This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
With the trade deadline coming Wednesday, it's important to keep your eye out for news when filling out your DraftKings entry Saturday. Things could change on a dime if a big deal goes through. Keeping that in mind, here are some players to consider for the main evening slate.
Pitching Overview
Simply put, Gerrit Cole ($12,000) has been a strikeout machine for the Astros. It's not even August and he already has 205 strikeouts; that's what a whopping 37.9 percent rate will do for you. He's also allowed two earned runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts, leaving him with some monster DFS performances. Add in the benefit of getting to face the pitcher against the Cardinals in St. Louis and Cole once again carries tremendous upside.
In terms of the most favorable matchups for this slate, it's hard to find a better one than Mike Clevinger ($11,400) against the Royals. The last time he faced them, he recorded nine strikeouts over six shutout innings. That actually began a four-start block that has seen him allow five runs and record 34 strikeouts over 24 innings. Now healthy for the stretch run, this represents a prime opportunity to add him to your entry.
The Mets appear to be sellers heading into the deadline after a disappointing season that started out with hopes of making the playoffs. They'll send Steven Matz ($6,900) to the mound for their matchup against the Pirates and he has underperformed with a 4.75 ERA and 5.20 FIP. Still, this might be the night to take a chance on him in tournament play since the Pirates possess the lowest wRC+ against left-handed pitchers in baseball at 72. This game will also be played at Citi Field, where Matz has compiled a 3.12 ERA and 3.53 FIP this season.
Key Values/Chalk
The Rockies have certainly had their issues hitting on the road, which is where they will be against Anthony DeSclafani and the Reds. However, they do boast a lot of talented left-handed hitters, which could be DeSclafani's downfall since he has allowed a .389 wOBA against lefties this season. Charlie Blackmon ($5,100), David Dahl ($4,300) and Daniel Murphy ($4,100) are three of the top choices to pursue if you're looking to attack this matchup.
Losing Joey Gallo (wrist) is a huge blow to a Rangers team that is already expected to be a seller at the deadline. Despite the big hole that Gallo leaves in their lineup, they are still worth considering against Homer Bailey. They had no troubles solving him the first two times they faced off, scoring 10 runs - including nine earned - across eight innings. Shin-Soo Choo ($4,300) should be a popular target when you also factor in his .397 wOBA against right-handed pitchers. Danny Santana ($5,300) could also do some damage considering his .372 wOBA against righties.
The Giants are one of the hottest teams in baseball, which means they may no longer be willing to trade away some of their key veterans. They'll send one of their youngsters in Shaun Anderson to the mound Saturday against the Padres. He's allowed a 1.46 WHIP to go along with a 15.1 percent strikeout rate through 13 starts, so he's certainly not an overpowering force. The Padres might not have the most electric lineup, but they do possess plenty of power hitters. Fernando Tatis Jr. ($5,400) is .323 with four home runs and two doubles over his last 14 games, so don't be surprised to see him included in a lot of entries.
Stacks
Twins vs. Ivan Nova (White Sox)
Nelson Cruz (OF - $5,600), Max Kepler (OF - $5,100), Jorge Polanco (SS - $4,800)
Nova cashed in a great matchup against the Marlins in his last start to allow one run and record five strikeouts over nine innings. Now he'll face one of the most potent lineups in the league in the Twins, so expect him to look much more like the pitcher who is sporting a 5.34 FIP. Cruz is riding one of his power streaks with eight home runs over his last seven games, making it hard to keep him out of any Twins stack. Kepler is also enjoying the best power season of his career with a .273 ISO.
Angels vs. Aaron Brooks (Orioles)
Mike Trout (OF - $5,700), Shohei Ohtani (OF - $4,800), Kole Calhoun (OF - $4,700)
Brooks is coming off of a shelling by the Diamondbacks that saw him give up six runs - including five earned - over 3.2 innings. With so few quality arms, the Orioles will be forced to throw him out there again versus Trout and the dangerous Angels' lineup. Ohtani comes in with a 140 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers, leaving him and Trout as a dangerous duo to pursue. Calhoun is a bit more cost effective, while also carrying significant upside with his .254 ISO.
Indians vs. Glenn Sparkman (Royals)
Francisco Lindor (SS - $5,300), Jose Ramirez (3B - $4,600), Jake Bauers (1B/OF - $3,300)
Lefties have recorded a .367 wOBA against Sparkman, which could prove troublesome in this matchup with the Indians. Lindor is having another impressive season with his .358 wOBA and Ramirez has turned around his campaign by hitting .345 with seven home runs and nine doubles over his last 20 games. Those two will deal a significant blow to your budget, so adding a cheaper player with some power like Bauers could let you spend more elsewhere.
