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Thursday’s main fantasy baseball slate on DraftKings gets a little bit of an early start at 6:37 p.m. ET in order to include the early wave of games in the seven contests on the main slate. After several teams decided to boycott on Wednesday, there is still some lack of clarity whether the games today will proceed as originally scheduled, so make sure to stay locked in for updates throughout the day. For this post, we’ll consider the options as if all games were going to take place, and then you can adjust as needed if that isn’t the case due to weather, health, doubleheaders or other important social action.
As you put together your DraftKings team, there are some key matchups to focus on. Based on form, matchup and expected opportunity, I’ve selected my favorite value plays and studs at each position in this post. Especially with the current situation, make sure to stay locked in to @DKLive on Twitter throughout the day and check the latest news in the DK Live app for any breaking news that should impact your roster.
Editor’s Note: According to reports, tonight’s Phillies-Nationals, Athletics-Rangers, Red Sox-Blue Jays and Twins-Tigers games will be postponed.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $250K Gyroball [$100K to 1st]
Starting Pitcher
Stud
Hyun Jin Ryu, TOR vs. BOS, $9,700 — Ryu has been very good for the Blue Jays after starting the season with a pair of rough outings. He has allowed one run or no runs in four straight starts and picked up 24 strikeouts in 22 innings over that span while allowing just 10 total hits. Ryu will look to keep rolling in his home start against Boston, but you’ll want to keep a close eye on the weather report since rain is a possibility in Buffalo. If it stays dry, Ryu should be one of the top options on the slate with a solid salary just under $10K.
Value
Sixto Sánchez, MIA at NYM, $5,100 — Sánchez was the No. 24 prospect in all of baseball and the No. 1 prospect in the Miami system at the start of the season, per MLB Pipeline. He has top-of-the-rotation stuff and could develop into a star if he can stay healthy. The Marlins got Sánchez as the key piece of the J.T. Realmuto trade from Philadelphia and called him up for his MLB debut last Saturday. He allowed three runs on six hits in five innings while striking out four and getting a ton of ground balls. He got the win and a solid 13.7 DKFP in his debut and has plenty of room to improve as he adjusts to the Majors. Sánchez has the potential to be special long-term, and he’s also a great bargain play at this crazy-low salary on this slate to pair with an expensive arm while leaving yourself good salary for hitting as well.
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
Catcher
Stud
Will Smith, LAD at SF, $4,200 — Smith looks ready to jump right back into a productive spot for the Dodgers after spending time on the IL due to neck inflammation. In his two games back, he has gone 1-for-6 with three walks, three runs scored and a home run for a total of 24 DKFP. Smith definitely gets a boost from being in such a dynamic lineup, and he’ll definitely be worth considering as your backstop if he gets the start against Kevin Gausman in the early game in San Francisco which is the first game of a doubleheader. With fewer innings, you don’t want to go too heavily with a Dodgers or Giants stack, but Smith is still the best top catching option since the other top-shelf plays are in bad matchups.
Editors Note: This game will not accrue fantasy points due to playing a doubleheader.
Other Options — Christian Vázquez ($3,900)
Value
Kurt Suzuki, WAS vs. PHI, $3,600 — Suzuki is usually behind the plate for Scherzer starts, and he has been productive at the dish lately as well. He has exactly one hit in nine straight games, going 9-for-31 (.290) with a home run and four RBI to average 7.3 DKFP per contest over that stretch. He and the Nationals get a good matchup at home against Phillies rookie Spencer Howard ($5,300), who has given up nine runs in 11 and two third innings over his first three MLB starts and surrendered four home runs. Suzuki typically hits in the middle part of the order for Washington, which is unusual for a catcher at this salary.
First Base
Stud
Miguel Sanó, MIN at DET, $4,900 — Sanó has been red-hot lately and has a 10-game hitting streak coming into his matchup with lefty Matthew Boyd ($8,400). He has gone 15-for-36 (.417) over his 10-game streak with nine doubles, a pair of home runs and a 1.333 OPS. He has averaged 12.1 DKFP per contest over that run and and is now hitting .247 on the season with six long balls. He brings plenty of power potential to the park every game and is a solid sub-$5K play in this matchup.
Other Options — Pete Alonso ($4,500)
Value
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR vs. BOS, $4,300 — Guerrero has also been heating up lately and has produced double-digit DKFP in three of his past four games after dropping 20 DKFP against the Red Sox on Wednesday. Guerrero has hit in nine straight, going 11-for-33 (.333) with three doubles, a triple, a home run and 9.9 DKFP per contest. The Jays have a nice matchup against Chris Mazza ($4,800) as the Red Sox continue to piece together their injury-depleted rotation.
