This article is part of our Umpire Analysis series.
Last Week's Picks
Tuesday
Game: ARI at LAD
Umpire: Phil Cuzzi
Player Recommendation:Carlos Frias, RHP: 6.2 IP, 8 H, ER, 3 K BB
Frias induced 15 ground balls but was once again unable to find his strikeout pitch, resulting in a solid, but unspectacular outing. The 10 strikeouts seen by Cuzzi in the contest tied a season-low, but the game yielded just four runs, bringing his season ERA to 3.90 in 196.3 innings.
Game: HOU at CHW
Umpire: Larry Vanover
Player Recommendation:George Springer, OF: 1-5, 2B K
Not quite the result we were looking for, as White Sox starter Carlos Rodon walked just two batters over six innings, while the game yielded six runs, Vanover's lowest total in four outings. Despite the disappointing totals, Vanover still holds a 3.0 BB/9 rate over 12 games, which could make him someone to look at the next time he sees a pitcher with suspect control.
Wednesday
Game: SD at ATL
Umpire: Andy Fletcher
Player Recommendation:Yonder Alonso, 1B: 0-for-3, BB
The five runs put up in the game matched Fletcher's lowest total this season, but we can remain confident that he will see traffic on the base paths more often than not, as he maintains a 4.0 BB/9 rate through 13 games.
Game: KC at MIN
Umpire: Mark Ripperger
Player Recommendation:Kyle Gibson, RHP: 6 IP, 5 H, 5 R, (4 ER), 2 BB, 6K
A three-run homer in the first inning off the bat of Alex Gordon almost sent Gibson to the showers, but he was able to pull it together to allow just one unearned run over the next five frames. The nine runs marked the second-highest total of the season for Ripperger, but he remains an umpire to target when looking for a low-scoring game, having tallied a 2.52 ERA and 1.9 BB/9 rate over 11 games.
Thursday
Game: SD at ATL
Umpire: Jordan Baker
Player Recommendation:Yonder Alonso 1B: 0-for-3, 2 BB RBI SO
We were able to close out the week with a positive result, as the game yielded a whopping 13 walks, including three from Julio Teheran and four from Andrew Cashner. Baker carries a reasonable 3.16 ERA in 208 innings this season, but remains a stack target due to his 3.5 BB/9 rate.
This Week's Picks
Tuesday
Game: ATL at BOS
Umpire: Vic Carapazza
Player Recommendation:Julio Teheran, RHP
What a difference a week makes. Teheran has got the right man behind the plate for a bounce back, as Carapazza has seen just 2.6 BB/9 while holding a 2.71 ERA through 11 games this season. We are likely to get a fair amount of scarcity value from a Teheran pick due to his rough season, which could pay off nicely if he can use Carapazza's zone to curb his penchant for the free pass.
Game: LAD at TEX
Umpire: Greg Gibson
Player Recommendation:Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Opposing starter Chi Chi Gonzalez has been getting by on clean living judging by his peripherals, as he has walked more batters than he has struck out, and has a 5.17 xFIP through his first three starts. Gibson could be just the man to help bring the hammer down, having notched a 3.8 BB/9 rate through 167.7 innings.
Wednesday
Game: TB at WSH
Umpire: Paul Schreiber
Player Recommendation:Jordan Zimmermann, RHP
Schreiber could provide a soft landing for Zimmermann after one of his worst starts of the season last week against the Brewers, as his 8.4 K/9 rate this season puts him in the top-10 among umpires who have called at least 100 innings. Zimmermann may be more apt to find his strikeout pitch against a team like the Rays, who have punched out 21 percent of the time against right-handed pitching.
Game: BOS at ATL
Umpire: Brian Knight
Player Recommendation:Cameron Maybin, OF
Knight's 4.53 ERA is tied for 10th worst among qualifying umpires this season, and while he calls his share of strikeouts, the 3.1 BB/9 that he sees should present problems for Joe Kelly, who has walked 26 batters in 66 innings.
Thursday
Game: SD at OAK
Umpire: Adam Hamari
Player Recommendation:Kendall Graveman, RHP
Hamari boasts a 2.4 BB/9 rate and a 3.4:1 K:BB ratio over 244.3 innings. Graveman has allowed just five runs in 21 innings since being recalled earlier this month, and has shown an uptick in strikeouts, fanning 13 in his last 15 frames.
Game: MIL at KC
Umpire:Jeff Nelson
Player Recommendation:Adam Lind, 1B
Hitters are making quite a bit of contact against Jeremy Guthrie this season, as he has struck out just over 10 percent of batters he has faced. Nelson has shown a wide strike zone (3.2 BB/9) and not many strikeouts (7.5 K:9) through 228.3 innings, which could present even more problems for the soft-tossing righty, who will enter the game with a 5.79 ERA.
Editor's note: an earlier version of the article showed Chi Chi Gonzalez as the recommendation for Tuesday's Dodgers-Rangers game. It has been corrected to show Adrian Gonzalez.
