This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
The first Sunday of June is a robust slate of daytime baseball. For DraftKings, the main contest consists of nine games and first pitch is at 1:35 p.m. ET. I've got some recommendations to help you end your weekend on a high note.
Pitching
Kevin Gausman, TOR vs. MIN ($10,200): Gausman has now given up six walks and two home runs in 61 innings, so clearly he's fallen off a cliff. Or maybe not since he's posted a 1.57 FIP through 10 starts. The Twins' offense sits in the top half of the league and not having Max Kepler only hurts them so much, but that doesn't matter to me because Gausman has been so good.
Zac Gallen, ARI at PIT ($9,800): Gallen has taken the mound nine times this season, and he's only allowed more than two runs once. That's given him a 2.32 ERA. Now, he faces a Pirates team down in the bottom-five in runs scored after finishing last in 2021.
Framber Valdez, HOU at KC ($9,400): Valdez established himself in 2021 with a 3.14 ERA across 22 starts, but he's taking it to a new level this year with a 2.57 mark and a 2.02 over his last seven starts. The Royals, meanwhile, rank in the bottom-five in scoring.
Top Targets
Few players have ever produced over 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season, but Jose Ramirez ($6,000) has done it twice, including last year. He's already at 14 and seven in 2022 while batting .298. We're expecting Dean Kremer, who's been rehabbing in Triple-A, to start Sunday and he's posted a career 6.84 ERA.
The Giants are missing a lot of players right now, but Wilmer Flores ($5,700) is healthy. Since joining San Fran in 2020, he's hit .264 and slugged .462 and has crushed six home runs this year. Flores is also a righty in a lefty-heavy lineup, and will likely be facing the lefty Braxton Garrett called up from Triple-A and his career 5.18 ERA.
Bargain Bats
Speaking of power and speed, Cedric Mullins ($4,200) registered 30 homers and 30 stolen bases last season. While he's only gone yard five times in 2022, he's also swiped 11 bags. Mullins could get back on the power track against Zach Plesac, who's conceded a home run in each of his last six starts and has also allowed lefties to hit .297 against him in 2022.
Andrew Vaughn ($3,500) has hit .286 and slugged .476, and he particularly enjoys facing lefties with a .905 OPS through his career. Ryan Yarbrough is a southpaw, and he's at a 4.55 FIP after a 4.45 last season.
Stacks to Consider
Astros at Royals (Jonathan Heasley): Yordan Alvarez ($5,100), Kyle Tucker ($4,800), Michael Brantley ($4,000)
Heasley's career 4.76 ERA is poor, but it's practically sterling compared to his 6.29 FIP. His problem is that he's allowed 1.59 home runs per nine innings over his career. Since Heasley is a righty, I'm stacking three lefties from the Astros.
Alvarez is one of MLB's top power hitters having slugged .580 in his career with 15 home runs this season. Tucker has a .906 OPS against righties since 2020 alongside eight homers and nine steals this season after 30 and 14 last year. Brantley is a career .297 hitter, and doesn't show a lot of power overall but has slugged .493 against righties since 2020.
Diamondbacks at Pirates (Zach Thompson): Ketel Marte ($4,700), Daulton Varsho ($4,600), Josh Rojas ($4,200)
Swapping in and out of the bullpen for the Marlins last season, Thompson had a 3.68 FIP. This year, he's struggled in the Pirates' rotation with a 5.07 while giving up 1.58 home runs per nine innings. Being a starter isn't really working out for Thompson, but it could work out for this Diamondbacks stack.
Marte isn't hitting at his career .286 average, but has gone .339 the last three weeks. He's also maintained an .861 OPS on the road since 2020. Varsho, who you can slot in as catcher, has produced eight homers and three stolen bases after 11 and six last year. He's also been much better away from home with an .897 OPS. Rojas has missed time with injuries, but has slashed .288/.372/.438 when available. He also boasts a .948 OPS versus righties.
Reds vs. Nationals (Patrick Corbin): Tommy Pham ($5,400), Brandon Drury ($5,000), Tyler Stephenson ($3,800)
It's been another brutal year for Corbin. His ERA has risen every year with the Nationals, and it's currently at 6.96 with an 8.31 in his last four starts. The lefty has also allowed righties to hit .306 against since 2020, so I've listed three right-handed bats.
Pham has picked up six home runs and three stolen bases after 15 and 14 last season. He's also been better against lefties and at home this year. Drury has posted eight home runs and an .809 OPS against lefties since 2020. He's also recorded a .906 OPS at home in his first season as a Red. Stephenson is one of the better-hitting catchers in MLB slashing .284/.359/.437 during his career. He also boasts a lifetime .895 OPS at home.
