This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
After a decent set of matchups Monday, we return to a full schedule Tuesday. Four games kick off prior to the main slate at 7:05 pm ET, so we have 11 games and 22 teams to work with. We don't have the same quality of pitching at the top of the price pool as compared to Monday, but there is a lot more depth and reliability as we move down in price range. That will likely lead to more traditional roster builds, with a more balanced split between pitching and hitting. With that, let's jump into our breakdown.
Pitchers
For those inclined to pay up for at least one pitcher slot, Spencer Strider ($10,400) is the primary option. Since the start of the 2022 campaign, he has managed a 38.6 percent strikeout rate, the highest among all pitchers on the slate by seven percentage points. The next question is whether he's worth his price point. He faces a tough-on-paper Padres lineup that has yet to hit its stride on the field. Atlanta has also been careful to limit his workload, as he's worked five innings twice and six innings once in three turns through the rotation.
Marcus Stroman ($8,800) has gotten off to a surprising start from a strikeout perspective, as he's struck out 20 across his first 18 innings. He also has both a 1.00 WHIP and ERA. While the ERA in particular isn't sustainable, he has a dream matchup against Oakland at the O.co Coliseum. That should give him a strong chance of pitching deep into the game and earning a win.
Logan Gilbert ($8,500) is in the same price tier as Stroman, and the duo has different things going for them. Gilbert has the superior strikeout rate to Stroman, but he faces a much more difficult matchup in the Brewers. Based on the latter point, I'd suspect Stroman gets played at a higher rate. If that's the case, Gilbert is a great choice in tournament builds.
Nathan Eovaldi ($7,800) is another tier down in terms of price, but he should get a lot of consideration as he ranks fifth on the slate in K-BB% (18.8%) since the start of the 2022 season, and he also draws a favorable matchup against the Royals. Drey Jameson ($7,100) isn't quite in punt territory, but he's the lowest-priced pitcher that I'd be willing to turn to in most builds. He's not fully stretched out at this point, but he should reach at least 70 pitches in a matchup against the Cardinals. Like San Diego, St. Louis has a strong lineup on paper but has yet to deliver results on the field. Jameson carries plenty of risk for those two reasons but also has plenty of upside thanks to his modest price.
Top Hitters
Josiah Gray has a home run problem, and that is particularly true when he takes on lefties. Across 236 career innings in the majors, he's allowed 2.0 HR/9 and a .386 wOBA to hitters from that side of the plate. There are a number of options to choose from among the Orioles lineup as a result, but Anthony Santander ($4,100) is both a nice value while providing the upside to be among the top plays on the slate.
In some ways, Chris Sale has gotten unlucky to start the season. On the other hand, he's serving up barrels at a 13.5 percent clip and has a hard-hit rate of 48.6 percent. The Twins have plenty of power bats to take advantage, with Byron Buxton ($5,000) being the standout option.
Value Bats
Carlos Santana ($3,400) consistently hits cleanup in the Pirates' lineup, which scored 13 runs on Monday to open a series at Coors Field. Considering his spot in the lineup, the hitter-friendly nature of the park and a matchup against Jose Urena, Santana is way too cheap. While not mentioned below, the Pirates are a strong but fairly obvious stacking option Tuesday.
Dominic Smith ($2,600) hasn't had a notable start to his tenure in D.C., but he's hit primarily second or third in the order in recent weeks. A matchup against Dean Kremer – who boasts the third-lowest K% and second-lowest K-BB% on the slate – makes Smith particularly appealing at his cost.
Stacks to Consider
Cubs vs. Athletics (Ken Waldichuk): Nico Hoerner ($4,400), Ian Happ ($5,100), Seiya Suzuki ($5,200)
Stacking against the Athletics pitching staff has been low-hanging fruit early on this season. I'm not overly eager to stacks the Cubs when they project to be chalky. However, their lineup was lengthened considerably by the return of Suzuki. The one through five hitters are all fairly strong, so there are different combinations to play. Aside from the options listed above, Cody Bellinger ($3,200) is extremely cheap and offers savings. With two poor pitchers taking the mound at Coors Field, we can hope that the Cubs go under-rostered.
Orioles vs. Nationals (Josiah Gray): Cedric Mullins ($5,500), Ryan Mountcastle ($4,700), Anthony Santander ($4,100)
As was noted, Gray has a poor track record of keeping the ball in the yard, and he also struggles to hold runners on the basepaths. The Orioles are more than capable of taking advantage of both factors, as they currently rank second in the league in stolen bases per game and sixth in home runs per game. Stacking left-handed hitters is a particularly viable option Tuesday, so you can also consider Adley Rutschman ($5,400), Adam Frazier ($2,900), and Gunnar Henderson ($3,800).
