There is another split-slate this Thursday, leaving us with just six games on tap this evening. The most exciting game, from a baseball fan perspective, will be the Mariners vs the Astros. This game will feature two aces and two desperate AL teams in need of wins.
Coors Field is in play tonight but there are two respectable pitchers throwing which could limit the high 10.5 implied run total.
There are plenty of paths to take this evening, so let’s dive a little deeper into the set of games and discover some of the best DFS GPP options.
Pitcher
James Paxton (SEA): $10,600 @ HOUÂ
The Mariners ace is one of the best young starting pitchers in the MLB. He has incredible strikeout upside, owning a 32% K rate this season. The southpaw is priced on DraftKings as if he is facing the dominant World Champions of 2017. However, this lineup is watered down with the injuries to Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Carlos Correa. Paxton has faced a better Astros team twice in 2018, where he was able to score 25.3 and 34 DraftKings points in each outing. In my opinion, Paxton is the top price per dollar option tonight.
J.A. Happ (NYY): $9,300 vs. TEXÂ
The former Blue Jay will make his first start, coming off the DL. He shouldn’t need a pitch count or innings limit due to the fact it was an illness which kept him sidelined. Happ is having a career year in the MLB this season with a 26.6% K rate and a 3.58 SIERA. Happ has really limited the damage allowed to left-handed hitters with just a .229 wOBA and .178 average. The Rangers most dangerous hitters all come from the left side, such as; Shin-Soo Choo, Rougned Odor, Joey Gallo, and Willie Calhoun. Texas has exploded with offense lately, but I fully expect Happ and the Yankees dominant bullpen to shut these bats down.
Ross Stripling (LAD): $7,200 @ COLÂ
Stripling is another starter coming off the DL. He only missed one start as he was dealing with a minor toe injury, so there shouldn’t be any concern. The only concern is that he will be pitching in Coors Field. What is intriguing about Stripling is his price. He is at a massive discount due to the extreme hitter’s park. Usually priced in the $10K range, Stripling only needs around 20 DK points to hit 3X value. Opposed to 30 when he is priced up. The Rockies offense has struggled of late, averaging just 2.75 runs per game in their last eight. Although he doesn’t go all that deep into games, Stripling can easily pay off value tonight at low ownership in Coors.
Hitting Stacks
New York YankeesÂ
The Yankees are back home tonight and will host the Texas Rangers. Tonight, 22-year-old Ariel Jurado will get the start. Although he has only pitched 15.2 innings in the MLB, Jurado has a very low strikeout rate at just 4.02 K/9. The Yankees are not nearly as dangerous without Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, but there is still plenty of power up and down the lineup in a very small ballpark.
Boston Red SoxÂ
The Blue Jays are the new team in the MLB to pick on. They have allowed 20 runs in the last two games to the Red Sox. Their bullpen is completely depleted and their starters leave a lot to be desired. Tonight is no different. Although the big hitters are pricey and tough to fit in, they remain the top stack of the night.
Tampa Bay RaysÂ
All season long, stacking against David Hess has proven to work out. The Rays are never a fun team to stack because there is a lack of any star hitters. That being said, the Rays have a good mix of right and left-handed hitters at the top of the order who should give Hess issues early in this game. Hess owns a 2.19 HR/9 with a .372 wOBA. He has just a 14% strikeout rate and a 5.48 SIERA. To keep it simple, he is not good. Load up on Rays and feel confident.
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