It’s Thursday and, as is tradition, we’ve got ourselves a teeny, tiny five-game MLB featured slate on DraftKings.
The analysis? Not teeny at all. Let’s dive in and find some studs and values.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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PITCHER
Stud
Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates, $8,000 – Lodolo has allowed eight earned runs in two of his past four starts, but there’s reason to believe he’ll shine on tonight’s slate. First and foremost, the left-hander is just a good pitcher. In 2024, Lodolo is averaging over a strikeout per inning with a 3.80 xERA. He’s also been at his best pitching away from the hitter-friendly GABP. To wit, Lodolo owns a 3.05 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP when starting on the road this season. Finally, he’s facing the Pirates. Pittsburgh hasn’t been able to do anything with the bats in the past two weeks. After getting shutout again on Wednesday, the Pirates sport a 27.8% strikeout rate and an 89 wRC+ in August. Yikes.
Value
Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves, $7,000 – This is the cheapest Sanchez has been all season, which makes sense when you consider the RHP is in possession of a 3.46 ERA and a 2.81 FIP — the fourth-lowest qualified mark in baseball. Sanchez is also on the heels of throwing a complete game against the Nationals. A performance that netted him 31.6 FPTS. In other words: He’s quite good. The Braves are always dangerous, yet injuries have left the team’s lineup thin. Atlanta owns the league’s third-highest strikeout rate since the All-Star break, too (26.2%).
INFIELD
Stud
Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles vs. Houston Astros, $6,000 – Henderson is hot again. After a bit of a slump in late July and early August, the 23-year-old is back in fine form across his last 10 games, hitting four home runs and posting a 1.018 OPS. In 2024, Henderson sports a .284 ISO and a 167 wRC+ against RHPs, making him one of the league’s top left-handed bats. Spencer Arrighetti ($7,500) has been pitching much better in recent months, yet the rookie still owns an ugly 6.09 ERA on the road this season. I have zero issue spending up on Henderson.
Stud
Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels at Toronto Blue Jays, $4,300 – Neto is one home run away from joining the 20/20 club. Could that happen tonight? There’s a decent chance. The former first-round pick has been swinging the bat well since the All-Star break, hitting .292 with seven home runs and a 166 wRC+. For the season as a whole, he’s also absolutely crushed left-handed pitching to the tune of a .400/.457/.647 slash line. Technically, the right-handed Ryan Burr ($4,000) is opening this tilt for the Blue Jays, but southpaw Ryan Yarbrough ($7,700) is expected to work a bulk of the innings.
Value
Spencer Horwitz, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Angels, $3,900 – Horwitz has primarily served as the Jays’ clean-up hitter against RHPs and it’s not hard to see why that has been the case. In his 201 plate appearances within the split, the rookie is slashing .292/.388/.497 with a 150 wRC+. Coming into Thursday, Horwitz has also hit home runs in back-to-back contests. Griffin Canning ($5,000) isn’t a matchup to fear. Canning’s actually conceding a .370 wOBA to opposing LHBs. All signs point to Horwitz being viable.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles, $5,900 – I’ll never say that Alvarez is a variance play. He’s too good for that. Yet some people might be scared off this evening due to a matchup with Corbin Burnes ($8,700). I wouldn’t be. Burnes has been amazing in 2024, yet his strikeout rate continues to fall year-to-year. He’s also struggled so far in August, allowing 15 earned runs in his 15.0 innings of work. Meanwhile, Alvarez is seventh among all qualified players in expected wOBA (.411) and wRC+ (163). He can hit anybody.
Stud
Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels at Toronto Blue Jays, $4,000 – Like his aforementioned teammate, Ward has been at his best in 2024 when getting to face a southpaw. In 104 plate appearances within the split, Ward is slashing .358/.404/.526 with a 161 wRC+. He’ll love getting the opportunity to square-off with Yarbrough. Heck, anyone would love to see this Toronto bullpen. The Jays’ relievers own MLB’s highest FIP (5.05), a direct result of surrendering the most home runs per nine as a unit (1.56). The term “bullpen game” is a scary one north of the border.
Value
Joey Loperfido, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Angels, $2,800 – Loperfido initially struggled after being traded to Toronto, but the 25-year-old has looked more comfortable this week, registering four hits in his last three games. That includes a triple and his first long ball with the Blue Jays. Still, Loperfido’s best trait is his price tag, which comes in well under $3K. It seems like a good idea to exploit the cheap LHBs in Toronto’s lineup tonight. Whether it’s Loperfido, Will Wagner ($2,500) or Addison Barger ($2,400).
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
