*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Baseball brings a pretty even split between day and night games Thursday, so let’s take a look at some options across the entire schedule for your DFS entry. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Gerrit Cole vs. Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $11,800
DraftKings = $14,000
It’s hard to argue against starting Cole whenever he takes the mound. He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball, recording a 2.20 ERA, 2.55 FIP and a 0.83 WHIP in 12 starts. One of the main reasons for his significant improvement has been his 12.8 K/9. Before this season, he never had a K/9 higher than 9.0 in his career. Cole absolutely dominated the Rangers in their first two meetings this year, allowing three runs and recording 25 strikeouts in 14 innings. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his starts either, so don’t be afraid to pay up to get him into your lineup.
Jalen Beeks vs. Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $5,700
The Red Sox have decided to give their starters an extra day of rest, resulting in Beeks being called up to make a spot start Thursday. He’s been lights out at Triple-A this year, recording a 2.56 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. Not only has he shown good control with a 2.2 BB/9, but he gets a ton of strikeouts with a 12.8 K/9. The Tigers lineup has struggled on the road this season with a .670 OPS compared to a .763 OPS at home. Beeks is certainly a risky play, but he might be worth taking a chance on at this price considering this matchup and his strikeout upside.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Matt Olson vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,600
Olson provided plenty of power for the Athletics last year with a .651 slugging percentage. He hasn’t been able to replicate that so far this season, but he does have four home runs in his last six games. He also went 10-for-24 (.417) over that stretch, boosting his batting average up to .256 on the season. Hammel has a 1.43 WHIP and doesn’t have an overpowering arsenal with just a 5.8 K/9, so look for Olson to continue to swing a hot bat.
Wilson Ramos vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,800
Even though Ramos was limited to only 64 games due to injury last year, he still slugged 11 home runs. His batting average wasn’t great at .260, but his .262 BABIP certainly didn’t help his cause. He’s hitting for power again this season with seven home runs, but his .336 BABIP has helped boost his average to .290. His hard-hit rate is 40.3%, which might be unsustainable considering his 31.9% career mark. His splits are pretty close against righties and lefties, making him a cheap option with upside against Leake.
Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo (first base) and Carlos Santana (first base)
SECOND BASE
Brian Dozier vs. James Shields, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,200
The Twins lineup has been heating up as they have averaged 5.5 runs in their last 10 games. By comparison, they are averaging 4.3 runs per game this year overall. It’s no coincidence that Dozier is 12-for-38 (.316) over that stretch. He still has a lot of catching up to do with a .247 average overall, but he could be in line for a big performance Thursday since he is 12-for-38 with four home runs and five doubles in his career against Shields.
Jed Lowrie vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,500
After slugging six home runs in his first 28 games, Lowrie only has three longballs in his last 32 contests. He’s never hit more than 16 in a season, so it’s no surprise that he has cooled down in the power department. That doesn’t mean he’s not hitting in general, though, as he is 11-for-38 (.289) with five doubles in his last nine games. Considering how poorly Hammel has pitched, Lowrie is once again a viable option for your entry.
Others to consider: Dee Gordon and Joey Wendle
THIRD BASE
Eugenio Suarez vs. Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $5,100
Suarez has done a great job cutting down his strikeouts, posting a 17.9% strikeout rate this year compared to 23.4% for his career. Add that to a staggering 50% hard-hit rate and you get a career-high .305 average despite his BABIP being right in line with his career numbers. With a 232 wRC+ against lefties, Suarez could do a lot of damage against Anderson.
Danny Valencia vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,300
Garcia is struggling to find his way with the Blue Jays, posting a 6.08 ERA and a 5.25 FIP in 10 starts. He’s had troubles keeping runners off base throughout his career, but he’s taken it to another level this year with a 1.61 WHIP. He also has a 1.7 HR/9 which, combined with his WHIP, is a big reason why he has such a bloated ERA. Valencia has a .369 wOBA against lefties for his career and could provide a lot of value at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Eduardo Escobar and Colin Moran
SHORTSTOP
Manny Machado vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,300
With Garcia’s struggles already outlined, stacking Orioles could be a wise strategy Thursday. Machado obviously won’t provide the cost savings that Valencia does, but he also has tremendous upside. He has a 1.014 OPS and is making a strong push in a contract year to have the best season of his career. He does actually have better numbers against righties this year, but he’s not exactly struggling against lefties with a .401 wOBA.
Jean Segura vs. Ryne Stanek, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,600
Stanek is starting this game for the Rays, but this will be another one of their bullpen games. Segura enters this game on an extended hot streak, hitting 43-for-102 (.422) since May 9th. He doesn’t hit a ton of home runs, but his .486 slugging percentage this year would be the second-highest mark of his career. If you can’t work Machado into your budget, Segura also has plenty of upside.
Others to consider: Xander Bogaerts and Marcus Semien
OUTFIELD
J.D. Martinez vs. Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,400
The Red Sox needed to add a power hitter during the offseason and boy did they ever. Martinez has certainly held up to lofty expectations right out of the gate as he is batting .317 with 20 home runs and 52 RBI. His career high for RBI in a season was the 104 that he had last year, so he could blow by that mark this year if he stays healthy. He has a career .384 wOBA against lefties and is worth paying up for against Boyd.
Adam Jones vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,800
Jones only has six walks this year, but he’s not just a free swinger with a reasonable 16.5% strikeout rate. He’s batting .288 with 10 home runs on a bad team, which has resulted in him recording only 28 RBI. He’s 17-for-42 (.405) in his last 10 games and is a cheap option to target facing Garcia.
Dustin Fowler vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $4,300
Acquired from the Yankees last year in the Sonny Gray deal, the Athletics are hoping that Fowler is a big part of their future. He’s batting .250 through his first 64 at-bats and has shown a combination of speed and power with three home runs and four steals. He had 13 home runs and 13 steals in 70 games at Triple-A last year, so he has the potential to provide value in both categories. His price on DraftKings is high, but he’s a great bargain play on FanDuel facing Hammel.
Others to consider: Eddie Rosario and Odubel Herrera
