This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
With a heavy dose of day games across baseball Thursday, there are only four games left for the main evening slate on DraftKings. That doesn't leave us with a ton of options to choose from, but with money to be won, let's dive into the best players to target.
Pitchers
Sandy Alcantara ($9,300) registered a 3.00 ERA last season, so his 4.06 ERA through nine starts is a bit of a disappointment. However, his FIPs are nearly identical at 3.72 and 3.78, respectively. He normally does a good job keeping hitters inside the ball park, which he's done again by allowing only 1.1 HR/9. On top of that, he's followed up his 1.19 WHIP in 2020 with a 1.16 WHIP this season. Add in a matchup against a Phillies team that has the fourth-most strikeouts in baseball and Alcantara could be a popular option.
After never having won more than eight games in a season, Nick Pivetta ($9,600) has stormed out of the gate with five wins in eight starts for the Red Sox. Control has still been an issue for him given his 12.8 percent walk rate, but his biggest improvement has been keeping hitters inside the ball park. He's allowed 1.5 HR/9 for his career, but has been able to limit hitters to three home runs across his first 42.2 innings. Although facing the Blue Jays is no easy task, Pivetta has to at least be considered when you combine his hot start with a limited set of options that comes with a four-game slate.
Feeling lucky? If you want to save some of your budget and take a chance on a pitcher with a cheaper salary in tournament play, then Drew Smyly ($8,400) might be your man. There hasn't been much to like about his start to the season since he has a 5.23 ERA and a 6.49 FIP across five starts. However, he'll be facing a Pirates team that has the second-worst OPS in baseball.
Top Targets
Steven Matz ($9,000) came out of the gate firing, allowing three runs across 18.1 innings in his first three starts. However, it's been downhill for him since, allowing 17 runs across 23.2 innings in his last five outings. His WHIP was 1.65 during that stretch, which is concerning given that he had a 1.70 WHIP last season. If he can't get that number under control, he could be in trouble against the duo of J.D. Martinez ($5,500) and Xander Bogaerts ($5,700). They both hit left-handed pitchers well, posting careers wOBAs of .403 and .371 against them, respectively.
Bargain Bats
Vince Velasquez ($7,500) has a 3.68 ERA across his first eight appearances, but don't get too excited just yet. His FIP checks in at 5.66 and his WHIP is still a problem at 1.40. That makes him a pitcher to attack on a limited slate, despite him facing an underwhelming lineup in the Marlins. Two players with cheaper salaries to consider are Garrett Cooper ($3,400) and Adam Duvall ($3,900). Velasquez has also allowed 1.5 HR/9 for his career, which makes the powerful Duvall an appealing option.
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers vs. Merrill Kelly ($8,800), Diamondbacks: Mookie Betts ($5,600), Max Muncy ($4,900), Gavin Lux ($3,600)
Kelly was originally scheduled to start Wednesday, but the Diamondbacks decided to give him an extra day of rest. It's important to note that this game is being played on the road. In his five road outings, he's allowed 20 earned runs over 26.2 innings. At home, he's allowed just six runs across 18 innings. That continues a career trend in which he has a 5.34 FIP and a 1.42 WHIP on the road, compared to a 3.50 FIP and a 1.17 WHIP at home. Although Lux's overall numbers might not look great to start the season, he's come out of an early slump by hitting 19-for-55 (.344) with two home runs and three doubles over his last 15 games.
Braves vs. Wil Crowe ($6,200), Pirates: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($6,100), Freddie Freeman ($5,200), Marcell Ozuna ($4,600)
A former second-round pick in the 2017 Draft, Crowe doesn't have much experience above Double-A. He struggled during his brief stay at Triple-A in 2019, posting a 6.17 ERA and a 5.46 FIP. Across his first eight appearances in the majors, he has an equally poor 6.52 ERA and 6.74 FIP. That could spell disaster against a Braves team that has the ninth-best OPS in the majors. Freeman is off to a slow start with a .227 batting average, some of which can be attributed to his unlucky .202 BABIP. He's at least still hitting for power, though, posting a .253 ISO.
