Tonight, there are 14 games scheduled in the MLB for DraftKings main-slate. With so many options, there are plenty of pitchers to pay up for and offenses to attack.
Let’s dive in a little deeper to uncover some of the best DFS GPP starting pitchers and hitting stacks on this slate.
Pitchers
James Paxton (SEA): $10,200 vs. SFÂ
Coming off an injury, the Mariners ace will toe the rubber against the San Francisco Giants. The Giants have struggled to hit all season long, outside of a couple hitters, owning a team ISO of .143 and 93 wRC+. They have struggled to string together runs in games and are in tough tonight against one of the best young arms in the game. There is always a risk to roster a pitcher coming off an injury. The leash might be short and he may be on a pitch count. After a strong rehab outing though, feel confident he can get the job done against the Giants tonight at low ownership. Paxton has one of the highest strikeout rates in the MLB at 32.2% to go along with a very respectable 2.97 SIERA. At a discount, Paxton should be able to pay off his salary with ease in a plus matchup at home.
Zack Wheeler (NYM): $7,700 @ SDÂ
Jacob deGrom shut down the Padres last night in a fantastic outing striking out 10 hitters over eight innings. Zack Wheeler is certainly not Jacob deGrom, but he has been great this season and San Diego is that bad. They are among the very worst hitting teams in the MLB, ranking in the bottom five in nearly every hitting category. For salary relief, Wheeler provides a very high fantasy floor, with upside. He will be highly owned, but there are few pivots in this price range who will pay-off value.
Austin Gomber (StL): $4,200 @ CINÂ
The Cardinals are calling up their second pitching prospect in as many days. Yesterday, we witnessed Daniel Poncedeleon no-hit the Reds through seven. Although expecting a similar performance is not likely tonight, Austin Gomber does have upside at his near minimum DraftKings price. In Triple-A, the 24-year-old owned a 26.6% strikeout rate. His command is an issue and he has given up his fair share of homers. However, scoring around 15 DK points is not out of the question against this Reds team. That being said, in a multi-entry GPP, putting in a Reds hedge stack might be wise.
Hitting Stacks
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards will continue their series with the Reds in Cincinnati this evening. Although they were unable to score much last night, St. Louis should be able to tee-off against Homer Bailey in a positive park shift. Giving up a 2.18 HR/9 rate on the season, Bailey should give up his fair share of homers and runs. The Cardinals have a 5.41 implied run total, which is the fourth highest on the night. The Coors Field game has two very good pitchers starting this evening, so fading it is certainly viable.
Oakland A’sÂ
After going off on Cole Hamels and the Rangers bullpen last night, look for the A’s to continue their offensive power tonight against Mike Minor. Although Minor is not the worst pitcher in the league, Oakland is full of power-hitting righties who will get the platoon advantage against the southpaw. There should be eight right-handed hitters in the A’s lineup who also hit Minor harder than lefties. Globe Life is one of the best hitting environments in the MLB as we should see close to 100-degree heat, once again.
Boston Red SoxÂ
Don’t need a lot of analysis for reason to stack the Red Sox. They have the highest implied run total tonight against a bad starting pitcher, in a great hitting ballpark. They are expensive to stack but worth a look tonight.
Colorado Rockies
I know I mentioned Coors Field as a potential fade this evening, but I can also see this game going way overlooked with these two starters on the mound. What I like about the Rockies tonight is the fact they are facing a very heavy breaking ball pitcher. Cole uses his curveball and slider 19.4% and 21.8% of the time, respectively. As we know, in the mile high city, breaking balls do not break nearly as much. This should leave a lot of pitches which would normally break out of the zone, hang over the middle of the plate. People who usually default to a Coors stack will likely ignore the Rockies to the seemingly tough matchup.
ATTN Dynasty Commissioners: Do you want to do something cool for your league? How about a 1-hour live show dedicated to YOUR league? Team-by-team breakdowns, rankings, and more. For details and to book a show, visit: GoingFor2.com/plp.
