This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have two decent-sized slates Saturday with a spread schedule. Seven games are included in the 4:05 pm EDT contests, so that will be our focus. There's an impressive set of pitchers to work with as 12 of the 14 have a strikeout rate above 20 percent. As a result, there aren't many standout options on the hitter side, with one fairly obvious exception.
Pitchers
Some of the higher-upside pitchers are buried in valuation, but Zack Wheeler ($9,100) represents a nice cash game option. The Nationals strike out at the lowest rate of any team in the league, but that's paired with the third-lowest ISO and a bottom-third league wOBA. Wheeler may not be in for a slate-breaking performance, but he should be solid.
Eury Perez ($8,500) admittedly faces a very difficult matchup at Atlanta, though he's mowed down virtually every opponent he's faced to this point. He boasts the highest K rate of all available pitchers, yet is the sixth-highest-salaried pitcher. That fairly takes into account the difficult matchup.
For those who want to shy away from Perez, Dylan Cease ($8,000) is a pretty straightforward pivot thanks to the similarity in salary. All of Cease's skills are inferior up to now, though a matchup against Oakland does a lot to make up for that.
MacKenzie Gore ($7,500) is another young pitcher with an impressive resume this season, yet the enthusiasm for him is also limited as he squares off against the Phillies on the road. He's a decent tournament option, but his combination of walk (9.9 percent) and home run rate (1.4) is concerning given the opponent.
For those looking for a punt play, Johan Oviedo ($6,000) is intriguing. He's the last of the pitchers with a strikeout rate above 20 percent (20.3), but he's made it work of late by posting at least 15 DK points in three of his last five outings. The Brewers are among the best matchups possible as they rank poorly in strikeout rate, ISO and wOBA.
Top Hitters
Luis Robert ($4,600) is absolutely on fire in June having slammed 11 home runs across 26 games. That alone doesn't necessarily make him a good play, though a matchup against Kyle Muller – who has allowed 1.7 HR/9 – does help his cause.
As noted, this is a strong day for pitching so we have to get a bit creative with identification of good bats to play. Gore is in the midst of a breakout season in some senses, but his homers and walks allowed remain a concern. Meanwhile, Nick Castellanos ($4,500) has maintained a .409 wOBA and .214 ISO against southpaws in 2023.
Value Bats
Henry Davis ($2,200) has been inconsistent during his limited sample in the majors, but he's already hitting third in the Pirates' lineup. A matchup against Corbin Burnes isn't the same daunting task it's been in past seasons.
Anthony DeSclafani is the only pitcher besides Mueller to have a strikeout rate below 20 percent. The Mets have been disappointing, but Brett Baty ($2,900) has shown plenty of power and ability to get on base while also being modestly valued.
Stacks to Consider
White Sox vs. Athletics (Kyle Muller): Andrew Benintendi ($3,000), Luis Robert ($4,600), Eloy Jimenez ($4,000)
The White Sox lineup isn't typically one to target from a hitting perspective this season and the Oakland Coliseum certainly doesn't benefit batters. However, the top of the Chicago order is strong enough to play and Muller is clearly the pitcher to target on the slate with the worst SIERA by nearly an entire point. The other positive is that the White Sox aren't aggressively valued, so paying up at other positions is still possible.
Phillies vs. Nationals (MacKenzie Gore): Trea Turner ($5,700), Nick Castellanos ($4,500), Bryce Harper ($6,100)
As mentioned earlier, Gore has a few parts of his profile that make him an attractive pitcher to stack against despite a gaudy strikeout potential. The Phillies have the pop to take advantage and put up runs in bunches. But unlike the White Sox, the stack will be expensive. Many will likely use Gore as a value pitcher, so this could be a particularly useful stack in tournaments.
