Pavin Smith DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith went 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, two runs, and two RBI in his team's 9-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Smith ripped a 416-foot two-run homer off Orioles starter Dean Kremer in the fifth inning, giving his team a 4-0 lead in the contest. The veteran infielder is off to a fast start this season as he's batting .400 with one homer, eight runs, and four RBI in 30 at-bats. He will look to keep his hot streak going as the Diamondbacks have an off day on Thursday before they open a weekend series with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith will take a seat on Saturday afternoon, facing Washington southpaw Mitchell Parker. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to return to the starting nine on Sunday afternoon when they face Washington right-hander Brad Lord. Smith has typically hit the bench when facing left-handed pitchers. Instead, Randal Grichuk will get the starting nod as a designated hitter. Through the first seven contests of the regular season, Smith has held a .313/.450/.500 slash line with three doubles and a 4:9 BB:K. Last season, Smith was very productive against right-handed pitching, as he posted a strong .282/.356/.564 line. Grichuk is worth a look as an option in DFS competitions, facing Parker, who held a 4.29 ERA last season.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith is expected to open the campaign in a platoon role at the designated hitter spot. Being a left-handed bat, Smith should see a majority of the starts. Joc Pederson occupied this role last season but departed in free agency to sign with Texas. When facing a right-handed pitcher last season, the 29-year-old posted a strong .282/.356/.564 slash line with eight home runs and nine doubles. He held a solid 15:27 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, Smith generated a stellar .293 xBA and a .395 xwOBA. Right-handed bat Randal Grichuk will likely slot in on the short side of this platoon. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Smith's status during spring training, as he could also see occasional starts in the outfield and first base. Even though he will likely be in a platoon role, given his impressive splits, he does carry value in deeper formats.