This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Tuesday brings another busy slate across baseball with a few day games mixed in with plenty of action during the evening hours. Eight games will make up the main slate on DraftKings, leaving us with a lot of options to wade through. Let's discuss some pitchers and hitters to target as you build your lineups.
Pitchers
We are starting to cycle back to the beginning of teams starting rotations, which means we have a few aces to choose from. One to consider targeting is Tyler Glasnow ($9,100), who will take on the Red Sox. He dominated the Marlins in his start on Opening Day, allowing one hit and recording six strikeouts across six scoreless innings. The Red Sox's lineup is a bit more formidable, but with Glasnow's strikeout upside, he could still finish with a stellar stat line.
Another ace scheduled to take the mound is Lucas Giolito ($9,300). He wasn't as dominant as Glasnow was in his opener, but he still pitched well, allowing two runs and recording eight strikeouts over 5.1 innings against the Angels. He's recorded a strikeout rate of at least 32.3 percent in both of the last two seasons, leaving him with plenty of potential in the category. It could also help his cause that he'll face a Mariners team that had the third-lowest OPS (.678) in baseball last season.
As we continue to hunt for players with big strikeout potential, one to consider who is further down in the salary scale is Freddy Peralta ($7,600). He came out of the bullpen in the Brewers' season opener, striking out six batters across two scoreless innings. He's the team's fifth starter and the potential for added innings is exciting when you consider his career 31.5 percent strikeout rate. The only downside with Peralta is that throwing five innings is probably best-case-scenario, so you might need to temper your expectations.
Top Targets
More often than not, Manny Machado ($5,600) is going to be popular options in DFS. Expect to see him included in a lot of entries for their matchup against Aaron Sanchez ($6,300), and rightfully so. Sanchez hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019 and he has finished with a WHIP of at least 1.56 in each of his last three seasons. He also doesn't miss many bats, posting a career 18.7 percent strikeout rate.
Speaking of underwhelming fifth starters, the Phillies will send Chase Anderson ($6,200) to the mound against the Mets. His lone season with the Blue Jays in 2020 did not go well with him posting a 6.16 FIP and a 1.63 WHIP. He was somewhat the victim of a .362 BABIP allowed, but he also gave up 11 home runs across 33.2 innings. That's been an area of concern for him given that he's allowed at least 1.5 HR/9 in four of the last five seasons. That makes the powerful Pete Alonso ($5,000) worth considering.
Bargain Bats
Staying with that same matchup against Anderson, it's difficult to pass up Michael Conforto ($3,700) at such a cheap salary. He also has plenty of power with a career .225 ISO and he's been an on base machine, posting an OBP of at least .363 in three of the last four seasons.
Turning our attention towards the Rockies playing the Diamondbacks at Coors Field, a way to gain some exposure to the game, while also not destroying your salary cap, is by taking a chance on David Peralta ($3,700) for his matchup against German Marquez ($7,000). Peralta generally does a good job of avoiding strikeouts, posting a 19.4 percent strikeout rate for his career. He's also recorded a wOBA of at least .350 against right-handed pitchers in all but one season of his career.
Stacks to Consider
Rockies vs. Luke Weaver ($6,500), Diamondbacks: Trevor Story ($5,400), Charlie Blackmon ($5,200), C.J. Cron ($3,700)
Weaver allowed 1.7 HR/9 across his 12 starts in 2020, so making his season debut in Coors Field isn't exactly ideal for him. The Rockies' lineup isn't nearly as fearsome as it has been in recent years, but this trio can still do plenty of damage. The veteran Cron could end up being a particularly nice addition given his career .206 ISO. While Blackmon saw a decline in his power numbers last year, he still hit .303 with 31 RBI and 42 runs scored across 59 games.
Blue Jays vs. Dane Dunning ($7,200), Rangers: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($4,400), Bo Bichette ($4,700), Lourdes Gurriel ($3,800)
Dunning sat out all of 2019 following Tommy John surgery, but was able to make his debut in the majors last season with the White Sox. He made seven starts, recording a 3.97 ERA that was supported by a 3.99 FIP. The concern, though, is that he may have been aided by a .239 BABIP allowed. His 9.2 percent walk rate also wasn't overly encouraging. Now a member of the Rangers, he has the tough task of trying to stop the Blue Jays' potent young lineup. Dunning is also not expected to pitch deep into the contest, leaving the Blue Jays with the potential to exploit the underbelly of the Rangers' bullpen.
Rangers vs. Tanner Roark ($6,800), Blue Jays: Joey Gallo ($4,200), Nate Lowe ($3,800), Nick Solak ($3,100)
This could be a good game to stack on both sides. Roark has finished with an ERA of at least 4.34 in each of the last four seasons and he bottomed out with a 6.80 ERA and a 6.86 FIP in 2020. He allowed a whopping 14 home runs across 47.2 innings last season, which could play right into Gallo's wheelhouse. Lowe is an intriguing option now that he has an everyday role with the Rangers and has already made a good first impression with hits and 10 RBI over four games.
