3 Daily Fantasy Baseball Players to Avoid on 5/23/18

Jon Lester, SP, Chicago Cubs

FanDuel Price: $8,100

Jon Lester's days as an ace appear to be numbered. He had a 4.07 SIERA in 2017, and this year that mark has ballooned to 4.51 thanks to a lower strikeout rate (21.2%) and a higher walk rate (10.1%), fly-ball rate (38.2%), and hard-hit rate (35.0%). His price tag is still high because the results have been good (2.52 ERA on the season), but the peripherals (4.49 SIERA, 4.47 xFIP) indicate some regression is in store.

The Cleveland Indians appear to be the right kind of matchup to hit Lester hard, too. They rocked Tyler Chatwood and company last night, and they have the bats to do it again to Lester. The Indians rank top-five in wRC+ against left-handed pitching, thanks to a 18.4% strikeout rate (third-lowest in baseball) and 39.7% hard-hit rate (second-highest in baseball) against southpaws.

Just as the cherry on top, only the Minnesota Twins have a higher fly-ball rate against left-handed pitching. Clearly, the Indians will provide Lester with a stiff test on Wednesday night.