We have two evenly split slates on Saturday between 1:05 and 7:15 p.m. EDT, with the latter slate being our focus in this column as it offers higher prize pools and a wider range of contests.
Pitchers
Saturday and Sunday will be among the toughest to play MLB DFS as a lot of additional work is required to figure out how teams will handle their starters and which lineups have the most motivation. Spencer Strider ($9,000) should have a strong chance to end the season strong thanks to a matchup against the Pirates while also tallying at least six strikeouts in three straight starts. The Padres should be trying to build up Michael King ($8,900) for the playoffs. He's lacked the ability to get whiffs of late (13.3 K percent from his last five outings) and faces a tough opponent on the road against Arizona, though he and the team have incentive to do well and for him to go deep into the game.
Joey Cantillo ($7,600) is likely to have a short leash and lacks upside, but has only allowed one earned run or fewer during six straight appearances while drawing a Rangers' lineup listing a subpar .301 wOBA over the last 30 days.
The pitching offerings are relatively weak, yet there are still two strong values at the bottom of the pool. Bubba Chandler ($6,200) squares off against Strider, though the Pirates are finally using him as a traditional starter and he's responded with 24 and 26.3 DK points in those two outings. Eduardo Rodriguez ($7,300) is difficult to predict, but has at least 19.9 DK points from four of his last five starts.
Find out which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Hitters
Michael King is a potential pitcher to roster for those who want to pay up, though he's also struggled in terms of generating whiffs and serving up homers. That makes Ketel Marte ($5,800) a good player to build rosters through.
The Brewers have nothing to worry about besides setting up their playoff rotation, so Robert Gasser and Jacob Misiorowski are set for piggyback outings. Tyler Stephenson ($3,700) has delivered some big hits and performances for the Reds down the stretch as they push for a postseason spot and is somewhere between a value bat and top option.
Value Bats
Mike Yastrzemski ($3,600) is the Royals' primary leadoff hitter against right-handers and draws a favorable matchup in a hitter-friendly park. After a hot start, Luis Morales has allowed two home runs in three straight starts.
George Valera ($2,800) has batted second in the Guardians' order against the last three righties the team has faced, though his salary hasn't risen to account for his recent role.
Stacks to Consider
Astros at Angels (Caden Dana): Jose Altuve ($4,400), Isaac Paredes ($4,000), Carlos Correa ($3,700)
The Astros have been abysmal down the stretch due to a few key injuries and underperforming veterans. They're fighting for a playoff spot, but face the perfect matchup on Saturday as Dana holds a 2.13 HR/9 with a 1.66 WHIP and 6.39 ERA across 25.1 innings this season. The top of the lineup is also relatively cheap, making it possible to be used as a secondary stack.
Athletics vs. Royals (Michael Wacha): Nick Kurtz ($5,700), Shea Langeliers ($5,500), Brent Rooker ($4,500)
Wacha has been disastrous in his last two outings having given up 13 earned runs through 7.2 innings and a 1.67 WHIP over his last five. The hitting environment in Sacramento is also significantly favorable.
Use our DraftKings MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
