This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Saturday will offer a great day of sports with college football throughout the day. There's still plenty of baseball that shouldn't be overlooked, including a 10-game main slate on DraftKings that we'll cover in this article.
Pitchers
Bryan Woo ($8,800) isn't the most established pitcher on the slate and his season-long numbers – particularly for strikeouts – won't look all that impressive. That's changed the last month, probably not coincidentally coinciding with returning to full health. Across Woo's last five starts, he's topped 25 DK points three times and faces a favorable matchup against the Angels to keep things going.
The story is similar for Yusei Kikuchi ($8,700). As we've been accustomed to, he's produced rollercoaster results. For now, he's at the top of the ride with at least 20.6 DK points from four of his five outings since being dealt to Houston. The case for Kikuchi over Woo is his strikeout upside. The downside is a tougher opponents with a Royals' offense that makes a lot of contact.
There are several different angles to choose from to roster Frankie Montas ($7,700). He offers both strong skills and results since moving to Milwaukee by maintaining a 15.7 K-BB rate while only allowing 0.7 HR/9. The bonus is that Montas draws the Reds in a revenge game with the club striking out at a 24.1 percent clip over the last 30 days.
Zebby Matthews ($7,400) is worth considering. He doesn't generate many Ks, though generally limits mistakes (3.2 BB rate, but 1.2 HR/9). The Blue Jays have been disappointing this year overall, yet have looked much better in the last month (21 K%, .320 wOBA). The salary is right to take a chance on Matthews.
Top Hitters
Joey Estes has done well limiting run production of late, but he's still given up at least one homer in five straight starts. Stacking Texas isn't all that appealing due to Estes' ability to limit baserunners, though using a one-off player like Corey Seager ($5,800) makes sense.
Merrill Kelly is shaking off some understandable rust since returning from a shoulder injury and is facing an unforgiving Dodgers lineup Saturday night. He's a talented pitcher and could find his groove, so loading up on expensive LA bats isn't my favorite option, but using Freddie Freeman ($5,300) or Teoscar Hernandez ($5,100) at a relatively reasonable salary is in play.
Value Bats
Connor Norby ($3,600) is at an awkward value, yet remains a solid option whether we consider him a top hitter or salary saver. In 11 games since being recalled by the Marlins, he's registered a .318 average with a .591 SLG while also taking over at leadoff in the absence of Xavier Edwards. It's a very limited sample, but Mason Black has also looked overwhelmed during his time in the majors.
The Twins have offered some nice value of late, and Trevor Larnach ($3,100) has been a go-to option. He typically hits second against right-handers and holds a .205 ISO against them on the season.
Stacks to Consider
Giants vs. Marlins (Edward Cabrera): Mike Yastrzemski ($3,100), Heliot Ramos ($4,600), Matt Chapman ($4,800)
Cabrera continues to show flashes of brilliance with significant issues with control and the long ball. For the season, he carries a 12.2 percent walk rate and has served up 1.8 HR/9, both among the highest marks of all starting pitchers on this slate. Even if Cabrera does well, he's unlikely to work deep into the game. That leads us into the bullpen, which has allowed a 5.63 ERA since the All-Star break. Meanwhile, the Giants offer a strong combination of value at the leadoff spot (Yastrzemski) and power in the middle of the order.
Mariners at Angels (Tyler Anderson): Victor Robles ($3,700), Julio Rodriguez ($5,100), Randy Arozarena ($4,500)
The Mariners haven't been great offensively for much of the year, yet have enjoyed a decent homestand. There's also no denying the talent at the top of their lineup. Cal Raleigh ($4,200) wasn't included as a stacking option, so it's worth overlooking the season-long stats in the right context. Saturday offers that opportunity with Tyler Anderson on the mound. He's conceded at least eight baserunners in each of his last three outings, so the Mariners should have a lot of opportunities to put runs on the board.
