This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Baseball closes out the weekend with 15 games Sunday, 11 of which will make up the main afternoon slate on DraftKings. That leaves us with plenty of options to wade through, so let's get right down to business and highlight some of the better matchups to exploit.
Pitching Overview
Whenever Justin Verlander ($12,400) takes the mound, he's one of the top pitchers to consider in DFS. He's having yet another spectacular season, recording a 0.81 WHIP and a 34.1 percent strikeout rate. While Verlander has been bitten by the long ball, that hasn't stopped him from recording a 2.68 ERA. His 3.70 FIP isn't as spectacular, but it's hard to argue with his results. Facing a weak Orioles lineup leaves him with tremendous upside.
The A's look to continue their quest for a playoff berth against the White Sox, who have scored the third-fewest runs. That immediately brings Chris Bassitt ($9,100) into the discussion. The last time he faced the White Sox, he posted six strikeouts over six shutout innings. That wasn't Bassitt's only impressive outing lately, considering he's given up two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. His 22.4 percent strikeout rate isn't exciting, but he still warrants some consideration in tournament play.
Working our way even further down the price scale brings us to Jakob Junis ($7,900). He's been mediocre at best, with a 4.88 ERA and a 4.78 FIP. His 1.40 WHIP isn't helping his cause either. However, at this cheap price, Junis could be someone to take a chance on against the Tigers. Considering how much they struggle to score runs, it's no surprise he has allowed five runs and recorded 13 strikeouts over 13 innings against them this season. While not a safe option, Junis could still end up providing value.
Key Values/Chalk
Despite their laundry list of injuries, the Yankees continue to score in bunches. They'll look to keep things rolling against Trent Thornton, against whom they have scored nine runs over 8.1 innings so far this season. He's also been awful against a lot of other teams, allowing 28 runs over 26 innings over his last seven starts. With how hot Gio Urshela ($5,100) and Mike Tauchman ($5,200) are, expect to see them included in plenty of entries.
Staying in that same game, the Blue Jays possess the potential to provide a lot of offense against Masahiro Tanaka. He's been just as horrible as Thornton, allowing 36 runs over his last 31.2 innings with a 1.93 WHIP while giving up 2.6 HR/9. That's a recipe for disaster. Bo Bichette ($4,800) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($4,300) are two players to build a Blue Jays stack around.
Continuing our run on AL East lineups brings us to the Red Sox, who will step into the batter's box against Patrick Sandoval. He was actually impressive in his first big league appearance, giving up two runs and recording eight strikeouts over five innings against the Reds. However, he recorded a 4.99 FIP and a 1.97 WHIP at Triple-A, so he wasn't exactly lighting things up in the minors. Among the appealing players on the Red Sox is J.D. Martinez ($5,100) since he boasts a 241 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.
Stacks
Braves vs. Hector Noesi (Marlins)
Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF - $5,400), Freddie Freeman (1B - $5,500), Ozzie Albies (2B - $5,100)
After not appearing in a Major League game since 2015, Noesi made a start for the Marlins last week against the Mets. It didn't go well with him allowing five runs and two home runs over five innings. He'll remain in the rotation for another turn, leaving the Braves as arguably the most appealing stack of the afternoon. Albies is playing out of his mind right now, hitting .412 with four home runs, six doubles, three triples and three steals over his last 15 games.
Angels vs. Andrew Cashner (Red Sox)
Mike Trout (OF - $5,800), Shohei Ohtani (OF - $4,800), Justin Upton (OF - $4,000)
To say the acquisition of Cashner hasn't worked out well for the Red Sox would be an understatement. In the five starts since arriving, he's given up 26 runs - including 25 earned - over 28.2 innings. One of the main culprits for his struggles has been the 1.74 WHIP during that stretch. The Angels haven't exactly been lighting up the scoreboard lately, but this matchup might be too good to pass up. This trio carries plenty of power upside, leaving them with the potential for monster performances.
Astros vs. Asher Wojciechowski (Orioles)
Yordan Alvarez (OF - $5,700), Alex Bregman (3B/SS - $5,600), Jose Altuve (2B - $5,500)
After briefly providing some relief for the Orioles' staff with two strong outings, the wheels have come off again with Wojciechowski by allowing nine runs over 8.2 innings in his last two starts. He gave up five home runs in those two games, bringing his total allowed to 10 over just 38.2 innings. Alvarez could certainly do plenty of damage in that department. Bregman has started to heat up at the plate, hitting 15-for-30 with two home runs and seven doubles over his last eight games.
