Stacks are an integral part of daily fantasy baseball. They can push a team to the top of a GPP by driving upside. However, they're also viable in cash games, namely smaller (two-person or three-person) stacks that mitigate the volatility of a full four-person stack.
This article is your home throughout the 2022 Major League Baseball season for the day's top stacks. The primary goal is to identify the highest-scoring upside stack. Still, game theory will play a role in contrarian stacks making the cut as GPP options. Nevertheless, chalky stacks will make appearances in this space, too.
Beyond my analysis in this space, I strongly suggest numberFire premium members using our DFS Sharpstack tool and hitting heat map tool. The DFS Sharpstack helps plug stacks into optimized lineups, allowing you to change parameters and lock or exclude players and teams. Meanwhile, the heat map offers a one-stop-shop for the opposing starting pitcher, implied total, park factor, and other notable goodies.
Now, let's look at the top stacks on today's main slate.
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies step in against a lefty for the third straight night. Last night, they got the better of Clayton Kershaw, reminding onlookers that Coors Field can get the better of even the best pitchers in the game. Thus, while gamers usually wouldn't go out of their way to stack against Julio Urias's 2.48 ERA In 2022, Coors Field always makes an exception.
The Rockies have been the most potent offense in MLB at home. Their .349 wOBA in home games is one of only three marks above a .335 wOBA this year. In addition, they have a handful of lefty-killers.
Specifically, Connor Joe ($3,300), C.J. Cron ($4,100), and Brendan Rodgers ($3,000) are standouts. Joe and Rodgers have had a 124 wRC+ against lefties in their careers. Cron has been even better than them against lefties, and he's been especially awesome against lefties at Coors Field since joining the Rockies last year. In 123 plate appearances, he's hit 12 homers with a .423 OBP, .431 ISO, and 188 wRC+.
Minnesota Twins
Cal Quantrill has been lucky. The 27-year-old's 3.76 ERA in 13 starts this year has significantly outpaced his 4.60 Expected ERA (xERA), 4.81 xFIP, and 4.94 SIERA, per FanGraphs. Quantrill also strikes batters out at a much lower than average rate, fanning only 15.1 percent of the hitters he's faced compared to a 22.2 percent league average.
Thus, Quantrill is precisely the type of pitcher to stack against. Thankfully, the Minnesota Twins are a high-end offense. Since last year, six hitters on their active roster have had at least a 113 wRC+ against righties, and four have cleared a 125 wRC+. Minnesota's lineup also has ample power; five hitters boast an ISO north of .210 against righties since 2021.
The Twins are stackable throughout their lineup. Still, Byron Buxton ($3,900) and Carlos Correa ($3,100) are the most intriguing picks. Since last year, Buxton has had a blistering .340 ISO and 155 wRC+ against righties. Correa hasn't matched Buxton's excellence, but his .220 ISO and 134 wRC+ have been nothing to turn your nose up to. Finally, Max Kepler ($2,700) and Alex Kirilloff ($2,300) are two cap-friendly options with above-average power.
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels might be an under-the-radar stack tonight. First, Shohei Ohtani is pitching. Therefore, he can't be used as a position player in the stack. So, some gamers might bypass them based on the absence of his elite bat.
Also, the Angels are top-heavy and have been stuck in a rut, and Michael Kopech isn't a cupcake matchup. The 26-year-old righty has had a 2.59 ERA in 13 starts. Though, a look under the hood has been less impressive, including a 3.48 xERA, 4.74 xFIP, and 4.61 SIERA.
I don't suggest getting creative with stacking the Angels. Instead, honing in on the trio of Taylor Ward ($3,900), Mike Trout ($4,600), and Jared Walsh ($2,800) is the best move. Since last season, Ward has had a .353 OBP, .221 ISO, and 136 wRC+ against righties. Walsh has been better, tallying a .372 OBP, .247 ISO, and 152 wRC+. Finally, Trout has been a monster, ripping righties for a .393 OBP, .387 ISO, and 192 wRC+ since 2021.
Joshua Shepardson is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Joshua Shepardson also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username bchad50. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.