In daily fantasy baseball, success starts with nailing the starting pitcher spot in your lineup.
When compared to hitters, pitching performance tends to be much more predictable and stable throughout the course of the season. You know what you're getting from a top-level ace when you roster him: probably a dominant effort with only one or two implosions per season. In contrast, even the game's best hitters have days at the plate when they go 0-for-4.
As a result, lineup construction should begin with the starting pitcher. Which pitchers should you consider on today's main slate?
High-Priced Option
Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox
vs Pittsburgh Pirates
FanDuel Price: $10,400
While there is a tinge of sadness that I will not be recommending Shane Bieber or Gerrit Cole, there's an equally impressive candidate we need to consider at the pitching slot, and it is Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox.
Why Giolito? A few reasons. He is cheaper than Cole ($11,000) or Bieber ($12,000). He also faces a much worse offensive attack in the Pittsburgh Pirates -- an offense that ranks worst in the league in team wOBA in 2020 and has a strikeout rate of 24.1%. Cole and Bieber take on the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins, respectively.
We like a few top-end arms tonight, but for the point-per-dollar production he offers, Giolito is tough to beat.
Mid-Priced Play
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
vs Kansas City Royals
FanDuel Price: $8,200
The St. Louis Cardinals are back in play, and they beat up on the Kansas City Royals in game one of the series. Adam Wainwright takes the ball tonight, and he could be primed for a big evening.
The Royals have long-ball ability, but they are not the best offense -- they rank 22nd in hard-hit rate (40.4%) and 23rd in wOBA (.306) and own a hefty 24.0% strikeout rate.
For his career, Wainwright has resurrected some magic at Busch Stadium -- in 2019, he recorded a .303 wOBA at home and limited bats to a .396 slugging percentage. He could post an explosive evening and may fly under the radar with guys like Brandon Woodruff ($7,800) and Chris Paddack ($8,900) priced around him.
Low-Priced Option
Spencer Turnbull, Detroit Tigers
Vs. Chicago Cubs
FanDuel Price: $7,200
Last night, the low-priced option I backed was a Detroit Tigers starter. That did not go well.
Tonight, let's go back to that well and see if Spencer Turnbull can do the trick. The Chicago Cubs sport an average offense in terms of team wOBA (.321), but they strike out at a very hefty clip (26.8%). While the hard-hit rate is solid for the Cubs (43.7%), they also check in with the second-highest ground-ball rate (47.5%).
If you need a salary-saving option at pitcher, Turnbull is worth a look, though this probably isn't the night to spend down on the bump.
Matt Kupferle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matt Kupferle also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username MKupferle. 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.