This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
It takes a while for baseball to kick off Saturday, with the first pitch of the day at 3:07 p.m. EDT in Toronto. The main slate will kick off at the customary 7:05 p.m. and consists of eight games. There are a few aces up top, but otherwise it's a pretty poor day for pitching. There also aren't many standout hitting environments, meaning matchups will heavily dictate our recommended plays.
Pitching
Due to the available arms, we have to at least consider each of Max Scherzer ($12,000), Zack Wheeler ($11,600) and Freddy Peralta ($10,800). When taking salary into account, Peralta offers a stronger case than may be expected at first glance. First, he's the only pitcher on the day with greater than a 30 percent strikeout rate and has also produced 84 strikeouts across his last 57.1 innings while maintaining a 3.14 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. A matchup against the Padres is fine on paper, but we know it has the potential to be quite dangerous on any given day. Scherzer had a rough time his last turn through the rotation, but the matchup will definitely be on his side for a bounceback. He takes on the Twins with their league-highest strikeout rate at 27.1 percent.
Kyle Bradish's ($9,000) value is a bit difficult to comprehend, though he's delivered at least 19.9 DK points in three of his last five outings. That exact number of points would be a disappointment given his salary, but a matchup against the Rockies is worth highlighting especially given the context of this slate.
Things fall off even more steeply after Bradish. Touki Toussaint ($7,000) is worth considering thanks to a matchup against the Athletics. He's managed three performances from his last five starts with at least 14.7 DK points, which would at least provide decent value.
Chase Silseth ($6,600) is the obvious remaining play. He's another pitcher who had a last rough turn through the rotation, though had been on a tear prior to that. Silseth has a homer problem, but also an impressive 26 K% that certainly outpaces his salary. The Mets roughly represent an average matchup, so that's not a reason to steer away from him.
Top Hitters
It doesn't matter where Chris Flexen has pitched this season as he's gotten absolutely crushed to the tune of a 2.5 HR/9. Baltimore isn't the best hitter's park, yet they boast a lineup with plenty of potent bats - including Gunnar Henderson ($5,200).
Given the likely large allotment of salary that will be dedicated to pitching, it makes sense to recommend some cheaper bats. Tommy Pham ($3,800) has been swinging hot of late and walks into a matchup against Ben Lively. He's another homer-prone pitcher and is also appearing for the first time in almost a month.
Value Bats
Josh Palacios ($2,500) has been a boom-or-bust option, though he's getting regular playing time with the Bucs in right field with Henry Davis (hand) sidelined. He matches up with Javier Assad, who has experienced success, but lists a 5.15 SIERA and only a 7.8 K-BB%. If there's some wiggle room salary-wise, go for Ji Hwan Bae ($3,000).
The promotion of Nolan Schanuel ($3,100) came as a surprise, but so far he looks ready at the plate by only striking out four times while working seven free passes. We haven't seen much pop yet, though he's covered the leadoff spot and squares off against Carlos Carrasco with his hard time generating swings and misses (16 K%).
Stacks to Consider
Orioles vs. Rockies (Chris Flexen): Adley Rutschman ($5,400), Gunnar Henderson ($5,200), Ryan Mountcastle ($4,500)
In addition to the long-ball problems already mentioned, Flexen offers the lowest strikeout rate of any pitcher on the main slate and also carries an 8.9 percent walk rate. It doesn't get much better than that from a matchup perspective. For stacking the top portion of Baltimore's lineup, the salary isn't prohibitive. The only downside is the pitcher-friendly Camden Yards.
Reds at Diamondbacks (Zach Davies): TJ Friedl ($4,600), Elly De La Cruz ($6,200), Spencer Steer ($5,000)
We should see some runs on both sides of this game, which makes a stack of either team a decent option. Davies is also being activated off the injured list and hasn't pitched since Jul. 18. He's also only produced a 7.2 K-BB% for the season, highlighted by a 10.4 percent walk rate. Davies hasn't allowed a lot of home runs this year, yet the Reds are capable of quickly racking up offense.
