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.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Tampa Bay Rays haven't announced a starter, but Roster Resource projects Drew Rasmussen to get the ball. Also, Mark Topkin reported Rasmussen would be back for this series.
Here’s some good injury news for #Rays - Kiermaier and Rasmussen will be back during series at #BlueJays; Fairbanks and B. Lowe are making progress. Also, Sandoval an All-Star, Beeks opening, Choi hurting, a few may not be going to Toronto, more https://t.co/eTPxEMexYh
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 29, 2022
Rasmussen had an ugly 5.65 ERA in his last three starts before landing on the Injured List. In addition, he didn't make a rehab start, so he'll have to shake the rust off in a big-league game when he returns, making him prone to a beatdown by the Toronto Blue Jays.
According to FanGraphs, the Blue Jays are sixth in wRC+ (111) this season against righties. It gets better. Over the last 14 days, they've had a 118 wRC+ and robust .204 ISO. In addition, at home this season, they're fourth in wRC+ (119) and second in wOBA (.345). They're a nightmare matchup, especially for a pitcher looking to regain his footing off the IL.
Toronto is stackable from top to bottom. Having said that, some of the most attractive options are Teoscar Hernandez ($3,100), Alejandro Kirk ($3,700), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($4,100). All three have been on fire lately, recording a 162 wRC+, 173 wRC+, and 244 wRC+, respectively, over the last 30 days. Hernandez's .264 ISO during the last 30 days is the lowest mark for the trio.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays have a cushy matchup against Yusei Kikuchi. The lefty has been creamed for a 5.08 ERA, 6.76 Expected ERA (xERA), and 2.06 homers per nine innings in 14 starts. Remarkably, he's been worse than his full-season totals of late. In his previous five starts, lasting a comical 15 and 1/3 innings, Kikuchi owns a 9.39 ERA and has ceded an unbelievable 5.28 homers per nine innings.
The veteran lefty has been mess against righties. Since last year, the 725 right-handed hitters who've faced Kikuchi have had a .498 slugging and .371 wOBA. Tampa Bay's righties have a mouth-watering matchup.
Wander Franco ($3,000) and Randy Arozarena ($2,900) are the two most exciting options in this stack. In his career, Franco has a .396 OBP, .220 ISO, and 170 wRC+ against lefties. Arozarena has posted a .381 OBP, .233 ISO, and 152 wRC+ against lefties in his career. Arozarena is also an elite base stealer, swiping 17 bags this year.
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.