This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
With school out for summer in most areas of the country, we have seen MLB teams also transition to a summer schedule of their own. Specifically, start times have been pushed back to 7:05 pm ET, so we get a 14-game main slate to work with Tuesday. As will be covered in more detail, there's some curious pitcher pricing on DraftKings, which should open up some salary for hitters without sacrificing results. There aren't many standout hitting environments, though the Rangers-Angels matchup should have plenty of runs.
Pitchers
Corbin Burnes ($9,900) seems to have figured things out after panicking fantasy managers early in the season. He's posted 25.6 and 38.8 DK-point performances in two of his last three outings, with a 17.9-point performance on the other occasion. The Twins aren't necessarily a matchup to target when healthy, but they'll likely be without Byron Buxton (ribs) and Joey Gallo (hamstring). Jorge Polanco (hamstring) will definitely be absent. As the third-highest-priced pitcher, Burnes is a decent value despite the high price tag. Almost the same exact case can be made for Max Scherzer ($9,800) who will take on a beat-up Yankees lineup.
Another pair of intriguing pitchers check in at the $8,000 price point. Jack Flaherty ($8,000) is a tournament-only option given his volatility, but he'll be in his pitcher-friendly home park against a Giants' lineup that strikes out at a 25.5 percent clip –third highest in the league. Next is Joe Musgrove ($7,800). He's put up a minimum of 19.9 DK points across his last three starts and topped 22 points in each of the other two outings. At some point, his price will catch up, but in a matchup against the punchless Guardians he's an obvious play.
The punt option of the day is Jameson Taillon ($5,700). He measures out slightly below-average for the slate in both SIERA and K% but is still mispriced. He'll take on the Pirates, which also helps his case.
Top Hitters
Seiya Suzuki ($3,900) doesn't fit neatly into a top hitter or bargain bat, but he and the Cubs will take on Luis Ortiz. Nothing has gone right for Ortiz in his first few turns through the rotation, as he has just a 0.8 percent K-BB%, a 5.80 SIERA and he's serving up 1.6 HR/9.
Lance Lynn has gotten smacked around for 2.0 HR/9 and will be walking into a matchup against the Dodgers. That's not exactly a get-right spot, and Freddie Freeman ($6,300) tops the list of dangerous hitters in their lineup.
Bargain Bats
MJ Melendez ($3,000) has been disappointing this season, but he should be locked into the third lineup spot with Vinnie Pasquantino (shoulder) sidelined. He and the Royals will take on Brandon Williamson, who has served up a lot of homers (2.0) and walks (11.0 BB%) early on in his big-league career.
Chase Anderson is getting by with smoke and mirrors, but his .220 BABIP and 96 LOB% will both regress. Triston Casas ($2,600) has a .879 OPS across his last 10 games and is in a decent spot to pick up counting stats hitting sixth in Boston's order.
Stacks to Consider
Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals (Patrick Corbin): Mauricio Dubon ($3,500), Jose Altuve ($4,600), Kyle Tucker ($5,000)
The bad news is that Yordan Alvarez (oblique) is hurt, but the positive is that there is an opportunity to find value in the Astros' lineup now. Dubon has taken over as the leadoff hitter and isn't priced accordingly, while Jose Altuve has wasted no time getting up to speed after a delayed start to the season by posting 10.3 DK points in his last 10 games. Corbin had a stretch of competence early in the season, but he has a 4.70 SIERA and the third-lowest strikeout rate among pitchers taking the mound Tuesday.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Oakland Athletics (Hogan Harris) : Yandy Diaz ($5,000), Wander Franco ($5,900), Randy Arozarena ($5,700)
The Rays stack disappointed last night, and it was an expensive miss. We've got to turn right back to them however, as Harris has a miniscule 4.7 K-BB% and a matching 5.24 SIERA. That should be a matchup the Tampa Bay lineup can exploit. While the listed players are expensive, there will be value that pops up once the lineup is released thanks to the way the team rotates players. Luke Raley ($3,300) stands out as one strong potential option and Isaac Paredes ($4,200) is also reasonably priced.