Second Base
Stud
Mike Brosseau, TB vs. BAL, $4,700 — The Rays have been using Brosseau as their leadoff hitter against lefties, so he could be in the top spot against John Means ($6,100) and the Orioles. Brosseau is 11-for-30 (.367) against southpaws this season with four doubles, three home runs and a 1.194 OPS. He also has had specific success against Means in the past, going 4-for-9 (.444) in their previous meetings with three of those hits being home runs. His per-game average is a little misleading since he often enters the game late, but he’ll be a very solid play if he gets the start at home against Means.
Other Options — Jonathan Villar ($4,300)
Value
Luis García, WAS vs. PHI, $2,500 — García has played in 11 games since being called up by the Nats, and the 20-year-old is showing he’s ready to contribute at the Major League level and lock down the 2B spot for years to come. In his 11 games, he had gone 13-for-41 (.306) with two doubles, a home run and a stolen base for an average of 7.2 DKFP per contest. He has hit safely in four straight and is extremely affordable in that favorable matchup against Howard. He can give you some solid production of his own while also allowing you to pay up at other places.
Third Base
Stud
Marwin Gonzalez, MIN at DET, $4,100 — Gonzalez doesn’t have quite the power potential of his teammate Sanó or the other top-tier options at 3B, but he is a solid play to consider since he’s facing a lefty he has had success against. In his career against Boyd, Gonzalez has gone an impressive 7-for-15 (.467) with four doubles and a triple. He has hit safely in five of his past seven games and usually hits in the middle third of the Twins’ typically productive lineup.
Other Option — Brian Anderson ($4,400)
Value
Yandy Díaz, TB vs. BAL, $3,500 — Díaz is another Rays bat that typically slides into a good spot against southpaw starters. He hasn’t crushed them quite as effectively this season as he did last year, when he hit .311 against them with a .976 OPS, but he should be able to improve as his .735 OPS against lefties as his sample size from this season continues to grow. He has homered off of Means in the past and is hitting the ball very well over the past weeks. In that stretch he has gone 8-for-19 (.421) with a double, two home runs and a 1.349 OPS.
Shortstop
Stud
Trea Turner, WAS vs. PHI, $5,200 — Any time the Nationals are in a good matchup, Turner should be on your radar since he can provide a big fantasy day in so many ways. He has picked things up lately with a couple home runs in his past nine games along with all three of his stolen bases on the season. One of those steals came Wednesday and helped him boost his average production over his past 10 games to 13.2 DKFP per contest. In those 10 games, he went 13-for-38 (.342) with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and those three stolen bases. He’s definitely feeling fully healthy and starting to use his speed, so he brings a high ceiling to every contest.
Value
Jon Berti, MIA at NYM, $3,700 — Berti is a more affordable way to infuse some speed into your lineup and has swiped five bags over his past 10 games while going 9-for-26 (.346) with a home run, eight runs scored and five RBI. He stole second, third and home against the Mets in the second game of Tuesday’s double-header and will take on New York again in this contest.
Other Options — Amed Rosario ($2,900)
Outfield
Stud
Juan Soto, WAS vs. PHI, $5,900 — Soto has made up for lost time in his 20 games since returning from the injured list, going 27-for-71 (.380) with six doubles, eight home runs, 18 RBI and a 1.279 OPS. He has averaged 12.5 DKFP per contest on the season and put up over that number in row of his past three games with 20 DKFP against Miami on Monday and then 16 DKFP against the Phillies on Wednesday. He should be set up well for a good game against Howard, who has allowed lefties to go 11-for-26 (.423) against him with a 1.346 OPS in his limited action this season.
Other Option — Anthony Santander ($4,700)
Value
Stephen Piscotty, OAK at TEX, $3,500 — While he’s still hitting just .267 on the season, Piscotty has picked it up lately, going 12-for-37 (.324) over his past nine games with two doubles, a home run and a stolen base. He had two more hits on Wednesday and 10 DKFP, giving him double-digit DKFP in four straight and five of his past six. Piscotty has gone 5-for-14 in this series against the Rangers, so he may not want the four-game set to come to a close after his matchup with Jordan Lyles ($7,700) on Thursday.
Ryan Mountcastle, BAL at TB, $2,200 — Mountcastle hasn’t looked overwhelmed at all in his first stint in the Majors for Baltimore, going 6-for-16 (.375) with two doubles and four walks in his five games with the O’s. The 23-year-old should continue to get plenty of playing time and provides good potential from an affordable price, which could leave you room to get the stars you want in other spots.
Other Options — Manuel Margot ($3,100)
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $250K Gyroball [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Z.Thompson) 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.
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