This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
It won't be the busiest of nights Thursday with seven games making up the main slate on DraftKings. Still, there are a couple of star pitchers set to take the mound, as well as some lineups that could score in bunches. Let's highlight some players to consider while building your lineups.
Pitchers
Corbin Burnes ($9,200) facing off against the Pirates should be a favorable matchup to exploit. He's been among the best pitchers in baseball, posting a 2.53 ERA and an even better 1.18 FIP. Meanwhile, the Pirates have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball. Burnes did struggle against them previously, though, allowing four runs (three earned) across four innings. On the bright side, he still had eight strikeouts. Even with that start in mind, Burnes is an extremely appealing option.
With the trade deadline on the horizon, the Diamondbacks figure to be one of the sellers on the market. Their lineup has been a disaster, posting the sixth-worst OPS in baseball. That makes them a team to try and exploit in DFS. In this case, it's might mean taking a chance on Johnny Cueto ($7,300), who has pitched well, in his own right, with a 3.63 ERA and 3.79 FIP this season.
Ian Anderson ($7,100) has shown why he was so highly thought of while coming up through the Braves' organization, posting a 3.42 ERA and a 3.22 FIP this season. He's done an excellent job of keeping hitters inside the ball park, allowing 0.8 HR/9. Add in his 26.1 percent strikeout rate and he's someone to consider against the Mets, who have scored three or fewer runs in five of their last seven games.
Top Targets
Kyle Schwarber ($5,500) is on a heater for the ages. Over his last 19 games, he's 24-for-73 (.329) with 16 home runs. With that kind of production, he could be a top target for his matchup against Tony Gonsolin ($8,800), who has a 1.54 WHOP through his first four starts.
Patrick Corbin ($8,100) has pitched better of late, logging at least six innings and allowing three or fewer runs in each of his last three starts. However, he didn't exactly face potent lineups in the Pirates, Mets and Marlins. This will be a much tougher task for him against the Dodgers, who lit him up for six runs across 4.1 innings earlier this season. This could be a prime opportunity to deploy Justin Turner ($5,300), who has a .417 wOBA against left-handed pitchers since the start of the 2017 season.
Bargain Bats
Strikeout issues have hampered the career of Keston Hiura ($3,200), forcing the Brewers to send him for more development at Triple-A. However, they need him to play now with Daniel Vogelbach (hamstring) on the IL. Since Vogelbach went down, Hiura is 7-for-23 (.304) with three home runs and a double. His strikeout rate still hasn't been great, but it was a more manageable 28.6 percent during that stretch. With his power, he's an intriguing option against Wil Crowe ($5,600), who has allowed 2.2 HR/9.
Steven Duggar ($3,300) has been a pleasant surprise for the Giants this season, recording a .243 ISO and a .404 wOBA. There are plenty of red flags, though, including his 32.7 percent strikeout rate and his favorable luck leading to a .463 BABIP. While regression is likely coming for him, he's still an appealing target for his matchup against Merrill Kelly ($6,300). Strikeouts might not be an issue for Duggar in this contest given that Kelly only has a 20.9 percent strikeout rate for his career.
Stacks to Consider
Rockies vs. Adam Wainwright ($8,400), Cardinals: Trevor Story ($5,900), Ryan McMahon ($4,900), Raimel Tapia ($4,300)
Wainwright has pitched well for the Cardinals this season, recording a 3.91 FIP and a 1.12 WHIP. He hasn't pitched well on the road, though, posting a 5.25 FIP and a 1.52 WHIP over five starts. This is a tough spot for him not only on the road, but at Coors Field. Even though Story is off to a disappointing start with his .334 wOBA, he's still one of the most dangerous hitters in the Rockies' lineup, making him an appealing option to build a Rockies stack around.
Cardinals vs. Antonio Senzatela ($5,100), Rockies: Nolan Arenado ($5,500), Tyler O'Neill ($4,000), Dylan Carlson ($3,800)
Senzatela is lucky to even have a 4.76 ERA when you consider his 1.44 WHIP. On the bright side, he's only allowed 0.9 HR/9, which is impressive given where he has to pitch his home games. Still, with his WHIP and this limited schedule, the Cardinals should be a popular team to stack. That includes Arenado, who feasted at Coors Field during his tenure with the Rockies. He's continued to hit for power with the Cardinals, posting a .247 ISO during his first season in St. Louis.
Astros vs. J.C. Mejia ($4,900), Indians: Yordan Alvarez ($5,200), Michael Brantley ($3,900), Kyle Tucker ($3,700)
Mejia was impressive in his last start, holding the Twins to two runs over six innings. Prior to that, he had allowed six runs over five innings against the lowly Pirates. It's going to be difficult for him to string together a couple of productive starts given that this outing will come against an Astros team that has the highest OPS in baseball. One of the hitters who could give him trouble is Brantley, who is 34-for-83 (.410) with a home run and eight doubles over his last 20 games.
