Every day is unique for daily fantasy baseball, which is both a blessing and a challenge. Although we can’t simply plug and play our favorite studs day in and day out, each slate presents us with a chance for a new gem to vault us up the leaderboards.
Through the use of numberFire’s tools, we can better identify the players primed to succeed each day, making the process of filling out a lineup just that much easier. In addition to our custom optimal lineups, you can check out our batting and pitching heat maps, which show the pieces in the best spot to succeed on that slate. Put on the finishing touches with our games and lineups page to see who's hitting where and what the weather looks like, and you'll have yourself a snazzy looking team to put up some big point totals.
Which names stand out for today on the DraftKings main slate? Let’s check it out, starting with the pitchers.
Pitchers to Target
High-Priced Pitcher
Max Scherzer ($12,400 on DraftKings): Sometimes you get arguably the best pitcher on the slate in arguably the best matchup on the slate, and you just have to roll with it. Max Scherzer is expensive, no doubt, but his 33.8 percent strikeout rate is second to only Gerrit Cole on tonight's slate. In addition, he is sporting an elite 3.02 xFIP. His matchup makes him even more intriguing as he takes on a Miami Marlins team that is striking out at a 24.8 percent clip against right-handed pitching while producing a 29th-ranked .284 wOBA in this split.
Madison Bumgarner ($8,200): Former ace Madison Bumgarner has settled into a much cheaper price range than we are used to. He is still producing a good-not-great 23.0 percent strikeout rate, but his 47.0 percent hard-hit rate is second-worst on the slate. He is a very boom-or-bust player in this matchup as he takes on a Colorado Rockies team that is striking out at a 25.3 percent rate against left-handed pitching -- seventh-most in the Majors. However, in the same breath, the Rox have crushed lefties with their seventh ranked .342 wOBA.
Value Pitcher
Tyler Mahle ($7,200): This is a bit of a tough one, to be honest. On one hand, the Los Angeles Angels' numbers against right-handed pitchers have been pretty elite. They have a league-low 17.3 percent strikeout rate and a seventh-best .335 wOBA against righties. However, on the other hand, Tyler Mahle has been pretty darn good this year. He has a 24.8 percent strikeout rate and a 5.6 percent walk rate. His 3.75 xFIP is among the top-third of all pitchers on the slate, and you can get it at a bargain price.
Hitters to Target
High-Priced Hitters
Fernando Tatis Jr. ($5,700): This price is probably inflated a little bit too much, but you cannot argue with what Fernando Tatis has done in the Majors. He is hitting .323 with 8 home runs this season, averaging 10.2 DraftKings points per game. He has been dominant in limited plate appearances (31) against left-handed pitching. That is what he can expect today, when Baltimore Orioles southpaw Josh Rogers takes over from Jimmy Yacabonis, who is slated to open the game. Tatis has put up a .468 wOBA and .200 ISO against left-handed pitching this season.
Mookie Betts ($5,300): Mookie Betts has still crushed righties in 2019. He has an elite .392 wOBA and .242 ISO and will take on struggling Chicago White Sox right-hander Carson Fulmer, the starter in what is expected to be a bullpen day for Chicago. In 78.2 innings for his career, Fulmer has an abysmal 5.52 SIERA to go along with a horrific 18.7 percent strikeout rate. Betts has been on fire lately, picking up 14-plus DraftKings points in five of his last eight games.
Nick Senzel ($4,600): Cincinnati Reds rookie Nick Senzel has been pretty solid this season -- especially against left-handed pitchers. In his first 58 plate appearances in the Majors against left-handed pitching, Senzel has managed to put up an incredible .399 wOBA and .264 ISO. Tonight he'll take on Los Angeles Angels southpaw Andrew Heaney, who has struggled since returning from injury. In limited innings, he has given up a 46.9 percent hard-hit rate and 62.5 percent fly-ball rate (unsustainable) that has led to a 17.5 percent home-run-to-fly-ball rate.
Value Hitters
Chris Taylor ($4,000): Chris Taylor is hitting left-handed pitchers with incredible power this season. In 2019, Taylor has smoked lefties to the tune of a .384 wOBA and an incredible .301 ISO. He is going to take on the ever-enigmatic Robbie Ray. Ray is a strikeout king with a 30.6 percent strikeout rate, but he struggles mightily in other facets of his game. He's given up a 41.7 percent hard-hit rate, 23.0 percent line drive rate and a 40.2 percent fly-ball rate -- which has resulted in a 4.04 SIERA.
Jose Altuve ($3,900): I am not really sure why Jose Altuve is sub-$4,000 right now on DraftKings. His season numbers aren't elite, sure, but since returning from the IL, he is 7 for 23 with one home run, four ones and one RBI. Again, not the greatest numbers, but considering his history, he should be more expensive. Well, he's got a solid matchup against Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Trevor Williams, a pitcher who has given up a 36.4 percent hard-hit rate and a horrific 26.1 percent line-drive rate. Those are numbers that Altuve can take advantage of.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($3,200): When the best hitting prospect in the game is sitting at just $3,200 in an intriguing matchup, it is tough to ignore. Of course, Vladimir Guerrero has struggled in the Majors this season, which is certainly a cause for concern, but he's going to be facing the New York Yankees in a bullpen game tonight. Vladdy has put up a .316 wOBA and .173 ISO against lefties and a .319 wOBA and .162 ISO against righties -- nothing too great. But I am basing this on upside versus price tag.
Ryan Sheppard is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Ryan Sheppard also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username donkshow_. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.