-days as the Dodgers placed him on the disabled list yesterday. The club called up speedster Jose Peraza and inserted him at second base, though it appears both he and Enrique Hernandez could see time at the keystone, with Peraza getting the majority of the time. Peraza had just one steal to his name in 10 games at Triple-A before being called up, but don’t sleep on him. He’s nabbed at least 25 bags in each season as a professional, including two 60+ steal outbursts in 2013 and 2014. Before being dealt from the Braves in the Mat Latos and Alex Wood three-team trade, Peraza was ranked as Atlanta’s No. 4 prospect heading into the season by our Kiley McDaniel. Peraza was given a plus-plus runner grade from McDaniel, calling it game changing speed. For those of us looking for some extra steals, Peraza seems like a nice and cheap option. He’s free to pick up in 80 percent of CBS formats and over 95 percent of Yahoo! or ESPN leagues.

Quality start from Jonathan Gray
In his second big league start Gray went six innings, allowing one run on a single hit and a pair of walks. Sure it was against the light-hitting Mets, but he managed to induce six whiffs on 75 pitches and sat down five Mets on strikes. I’m still not wild about his fly ball tendencies — specifically in his home park — as he served up nine fly balls yesterday versus four grounders. Of course one start’s batted ball profile doesn’t tell us much, however Gray owned a 40 percent ground ball rate throughout the minors. He’s probably good enough to be a stream option in most leagues and in anything deeper than a standard 12-teamer Gray deserves to be owned based on his 94+ mph heater, plus slider and workable change. As one may expect, his ownership is already 42 percent in CBS formats, yet he can be picked up in over 90 percent of ESPN or Yahoo! settings.

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Streaming Pitching Options
If you enjoy streaming pitchers, tune into the Roto Riteup for recommendations each and every day.

A pitcher for today: Steven Wright at MIA (Justin Nicolino)
Wright was superb in his last outing, whiffing nine Yankees in eight innings. The Marlins own the lowest wOBA and wRC+ against right-handers, though they are yet to face a knuckleballer this season. One can stream Wright in over 75 percent of CBS leagues, 85 percent of Yahoo! settings and over 90 percent of ESPN formats.

A pitcher for tomorrow: Chase Anderson vs PHI (Aaron Nola)
If you were to go with Nola instead of Anderson here, I couldn’t blame you. The D-backs strikeout against right-handers slightly more, but the Phillies have shown less offensive abilities against them overall. Anderson is free to stream in over 80 percent of the three major fantasy sites.