Welcome to another edition of Bales’ Top GPP Play. In this article, I will outline my favorite MLB GPP play for today’s games. If you want all of my core plays along with our staff’s Final Thoughts article with access to our Discord, click here.
Tyler Anderson
Anderson saw mixed results in a shortened 2020 season. He posted a 4-3 record with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP over 13 games (11 starts). He was due for quite a bit of regression, though, as he owned a 5.93 xFIP and a 5.69 SIERA. Anderson struggled with 15.8% strikeout and 10.1% swinging-strike rates last season. With that being said, he recorded a 5.8% barrel percentage. Anderson’s been a relatively neutral pitcher throughout his career. Regardless of location, opponent handedness, or time through the lineup, he owns a similar xFIP, which sits between 4 and 4.5. His strikeout rate also doesn’t fluctuate very much.
Anderson gets a plus matchup against the Chicago Cubs today. They lead the slate in strikeouts per at-bat while ranking as an average offense in terms of team wOBA. Anderson’s a +131 underdog in a game set at 8.5 runs. The Cubs boast an implied team total of 4.7 runs today. Anderson, a fly ball pitcher, will benefit from the wind blowing in at over 10 mph in this game. He quietly posted 7 strikeouts in 5 innings (15.1 fantasy points) against Chicago in their only matchup this season. Anderson comes with quite a bit of risk, but he’s a solid option for a low price tag, even if he can’t keep up his current strikeout rate.
Follow Bales on Twitter (@BalesSJustin)
