This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Saturday's 10-game evening slate features quite a few pitchers we can look at in terms of value plays. This means we have to dig a little deeper to find quality bats, but there remains plenty for us to choose from to fill out our lineups.
Pitching
Anthony DeSclafani ($9,400) has rebounded in spectacular fashion following a disappointing 2020 and now holds a top-15 ERA (2.68) among qualified pitchers. The Cardinals feature some nice offensive talent, but still find themselves a bottom-three team in terms of wOBA against right-handers. It's also worth noting DeSclafani's fastball is one of the most effective according to RAA, while St. Louis's mark against the heater (-21.8) represents the third-lowest mark in the league.
The song remains the same in regards to Alex Cobb ($8,900), who continues to showcase fantastic peripheral numbers despite a 4.23 ERA across 66 innings. These include a career-high strikeout rate (27 percent), a career-low HR/9 number (0.41), and a 57 percent groundball mark. The Mariners will head into the contest with a bottom-five wOBA against right-handed pitching to go along with a 26 percent strikeout rate.
Blake Snell ($7,000) has lost a step or two since his magnificent 2018 campaign, but the 29-year-old has maintained a blistering 29 percent strikeout rate over 70.1 frames this year. The Nationals are a tough offense for any pitcher, but Snell's upside remains high having notched two performances of at least 30 DraftKings points in his last six starts.
Top Hitters
A .200 batting average isn't the most attractive selling point for one of the most expensive hitters on the slate, but the .333 ISO Fernando Tatis ($6,000) has logged from 60 at-bats against southpaws this season makes him a worthwhile option. This is particularly true against Patrick Corbin, who has allowed 16 homers to righties over 72.1 innings.
Pete Alonso ($5,700) produced a pedestrian first half by his standards, but the 26-year-old has found his power stroke in July with a .357 ISO across 42-at-bats. Wil Crowe has carried high ERAs at most levels of professional baseball and has begun his major-league career with a 6.05 ERA from 55 frames.
Justin Turner ($5,800) has excelled against southpaws in 2021 with a .276 ISO and .400 wOBA in 98 at-bats. Kyle Freeland has actually performed a bit better at Coors Field in terms of run prevention, but his home and road splits both include a .538 slugging percentage against opposing hitters.
Bargain Bats
Andrew Benintendi ($3,700) may not produce numbers that will blow anyone away, but he's handled right-handed pitchers quite nicely this season with a .351 wOBA over 178 at-bats. The Royals aren't a terribly impressive offensive team, but it might be a wise idea to get as many bats in their lineups as possible since Jorge Lopez has posted a 6.39 ERA in 43.2 innings away from Camden Yards.
Opposing hitters haven't done much damage to Luis Castillo of late, but we can still look to take advantage of the right-hander's subpar peripheral stats - most notable the 4.79 xFIP against left-handed bats. This should be good news for Jace Peterson ($3,600) and his .200 ISO/.368 wOBA against righties over 95 at-bats.
Ben Gamel's ($2000) hot hitting in July should make him a popular punt option at this salary with a .350 ISO and a .461 wOBA across 40 at-bats. Tylor Megill has effectively shut down right-handed hitters during his first cup of coffee at the highest level, but lefty bats have responded by logging a .567 slugging percentage and .400 wOBA against him in 7.2 frames.
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers against Kyle Freeland: Justin Turner ($5,800), AJ Pollock ($4,100), Albert Pujols ($3,400)
Players should be pleasantly surprised at the affordability of a Dodgers stack in Colorado against a pitcher as exploitable as Freeland. While all our selected hitters are candidates to do damage, Pujols may be the biggest prize at his salary due to his .333 ISO against southpaws from 87 at-bats.
Padres against Patrick Corbin: Fernando Tatis: ($6,000), Wil Myers ($3,200), Victor Caratini ($2,200)
With so many right-handed bats in the lineup, it's somewhat curious the Padres don't offer more hitters who excel against lefties. Still, we can find solid value in someone like Myers, who has managed a .351 ISO in 58 July at-bats.
