This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Thursday's seven-game main slate features expensive pitchers in tough matchups, which may force prospective owners to settle for less accomplished hurlers in good situations. The upshot of this is that players should have more salary to invest in stacks against vulnerable arms.
Pitching Overview
Stephen Strasburg ($11,100) has had his share of rocky performances this season but the 31-year-old will always be a viable option on such a short slate thanks to the 30 percent strikeout rate and 50 percent groundball rate he has kept in 179 innings this year. He will have his hands full in a matchup against the Braves, who hold a top-10 wOBA against right-handed pitching and strike out just 23 percent of the time.
Jose Quintana ($10,500) is a solid, if unspectacular option based on stats but it's worth noting that he is just two games removed from a stretch of three consecutive outings that saw him net over 30 DraftKings points. The Brewers are a bottom-half team against southpaws according to wOBA and could be held in check by Quintana's penchant to throw grounders, as they have hit the ball on the ground at a 44 percent clip this year.
Kolby Allard ($7,700) isn't a very exciting prospect due to his historically mediocre strikeout rates but he keeps the ball in the yard and throws groundballs, which makes him a viable option for a matchup against the Orioles. Baltimore heads into the matchup having logged a bottom-10 wOBA and a 25 percent strikeout rate against left-handed pitching.
For those who want to look into the other dugout, John Means ($6,100) is always a sneaky low-cost option when he is at home due to the 2.88 ERA he has notched at Camden Yards in 72 innings this year. Meanwhile, the Rangers remain a bottom-10 team against southpaws in 2019 according to wOBA while striking out more than 26 percent of the time.
To put it simply, Dario Agrazal ($5,300) hasn't shown anything that would have us believe he is a DFS asset but he is worth a look against the Marlins as the cheapest hurler on the slate. Miami holds the dubious honor of having the lowest wOBA in the league against right-handed pitching (.283).
Key Values
Austin Meadows ($4,600) has been an unexpected powerhouse against right-handed pitchers in 2019, as evidenced by the .270 ISO he has logged in 307 at-bats. This makes him a key target against a pitcher like Trent Thornton, who has allowed a .500 slugging percentage to righty hitters in 2019.
After a down year in 2018, Jose Altuve ($4,500) appears to have clawed his way back this season. We can see this clearly in his numbers against left-handed pitching, as he currently holds a .389 ISO and .488 wOBA against his opposite hand in 95 at-bats. Marco Gonzales has gotten his share of positive results this year but still holds an xFIP approaching 5.00 against right-handed hitters.
Luis Arraez ($4,200) hasn't hit for big power in his time with the Twins but he is getting the job done against right-handers, as we can see from the .386 wOBA he has notched in 181 at-bats. Nathan Eovaldi just can't seem to get out of his own way in 2019. He will enter the matchup against one of the most prolific offensive teams in the league with a .589 slugging percentage allowed to lefty hitters in 20 frames.
Those who have written the Orioles off as a lost cause will have missed the emergence of Renato Nunez ($3,900), who has logged a .247 ISO and a .344 wOBA against southpaws in 174 at-bats. Allard has performed reasonably well against both sides of the platoon this year but there is still value in such a powerful hitter facing a relatively untested rookie at this price.
Stacks
Twins against Nathan Eovaldi (Red Sox)
Luis Arraez (2B/3B - $4,200) Jorge Polanco (SS- $4,800) Eddie Rosario (OF - $4,700)
The Red Sox tried to use Eovaldi as an opener and a closer before settling him back into the starting rotation, which is great news for DFS players. It may be a bit tough to find cheap options in a stack like this but we have identified enough cheap pitchers that prospective owners shouldn't have a problem fitting this stack in their lineups.
Cubs against Chase Anderson (Blue Jays)
Willson Contreras (C - $4,200) Jason Heyward (OF -$3,600) Nicholas Castellanos (OF - $4,500)
Anderson has struggled mightily against same-handed hitters this year but has kept an xFIP over 5.20 against both sides of the platoon, making him a perfect target for a powerful Cubs lineup.
