This was an interesting slate to dissect. The top-notch pitchers were in some terrible spots, so we'll take a different approach with our recommendations. We have two pitchers in the mid-range, and we'll pair them with bats spread across the board. We have one game with one of the highest-projected totals of the season and it's not even in Coors Field! With that in mind, let's get started with our cheaper pitchers!
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Pitching
Peter Lambert, HOU at LAA ($8,200)
This Stros pitching staff has struggled this season, but Lambert has been a pleasant surprise. This former Rockies pitcher has a 3.55 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in what's developing into a career year. He's also got a 3.15 ERA and 1.23 WHIP since the opener while posting a 2.93 ERA and 9.4 K/9 rate on the road this year. That's good news against a team like LA because the Angels rank 19th in wOBA and last in K rate.
Seth Lugo, KC vs. TEX ($7,600)
Lugo has showcased some lackluster lines recently, but he's too cheap when looking at his career as a whole. Despite struggling over the last month, Lugo has a 3.91 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. He also had a 1.15 ERA and 0.93 WHIP through the opening month after tallying a 3.52 career ERA and 1.19 WHIP. That sort of talent makes him tough to avoid in a home tussle with Texas because they've been one of the worst offenses in baseball. The Rangers rank 20th in K rate, 24th in wOBA and 26th in runs scored, with Lugo averaging 23 DraftKings points per game in three matchups with Texas since the start of last season.
Top Targets
Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC (vs. Michael Lorenzen) $5,600
Crow-Armstrong got off to a slow start this season, but the last month has him looking like the MVP candidate we saw last year. This defensive stud has a .446 OBP and 1.139 OPS across his last 16 outings. That should bode well in Coors Field against the worst pitcher on this slate, but we'll discuss that more in the stacks section. More importantly, Lorenzen gives PCA the platoon advantage, with Crow-Armstrong compiling a .811 OPS against righties since the start of last year.
Jake Bauers, MIL (vs. A's Bullpen) $5,400
This Vegas series has been special. These teams have been posting Little League stat lines, with the pitchers horrified at the prospect of taking the mound. That's terrifying for the A's because their bullpen is taking over here, and they have a 4.56 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. Bauers has been bashing baseballs recently, too, tallying a .409 OBP and .975 OPS over his last 45 games. He also has a .396 OBP and .962 OPS against righties while averaging 21 DK points per game over his last four outings. Milwaukee is one of the highest-projected offenses on this slate, so guys like Brice Turang ($6,200), Jackson Chourio ($6,000), Christian Yelich ($5,800) and Andrew Vaughn ($4,800) are all in play.
Bargain Bats
Tyler Soderstrom, ATH (vs. Brandon Sproat) $4,700
Soderstrom struggled mightily through the opening months, but something has clicked recently. He's homered three times in the first two games of this series while hitting six homers over his last 13 fixtures. Soderstrom also has a .551 OBP and 1.419 OPS in that span, while posting an OPS above .800 against righties this year. That makes him way too cheap at $4,700, especially since these teams are projected to combine for nearly 15 runs! We'll talk about that total and Sproat in the stacks section!
Joc Pederson, TEX (vs. Seth Lugo) $3,000
While we do like Lugo, we have to admit that Pederson is one of the best values on this slate. This veteran has been hitting leadoff for the Rangers over the last month, registering a .390 OBP and .973 OPS across his last 29 outings. Those are All-Star averages, but Pederson is priced around a bunch of guys who don't even come off the bench. He's also got the platoon advantage against Lugo while amassing a .344 OBP and .823 OPS against righties throughout his career.
Stacks to Consider
Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies (Michael Lorenzen): Crow-Armstrong ($5,600), Michael Busch ($5,200), Seiya Suzuki ($5,200) and Ian Happ ($5,000)
Stacking in Coors Field is as reliable as anything in DFS, especially when it's against the Rockies. This pitching staff is typically among the worst in baseball, ranked dead last in wOBA and xwOBA so far this season. Lorenzen hasn't done anything to help those atrocious averages, accruing a 9.67 ERA and 2.37 WHIP at home this year.
PCA is an easy option atop this stack, but Busch is equally as intriguing. He has a .410 OBP and .873 OPS across his last 22 outings while posting an .840 OPS against righties since his call-up. Suzuki has been struggling, but he has a 1.256 OPS in a five-game hitting streak. Happ is the final piece of the stack, sporting a .359 OBP and .823 OPS against right-handers since 2023.
Athletics vs. Milwaukee Brewers (Brandon Sproat): Nick Kurtz ($5,900), Shea Langeliers ($5,700), Soderstrom ($4,700) and Brent Rooker ($4,500)
This series has been something. The ball is flying like crazy in Vegas, with both teams combining for 41 runs through the first two games of this series. That's scary for a guy like Sproat, with the right-hander posting a 6.71 ERA and 1.56 WHIP this year. That's why we're looking at a ridiculous 14.5-run total, with the A's projected to score half of those.
Kurtz is one of the best options on the board, homering three times in the first two games of this series. He also has a .453 OBP and 1.023 OPS since the opening week of the season. Langeliers has been rolling all year, providing a .289 AVG and .891 OPS. We already talked about the scorching Soderstrom, but Rooker is the one affordable option among the A's. He has two homers over his last four fixtures while posting a .835 OPS since 2023.
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