This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have another Sunday loaded with day games, nine of which will make up the main slate on DraftKings. Whether it be top-tier starting pitching or hitters with favorable matchups, there's plenty of appealing options depending on the strategy you choose to deploy. Let's discuss some options that stand out to consider for your lineup.
Pitching Overview
It usually isn't a bad idea to just start whoever is opposing the Marlins. That will be Noah Syndergaard ($10,400), who badly needs a strong outing. He's allowed at least four runs in six of his eight starts, which has left him with a 5.14 ERA. Maybe the most concerning stat is that he's allowed seven home runs across 49 innings. He allowed nine home runs over 154.1 innings all of last season. On the bright side, he has a 3.42 xFIP and a 26.2 percent strikeout rate. With how bad the Marlins have been, this is a great opportunity for him to shine. Rain is in the forecast, so be sure to monitor for updates leading up to first pitch.
Opposing Syndergaard will be Caleb Smith ($9,600), who has emerged as the ace of the Marlins. He has a 2.99 xFIP, a 0.89 WHIP and a 34.8 percent strikeout rate. The Mets lineup is loaded with left-handed hitters, so he could give them plenty of trouble. While it's hard to resist Syndergaard, Smith is an awfully appealing option at a slightly cheaper price.
One of the more pleasant surprises this year has been Martin Perez ($8,500), who looks like a new pitcher now that he's throwing a cutter more. His 4.40 xFIP still isn't great, but he has a 22.8 percent strikeout rate. Even though that might not seem like a high number, he only has a 14.4 percent strikeout rate for his career. He faces a Tigers team that has scored the third-fewest runs (129) in the league, so don't be surprised if he continues with his hot start.
Key Values/Chalk
The Astros have the highest OPS (.843) in baseball, so their hitters are going to be popular in DFS more often than not. That should be the case Sunday when the face Adrian Sampson and the Rangers. Sampson has bounced around from the rotation to the bullpen and struggled mightily along the way with a 5.62 xFIP. Combine that with his 15 percent strikeout rate and the Astros are set up to thrive.
With Jameson Taillon (elbow) and Chris Archer (thumb) on the shelf, the Pirates have been forced to move Steven Brault into their starting rotation. After recording a 5.02 xFIP last year, he's already allowed 10 runs across 12.2 innings. The Cardinals will be opposing him Sunday, so look for their hitters to be among the ownership leaderboard.
Staying in that same game, the Pirates lineup has a great opportunity to put up a crooked number against Dakota Hudson. Never one to miss many bats, Hudson has just a 17.5 percent strikeout rate to go with a 10.8 percent walk rate. While he did a great job of keeping hitters inside the ball park working his way up through the minors, he's already allowed nine home runs across 35 innings. This has the potential to be a high-scoring game on both sides.
Stacks
Astros vs. Adrian Sampson (Rangers)
Alex Bregman (3B- $5,100), Michael Brantley (OF - $5,500), Josh Reddick (OF- $3,900)
Bregman and Brantley certainly aren't cheap. However, it's hard to resist either of them based on how poorly Sampson has pitched. Bregman has provided plenty of power with his .265 ISO, which is even more impressive when you consider his 15.2 percent strikeout rate. Brantley has been just as impressive with a 168 wRC+ and a 10.4 percent strikeout rate. In order to help offset their hefty price tags, Reddick makes a lot of sense at his cheap price. He's finished with a wOBA of at least .356 against right-handed pitchers in four of the last five seasons.
Cardinals vs. Steven Brault (Pirates)
Paul Goldschmidt (1B - $4.300), Paul DeJong (SS - $5,000), Jose Martinez (OF - $4,200)
It's not often you see Goldschmidt priced this cheap, but he's off to a slow start. The good news is that he still has tons of power and has recorded seven hits across his last three games. He also has a career 165 wRC+ against lefties, so he could provide tremendous value. DeJong is in the midst of his best season of his career in large part because he's reduced his strikeout rate from 25.1 percent last year to 17.2 percent this season. While pricey, he too is a must for a Cardinals stack. Add in Martinez and his career 161 wRC+ against lefties and this could be an extremely productive trio.
Pirates vs. Dakota Hudson (Cardinals)
Josh Bell (1B - $5,000), Gregory Polanco (OF - $4,200), Adam Frazier (2B - $3,800)
In his brief major league career, Hudson has limited right-handed hitters to a .204 wOBA. However, lefties have destroyed him with a .462 wOBA. The switch-hitting Bell brings the power to this stack with his .321 ISO. Polanco is also swinging a hot bat, going 11-for-35 (.314) with two home runs and four doubles across his last seven games. Frazier doesn't provide much in the way of power, but he has at least one hit in 12 of his last 16 games.
Twins vs. Daniel Norris (Tigers)
Nelson Cruz (OF - $4,600), C.J. Cron (1B - $3,900), Byron Buxton (OF - $4,000)
Norris has a 1.45 WHIP for his career, so he's someone to attack more often than not. He certainly has a tough start ahead of him against a Twins team that has the second-highest OPS (.831). He also allowed eight home runs across just 44.1 innings last year, making the power duo of Cruz and Cron very appealing. Buxton hasn't exactly had a breakout offensive campaign yet, but he provides a ton of speed and has reduced has strikeout rate by over seven percentage points compared to his career mark.
