This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
There are several top-tier pitchers scheduled to take the mound Tuesday, which could make for an interesting slate. Kevin Gausman will start for the Giants against the Padres, who are trying to stay alive in the NL Wild Card hunt. Brandon Woodruff will battle the Cardinals, who are also fighting to make their way into the playoffs. Julio Urias will be looking to continue his quest for 20 wins, but he doesn't exactly have the easiest of matchups considering he will be pitching at Coors Field. With all of that in mind, here are some pitchers and hitters to consider on DraftKings.
Pitchers
It's not difficult to make a case for deploying Woodruff ($10,400) in DFS whenever he takes the mound. He's been one of the main reasons why the Brewers have had such a successful season, recording a 2.55 ERA that is supported by a 2.98 FIP. His strikeout rate checks in at 29.6 percent and his 0.96 WHIP is on pace to be the best mark of his career. The Cardinals did score six runs against him the last time they met, but Woodruff has the potential to have significantly more success this time around.
Jordan Montgomery ($8,300) mowed down the Orioles in his last start, allowing one run and recording 12 strikeouts over 5.2 innings. He's allowed one or no runs in seven of his last nine starts and has been one of the more reliable members of the Yankees' rotation. Up next is a favorable matchup against the Rangers, who have the lowest OPS in baseball.
Marco Gonzales ($8,100) hasn't been as good as his 4.05 ERA would lead you to believe considering his 5.32 FIP. He's allowed 1.9 HR/9, so things could be much worse if not for his 1.21 WHIP. With that being said, he could be still be worth considering in tournament play for a game at the A's pitcher-friendly home park. Also, he's faced the A's three times this season, allowing six runs over 15.2 innings.
Top Targets
It was going to be difficult for Freddie Freeman ($5,400) to replicate the paces that he was on during the shortened 2020 season. Still, it's difficult to complain about a guy who has 30 home runs to go along with a .380 wOBA. He's also scored 111 runs in a potent Braves lineup, marking the third time in his career that he has crossed the plate at least 100 times. He'll try to keep rolling in a matchup against Luke Weaver ($7,800), who has held righties to a .312 wOBA over his career, but lefties have a .343 wOBA against him.
Aaron Judge ($5,100) is trying to keep the Yankees afloat in the playoff race. He had two more hits and an RBI on Monday and he now has five home runs and 11 RBI over his last 13 games. Another productive night could be in the cards against Dane Dunning ($7,000), who has a 1.43 WHIP.
Bargain Bats
While the Orioles have very few quality pitching options, they do have some productive hitters in their lineup. One of them has been Austin Hays ($3,200), who is 30-for-92 (.326) with eight home runs and four doubles over his last 24 games. With the Phillies expected to go with a bullpen game for their matchup against the Orioles, Hays has the potential to provide value.
Speaking of hot hitters, Eddie Rosario ($2,900) has woken up at the right time for the Braves. He's been a regular in their starting lineup lately, hitting 11-for-25 (.440) with four home runs over the last seven games.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Packy Naughton ($5,300), Angels: Jose Altuve ($5,600), Alex Bregman ($4,200), Yuli Gurriel ($4,100)
Naughton was roughed up in his last outing against the White Sox, allowing four runs across 2.2 innings. He has a 1.62 WHIP across 16.2 innings with the Angels after posting a 1.46 WHIP at Triple-A, which isn't exactly a recipe for success. This could be an opportune time to roll with an Astros stack with Bregman being among their more appealing options. For his career, he has a .413 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
Phillies vs. Chris Ellis ($7,200), Orioles: Bryce Harper ($6,000), Odubel Herrera ($3,600), Brad Miller ($3,300)
The Orioles pitching staff is so bad that it's not crazy to stack against them, regardless of who is on the mound on any given night. Ellis is scheduled to either start or pitch the bulk of the innings in relief Tuesday after spending most of this season at Triple-A. He had home run issues there, allowing 14 of them across 57 innings. That could be his downfall against Harper, who has a .309 ISO to go along with his 172 wRC+.
Cubs vs. Griffin Jax ($6,400), Twins: Frank Schwindel ($3,600), Rafael Ortega ($3,300), Ian Happ ($3,400)
This season has marked Jax's first in the majors and his career is off to an inauspicious start. His 6.35 FIP is nearly as bad as his 6.65 ERA, although his WHIP isn't exactly awful at 1.39. His problem has been the long ball with him giving up 19 home runs over 69 innings. Schwindel and Happ both bring significant power to the plate, posting a .298 ISO and a .209 ISO, respectively.
