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Let's check out the top options on today's main slate.
Pitchers
Clayton Kershaw ($10,500)
In his first three starts this season, Los Angeles' veteran left-hander has been in stellar form through 17.0 innings, accounting for a 13.6% swinging strike rate and an impressive 1.72 expected Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) rating.
Despite his recent success and favorable matchup against a weak Detroit Tigers' lineup with a 24.5% strikeout rate and a .253 weighted on-base percentage (wOBA) against left-handers, Kershaw's FanDuel salary comes at a relative bargain after it moved down 2.7% since his last start.
numberFire's models project Kershaw as tonight's second ranked pitcher with a 33.0 FanDuel point projection and 6.13 expected strikeouts.
Gerrit Cole ($9,800)
After a rough beginning to the season, New York's right-hander had his best performance in his last start, producing an expected 1.63 FIP, nine strikeouts, and a season-high 57.0 FanDuel points.
Cole will have a good chance to prolong his success on Saturday night against a Kansas City Royals lineup with a 23.6% strikeout rate and a .288 wOBA against right-handers including five projected starters with K-rates over 22.4% and contact rates lower than 76.1%.
The 31-year old currently stands as today's top rated pitcher with a 35.8 FanDuel point projection and 6.8 expected strikeouts.
Nathan Eovaldi ($8,500)
Overall, Boston's ace checks off all the requirements of a pitcher in ideal form after the 32-year old recorded a 3.48 expected FIP and a 27.0% strikeout rate through 21.2 innings.
With Coors Field on tonight's seven-game slate, Eovaldi stands as a great value option against a Baltimore lineup with a 27.6% K rate and a .270 weighted on-base percentage including 66% of their expected hitters with strikeout percentages over 25.1% and contact rates under 70.1%.
Stacks
Connor Overton will take the mound in baseball's most intimidating pitching environment against a Colorado team projected for a slate-high 6.2 runs. The 28-year old journeyman was average at best in his brief Major League stint last season, accounting for a 4.26 expected FIP and a 23.8% strikeout rate mostly in a bullpen role.
With slight splits against lefties (.429 wOBA, 6.17 FIP), a core Rockies' stack can start with Ryan McMahon (16.7% barrel rate, .371 expected wOBA) and Charlie Blackmon (7.1% barrel rate, .335 expected wOBA) while additional options in good form include C.J. Cron (15.8% barrel rate, .287 expected average), Connor Joe (.366 expected wOBA, .282 expected average), and Randal Grichuk (.287 expected average, .332 expected wOBA)
Outside of Coors Field, the Dodgers offer high-ceiling options in their opportunity at home against Detroit's right-hander Beau Brieske.
In his first big league start last week, the 24-year old was shaky in his debut, producing a low 6.6% swinging strike rate and a concerning 5.18 expected FIP.
Los Angeles' lineup is filled with hot hitters with power at multiple positions including Gavin Lux (.331 expected average, 12.8% barrel rate), Freddie Freeman (14.5% barrel rate, .312 expected average), Will Smith (12.8% barrel rate, .310 expected average), Max Muncy (15.2% barrel rate, $3,300), and Cody Bellinger (.338 expected wOBA, and 13.3% barrel rate)
The Red Sox offer another potential undervalued stack in their mouth-watering matchup against Spenser Watkins.
Despite producing a 2.77 Earned Run Average through 13.0 innings this season, the 29-year old journeyman is due for serious regression after he also accounted for a 5.35 expected FIP and a measly 6.5% swinging strike rate.
Boston's top hitters from the right side including Xander Bogaerts (.305 expected average, 8.5% barrel rate), J.D. Martinez (10.3% barrel rate), and Enrique Hernandez (9.7& barrel rate) offer intriguing upside against Watkins' reverse splits while Rafael Devers (.320 expected average, 11.1% barrel rate) and Alex Verdugo (.376 expected wOBA, 8.3% barrel rate) are other mid-range options to consider.