This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
There are no day games Friday, which means we have 15 games to dig through for the main evening slate on DraftKings. Let's get right down to business, and highlight some pitchers and hitters who could take advantage of their respective matchups.
Pitchers
Corbin Burnes ($10,200) has pitched so well that he's an appealing option despite having to start at Coors Field. The crazy part is he might actually be pitching better than his 2.27 ERA would indicate given that his FIP is 1.01. He's only allowed two home runs across 63.1 innings, and he has a whopping 41.5 percent strikeout rate, compared to a 4.1 percent walk rate. While Coors Field can be problematic, the Rockies don't have the same potent lineup they've had in seasons past, which could also work in Burnes' favor.
Not a lot has gone right for the Twins this season, but at least Jose Berrios ($8,500) has continued to be a reliable option at the top of their starting rotation. His 3.49 ERA is supported by a 3.68 FIP, and he also has a 26.0 percent strikeout rate, which would be the highest mark of his career. He has an excellent opportunity to build on his hot start during his matchup against the Rangers, who had the fifth-worst OPS in baseball entering Thursday.
Zach Davies ($7,300) was awful at the start of the season, allowing 18 runs over 13.1 innings in his first four starts. He seems to have righted the ship since then, though, posting a 1.86 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP over his last nine starts. The problem is, he only had 29 strikeouts across 48.1 innings during that stretch. While his limited strikeout upside does limit his ceiling in DFS, he could be worth considering for a matchup against the Marlins, who had the fourth-worst OPS in baseball entering Thursday.
Top Targets
Jose Ramirez ($5,500) has once again been the driving force behind the Indians' lineup, posting a .272 ISO and a .375 wOBA. He only has an 11.9 percent strikeout rate for his career and he's also on pace to record a walk rate of at least 10.0 percent for the third time in the last four seasons. Expect him to be a tough out for Chad Kuhl ($5,900), who has a career 1.43 WHIP.
Mike Foltynewicz ($5,700) has struggled to keep hitters inside the ball park, allowing 16 home runs across 69 innings. He also has a 1.42 WHIP, which further complicates his home run issues. This could be a great spot to deploy Nelson Cruz ($5,500), who has a .256 ISO.
Bargain Bats
If you want to try and exploit Foltynewicz's propensity for allowing home runs, but can't squeeze Cruz's salary into your budget, Miguel Sano ($4,400) is also appealing. Despite his strikeout issues and inability to hit for a high average, he still has a .239 ISO.
When Ramon Laureano ($3,800) has been healthy, he's generally been productive. He has 12 home runs and eight steals across 49 games, while also posting a .359 wOBA that is very much in line with his career mark. He could end up being a bargain at this salary against Jameson Taillon ($7,100), who has struggled to the tune of a 5.74 ERA and 4.49 FIP.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Bruce Zimmermann ($6,900), Orioles: Vladimir Guerrero ($6,000), Marcus Semien ($5,000), Lourdes Gurriel ($3,600)
Given his 1.47 WHIP, Zimmermann could be in trouble against one of the most potent lineups in baseball. He's also allowed 1.8 HR/9, which is a bad combination with his WHIP. While Guerrero has grabbed most of the headlines with his stellar season, Semien has also been a key part of their improved lineup. Not only is he hitting for power with a .237 ISO entering Thursday, but he's also on pace to set a new career high with his .378 wOBA.
Red Sox vs. Jackson Kowar ($4,900), Royals: Rafael Devers ($5,700), Xander Bogaerts ($5,300), Alex Verdugo ($4,300)
It's been a rude welcome to the majors for Kowar. He hasn't made it past 1.1 innings in either of his two starts, allowing eight total runs over two innings. Now he has to face the Red Sox, who entered Thursday with the third-highest OPS in baseball. Devers is in the midst of the best power season of his career with a .283 ISO, and Verdugo has also provided valuable production, recording a .349 wOBA thanks to his measly 12.2 percent strikeout rate.
Braves vs. Carlos Martinez ($6,700), Cardinals: Ronald Acuna ($6,300), Freddie Freeman ($5,600), Austin Riley ($4,500)
Martinez has never been one to strike out a ton of hitters, but he's been especially poor in that department this season with his 15.7 percent strikeout rate. He's also allowed a 7.7 percent barrel rate, which is the highest mark of his career. While Acuna and Freeman are the big names to build a Braves stack around, Riley has also been a key part of their lineup, recording a 138 wRC+ entering play Thursday.
