It might only be an eight-game featured slate tonight on DraftKings, but the top of the pitching pricing list is absolutely stacked. How will you possibly be able to pick your favorite arm out of this group of titans? I’m so glad you asked.
Let’s dive in and break down everything you’ll need to know.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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PITCHER
Stud
Kodai Senga, New York Mets at Kansas City Royals, $9,500 – Walks remain an issue with Senga, but the rookie has been phenomenal in his last 12 outings, posting a 2.65 ERA to go along with a 3.17 FIP and a 30.7% strikeout rate. What more could you possibly want? His matchup on Wednesday is equally appealing. The Royals weren’t as aggressive selling positional assets at the Trade Deadline as some figured they’d be, yet this lineup is still as underwhelming as it gets. Kansas City comes into this evening’s tilt with an 80 wRC+ versus RHPs — the lowest mark in all of baseball. Woof.
Value
Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays, $7,200 – On the whole, Rodriguez’s numbers don’t look great in 2023, but you’d be foolish to weigh his May results as heavily as his stats from July. Rodriguez has simply been different since his mid-season demotion. The top prospect went down to Triple-A for seven starts and posted a 1.69 ERA and a 36.5% strikeout rate. He was then recalled to the Orioles, where he’s not surrendered an opponent home in 17.0 innings, which has translated into a 2.69 FIP. Going up against a Blue Jays lineup likely without Bo Bichette ($5,300; knee), I like Rodriguez’s chances to thrive.
INFIELD
Stud
Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs, $5,600 – It was been a rough go for Drew Smyly ($6,800) the past few weeks. In fact, opponents are slashing .318/.385/.617 with a .419 wOBA in Smyly’s last six appearances. That means we’re stacking Reds tonight and there’s no better place to start than with McLain. The rookie has feasted on southpaw pitching in 2023, with an impressive 180 wRC+ in his 72 plate appearances within the split.
Stud
Pete Alonso, New York Mets at Kansas City Royals, $5,200 – This feels like a very fair price for a red-hot Alonso. The 28-year-old has been dialed in since the All-Star break, slashing .271/.338/.593 with a 149 wRC+. Tonight, he’ll get to square-off with Cole Ragans ($6,600) — a man just recalled from Triple-A. Ragans doesn’t have a huge track record, but he has surrendered 1.50 home runs per nine to opposing RHBs for his career. That’s a dangerous way to live against Alonso.
Value
Ryan Mountcastle, Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays, $3,600 – Let’s do this again. Yesterday I wrote up Mountcastle in a matchup with the left-handed Hyun-Jin Ryu. He had three hits, scored three runs and drove in two more. That’s because of all qualified AL bats, Mountcastle owns the league’s highest expected wOBA versus LHPs (.493). Actually, in the whole of MLB, Mountcastle only trails Ronald Acuna Jr. (.495). That’s some pretty great company. Yusei Kikuchi ($7,800) would be wise to tread carefully.
Value
Edouard Julien, Minnesota Twins at St. Louis Cardinals, $3,500 – I continue to be amazed with how little respect Julien receives from the algorithm. Quick refresher: Julien is hitting .311 with a .267 ISO and a 172 wRC+ against RHPs this season. He’s also going to be hitting near the top of the Twins’ lineup on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Cardinals traded all their starting pitchers, so now they’re left to turn to Dakota Hudson ($7,700), who happens to be rocking a 6.00 ERA in Triple-A in 2023.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Oakland Athletics, $6,200 – Mookie returned from an ankle injury on Tuesday and immediately blasted his 28th home run of the season. In layman’s terms, the former MVP is an absolute machine. Mookie’s viable in any matchup, yet he’s been particularly valuable when facing LHPs in 2023. In 117 plate appearances within the split, Betts has registered a .396 ISO and a 180 wRC+. Hogan Harris ($5,800) is a lefty with a 6.07 ERA. You do the math.
Value
Joc Pederson, San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, $4,000 – If I were ranking tonight’s crop of starting pitchers purely based on how cool their name is, Slade Cecconi ($6,500) would easily be at the top of my list. However, the results have been a little less encouraging. Cecconi has yet to throw a pitch at the MLB level, but a 6.38 ERA and a 2.01 HR/9 at Triple-A don’t give me much optimism. The Giants should be able to touch up the rookie, and I’d expect Pederson and his 134 wRC+ against RHPs to be in the middle of the action.
Value
Nick Senzel, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs, $3,200 – Senzel is a classic platoon bat. This season, in his 78 plate appearances against LHPs, Senzel is slashing .343/.410/.557 with a 157 wRC+. The Reds understand this skill set more than anyone, which is why Senzel tends to bat out of the two-spot in the team’s lineup on night they face a southpaw. It’s a good system.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
