This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
After a long holiday weekend, there are no games with early start times Tuesday. That means we have 14 games to wade through on DraftKings. Let's try to help narrow down the field by highlighting some of the top players to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
Framber Valdez ($9,500) has been absolutely locked in since being activated from the IL. After being eased in with a four-inning outing in his season debut, he's thrown a least six innings and allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last six starts. In fact, he threw at least seven innings in five of those outings. This could be another favorable situation for him facing the A's in Oakland given that the A's only have a .694 OPS in their pitcher-friendly home park.
The Diamondbacks' starting rotation has been riddled with injuries, so they have to be ecstatic that Merrill Kelly ($9,200) has been able to make 17 starts, even though his ERA isn't great at 4.67. His FIP has been better at 4.02 and his 6.7 percent barrel rate allowed is on pace to be the lowest mark of his career. There are two factors working in his favor Tuesday. First, he'll be facing a Rockies team that only has a .566 OPS on the road. Second, Kelly has a career 3.48 FIP and 1.16 WHIP at home, compared to a 5.14 FIP and a 1.38 WHIP on the road.
The Cardinals have been a team to attack in DFS given that they have the third-worst OPS in baseball. Facing them Tuesday will be Johnny Cueto ($7,700), who has had a respectable season with a 4.00 ERA and a 4.06 FIP. He's done a great job of keeping hitters off base at home, posting a 1.01 WHIP across seven starts there. Add in his cheap salary and he has the potential to provide value.
Top Targets
After five productive starts to begin the season, the wheels have come off for Jake Arrieta ($7,900). Across his last 11 starts, he has a 7.46 ERA and a 1.81 WHIP. His inability to keep hitters off base isn't a major surprise given that he's coming off of back-to-back seasons with a WHIP of at least 1.47. This could lead to a productive night for Bryce Harper ($5,000), who has a career .380 wOBA.
With Kris Bubic ($5,600) set to start for the Royals in their matchup against the Reds, Nick Castellanos ($5,700) could be a great target. For his career, Bubic has a 1.50 WHIP and has allowed 1.8 HR/9. Castellanos is as dangerous as they come, pacing the Reds this season with a 161 wRC+.
Bargain Bats
Going back to the Phillies matchup against Arrieta, Andrew McCutchen ($3,500) is someone to consider at a cheaper salary. Despite his poor batting average, he still has a .354 OBP and 13 home runs. His average could be better, too, if not for his .262 BABIP that is nearly 60 points lower than his career mark.
After a dreadful start to the season, Ryan Mountcastle ($3,900) has bounced back to hit 40-for-134 (.299) with 11 home runs and five doubles over his last 36 games. In general, he's performed well against left-handed pitching this season with a .357 wOBA against them. That makes him a viable target for his matchup with Steven Matz ($7,800), who has a bloated 1.57 WHIP over his last 10 starts.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. TBD, Orioles: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($6,200), Marcus Semien ($5,600), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($4,200)
As of early Tuesday morning, the Orioles had yet to officially name a starter for this game. They could roll with Matt Harvey ($5,200) or Dean Kremer ($5,800) if they want to go the traditional route. There's also the possibility that this is a bullpen game for them. Either way, the Blue Jays could feast against any of their lackluster options. Semien has proven to be a key offseason addition, posting a .256 ISO and a .379 wOBA.
Padres vs. Patrick Corbin ($8,000), Nationals: Fernando Tatis Jr. ($6,200), Manny Machado ($5,700), Tommy Pham ($4,500)
While he hasn't officially been named the starter as of early Tuesday morning, Corbin is lined up to be able to start. It could be a disastrous matchup for him if he does take the mound since he has allowed 17 home runs across 87.1 innings. That stat is even more troublesome when you consider that he has a 1.40 WHIP. He's also seen his strikeout rate plummet to what would be a career-low 18.6 percent. If Corbin doesn't start, we could be looking at a bullpen game for the Nationals. If there was ever a night to pay up for Tatis' hefty salary, this might be it. Machado has started to turn things around after a slow start, hitting 24-for-72 (.333) with seven home runs and four doubles over his last 21 games.
Rangers vs. Jose Urena ($5,400), Tigers: Adolis Garcia ($4,400), Nate Lowe ($4,200), Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($4,500)
It's been a struggle for Urena, who has allowed at least four runs in each of his last four starts. During that stretch, he's actually allowed 25 runs (22 earned) across just 13 innings. His 1.66 WHIP and lackluster 14.1 percent strikeout rate don't really leave him with many encouraging signs for turning things around, either. Garcia has turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Rangers, posting a .253 ISO and a .350 wOBA.
