The second weekend of the MLB season has not just one but two great slates of action on Saturday. After a seven-game afternoon slate, the evening slate begins at 7:05 p.m. ET and includes eight games from under the lights on the main featured slate on DraftKings. The first three games to get underway are each divisional matchups including an in-state rivalry between the Rangers and the Astros. There are two games on the evening slate where weather could be an issue, so keep a close eye on Kansas City and Colorado. The Rockies game isn’t expected to be rainy or snowy, but the winds could get out of control.
Let’s take a look at the best plays from these eight contests.
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PITCHER
Stud
Garrett Whitlock, Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels ($8,600) – Even though he is only the fifth-most expensive starter on this slate, Whitlock is a top option as he faces the Angels. He had more DKFP than any other probable starter in his first start of the season, going five strong innings against the Mariners allowing one run on three hits with eight strikeouts. That start came after a strong Spring Training in which the 27-year-old righty went 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. He has typically put up about a strikeout per inning whether working out of the bullpen or as a starter throughout his career, and he has good upside in this matchup against the Angels, who have hit just .216 with a .309 team wOBA this season. The Halos also rank in the top 10 in the MLB with a 24.8% K%, so Whitlock should be able to put up a good number if he stays in form.
Value
DL Hall, Milwaukee Brewers vs Seattle Mariners ($6,100) – Hall is the second-cheapest starting pitcher on the board this Saturday night, but he offers great value in a good spot against the Mariners. The Mariners have a 29.5% K%, which is the highest of any team in the MLB. They have only scored 22 runs in eight games with only four home runs, the second-lowest team total in the MLB. Specifically against lefties like Hall, the M’s are hitting just .175.
Hall joined the Brew Crew as part of the return for Corbin Burnes and looked solid in his debut for Milwaukee last Saturday, allowing six hits and two runs in four innings against the Mets. Even though he only had one strikeout in that game, he showed a higher strikeout ceiling in Spring Training, with 11 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings. In this good matchup, he should be able to bring good value while leaving you plenty of salary to spend up in other spots as well.
INFIELD
Stud
Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves vs. Arizona Diamondbacks ($5,700) – Olson smashed a majestic home run in the Braves’ home opener on Friday and has gone 7-for-26 (.269) with a .413 wOBA so far this season. The Braves slugger always brings a high ceiling when facing a righty, and he was much better at home than on the road last season as well. With all the splits in his favor against righty Brandon Pfaadt ($7,800), Olson is a strong option to pay up for at 1B.
Stud
Isaac Paredes, Tampa Bay Rays at Colorado Rockies, ($5,000) – The weather at Coors Field is going to be wild, but if they do decide to play, the Rays will have a ton of upside. Paredes is one good way to get exposure to the Tampa lineup. He hit a career-high 31 homers with a .362 wOBA last season and has started this year 6-for-26 with a pair of long balls. Paredes and the Rays will have a great matchup against Ryan Feltner ($5,300), who had a 5.82 ERA last season in 10 starts and gave up 14 runs in 15 innings at Coors Field.
Value
Pablo Reyes, Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels ($2,700) – Ryes is helping fill in at 2B while Vaughn Grisson (hamstring) is sidelined, and he could be even more busy depending on the severity of the injury to Trevor Story (shoulder), who left last night’s game. He hit in the heart of the order in his last two starts against lefties and is a good way to get a good bat in the middle of the lineup against lefty Reid Detmers ($8,200) in the late game. Last season, Reyes hit .327 against southpaws with a .337 wOBA and 109 wRC+. He has three hits and three RBI already this year in his platoon and brings good potential at this salary.
Value
Josh H. Smith, Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros ($2,300) – I had Smith in my value plays yesterday, and he delivered 16 DKFP by going 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored in the Rangers’ 10-2 win. Smith has hit safely in each of his three games since Josh Jung (wrist) sustained a serious injury. Helping fill in for Junt, Smith has gone 4-for-10 with two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI. Last year, the lefty hit just .185 but part of that was due to a below-average .222 BABIP. With some positive regression so far this season, Smith is a great bargain play against righty J.P. France ($6,900) and the Astros. Houston has scuffled to a 2-6 start to the season, and the Rangers will look to continue their misery Saturday.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers ($5,600) – If the Astros are going to get things turned around, they’ll need to rely heavily on their two power-hitting lefties Alvarez and Kyle Tucker ($5,500), who is in a good matchup against Jon Gray ($7,200). Last season, Gray gave up 22 homers and 14 were to left-handed hitters, who posted a .327 wOBA against him. Alvarez has gone 2-for-6 with a triple in his past meetings with Gray and hit his first two home runs of the season on Wednesday in a monster 4-for-5 game that resulted in 38 DKFP. Alvarez can get hot and carry the team, and Houston could definitely use him heating up this Saturday night against Gray.
Stud
Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays at Colorado Rockies ($5,900) – Arozarena has shown his good blend of power and speed with two homers and two stolen bases from the middle of the order for the Rays. He averaged 8.9 DKFP per game so far this season and brings a high ceiling against Feltner and the Rockies at Coors.
Value
Richie Palacios, Tampa Bay Rays at Colorado Rockies ($3,800) – Palacios is a cheaper version of Arozarena but is another former Cardinal in the Rays outfield that brings both power and speed potential. Palacios is a lefty, so he usually isn’t in the lineup against southpaws, but he should be back in his usual spot in the middle third of the lineup against righties. Palacios hit .315 with three home runs and a .389 wOBA this Spring Training and already homered and stole a base during the regular season as well. He’s an affordable play with a good upside under $4,000 at Coors.
Value
Jake Meyers, Houston Astros at Texas Rangers ($3,000) – Meyers is another cheap option in the outfield, and if the Astros can get going against Gray, he could end up as a great value. Meyers hit his second homer of the season on Friday night in Arlington and has gone 4-for-15 (.267) with a .415 wOBA. If he hits ninth, he’s up just before the best bats in Houston’s lineup giving him a good chance at run production if he keeps getting on base.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is z.thompson) 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.
