This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We're back to a nearly full slate Tuesday. Three games kick off at 6:40 pm ET, leaving us with a 12-game main slate to work with. The pitching options are deep, with a number of aces or near aces taking the mound – some of which are woefully underpriced. A few offensive environments stand out, including the Rockies-Nationals matchup at Nationals Park as well Boston-Atlanta at Fenway Park.
Pitchers
Blake Snell's ($10,000) prolific run came to a close in his last outing, but he has the chance to quickly return to form against the Pirates. Notwithstanding Pittsburgh's surprising offensive performance Monday, they've been one of the poorest lineups in the league this season (.305 wOBA, 89 wRC+).
Corbin Burnes ($9,200) certainly looks to be back, but we wouldn't know that from his price. He has posted 40.5 and 39.6 DK points his last two times taking the mound, yet his price has risen only $800 and remains the sixth-highest-priced pitcher. A matchup against the Reds is not easy, but Burnes is capable of excelling against any squad.
We can jump down another tier of pricing after that to George Kirby ($8,700). He has a mediocre 21.7 percent strikeout rate, but otherwise boasts strong skills. It could be a day for him to out-pace his typical strikeout totals, as the Twins punch out at the highest clip in the league.
There is some risk thereafter based on both pitcher skill and matchup, but Aaron Civale ($7,200) is worth considering. His cost has dipped gently and he steps into a matchup against the Royals, one of the least imposing teams in the league from an ISO and wOBA perspective. We can make the same case for Alex Cobb ($7,600), but his recent track record is inferior to Civale and his price higher.
For the punt plays, Kyle Hendricks ($6,800) against the White Sox is a good cash game option. In tournaments, Steven Matz ($6,300) is a strong choice in pitcher-friendly Chase Field against the Diamondbacks.
Top Hitters
Wilmer Flores ($3,400) is perhaps a better fit as a value bat based on price, but he's been performing as a top hitter in recent weeks. Always proficient against lefties, Flores will draw Ken Waldichuk in a matchup, who has given up 1.8 HR/9 and has a 5.12 SIERA.
Cody Bellinger ($4,600) hasn't quite turned the clock back to his MVP form, but he has quietly had an excellent season. Meanwhile, Michael Kopech has allowed at least one home run in four consecutive starts and has otherwise turned in unconvincing performances of late.
Value Bats
The Nationals let us down a bit Monday, but it's time to go right back to the matchup as Austin Gomber has the lowest strikeout rate of all available pitchers while also giving up the most home runs. Because he's a lefty, there's also an opportunity to lock in value with Stone Garrett ($2,700), who plays in a short-side platoon role and has maintained a .359 wOBA against southpaws on the season.
We'll flip to the other side of the matchup to Randal Grichuk ($3,200). Perhaps he wants out of Colorado, because he's been on fire of late and now gets the benefit of a good home run environment and a matchup against Trevor Williams – who has been nearly as poor as Gomber (17 K%, 1.7 HR/9).
Stacks to Consider
Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox (Michael Kopech): Nico Hoerner ($4,800), Cody Bellinger ($4,600), Ian Happ ($3,400)
All the key things we look for in a matchup to stack against are present here, as Kopech surrenders a multitude of homers and has a bloated 14.1 percent walk rate. He does have a relatively impressive 25.3 percent strikeout rate, which is the one drawback to rostering several Cubs. On the other hand, we can get decent value through the middle of the order with no one priced above $5,000. In addition, Seiya Suzuki is worth considering at $3,200. This could be a secondary stack to a more traditional stacking option such as the Rangers or Padres.
San Francisco Giants vs. Oakland Athletics (Ken Waldichuk): Austin Slater ($3,500), Wilmer Flores ($3,400), J.D. Davis ($4,200)
The reasons for stacking the Giants against Waldichuk have mostly been covered, but we can also add a 12.9 percent walk rate to the list. His K% (20.5) is also much more average than that of Kopech. The Giants are always a solid option to consider because they optimize their lineup based on every matchup, which helps them outperform their individual talent on paper and their DK salaries. As a result, this is another stack that is incredibly cheap and can be a secondary option to one of the teams listed above.
