Welcome to another edition of Bales’ Top GPP plays. In this article, I will outline my favorite MLB GPP plays 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.
Jonathan Villar
Villar has seen mixed results throughout the 2020 season. He’s hitting for a .324 average with a .351 slugging percentage and a .710 OPS over his last 10 games, though. He owns one extra-base hit, two RBIs, and three stolen bases over that span, as well. Villar was at best against right-handed pitching in 2019, posting a .281 average with a .467 slugging percentage and a .823 against that handedness. He also ended the season with a .349 wOBA and a .186 ISO against righties.
Villar gets a great matchup against Robert Gsellman tonight. Gsellman struggled against left-handed batters last season, allowing them to hit for a .283 average with a .446 slugging percentage and a .348 wOBA. He also gave up a .347/.495/.374 line to his opponents in New York in 2019. Villar is only expected to hit eighth in the Miami Marlins offense, but he still comes with tremendous speed and a bit of power. His spot in the lineup will likely keep his ownership low, but he makes a great tournament option on a short slate.
Pat Valaika
Valaika has flashed plenty of upside in recent games, posting a .235 average with a .529 slugging percentage and a .787 OPS. He recorded four extra-base hits (three home runs) and four RBIs in those games, as well. Valaika has found more success against left-handed pitching throughout his career. He owns a career .243 average with a .505 slugging percentage and a .807 OPS against lefties. He also boasts a career .339 wOBA and a .262 ISO against left-handed pitching.
Valaika gets an interesting matchup against Ryan Yarbrough tonight. Yarbrough has been a reverse splits pitcher since 2019, but has allowed a career .246 average with a .405 slugging percentage and a .297 wOBA to right-handed batters. Valaika is expected to hit fifth in the Baltimore Orioles lineup tonight. He’s a cheap source of home run potential and can be used in GPPs on this slate.
SuperDraft
Brandon Nimmo (1.65x)
Nimmo has recorded a .256 average with a .590 slugging percentage and a .959 OPS over his last 10 games. He also posted seven extra-base hits (two home runs) and three RBIs in those contests. Nimmo was a reverse splits hitter in 2019, but that hasn’t been the case throughout his career. He owns a .260 average with a .462 slugging percentage and a .864 OPS against right-handed pitching. He has a .375 wOBA and a .202 ISO against righties in this career, as well.
Nimmo gets a matchup against Sixto Sanchez, who has started only one game in the MLB. He struggled in that game, and there are scouts that question whether he will end up being more than a reliever in the long-term. Nimmo is expected to lead off for the New York Mets, and he boasts a 1.65x multiplier on SuperDraft. His power goes a bit overlooked, but he has been on fire and makes an elite option on this slate.
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