This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
There are no day games Friday, which leaves us with a packed evening slate on DraftKings. Let's get right down to business and highlight some of the top pitchers and hitters to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
Trevor Bauer ($11,900) has lived up to the hype that accompanied his big contract with the Dodgers. He has a 2.20 ERA through his first nine starts, which is backed by a 3.15 FIP and a 0.75 WHIP. He's also been a dominant in the strikeout department, following up his 36.0 percent strikeout rate last season with a 35.5 percent rate. That could spell trouble for the Giants, who have struck out the fifth-most times in baseball.
Ian Anderson ($10,500) has been a bright spot in a Braves' starting rotation that has dealt with its share of injuries. He's logged at least five innings in seven of his eight starts and has gone at least six innings in four of his last five outings. The result has been a 3.20 ERA and a 3.60 FIP. Look for him to keep rolling against the Pirates, who have the third-worst OPS in baseball.
Speaking of pitchers with a favorable matchup, Mike Minor ($7,500) also has one for his start against the Tigers. Not only do the Tigers have the second-worst OPS, but they have also struck out the fourth-most times. When Minor faced them earlier this season, he allowed two runs and recorded nine strikeouts over 5.2 innings.
Top Targets
Through the first quarter of the season, Randy Arozarena ($5,000) hasn't been able to duplicate the power that he showed in 2020 when he had a .359 ISO across 23 games. However, he does still have seven home runs, and he's been productive, registering 24 RBI and 28 runs scored. Add in his .365 wOBA and he's someone to target against Anthony Kay ($5,900), who has an unsightly 1.58 WHIP for his career.
He doesn't garner many headlines playing alongside the likes of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, but Jared Walsh ($4,800) has been a valuable member of the Angels' lineup. He's recorded a .235 ISO and a .402 wOBA out of the gate, and has almost doubled his walk rate compared to last season. Tasked with trying to slow him down will be James Kaprielian ($6,100), who has only pitched a total of 17.1 innings above Double-A.
Bargain Bats
With his power upside, Adolis Garcia ($3,500) is an intriguing potential value play. He's already slugged 11 home runs, leaving him with a .272 ISO. Opposing him will be Tyler Ivey ($4,800), who will be making his big-league debut despite having thrown a total of just 6.1 innings above Double-A. In fact, he only threw 46 innings at that level, too.
Jarred Kelenic's ($3,300) career is not off to the best of starts with him sporting a .259 wOBA over 30 plate appearances. That's still a small sample size, however, for a player who was generally considered not only one of the top prospects in the Mariners' system, but in all of baseball. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him provide value against Chris Paddack ($8,600), who has a 1.35 WHIP to go along with an underwhelming 21.1 percent strikeout rate.
Stacks to Consider
Nationals vs. Jorge Lopez ($5,400), Orioles: Juan Soto ($6,100), Trea Turner ($6,000), Kyle Schwarber ($4,400)
Lopez has been nothing short of a disaster. After recording a 6.69 ERA and 5.24 FIP last season, he's followed it up with a 6.35 ERA and a 5.69 FIP across his first eight starts. That's probably not going to improve anytime soon, either, given that he has a career 1.49 WHIP and has allowed 1.7 HR/9. Soto and Turner are the two big-time bats on the Nationals to build a stack around, while Schwarber is appealing based on his power upside.
Rockies vs. Seth Frankoff ($4,600), Diamondbacks: Trevor Story ($5,200), Ryan McMahon ($4,900), Raimel Tapia ($4,000)
This is a tough spot for Frankoff, who issued four walks over 4.2 innings in his only other outing this season. Now he has to travel to Coors Field. Even with their depleted lineup, the Rockies still have a .786 OPS within the friendly confines of their home park. Tapia sure likes hitting there given that he has a career .360 wOBA at home compared to a .269 wOBA on the road.
Diamondbacks vs. German Marquez ($5,700), Rockies: Ketel Marte ($5,300), Eduardo Escobar ($5,300), David Peralta ($4,100)
Marquez can't seem to find the plate this season, recording a 13.0 percent walk rate. Add in a bit of bad luck with a .346 BABIP allowed and he enters this matchup with an unruly 1.68 WHIP. The Diamondbacks are surprisingly ranked inside the top-10 in baseball in runs scored, and their lineup has received a boost with the recent return of Marte. Escobar might not be hitting for a high average, but he's been one of their more productive hitters given his 11 home runs and .241 ISO.
