Opening Day is here and there is a great nine-game slate scheduled on DraftKings with a ton of cash to be won. To be honest, the pitching available is a bit of a mess. We have arms from the entire spectrum taking the mound on Thursday. From Chris Sale to Homer Bailey, there will be a whole lot of fun to be had. Let’s take a look at how this slate breaks down and discover some great GPP picks to take down a tournament or two.
Pitchers
Overview:
Chris Sale will be far and away the highest owned pitcher on Opening Day. For good reason. He is in an incredible spot and will most likely be the highest scoring pitcher. I would advise getting exposure in cash games. However, with the general consensus choosing the Chris Sale path, fading in large-field GPP’s for salary relief and a similar upside is a viable option.
Top 5 GPP pitchers (point per dollar):
Chris Sale $12,200 @ TB
Luis Severino $10,600 @ TOR
Garrett Richards $6,800 @ OAK
Chase Anderson $8,100 @ SD
Dylan Bundy $6,800 vs. MIN
Luis Severino (NYY): $10,600 @ TOR
Severino is coming off of an incredible season with the Yankees and will look to continue his success in Toronto. The youngster has a few things going for him in this matchup. First of all, Severino dominates right-handed hitters. Allowing just a .243 wOBA against, .198 avg, and a 33% strikeout percentage on the road. The Blue Jays will likely roll out at least six or seven right-handed batters, which bodes well for the dominant righty. Secondly, New York has arguably the most potent offense and top bullpen in the MLB. He should secure the win while striking out a lot of batters who struggle to hit elite sliders.
Garrett Richards (LAA): $6,800 @ OAK
There won’t be too many people with the balls to roster Garrett Richard. With amazing raw talent, Richards hasn’t played much over the past two years due to injury. Apparently being able to throw 97mph is not good for the health of your arm. The Oakland A’s are extremely strikeout prone and the Angels ace should be able to mow them down. Pitching in a good environment and a weak team, Richards is by far my most favorite low-priced pitching option.
Hitters
Overview:
Depending on which SP1 and SP2 we lock-in, will determine which stacks we can afford. Paying up for Sale will limit the number of big hitters, settling for more risky bats. However, this opening day, there are some bad starting pitchers taking the mound. While there is value available on this slate, some big name guys are hard to pass up.
Top 5 Stacks:
1.) Houston Astros
2.) Washington Nationals
3.) Kansas City Royals
4.) Baltimore Orioles
5.) LA Angels
Catcher
Evan Gattis (HOU): $3,300 @ TEX
The veteran slugger for the Astros is in line for a big game on Thursday against a declining Cole Hamels. Gattis may go overlook after having a disappointing 2017 campaign. Overshadowed by the success of the Houston offense, Gattis wasn’t leaned on too heavily for production. He dealt with a couple DL stints and lost playing time to Beltran, McCann, and A.J. Hinch. Now the clear designated hitter for the reigning champs, Gattis should see regular playing time in a very strong offense. He has a lot of power against left-handed pitchers and should chip in on run production, in what will be a long day for the Rangers pitching staff.
First Base
Lucas Duda (KC): $3,800 vs. CWS
In order to fit in the high priced studs, we need to look at a couple of salary saving options. Duda is a heavy-hitting, lefty who is coming off of a 30 homerun season. With a more depleted offense hitting in a brutal ballpark, the Kansa City offense will be low-owned in all formats. Fortunately, James Shields is still a starting pitcher in the MLB and will be serving up meatballs to the KC lineup. Look for the left-handed power bats to take full advantage.
Second Base
Jose Altuve (HOU): $5,200 @ TEX
On a slate where we lack depth at second base, lock in the top player at his position. Altuve produces fantasy points across all categories (hits, runs, RBI’s, HR’s, stolen bases) being one of the safest players. What makes him more of a GPP play, is the price tag. While this isn’t a “contrarian” play, securing the high fantasy floor production and massive upside, should put you in-line to cash.
Third Base
Mike Moustakas (KC): $3,800 vs. CWS
Another power-hitting left-handed bat for Kansas City. The Royals are a favorite salary-saving team to stack. Here’s why; James Shields has regressed substantially over the past two years. Now among the league worse in HR/9 (2.08) and BB/9 (4.08), Shields has also shown a decline in the velocity of his four-seamer. Once upon a time touching 94mph, it has now dipped to just 90.6mph. For context, White Sox rookie Michael Kopech is throwing his change-up at 90.7mph. Yikes. Moustakas crushed 38 homers last season and will look to build off of a great spring training against the awful James Shields and White Sox bullpen.
Shortstop
Carlos Correa (HOU): $4,900 @ TEX
The next piece of an Astros stack is the 23-year-old superstar, Carlos Correa. The Astros will be popular, but worth it. There are really only two great shortstops to consider this Thursday, so paying up is a wise decision. Lefty Cole Hamels showed a decrease in K/9 and velocity last year. This resulted in a career-high 4.90 SIERA. The 36% hard-hit rate and .324 wOBA to right-handed hitters creates a lot of opportunity for one of the more dangerous offensive teams.
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Outfield
Josh Reddick (HOU): $3,500 @ TEX
As the last member of the Houston Astros to roster, Josh Reddick provides salary relief in what could be the highest scoring offense on the day. After hitting .315 against left-handed pitching in 2017, Reddick proved to be an important addition to the best team in the MLB. After a strong spring training, Reddick will now be the starting right-fielder for 2018. Although limited homerun upside, Reddick can produce multiple hits and provide a nice floor against a weak pitcher and bullpen. Having exposure to all parts of a lineup, which will turn over often, is a great GPP winning strategy.
Jorge Soler (KC): $3,000 vs. CWS
At near minimum price, Soler is an ultimate GPP selection. He has shown a ton of power and potential but has never quite put it all together at the big-league level. In AAA last season, the 26-year-old produced a .297 ISO and .408 wOBA in 327 plate appearances. The talent is there, without question. Now, with an opening on the Royals roster, Soler will have a true opportunity to play full time and show everyone what he can do. Facing James Shields is a great confidence-boosting test.
Bryce Harper (WAS): 5,200 @ CIN
Looking at all options on the board, Bryce Harper grades out as the best hitter, as we approach Opening Day. He checks all of the boxes you look for when rostering a high-priced hitter. He will see a terrible pitcher in Homer Bailey. Bailey owned a .356 wOBA while walking 27 left-handed batters in just 44.1 innings. Next, Harper will face this terrible pitcher in a great hitting environment. Great American Ballpark lends to power-bats and especially contact hitters. Last, Harper had a lower than average K% (20.1%) and higher than average BB% (13.8%). He is one of the leagues best plate-discipline hitters in the majors and has massive power upside to win you a GPP.
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