This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Tuesday's MLB schedule is a little weird. There are 15 games, 14 of which start at 7:00 PM ET or later. However, Atlanta and Miami have a game kicking off at 12:10 PM. You would be forgiven for wanting to skip that outing and just play a 14-game slate in the evening. Otherwise, you will have to get your lineup in early. Here are some recommendations…
PITCHER
Zack Wheeler, NYM vs. SDP (7,700$): Wheeler's numbers aren't great, but he does have a 3.79 FIP and a 8.89 K/9 rate. He's still only 28, and maybe he's found some of that form he had prior to his injury issues. The Padres are in the bottom four in runs scored, and they have a .298 OBP as a team, making them one of only two teams below .300.
GPP Fade: Frankie Montas, OAK at TEX ($7,000): Montas' superficial numbers look impressive, as he is 5-2 in eight starts with a 3.35 ERA. However, he's only struck out 5.59 batters per nine innings, which is a concern. He also had a 7.17 FIP last season. The Rangers are sixth in runs scored at home, and their ballpark is usually offensively friendly. That good for the Rangers, but bad for Montas.
Cheap GPP Consideration: Zack Wheeler, NYM vs. SDP ($7,700): Zimmermann has struggled with the Tigers, but this year he's finally turned it around. He has a 3.44 FIP and has struck out 8.71 batters per nine innings. The Royals, meanwhile, are last in runs scored, and their .667 OPS is second worst in the majors.
CATCHER
Tucker Barnhart, CIN vs. STL ($3,200): Tucker's overall numbers are down a smidge this year, but he's been fine against lefties (.858 OPS) and at home (.735 OPS). Well, this game is at home, and it will be against a team starting a lefty. Austin Gomber will be making his first career MLB start. He's pitched 15 games of relief this season, and in that time he has a 4.80 FIP.
FIRST BASE
Paul Goldschmidt, ARI at CHC ($4,400): Goldschmidt has a career slash line of .296/.397/.530, and his numbers this year are roughly in line with that. On the road, though, he's been as good as ever, as he has a 1.046 OPS away from home. While Kyle Hendricks was great in 2016, in 2018 he has a 4.66 FIP and has allowed 1.41 homers per nine innings. Goldschmidt certainly has the home-run power to take advantage of that.
SECOND BASE
Rougned Odor, TEX vs. OAK ($4,400): Odor has been playing some of the best baseball of his career recently, as he has a .317/.388/.545 slash line over his last 30 games with six homers. Frankie Montas' 3.55 FIP is perfectly respectable, but the Rangers have an offense-friendly ballpark. Additionally, he's allowed 1.23 homers per nine innings in his career.
THIRD BASE
Travis Shaw, MIL vs. WAS ($4,300): Shaw has to protected against lefties, but he has no issues with righties. He has an .895 OPS against right handers this year, after having an .892 OPS last season. Furthermore, all 18 of his home runs this year have come against righties. Jeremy Hellickson is right handed, and he's given up 1.28 homers per nine innings in his career.
SHORTSTOP
Marcus Semien, OAK at TEX ($4,300): Semien has had double-digit homers and steals in each of his last three seasons, and in 2016 he hit 27 dingers. His power is down this year, but there is still time for him to turn it around. Texas has a good ballpark for trying to hit homers, and Mike Minor is a good pitcher to try and take advantage of. He's back as a starter for the first time since 2014, and he has a 4.89 ERA. Minor has also given up 1.45 homers per nine innings.
OUTFIELD
Giancarlo Stanton, NYY at TAM ($4,700): Stanton has made us pretty much forget all about his slow start to the season. He's slashed .285/.353/.521 with 23 homers, putting him on pace to cross the 40-homer mark for the second year in a row. Blake Snell, who was scheduled to start Tuesday, has hit the disabled list, throwing the Rays' rotation into disarray. It's possible Chih-Wei Hu will start in his stead. Whoever it is, they won't be nearly on Snell's level.
Kyle Schwarber, CHC vs. ARI ($4,400): Keep Schwarber away from lefties, and he'll rake with gusto. He has a .909 OPS against righties this season with 19 homers. Schwarber also hits better at home than on the road. Clay Buccholz, who is right handed, will be making his first start since coming off the disabled list. He has a 3.56 FIP, and the last time he pitched a full season he had a 5.12 FIP.
Nicholas Castellanos, DET at KAN ($4,200): Castellanos has been a formidable hitter since 2016, but this season he's taken it to another level. He has a .301/.354/.508 slash line, and all of those numbers are career highs. The 28-year-old Burch Smith has pitched in 26 games this season, two of which have been starts. In that time he has a 5.47 FIP, in line with his career FIP of 5.52.
