It's rare that we don't have a single pitcher above $9K, but that's what we're looking at here. What's even more bizarre is that you'd think we have a ton of great hitting stacks, but that's not the case either. It's a bunch of middle-of-the-rotation arms, which should lead to a fascinating slate. With that in mind, let's get started with some arms.
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Pitching
Peter Lambert, HOU vs. MIA ($9,000)
It's hard to believe Lambert has become such a good pitcher after watching him in Colorado, but something has changed in Houston. He's broken out this season with a 3.03 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. His numbers have been even more impressive recently, as he's registered a 1.02 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 11.7 K/9 rate across his last three starts. Lambert also scored at least 26 DraftKings points in all of those and could extend that streak in a home matchup with Miami. The Marlins rank 25th in xwOBA.
Jake Bennett, BOS vs. BAL ($8,700)
Boston has done a great job of developing pitchers recently, and they've stumbled into another gem with Bennett. This southpaw has allowed five total runs over his last six starts, sporting a 1.17 ERA and 0.63 WHIP in that span. It's far from a fluky stretch when examining his minor league averages, as he's accrued a 1.99 ERA and 1.05 WHIP at those levels over the last two years. Baltimore isn't necessarily a bad matchup either, with the O's ranked 17th in OPS, 18th in wOBA and 28th in K rate.
Bailey Ober, MIN at CLE ($7,600)
Ober is in the middle of a bounce-back season in Minnesota. He struggled against the two highest-scoring offenses in baseball, but has a 3.34 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across his other 12 starts. Those are amazing averages for such an affordable player, and this matchup with Cleveland is far from concerning. The Guardians rank 29th or 30th in runs scored, OPS and xwOBA. Ober has also obliterated them throughout his career, compiling a 3.06 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 13 starts against them.
Top Targets
Munetaka Murakami, CWS (vs. Cal Quantrill) $5,200
Murakami has struggled since his return from the IL, but the season-long statistics are still stupendous. This rookie has a .375 OBP and .906 OPS through 64 games this year. His numbers against righties are even better, registering a .390 OBP and .975 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor. We love that since he's gotten on base five times over the last two days, so another power surge could be right around the corner. We'll discuss that matchup against Quantrill in the stacks section!
Manny Machado, SD (vs. Martin Perez) $4,500
Machado got off to a slow start by his lofty standards, but this perennial All-Star has been feeling it recently. This slugger has a .402 OBP and 1.016 OPS across his last 25 fixtures. That doesn't even include a two-homer game on Tuesday, so it's safe to say this guy is feeling it right now. He's also slaughtered southpaws throughout his career, compiling an .843 OPS against them. That's bad news for a guy like Perez, who provides a 4.37 career ERA and 1.42 WHIP. The BvP numbers for Machado are majestic as well, with Manny maintaining a .481 OBP and 1.005 OPS in 21 at-bats against Perez. Fernando Tatis ($5,500) also hits from the right side and has at least 23 DK points in three of his last four outings.
Bargain Bats
Trevor Larnach, MIN (vs. Slade Cecconi) $3,900
Why is Larnach still below $4K? This guy has taken over as the Twins everyday leadoff hitter, and he's earned it with the best stretch of his career. Larnach has a .364 AVG and 1.019 OPS across the last month. His splits are even more superb, as he sports a .392 OBP and .854 OPS against right-handers. That makes him an easy option below $4,000, especially since he faces a pitcher with a 4.55 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
Alec Bohm, PHI (vs. Eric Lauer) $3,100
Bohm has struggled mightily over the last month, but seeing him drop to $3,100 makes him a worthy punt play. This third baseman is typically closer to $4K, and he still bats in the heart of one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball. What makes him enticing here is that he has the platoon advantage against Lauer. This lefty has a 4.81 ERA this season while Bohm has a .292 AVG and .834 OPS against southpaws throughout his career. Trea Turner ($5,000) also has the platoon advantage against Lauer and has four homers over his last five fixtures, if you want to stack him with Bohm.
Stacks to Consider
Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers (Cal Quantrill): Miguel Vargas ($5,600), Murakami ($5,200), Colson Montgomery ($4,700) and Sam Antonacci ($4,300)
It was difficult to find some stacks we wanted to recommend, but this ChiSox offense has been underrated all season. That's evident in some of this pricing, but we love them against a guy like Quantrill. The Rangers righty has a 5.21 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over the last four years, while allowing 11 total runs in his last two meetings with Chicago.
Many people might not realize just how special Vargas has been this season. He's second on the White Sox with 9.2 DK points per game while posting a .345 AVG and 1.010 OPS across the last week. Montgomery is one of the best power-hitters in baseball, amassing a .496 career SLG and .803 OPS. Antonacci is an underrated leadoff hitter, accruing a .376 OBP and .795 OPS, while possessing 40-steal potential.
