As per usual, we’re left with a slightly smaller set of games for Day 2 of the MLB regular season. For the purposes of this article, we’ll be focusing on tonight’s eight-game featured slate on DraftKings. Apologies to the Rays and Rockies.
Allow me to dive in and highlight three must-start assets on Friday evening.
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SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers, $9,000
With each and every new data point, it appears that Yamamoto is one of the best pitchers in baseball. If you remove his one-inning MLB debut in Korea, Yamamoto has dazzled in his time with the Dodgers, pitching to a 2.49 ERA and a 2.55 FIP across 94.0 innings of work. That also includes a 28.3% strikeout rate and a 4.9 K/BB ratio. It truly feels like raw volume is the lone thing keeping his price point at $9,000 this evening, though as someone who has already thrown five innings in a non-exhibition setting in 2025, ironically, volume is less of a concern for Yamamoto than most starters this time of the year.
Matchup isn’t really a concern, either. While the Tigers have a couple new pieces in their lineup this season, this roster still very much resembles the one that ranked 23rd in wRC+ (95) and eighth in strikeout rate (24.3%) in 2024. Yamamoto barely broke a sweat in Japan against the Cubs. I’m envisioning a similar script on Friday.
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles, $5,300
I think this game has the potential to be very high scoring, and if the Jays are going to bounce back after a brutal Opening Day, it’ll likely be an effort led by their Silver Slugger first baseman. Guerrero was quiet during Thursday’s loss — as was most of Toronto’s lineup — but you don’t have to look back too far to see how dangerous the All-Star can be. From May 1 on in 2024, Guerrero slashed .345/.412/.590 with a .245 ISO and a 181 wRC+ across 561 plate appearances. Tonight, he’ll face off with Charlie Morton ($7,000), who is now 41-years-old and is starting to see the impacts of that age on his performance. Morton pitched to a 4.49 xERA in 2024 and surrendered a whopping 1.56 home runs per nine to right-handed opponents. Vlad could be looking at his first long ball of 2025 in a few hours time.
OF Kyle Stowers, Miami Marlins vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, $2,400
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to advocate for a Marlin this early into the season. Still, for as underwhelming as this roster appears to be, someone has to hit in the top-third of this lineup that isn’t named Xavier Edwards ($4,000). On Thursday, Stowers was one of those people, finishing his day batting out of the two-spot with a pair of walks, a single, an RBI and a run scored. Aside from an ideal spot in the order and a microscopic price tag, Stowers has a platoon advantage working in his favor this evening. Mitch Keller ($7,900) struggled a lot down the stretch in 2024 — specifically with left-handed bats. In his final 10 starts, Keller allowed lefties to combine for 2.31 home runs per nine and a robust .422 wOBA. Yikes.
