This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We're back to a near full slate of games after a limited number of options Monday due to the holiday. There are no aces on the mound, so it's much easier to spot hitting over pitching options, and it's also a good day to attack in the mid-tier of pitching.
Pitchers
It's not a great day to pay up at starting pitcher, so I'm willing to skip over the top few options in terms of price. Luis Garcia ($9,500) and Alex Wood ($9,200) provide a nice intersection of skill and matchup and are a good place to begin builds. Garcia matches up against the Royals, who rank in the bottom six in the league in wOBA. They don't strike out at a particularly high rate, so it may not be a ceiling game for Garcia but he should be a safe option for cash games. Wood pitches more to contact than Garcia, but he still owns a 3.58 SIERA for the season. Arizona is a comparable matchup to Royals, but they also strike out at a higher rate. If Garcia is the floor option, Wood provides a ceiling based on a matchup. His skills just present more risk than Garcia's.
Dropping down another tier or two brings us to another pair of intriguing pitchers in Yusei Kikuchi ($7,800) and Mitch White ($7,400). Kikuchi is a big risk. He's allowed 2.0 HR/9, the highest mark of any pitcher with a meaningful sample taking the mound Tuesday. On the other hand, he has the second-highest strikeout rate at 26.3 percent and also draws a matchup against the Athletics in a pitcher-friendly environment. White has a much more neutral profile – both in terms of strikeout rate (22.8 percent) and home runs (1.0 HR/9) – and will get the Rockies on the road.
Top Hitters
Cedric Mullins ($5,500) might be deemed a disappointment this season, but he's quietly picked it up of late. He's averaged 8.9 DK points while slugging .541 in his last 10 games. That's not predictive, but Spencer Howard has a career 7.36 ERA while also serving up 2.1 HR.9.
Ian Anderson has allowed four or more earned runs in six of his last eight starts, allowing 4.2 BB/9 and 1.3 HR.9 in that span. St. Louis hitters are attractive as a result, and Paul Goldschmidt ($5,300) has been a great player to build around all season.
Drew Hutchinson has mostly pitched in the minor leagues in recent seasons, but since 2016 he has a sample of 112.1 innings. During that time, he has just a 4 K-BB% while allowing 1.4 HR/9. The Guardians aren't a particularly powerful lineup, but Jose Ramirez ($4,900) is an obvious exception.
Value Hitters
Rafael Ortega ($3,200) occupies the leadoff spot in Chicago against right-handed pitching, and I like Chicago's chance to be productive Tuesday. Jason Alexander owns a 3.82 ERA but a 5.31 SIERA and 1.4 K-BB%.
Michael Harris ($3,200) hits at the bottom of the Atlanta order, but the length of the lineup lessens that concern. Andre Pallante has been a contact-heavy pitcher in his big-league sample and his history in the upper levels of the minors is similar. I expect Atlanta to be able to take advantage, with Harris offering an affordable way to get exposure to the lineup.
Austin Slater ($3,100) is a mainstay atop the Giants' order when a lefty is on the mound. Though not confirmed, Tommy Henry is expected to start for Arizona, which would first give the Giants' offense an exploitable matchup and second put Slater in the leadoff position.
Stacks to Consider
Cardinals at Braves (Ian Anderson): Tommy Edman ($4,600), Paul Goldschmidt ($5,300), Nolan Arenado ($5,200)
As has been highlighted, Anderson has struggled for most of the season. On top of that, Truist Park is the fifth-best run-scoring environment in the league. The Cardinals lineup, particularly at the top, is potent. Expect a lot of runs on both sides of this game.
Cubs at Brewers (Jason Alexander): Rafael Ortega ($3,200), Ian Happ ($4,100), Patrick Wisdom ($4,400)
Alexander allows the most contact of any pitcher taking the mound Tuesday. The Cubs aren't an elite lineup by any measure but they do offer an above-average wOBA and wRC+ on the season. American Family Field is also the eight-friendliest park for home runs this season, so some of that contact should have the chance to leave the yard. Alexander's combination of contact, walk rate and home run potential make the Cubs a strong and affordable target.
Blue Jays at Athletics (Adrian Martinez): Bo Bichette ($5,400), Vladimir Guerrero ($5,200), Teoscar Hernandez ($4,100)
Martinez owns the third-highest SIERA on the slate and faces the lineup with the highest wOBA in the league. The hitting environment at Oakland Coliseum is among the worst in the league, which is the primary drawback to the stack. The price points also create difficulty on a slate that doesn't offer great pitchers at lower price points.
