This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have 12 games on our main slate Tuesday, a welcome return to a full schedule after a quiet Monday. There are a few pitching situations to be aware of, including the Dodgers not yet officially naming a starter as of late Monday night. We also have the season debut of Frankie Montas for the Mets and MLB debut for Chase Burns of the Reds (the latter was not in the player pool as of early Tuesday morning).
Try our DraftKings MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
Pitchers
Though they crushed Walker Buehler on Monday, the Angels remain one of the best matchups in the league by having just a .293 wOBA and the second-highest strikeout rate in the league across the last month of action. That sets up Garrett Crochet ($11,000) for an excellent performance as the top option in the pitcher pool.
Spencer Strider ($10,000) is also part of the top tier with a 30 percent strikeout rate. He's in better form than Carlos Rodon at $10,700, so Strider would be my second choice behind Crochet.
Jumping down a tier, Freddy Peralta ($9,200) has a good combination of matchup and skill. He's in a similar pricing tier to Kris Bubic and Framber Valdez while posting similar skills. The difference is Peralta's matchup against a Pirates lineup that has struggled to put up runs all season.
For all of the excellent pitchers toward the top of the price pool, there aren't many value options. Michael McGreevy ($6,800) has only been a spot starter for the Cardinals, but he's performed when given an opportunity. He has a 23.1 percent strikeout rate and 20 K-BB% in a small sample of three starts, but he's a value option against the Cubs.
Ryne Nelson ($6,500) has at least 17 DK points in three of his last five starts, and he draws a matchup against the White Sox. His skills aren't all that compelling, but the combination of recent overall effectiveness, matchup and salary put him on the radar.
Top Hitters
The Dodgers are an easy stack to identify at Coors Field against German Marquez. For those who can't afford a full stack based on the pitching options and inflated salaries in the Los Angeles lineup, Mookie Betts ($5,700) is shockingly cheap given the context.
Ryan Bergert has gotten good results as a starter, but he has a less inspiring 17:9 K:BB across 20 innings as a starter. He's given up a lot of contact in the role, so some of the Nationals' most talented players, such as James Wood ($5,800) and CJ Abrams ($5,300), are worth considering.
Value Bats
Isaac Collins ($3,000) has quietly had a very hot bat, averaging 10.4 DK points across his last 10 games. He also has a .231 ISO against left-handed pitching this season, setting him up well to take on Andrew Heaney, who has struggled to keep the ball in the yard across the last month (2.03 HR/9).
It would be wise to get some exposure to the Mariners in a matchup against Chris Paddack, who has uninspiring peripherals and has gotten crushed his last couple outings. Seattle could be a sneaky stacking option, but Luke Raley ($3,500), who recently returned to the lineup, is a cheap way to get some exposure to the offense.
Stacks to Consider
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels (Tyler Anderson): Jarren Duran ($4,500), Abraham Toro ($3,200), Roman Anthony ($3,900)
The Red Sox lineup looks significantly different than it did to start the season, but there are two reasons to like them Tuesday. The first is the matchup against Anderson, who has a 1.40 WHIP and has allowed 1.67 HR/9 this season. We want to stack offenses against pitchers that allow baserunners and home runs, and Anderson does both. The Red Sox don't have the same star power with Rafael Devers gone and Alex Bregman (quadriceps) sidelined, but there is still talent and value here on a day when the most common builds will be paying up at pitcher.
San Francisco Giants vs. Miami Marlins (Cal Quantrill): Mike Yastrzemski ($4,100), Rafael Devers ($5,200), Heliot Ramos ($4,500)
Quantrill has been better in a small recent sample, which introduces some risk to stacking against him, but his overall numbers still make him an ideal target (1.47 WHIP and 1.28 HR/9). The outlook of the Giants lineup has improved with the addition of Devers and the return of Jung Hoo Lee, so there are several ways to stack the team.
