This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Openers and undecided managers make Saturday's six-game evening slate a bit difficult to navigate from a DFS perspective, but we can find studs and value plays to help us fill out our lineups.
Pitchers
A cursory look at Robbie Ray's ($9,500) stats may make one think he's sacrificed strikeouts in order to gain control, but it seems his 11 percent rate has plenty of room to move as he currently holds a career-best 16 percent swinging-strike rate. The Rays have logged the second-highest punchout rate in the league against southpaws this year (32 percent) and the bottom-10 ISO they carry should help Ray keep the ball in the yard.
Adbert Alzolay ($8,000) is another pitcher who's had some trouble with homers this year, but the 26-year-old has been effective by limiting walks and throwing ground balls at a 45 percent clip. While they haven't struck out all that much, the Cardinals remain a target for a serviceable hurler in the midrange like Alzolay thanks to a bottom-10 wOBA they've recorded against right-handed pitching.
The Angels aren't the first team that comes to mind when it comes to selecting pitchers, but Chris Bassitt ($7,800) is still worth a look at this salary having logged five consecutive outings of at least 21.3 DraftKings points prior to his last outing against the Twins. While the Angels have been an offensive force, it's worth noting they will be without one of the game's best hitters in Mike Trout. They also hold the lowest walk rate in the league against right-handed pitching at six percent.
Top Hitters
Fernando Tatis ($5,900) has been one of the most prolific power hitters in the league in the opening months based on the .350 ISO from 100 at-bats. Justus Sheffield's name doesn't jump off the page as someone we should build lineups against, but that changes on the road as he's allowed a .521 slugging percentage and a .385 wOBA across 16.1 frames.
Spencer Howard's big arm may make him someone to take a look at in the future, but the 24-year-old hasn't gotten it done at the highest level by logging a 6.28 ERA in 28.2 career innings over the last two seasons. Rafael Devers ($5,400) has led the charge against right-handed pitching in a lineup full of powerful bats notching a .373 ISO to go along with a .417 wOBA in 110 at-bats.
Kris Bryant ($5,000) has done his best work against opposite-handed pitchers this season, but hasn't exactly been an easy out against right-handers with a .231 ISO and .374 wOBA in 108 at-bats. The last time we saw Miles Mikolas he allowed a 1.4 HR/9 rate against righty bats in 2019, which makes it worth finding out if he's fully recovered from the forearm and shoulder injuries that forced him to miss more than a full year of action.
Bargain Bats
Seth Brown ($2,900) has shown tremendous power against both sides of the platoon in 2021, resulting in a .244 ISO in 86 at-bats. The 3.86 xFIP over 43.1 frames tells us Dylan Bundy has thrown the ball better than his ERA suggests, but we can't simply ignore the 7.08 mark he's posted in 20.1 innings at home.
Jarred Kelenic ($3,600) hasn't quite settled into his role through eight big-league games, but the 21-year-old has displayed tremendous power in his bat with a .630 slugging percentage during his first exposure to Triple-A pitching earlier this year. The rookie will see left-handed opener Ryan Weathers to start, but he should give way to Dinelson Lamet who's allowed a 50 percent hard contact rate against lefty hitters across 4.1 frames.
Prospective poolies who are looking to spend down at the catcher position will want to take a strong look at Mike Zunino ($3,700), as he's compiled a robust .486 (!) ISO against left-handed pitchers in 35 at-bats. The strikeout upside Ray possesses should keep him in our sights as a pitching option, but the nine homers he's allowed to right-handed hitters in 31.2 frames makes Zunino something of a boom-or-bust play.
Stacks to Consider
Padres against Justus Sheffield: Fernando Tatis ($5,900), Austin Nola ($4,300), Tommy Pham ($3,000)
The Padres don't have as many successful right-handed bats as we would like to take advantage of Sheffield's struggles on the road, but we can at least plug in a cheaper starter to round out the stack. Nola's .465 wOBA against southpaws may be built on small sample size, but his peripherals have always been strong against his opposite hand with a 42-percent hard contact rate against them in 53 at-bats last year.
Blue Jays against Shane McClanahan: Vladimir Guerrero ($5,700), Randal Grichuk ($4,500), Jonathan Davis ($2,300)
McClanahan's strikeout prowess makes him someone to keep an eye on at $7,300, but he's facing a tall order in front of him as the Blue Jays feature several right-handed power hitters. Those looking for a punt play could do worse than Davis, who's started three consecutive games and holds a .333 ISO and .418 wOBA in his 12 at-bats against lefties.
