Despite facing challenges and obstacles that could jeopardize the viability of the season long-term, Major League Baseball has a solid 12-game slate lined up for Saturday night. An amazing 11 of the 12 matchups are divisional showdowns with only the Rangers-Giants game not featuring a familiar foe. That means we have some extra data to crunch since most of these opponents are familiar to each other.
As you assemble your Saturday night squad, one strategy to consider is stacking one team’s offensive options in a favorable matchup. To help you find the best matchup to attack, check out my top five stacks for this 12-game slate on DraftKings.
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1. San Diego Padres
The Padres have quietly gotten off to a very strong start to the season, going 6-2 and scoring at least five runs in seven of those eight games. San Diego has the fourth-highest OPS in the Majors and has averaged 6.5 runs per contest, the highest mark of any team. Add on top of the team’s current form that the Padres get the boost of playing in Coors Field and it’s easy to see why San Diego is the top stack of the night. The Padres will be facing Kyle Freeland ($5,500), who was solid in his first start of the season but struggled to a 9.25 home ERA in 10 starts last year giving up 16 home runs in just 47 2/3 innings at Coors Field. It’s also worth noting that he’s a lefty, so make sure to go with options that thrive against southpaws. The Padres have also adjusted their lineup when facing lefties with Trent Grisham ($5,100) dropping down and Jurickson Profar ($4,900) moving up along with Ty France ($3,800) and possibly Edward Olivares ($3,600) moving into the lineup. The Padres aren’t a cheap stack since the game is at Coors but paying up for the team with the highest run total in the Majors in the best hitter’s park there is makes a lot of sense.
Players to Consider
Fernando Tatis Jr. ($6,100)
Manny Machado ($5,200)
Tommy Pham ($5,100)
Jurickson Profar ($4,900)
Wil Myers ($4,800)
Ty France ($3,800)
Edward Olivares ($3,600)
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2. New York Yankees
The Yankees’ schedule has been interrupted and shaken up by the COVID-19 struggle but the Bronx Bombers have started 5-1 and are starting to hit the ball well. The Yankees put up five runs in Friday’s home opener to get the win and get a good matchup again on Saturday as they face Zack Godley ($5,900), who will be making his first start for the Red Sox. While he looked sharp in his first appearance this season, Godley struggled last year with both the Diamondbacks and the Blue Jays, going 4-5 with a 5.97 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP in his 33 games. Godley has always had the raw stuff to be a solid starter but struggles with command both inside and outside the strike zone resulting in elevated walk totals and 1.4 HR/9 last season. The Yankees haven’t seen him very much since he has been in the NL most of his career, but New York should be able to take advantage of his wildness in Yankee Stadium in this matchup.
Players to Consider
Giancarlo Stanton ($5,800)
Aaron Judge ($4,600)
Gleyber Torres ($4,400)
DJ LeMahieu ($4,200)
Brett Gardner ($4,000)
Luke Voit ($3,800)
3. Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox dropped the first game of a three-game set in the Bronx but will look to even the series with a win Saturday against Masahiro Tanaka ($7,500). Tanaka was sidelined by a concussion after taking a line drive to the head off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton ($5,800) on July 4. He will likely be on a pitch count and has not typically dominated the Red Sox. He is 8-5 in his career against Boston but has a 5.76 ERA and has surrendered 23 home runs in his 21 starts. J.D. Martinez ($4,900) has hit three career home runs against him while going 8-for-23 and Mitch Moreland ($3,600), Andrew Benintendi ($3,700) and Xander Bogaerts ($4,500) have all hit two home runs off him. Rafael Devers ($4,800) only has one home run against Tanaka but has gone 7-for-15. This game is likely to be a high-scoring contest at Yankee Stadium, so look for both sides to provide plenty of offense.
Players to Consider
J.D. Martinez ($4,900)
Rafael Devers ($4,800)
Christian Vázquez ($4,500)
Xander Bogaerts ($4,500)
Andrew Benintendi ($3,700)
Kevin Pillar ($3,300)José Peraza ($2,700)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Martinez and Peraza are not in the lineup for tonight’s game vs. the Yankees.
4. Oakland Athletics
The Athletics lost to the Mariners, who improved to 4-4 on the season with a win in the team’s home opener. Oakland should be in a good spot to bounce back, though, against Yusei Kikuchi ($5,100), who was hammered for five hits and five runs in just 3 2/3 innings in his first start of the season against the Astros. Last season in Kikuchi’s first year in the Majors, he went 0-2 with a 4.29 ERA against the Athletics, allowing 13 runs and five home runs while striking out just 14. Oakland’s offense hasn’t quite found its stride yet, but this familiar and gettable matchup could help them get on track this Saturday.
Players to Consider
Matt Olson ($5,100)
Marcus Semien ($5,000)
Mark Canha ($4,700)
Ramón Laureano ($4,600)
Matt Chapman ($4,500)
Robbie Grossman ($2,800)
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers take on Luke Weaver ($8,100) in the third game of a four-game sat in Arizona, after splitting the first two contests. Weaver gave up six runs on seven hits while lasting just 3 1/3 innings in his first start of the year against the Padres. Even in his best career season last year, Weaver was significantly better on the road than at home, so getting him at Chase Field should be a good thing for the Dodgers, who reached him for six hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings the only time facing him last year. Cody Bellinger ($5,300) is 3-for-5 in his limited meetings with Weaver and already has two home runs.
Players to Consider
Mookie Betts ($5,600)Cody Bellinger ($5,300)
Max Muncy ($4,900)Matt Olson ($5,100)
Corey Seager ($4,100)Kiké Hernández ($3,200)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Bellinger, Olson and Hernández are not in the lineup for tonight’s game vs. the Diamondbacks.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $350K Saturday Slugger [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (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 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.