This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Saturday brings the usual heavy assortment of day games, leaving us with just seven games to choose from for the main evening slate on DraftKings. However, we still have some great pitching options as well as some lineups who could be primed for big performances. Here are the ones that stand out.
Pitching Overview
The biggest name of the night also has one of the best matchups when Clayton Kershaw ($10,200) takes on the Pirates. He's performed well since missing the start of the year with a shoulder injury, allowing four runs to go along with 13 strikeouts across 13 innings in his first two starts. His velocity is down slightly, but he has a 13.1 percent swinging strike rate and an incredibly low 9.7 percent line drive rate. The Pirates have scored the second-fewest runs (77) in baseball, making this a hard opportunity to pass up.
Noah Syndergaard ($9,200) has never finished with an ERA above 3.24 in his career, so don't panic about his 5.90 mark through his first five starts. A deeper dive shows he's pitching well. He has a 3.36 xFIP, has held hitters to a 15.2 percent line drive rate, his velocity has remained the same and he has a 27.6 percent strikeout rate. One of the main culprits for his inflated ERA is his .346 BABIP allowed. Even with all of those encouraging stats pointing to a rebound, this is a tough matchup against the Brewers, so it might be wise to keep him out of your lineup.
If you're looking for a possibly low-owned pitcher to take a chance on in tournament play, Mike Foltynewicz ($8,800) is an option. He's missed the first month with an elbow injury, but it could have been worse. One of the prizes of the Braves' organization, he was excellent last year with a 1.08 WHIP and a 27.2 percent strikeout rate. While a start against the Rockies might seem like a daunting task, they have a .587 OPS on the road compared to a .824 OPS at Coors Field. They experienced a similar split last year with a .665 OPS on the road and a .852 OPS at Coors Field.
Key Values/Chalk
The Diamondbacks lineup has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the season. Things looked bleak in the early going with them losing Jake Lamb (quadriceps) and Steven Souza Jr. (knee), but the emergence of Christian Walker and the signing of Adam Jones has helped make up for those injuries. They've hit so well that they've actually scored the third-most runs (149) in baseball. They have a great matchup against Yu Darvish, who has an ugly 1.72 WHIP and has allowed six home runs across 22.2 innings.
Staying in that same game, the Cubs also have a favorable opportunity to hang a crooked number on Zack Godley. After recording a 1.45 WHIP last year, he's been even worse this year with a 1.59 WHIP. He's not missing many bats with a 17.6 percent strikeout rate and a 10.6 percent swinging strike rate.
The Mets made significant moves to improve their lineup during the offseason, which have helped propel them to the ninth-most runs scored (130) and the seventh highest OBP (.342) in the league. They are an offense to seek out now, especially for Saturday's matchup against Brandon Woodruff. While his supporting numbers indicate he hasn't pitched nearly as poorly as his 5.81 ERA would lead you to believe, he's allowed way too many baserunners with a 1.48 WHIP.
Stacks
Diamondbacks vs. Darvish (Cubs)
David Peralta (OF- $4,600), Eduardo Escobar (3B- $4,400), Christian Walker (1B- $4,700)
Peralta is off to a great start with a .333 average and a .383 wOBA, although it should be noted that his BABIP is exceptionably high at .420. He finished with a robust .398 wOBA versus right-handed pitchers last year, so he's a great starting point for a Diamondbacks stack. Escobar would make for a great running mate since the switch-hitter recorded a .351 wOBA against right-handed pitchers last year. Walker adds plenty of pop to complete this trio with his .337 ISO. Not only has he held his own against right-handers, but he has a 199 wRC+ against them this year.
Cubs vs. Godley (Diamondbacks)
Javier Baez (SS- $5,500), Anthony Rizzo (1B - $4,600), Jason Heyward (OF- $4,700)
If you're stacking Cubs, Baez has to be included. He's one of the hottest hitters in the league, going 20-for-45 (.444) with five home runs and five doubles across his last 11 games. While Rizzo's .198 average might seem like a concern, he has an abnormally low .200 BABIP and has still managed to record a .330 wOBA. Heyward has experienced a resurgent year at the plate with a .419 wOBA that has been aided by a 17.6 percent walk rate, which is almost double his mark from last season. He's also making better contact with a 32.2 percent hard hit rate.
Mets vs. Woodruff (Brewers)
Michael Conforto (OF- $4,700), Robinson Cano (2B- $4,000), Jeff McNeil (OF- $4,100)
The Mets have a lot of talented left-handed hitters, which is key since Woodruff has allowed a career .352 wOBA to lefties. Conforto provides the highest upside on the team with his .272 ISO and .402 wOBA and is especially appealing because he won't destroy your budget. Cano is also a great cost-effective option who has broken out of his slow start by hitting 16-for-35 (.457) with a home run and five doubles over his last 10 games. McNeil is also swinging a hot bat by hitting 22-for-59 (.373) with a home run and five doubles over his last 15 contests.
Tigers vs. Reynaldo Lopez (White Sox)
Jeimer Candelario (3B - $3,600), Nicholas Castellanos (OF- $4,200), Miguel Cabrera (1B - $3,600)
Since the Tigers have scored the fifth-fewest runs (90) in baseball, they might not seem like a team worth stacking. However, just about everyone is in play when Lopez is on the mound. Don't let his 3.91 ERA last year fool you. He had a 5.22 xFIP and an unimpressive 18.9 percent strikeout rate to go along with it. He's been even worse this year with a 6.41 xFIP through his first five starts. Now hitting leadoff for the Tigers, Candelario has hit 13-for-43 (.302) with 10 runs scored across his last 11 games. Castellanos is off to a slow start, but he's homered in back-to-back games and is the most talented hitter in their lineup. Cabrera is a shell of the player that he once was, but he had a 10-game hitting streak that was snapped Thursday and is priced very cheap, so he's worth considering. He really shined in the Tigers' offensive outburst Friday, hitting 4-for-6 with his first homer of the year.
