This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Buckle up for a wild ride in the majors Tuesday with 15 games on the schedule. It should be fun with key series including the Yankees hosting the Rays and the Red Sox facing the Twins. Let's try to add even more juice to the evening by winning some cash on PrizePicks. For those unfamiliar with the platform, it provides a unique spin on DFS in which you pick two, three or four players and predict if each will go over or under their projected fantasy score.
If this is your first time playing on PrizePicks, be sure to sign up using our promotional offer. New members who sign up and make their first deposit get a free 2-pick entry to win $25 and a 25% first deposit instant match. For the instant match promotion, the maximum deposit is $4,000 for $1,000 in Promo Money. If downloading the app, use promo code: WIRE.
Here are some players to target and avoid while creating your entry.
Players to Target
Bryce Harper vs. Patrick Corbin (Nationals): Under 9 FP: After getting off to a hot start with his new team, Corbin has hit a bit of a wall. He didn't face imposing lineups in the Reds, Padres and White Sox during his last three starts, but he was hammered for 20 runs (16 earned) across 12.2 innings. Even with those struggles, he's still done a great job of neutralizing left-handed hitters this season by holding them to a .240 wOBA. Harper is a mere 11-for-49 (.224) with one home run over his last 13 games, making the under a very appealing option.
Yordan Alvarez vs. Anthony DeSclafani (Reds): Over 9 FP: The Astros are dealing with several key injuries, which led to the team finally deciding to give Alvarez his shot in the majors. One of the top prospects in all of baseball, he's quickly shown why he is so highly touted by hitting 9-for-26 (.346) with four home runs across seven games. Tuesday's matchup against DeSclafani certainly leaves him with a favorable chance to keep things rolling, as the Reds starter has allowed a .401 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Add in the 14 home runs that DeSclafani has allowed in 65 innings and it wouldn't be surprising to see Alvarez go deep again here.
Joey Votto vs. Justin Verlander (Astros): Under 5.5 FP: Are we witnessing the demise of Votto? One of the toughest outs in the league during his prime, Votto has what would be a career-high 23 percent strikeout rate this season. His walk rate has fallen to 12 percent, which has attributed to his .321 wOBA. To put how bad that is into perspective, he has a .405 wOBA for his career. He did show some signs of life in May, but he's regressed again by going 5-for-22 (.227) with a 28.6 percent strikeout rate over his last seven games. Although this is a small number to hit, I'll take the under with the dominant Verlander on the mound.
Players to Avoid
J.A. Happ vs. Tampa Bay Rays: 31 FP: The Yankees have to be disappointed with Happ, who has a 4.66 ERA and an even worse 5.36 FIP through his first 14 starts. Not one to normally give up a lot of home runs, he's already allowed 17 in 75.1 innings. That makes him a very volatile option, but it should be noted that he's allowed three runs or fewer in five of his last seven starts. This could go either way based on the low fantasy projection, so it might be best to just avoid picking a side.
Ronald Acuna Jr. vs. Jacob deGrom (Mets): 7 FP: Look out, Acuna is heating up. He's currently in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak that has seen him hit 18-for-44 (.409) with four home runs and three doubles. With his recent power surge, he's lifted his ISO to .218 after recording a .259 ISO during his rookie campaign. Now he'll be faced with a tough opponent in deGrom who has a 1.13 WHIP and has allowed only 0.8 HR/9 for his career. This is a difficult matchup to call, making it a risk that isn't worth taking when you consider the other more appealing options that are available.
Pete Alonso vs. Julio Teheran (Braves): 7 FP: Teheran might not be a top-tier pitcher, but he enters this game with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Even though his 4.22 FIP isn't nearly as impressive, his ERA has generally outperformed his FIP over the course of his career. The most damning stat for Alonso when it comes to Teheran is that he's only allowed eight home runs across 83.1 innings. However, with Alonso's immense power, he has the potential to take even the stingiest of pitchers deep whenever he steps into the batter's box. It's hard to feel good about picking either side of this projection.
