Can I interest you in some afternoon baseball? I hope so, because that’s pretty much the only type of baseball we have available on Thursday. DraftKings’ five-game featured slate gets going just after 12:00 p.m. ET in Miami.
Let’s break down some studs and values.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
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PITCHER
Stud
Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins vs. Colorado Rockies, $9,700 – Cabrera being the most expensive pitcher on this slate says way more about the lack of quality options than it does about the right-hander’s pedigree. However, in GPPs, Cabrera does carry an amount of upside that is definitely appealing. It all begins and ends with his strikeout ability. Cabrera has posted a 31.3% strikeout rate in his 15.2 innings in 2024 and, for his career, he’s averaging 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. It’s also important to note that the Rockies are a lineup with a lot of swing and miss. In fact, Colorado owns the NL’s highest strikeout rate (26.8%). It pairs that with an anemic 79 wRC+. Needless to say, it’s a great matchup.
Value
Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles, $7,900 – Conversely, this is not a good matchup. Yet, considering half the pitchers on Thursday with a salary below $8K aren’t even fully stretched out, Rodon is as low as I’m willing to go on the pricing list. Heck, the left-hander is even starting to look like his old self. Rodon’s surrendered just three hits and a single earned run across his last two outings, and he’s managed to exceed 20.0 DKFP three times in his past four appearances. Rodon’s swinging strike rate remains underwhelming in comparison to his fantastic campaigns in 2021 and 2022, but beggars can’t be choosy on this particular slate.
INFIELD
Stud
Luis Arraez, Miami Marlins vs. Colorado Rockies, $4,600 – After a slow start to the season, Arraez is beginning to look like himself again. To wit, in his 47 plate appearances dating back to April 20, Arraez is hitting .362 with a 133 wRC+. It’s a stretch that includes six multi-hit performances. Arraez is also left-handed, which is very important as it pertains to his matchup with Peter Lambert ($5,800). In his career, Lambert is allowing opposing LHBs to combine for an eye-popping .411 wOBA.
Stud
Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs at New York Mets, $4,300 – Busch’s rookie season is going about as well as anyone could’ve hoped. The 26-year-old has been especially effective against RHPs so far in 2024, slashing .280/.347/.549 with a 147 wRC+ in his 95 plate appearances within the split. Meanwhile, Adrian Houser ($5,600) is having a rough go with the Mets. Houser sports an ugly 8.37 ERA and he’s allowed 14 earned runs in his last two starts combined. Yikes.
Value
Connor Wong, Boston Red Sox vs. San Francisco Giants, $3,400 – Wong is red-hot at the moment. There’s really nothing else to say. In his 75 plate appearances in 2024, the 27-year-old is hitting .366 with a .254 ISO and a 179 wRC+. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more productive backstop — especially at this low a price. Wong is also one of the few right-handed regulars that Boston can throw at the left-handed Kyle Harrison ($8,200). The former top prospect has been solid with the Giants, yet he’s surrendered 1.73 opponent home runs per nine at the MLB level. He’s far from infallible.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Juan Soto, New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles, $6,300 – All of Soto’s numbers are staggering so far this season, yet his splits against RHPs are jaw-dropping. In 100 plate appearances versus RHPs, the All-Star has managed a .278 ISO and a 205 wRC+. If that wasn’t enough, Soto’s currently riding a nine-game hitting streak and he stole his first two bases of 2024 on Wednesday evening. On the other side, Kyle Bradish ($8,400) was phenomenal in 2023, yet I still have concerns about his right elbow.
Stud
Adolis Garcia, Texas Rangers vs. Washington Nationals, $5,600 – Garcia’s picked up right where he left off in October, hitting for a dazzling combination of average and power to begin 2024. Garcia’s been particularly adept at hitting left-handed pitching this season, slashing .357/.406/.679 with a 198 wRC+ in his first 32 plate appearances within the split. Mitchell Parker ($8,700) has been perfectly fine in his brief cup of coffee in MLB, yet he’s also a 24-year-old with seven career starts above Double-A. I think I’ll side with Garcia in this matchup.
Value
Mike Tauchman, Chicago Cubs at New York Mets, $3,700 – Tauchman has settled into his usual platoon role in 2024, posting a .427 wOBA and a 177 wRC+ in his 80 plate appearances versus right-handed pitching. Plus, due to all the Cubs’ injuries, Tauchman is consistently batting second in Chicago’s order. If that’s the case Thursday in a tilt against the struggling Houser, Tauchman is a steal at this price.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) 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.
