We’ve got a six-game slate for Thursday’s MLB action.
Let’s find some studs and values for your MLB DFS lineups on DraftKings. This article was written before lineups were announced.
Make your DraftKings MLB DFS picks here: MLB $150K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers vs. Milwaukee Brewers, $10,200 — Skubal has posted a 28% strikeout rate through 30.1 innings this season. For mortals, that’s an amazing number. But for the reigning back-to-back AL Cy Young, that’s slipping; it has been north of 30% for the past three seasons. It’s still early in the season, and he’ll likely return to those levels. Everything else looks solid, as his 2.08 ERA is supported by a 2.09 FIP. Skubal’s walk rate is 5.1% and barrel rate is 6.4%. He had one blemish this season, allowing four earned runs over 4.2 innings. But in his other four starts, he’s allowed no more than one earned run. In Skubal’s most recent outing, he spun six innings of one-run ball with a season-high 10 strikeouts — good for 31.9 FPTS.
Value
Michael Soroka, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago White Sox, $7,700 — Soroka has been very good to start this season. Through 22.2 innings, his 30.1% strikeout rate marks a career high; it had hovered around 25% for the past two seasons. He owns a 2.78 ERA and 3.01 FIP. Not everything is stellar, though: his average exit velocity is 91.7 mph, and his barrel rate is a whopping 16.1%. Chicago is seventh in ISO, which is troubling, but also fifth in strikeouts and 21st in both wOBA and wRC+.
INFIELD
Stud
Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies, $5,900 — Most of the numbers look normal for Tatis except for his ISO, which is a paltry .048. His average exit velocity is 93.7 mph, barrel rate is 14.1%, and hard-hit rate is a career-high 67.2%. Tatis has a career .231 ISO and was at .178 last season. I have no doubt he’s going to start hitting bombs again; it’s only a matter of time. How about getting off the schneid in Colorado against Ryan Feltner? The right-hander has posted a 6.36 FIP and allowed five home runs across his first 18 innings this season, with a 50% hard-hit rate and 17.2% barrel rate.
Brady House, Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves, $2,900 —
Albeit a small sample size at 27 plate appearances, House is slashing .385/.407/.500 with a 157 wRC+ against left-handed pitching this season. While his ISO is only .115, he has put up double-digit FPTS six times this season, including two performances over 20 FPTS. He’s scored at least two FPTS in six straight games, with a high of 14 FPTS. Now he faces Martin Perez, who has a 4.14 FIP and 3.5% K-BB% against righties this season.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Kerry Carpenter, Detroit Tigers vs. Milwaukee Brewers, $4,000 — Carpenter has a 37% strikeout rate, which is no bueno, but his ISO is .217 with a 92.9 mph exit velocity, 22.2 degree launch angle, 14.3% barrel rate and 51.4% hard hit rate. Against right-handed pitching this season, Carpenter owns a .236 ISO with a 114 wRC+. Brandon Sproat has a 6.26 FIP, 6.8% K-BB%, and four home runs allowed across his first 17 innings. Against lefties, his K-BB% shrivels to -2.6%, while the FIP swells to 7.64.
Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago White Sox, $3,000 — Thomas has one home run and three stolen bases in 18 games this season. His ISO is .154, with an exit velocity of 91.9 mph. The barrel rate is only 3.9%, though, and the bat speed has decreased from 71 mph to 69 mph. That said, he’s been unlucky to start the season. His BABIP is only .224, contributing to a .185/.221/.338 slash. Thomas has put up double-digit FPTS in three of his last seven games, reaching at least five FPTS in four straight contests.
