Talkin’ targets on a Tuesday. Has a nice ring to it, right?
As per usual at this point in the week, we have ourselves a massive featured slate on DraftKings, packed full of intriguing options on the mound and in the field. Let’s break it all down and find some studs and values.
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PITCHER
Stud
Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers, $9,800 – What more could you ask of Ragans? While there were workload concerns for the left-hander coming into 2024, Ragans will take the mound on Tuesday to make his 31st start of the season. Among qualified pitchers, he ranks fourth in FIP (2.99), sixth in strikeout rate (29.6%) and seventh in expected ERA (3.28). He’s an absolute machine and is automatically viable on any slate where he’s priced under $10K. A matchup with the Tigers doesn’t hurt, either. Detroit’s been hot lately, yet the team is striking out at a 26.2% clip with a 97 wRC+ in September. Its not exactly an elite offensive force.
Value
Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, $7,500 – Lynn isn’t getting any younger, but the veteran RHP looked quite good in his last outing, tossing five innings of one-run baseball with seven strikeouts. Lynn also threw 90 pitches in that appearances, which is crucial, as it was his first start off the IL. The hope here is that Lynn can provide the floor, while the Pirates provide some ceiling. Lynn’s managed at least five strikeouts in 15 of his 22 starts in 2024. He owns a 3.96 ERA. He is, for all intents and purposes, a perfectly average MLB starter. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh just can’t hit. In September, the Pirates rank 29th in ISO (.103) and wRC+ (70). Woof.
INFIELD
Stud
Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers, $6,500 – There’s a couple reasons why this is the perfect spot to pay up for Witt Jr. on Tuesday. First and foremost, this game is in Kansas City. Witt has been a monster when playing at home in 2024, slashing .381/.433/.684 with a 200 wRC+. Secondly, Casey Mize ($6,700) is a right-handed pitcher with some pretty significant reverse-splits. To wit, opposing RHBs are hitting .314 off of Mize so far this season and the former first-overall pick is only striking out 14.6% of those within the split. Pitching to contact against Witt Jr. is a scary way to live.
Stud
Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, $4,200 – Anything around $4K is a reasonable price for a hitter at Coors Field, especially one that hits in the middle of the order like Rodgers does. The former third-overall pick has been at his best when facing left-handed pitching this season, slashing .312/.363/.465 with a .357 wOBA in his 135 plate appearances within the split. Tonight, he’ll get to face Jordan Montgomery ($5,700), who has never looked quite right in 2024. In 108.0 innings of work with Arizona, Montgomery owns a 6.25 ERA.
Value
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, $4,000 – Writing up Goldschmidt as a value seems absurd — the man won an MVP in 2022 — but the 37-year-old’s numbers have been down significantly so far this season. Still, most of that can be attributed to a terribly slow start. Goldschmidt possesses a 119 wRC+ since the beginning of July and, in that same span, he sports a .310 average and a 159 wRC+ specifically against left-handed pitching. Bailey Falter ($6,200) would be wise to tread carefully with the veteran bat.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics at Chicago Cubs, $5,600 – Rooker should be getting more acclaim and accolades, but he’ll have to settle for being my top outfield bat on Tuesday’s slate. The All-Star has been amazing against every type of pitcher in 2024, yet he’s been particularly dangerous versus LHPs. In 122 plate appearances within the split, Rooker owns a .333 ISO and a 172 wRC+. He also has registered a .417 expected wOBA in his matchups with southpaws — the seventh-highest mark in MLB. Jordan Wicks ($6,300) has a 5.50 ERA in his nine starts with the Cubs this season. He’s no one to fear.
Stud
Joc Pederson, Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies, $4,900 – You’d be hard-pressed to find a more successful platoon bat in the league. Pederson’s done exactly what the Diamondbacks hoped for in 2024: Crush right-handed pitching. In 379 plate appearances within the split, the veteran owns a .933 OPS and a 157 wRC+. It’s a skill that should come in handy for this evening’s meeting with Ryan Feltner ($6,100). As you’d expect, Feltner’s had his issues with LHBs at Coors Field this season, surrendering 1.72 home runs per nine and a .392 wOBA in opposite-hand matchups.
Value
Pavin Smith, Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies, $3,600 – Smith is essentially the discount version of the aforementioned Pederson. Smith only has 122 plate appearances at the MLB level this season, but he’s certainly made the most of them, slashing .286/.361/.522 with a massive .402 expected wOBA. That’s a lot of upside from an asset priced this far below $4K — and that’s before you factor in the altitude in Colorado.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Rally Cap [$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.
