5 Under-the-Radar Daily Fantasy Baseball Plays for 5/31/16
Aaron Nola, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
FanDuel Price: $8,900
Why He Will Go Overlooked:
Aaron Nola likely won't be completely off of people's radars with the way he has pitched this season, but Jake Arrieta, Jose Fernandez, and Steven Matz should combine to keep his ownership to a dull roar. Considering his price and upside in this matchup, anything other than being the most popular pitcher qualifies as underowned.
Why You Should Use Him:
Nola has been absolutely unbelievable this season, ranking third in SIERA and fourth in WHIP. He's also elevated his 21.4 strikeout rate from last season to a very impressive 26.8 percent mark this season. He's been even better recently, posting a 1.80 ERA over his past six starts with 40 strikeouts in 40 innings.
What's been most impressive about Nola is how dominant his curveball has been -- his 10.8 wCB ranks his curve as the best in the Majors. He throws the hook 33.1 percent of the time, which is the fourth-most frequently in baseball. His opponent today, the Nationals, rank 27th in wCB/C (standardized runs created against curveballs) this season.
In addition to struggling against curveballs this season, the Nationals have struggled against right-handed pitching in general -- ranking 25th in wRC+ against righties. Considering the fact that they'll likely be without their best left-handed hitter, Bryce Harper, they are one of the best possible matchups Nola could ask for today.
Nola is an excellent option in all formats, and the salary saved from pivoting down from one of the expensive pitchers allows you to fit in some of the more expensive bats.