This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We roll into another day with all MLB teams in action and a solid 11-game slate. The contests beginning at 7:10 pm ET will show 12 games, but the White Sox-Nationals contest will no longer accrue points due to a change in the time of the first pitch. Keep that in mind as you build your teams. As for the overview of the games, there aren't many overwhelmingly positive spots in terms of park factors, but Atlanta, Milwaukee and potentially Boston are the best run environments. There are some okay punt options at pitcher, though the majority of the cheaper options face a tough matchup.
Pitchers
The top tier of pitchers are priced very efficiently. Everything lines up for Dylan Cease ($11,000) to have an excellent start. Some of that comes from the skills he's displayed early this season (32.4 K%, 23.8 K-BB%), and a matchup away from Coors Field against the Rockies makes him an even better option to roster. Sonny Gray ($10,500) and Chris Sale ($10,000) are next up in terms of price and skills, with Gray having the upper hand thanks to a matchup against an Angels lineup without the majority of its most potent bats.
There are also several options in the next tier of pricing, but both of the best options do have some inconsistency. Nick Pivetta ($8,200) was hit hard in his return from the injured list in a matchup against Atlanta, but the Rays have been a far more forgiving opponent. They strike out at a 23.8 percent clip and otherwise check in as just an average lineup. Carlos Rodon ($8,000) is a solid option at a similar price. He's had a couple of blowup outings but is averaging 16.2 DraftKings points per start. The Twins are a tough matchup but strike out at a 23.7 percent rate.
Finally, there are two cheap options to keep in mind. Chris Paddack ($6,500) is squaring off against Rodon and has a superior K-BB% and SIERA. He's a pretty easy punt option to identify and will likely be quite popular, even in a tough matchup against the Yankees. Also in this price range, consider Slade Cecconi ($6,300). Paddack has the better skills profile, but Cecconi has an exploitable matchup against a Reds lineup that strikes out at the fourth-highest rate in the league.
Top Hitters
Jack Leiter has a lot of name value, but the results haven't been there yet. He's surrendered a 15.2 percent barrel rate and also has a 4.98 SIERA – both of which are the highest marks of any pitcher on this slate. The Guardians' lineup isn't great to stack but they have two elite hitters in Jose Ramirez ($6,000) and Josh Naylor ($5,400).
The Brewers-Pirates game is an under-the-radar spot for runs. Oneil Cruz ($4,600) is a streaky player, but he's been on fire lately with four homers and four doubles across his last 10 games. Relying solely on recent hot streaks isn't necessarily a good strategy, but he has the skills to perform better than he began the season and his results are starting to even out now.
Value Bats
Cecconi is a decent punt play, but he's been vulnerable to the long ball by allowing four home runs in his four starts. Mike Ford ($2,700) has taken over as the Reds' primary designated hitter since Christian Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) went down. He's hit in the lower portion of the lineup but is capable of producing plenty with one swing.
A multitude of injuries in San Francisco have opened up opportunities in the outfield, and Heliot Ramos ($2,800) has been a beneficiary. He's a stolen base and power threat at a cheap price in a matchup against Gavin Stone, who has just a 17.1 strikeout rate for the season.
Stacks to Consider
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (Quinn Priester): Brice Turang ($4,800), Willson Contreras ($5,800), Christian Yelich ($5,500)
There was some chatter about Priester adjusting his pitch mix and potentially increasing his velocity. However, through a couple of starts this season he's remained uninspiring. He has an abysmal 4.2 K-BB% and has also given up six home runs across four starts. The Brewers have one of the best lineups in the league, making this a pretty straightforward stacking option.
San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies (Cal Quantrill): Fernando Tatis ($5,500), Jake Cronenworth ($4,800), Manny Machado ($4,900)
On the surface, Quantrill has gotten better results on the road. However, his skills have been nearly identical on the road as measured by K-BB%. Overall, he has the third-lowest mark in that metric of all the pitchers to work with and his 4.69 SIERA is second-worst. The elite Padres hitters are curiously priced as a result, so take advantage.
