This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
With a lot of early start times on Saturday's schedule, we are left with six games that make up the main evening slate on DraftKings. There are still plenty of great hitting options, with the Brewers, Cubs, Red Sox and Dodgers all in action. Let's examine the entire slate to see where advantages can be gained.
Pitching Overview
Two of the biggest names are David Price ($9,300) and Walker Buehler ($8,100). Price was victimized by the long ball in his first start against the A's, giving up three home runs across six innings. He did somewhat salvage the performance with nine strikeouts. Even though the Diamondbacks lost a key bat in Paul Goldschmidt during the offseason, they have still been among the league leaders in runs scored in the early going. Price might be highly owned, but there is some risk involved.
After entering this season as one of the more hyped young starting pitchers, Buehler was roughed up for five runs across three innings against the Diamondbacks in his first start. He failed to record a single strikeout, which was odd considering his 27.9 percent strikeout rate last year. Now he'll be faced with a tough matchup against the Rockies at Coors Field, which could somewhat repress his ownership percentage. It should be noted the Rockies are tied for the fifth-most strikeouts (79) in baseball out of the gate.
In what seemed like a great matchup for his first start of the season, J.A. Happ ($9,800) couldn't capitalize against the Orioles by allowing four runs across four innings at Yankee Stadium. He'll look to rebound with a strong outing in Baltimore and he should be highly owned. He dominated the Orioles across five starts last year, posting a 1.00 WHIP and recording 37 strikeouts across 29 innings.
Another pitcher who could be well-owned is Corbin Burnes ($8,900). Yes, he allowed four runs and three home runs across five innings in his first start against the Cardinals. However, he also recorded 12 strikeouts. Even though he's not overly cheap, his strikeout upside is going to make him appealing.
Key Values/Chalk
The A's boast a powerful lineup and should be a popular option against Wade Miley and the Astros. Miley enjoyed a much improved season for the Brewers last year, but his 2.57 ERA might be a bit of fool's gold based on his 4.30 xFIP. He also didn't miss many bats with his 14.8 percent strikeout rate. Khris Davis ($4,600) and Matt Chapman ($4,400) will likely be in a lot of lineups, with Stephen Piscotty ($4,200) not too far behind them.
With the inconsistent Jon Gray on the mound in Coors Field, the Dodgers also figure to be one of the favorite teams to target for bats. Gray recorded 10 strikeouts against the Marlins in his first start, but he also allowed three runs. The Marlins own one of the weakest lineups in the league, so that is a bit of a red flag. Gray allowed a .354 wOBA to left-handed hitters last year, so expect to see Cody Bellinger ($5,800), Max Muncy ($5,100) and Joc Pederson ($5,300) in a lot of entries.
The Yankees entered the season with one of the best lineups in baseball, but their depth is being tested right now. With Giancarlo Stanton (biceps), Aaron Hicks (back), Miguel Andujar (shoulder) and Troy Tulowitzki (calf) on the IL, things certainly won't be a cakewalk for them moving forward. Despite all of those injuries, they still have some great hitters. With a matchup against the underwhelming Dylan Bundy on tap, Aaron Judge ($5,600), Gleyber Torres ($4,500) and Gary Sanchez ($4,700) could have high ownership percentages.
Stacks
An A's stack against Miley is pretty appealing. Outside of the big three names that were already mentioned, Marcus Semien ($4,000) carries some upside at shortstop. He enters with a career .300 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, but he's been better with a .338 wOBA against lefties. If stacking the Dodgers against the Rockies, it's hard to pass on the trio of Bellinger, Muncy and Pederson. However, if you're looking to add someone who might not be a highly owned, Corey Seager ($4,800) is an option. Even though he's off to a slow start, he bats seconded against right-handed pitching and boasts a career 140 wRC+ against righties.
While Judge, Torres and Sanchez are some of the best power options still standing for the Yankees, don't forget about their left-handed bats. Bundy allowed a .399 wOBA against lefties last year, so Brett Gardner ($4,000) and Greg Bird ($4,200) are also viable options at reduced prices.
The Braves could be an interesting team to target that might not be overly popular. They'll be facing Sandy Alcantara, who struck out six batters across eight scoreless innings versus the Rockies. The Marlins young starting rotation is starting to open up some eyes, but Alcantara only had an 18.2 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A last year. Freddie Freeman ($4,800), Ronald Acuna ($4,800) and Nick Markakis ($3,900) are the top players to target in a Braves stack while Ender Inciarte ($4,100) could be a cheaper option to consider in his role as leadoff hitter against righties.
