This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Thursday is jam-packed with day games across baseball. The four games at night still have plenty of intrigue, though, including on the starting pitching side. Among the starters set to take the hill in those games are Lance Lynn, Jose Berrios, Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish. We also have the Chicago White Sox playing the New York Yankees in the Field of Dreams game in Iowa. DraftKings only has three games making up their main night slate, which doesn't exactly leave us with a ton of options. With that being said, here are some players to consider for your entries.
Pitchers
After a couple of rough outings in what were favorable matchups, Darvish ($9,500) bounced back in his last start, allowing two runs and recording 12 strikeouts against the Diamondbacks over seven innings. His strikeout rate now sits at 30 percent, which would mark his third straight season with a strikeout rate of at least 30 percent. He'll face the Diamondbacks again Thursday, so which again leaves him with significant upside.
Berrios ($8,800) has made two starts since being dealt to the Blue Jays, allowing one run and recording 13 strikeouts over 12 innings. For the season, he has a 3.23 ERA and a 3.54 FIP. He's on pace to set two new career-bests with his 25.8 percent strikeout rate and 1.03 WHIP. While trying to navigate Ohtani isn't easy, the rest of the Angels' lineup isn't overly impressive, especially with Mike Trout (calf) and Anthony Rendon (hip) sidelined.
German Marquez ($6,900) has been one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise underwhelming Rockies team. He's made 23 starts, posting a 3.42 ERA and a 3.30 FIP along the way. He's done a great job of keeping hitters inside the ball park, allowing 0.7 HR/9. A matchup here against the Giants isn't exactly easy considering they have the third-highest OPS in baseball. However, add his cheap salary to the limited number of options and Marquez could be worth taking a chance on.
Top Targets
The initial shock of not being dealt at the trade deadline hasn't impacted the performance of Trevor Story ($5,600). In fact, he is 15-for-39 (.417) with two home runs and six doubles since the deadline passed. He could stay hot in a matchup against Logan Webb ($7,400), who has allowed nine runs over 8.2 innings against the Rockies this season.
Another National League player who did switch teams at the deadline was Kris Bryant ($5,000). The move has paid immediate dividends for the Giants with Bryant hitting 12-for-39 (.308) with a home run and four doubles. If you don't take a chance on Marquez, then Bryant is someone to target on the hitting side.
Bargain Bats
With the Giants having such a productive offense, Bryant isn't the only hitter who could provide value if you want to stay away from Marquez. Brandon Crawford ($4,000) has a surprisingly cheap salary based on his .246 ISO and .378 wOBA. Brandon Belt ($3,900) has been swinging a hot bat since being activated from the IL, hitting 6-for-22 (.273) with four home runs and a double.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Shohei Ohtani ($8,200), Angels: George Springer ($5,500), Teoscar Hernandez ($4,900), Marcus Semien ($5,100)
Ohtani is certainly not an easy matchup for the Blue Jays given that he has a 2.93 ERA that is supported by a 3.27 FIP. However, with only three games, rolling with a stack from a lineup that has the highest OPS in baseball could pay off. Springer could be a key part of any Blue Jays stack given his 1.016 OPS across the 46 games that he has played this season. Hernandez is also an underrated member of their lineup with his 131 wRC+.
Padres vs. Taylor Widener ($8,100) Diamondbacks: Manny Machado ($5,800), Jake Cronenworth ($4,100), Trent Grisham ($4,100)
Widener has performed even worse than his 4.89 ERA would lead you to believe given his 5.81 FIP. He's allowed 2.2 HR/9, which is a recipe for disaster when you factor in his 1.43 WHIP. Even without Fernando Tatis Jr. (shoulder), the Padres could do plenty of damage in this game. That includes Machado, who enters with 21 home runs and a .367 wOBA.
