This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have a full 15-game slate, a rarity even when all teams are in action in a single day. As a result, we have a lot of options and ways to build lineups. Roster rates should be spread out, so that will be less of the analysis today. However, if chalky spots are projected, it's a simple day to steer clear in large-field tournament settings.
Pitchers
I'm mostly willing to skip over the top tier of pitching on Tuesday's slate, though Gerrit Cole ($10,500) would be the exception. He's coming off a miserable outing against Minnesota but is the only pitcher with a SIERA below 3.00 in the pool and one of two to strike out batters at least 30 percent of the time.
From there, I'm willing to pay down into the mid-tiers. Dylan Cease ($8,800) appears totally mispriced. Across his last five starts, he's had a 6.5 BB/9 and worked fewer than five innings on three occasions. Even so, he's topped 20 DK points three times in that span and has scored fewer than 15 only once. The Tigers are a matchup to target, as they both strike out at a significant rate and have showcased very little pop.
Sean Manaea ($8,500) is in a similar position in that he has significant skills flaws, mostly in the form of a lack of strikeouts. However, he works deep into games (at least six innings in each of his last six starts) and has topped 15 points five times in his last six outings. Manaea draws a matchup against the Cubs, who are pretty much an average matchup from every perspective. I'll take Cease for an upside play and Manaea in cash games.
Not quite to punt territory, Tyler Mahle ($7,500) is enticing in a road matchup against the Diamondbacks. He is likely to give up runs, but he also racks up strikeouts at the fifth-highest rate among available pitchers Tuesday. He is a value.
Top Hitters
Andrew Vaughn ($4,200) has hit lefties well throughout his career to the tune of a .394 wOBA. He and the White Sox will take on southpaw Tyler Alexander, who has a career strikeout rate just below 20 percent while serving up 1.6 HR/9.
Through his first 38 games, Marcus Semien ($4,600) barreled three balls. He has seven across his last 20 starts, an indication that he is breaking out of his season-long slump. Meanwhile, Jose Urquidy has allowed at least one home run in each of his last five starts. There are lot of viable options in the Rangers lineup, though Urquidy has shown reverse platoon splits throughout his career so I like Semien as an option.
The Orioles aren't a particularly effective team against lefties, but I want exposure to Baltimore against Yusei Kikcuhi in a positive hitting environment. Trey Mancini ($4,900) is the best option given his .346 wOBA and .201 ISO with the handedness advantage throughout this career.
Value Hitters
When Alec Bohm ($3,300) shows power, it typically comes against lefties. He'll have an opportunity Tuesday against one of the most disappointing pitchers of the season in Trevor Rogers. Bohm is no longer hitting towards the top of the Philadelphia order, but this is a matchup for him to take advantage of.
The Cardinals offer a pair of value hitters in Tyler O'Neill ($3,200) and Dylan Carlson ($3,300). Both have disappointed early this season, but their price correction makes them very viable. Bryse Wilson's statcast page is nearly entirely ice blue, so expect a big day of offense from the Cardinals.
Luke Voit ($3,400) is the Padres' regular cleanup hitter and matches up against Kyle Hendricks. This is another place where I want exposure and playing Voit specifically is mostly about the context of both the matchup and lineup.
Stacks to Consider
San Francisco Giants vs. Kris Bubic: Austin Slater ($2,900), Darin Ruf ($3,700), Mike Yastrzemski ($4,200), Wilmer Flores ($3,800)
Bubic is the dream pitcher to stack against. He's allowed a whopping 18.3 baserunners and two home runs per nine innings this season. The Giants don't boast the biggest names in their lineup but they are more than capable of taking advantage of this opportunity. The stack is also very cheap, so paying up for Cole and another top pitcher is possible.
Boston Red Sox vs. Jared Koenig: Christian Arroyo ($3,000), Rafael Devers ($5,500), J.D. Martinez ($5,000), Xander Bogaerts ($5,000)
This is the opposite of the Giants' stack, as the Red Sox lineup is full of star power and is also priced that way. Koenig has had success with Triple-A Las Vegas, which is actually an impressive feat. However, he was roughed up by Atlanta in his first big-league start and will now have one of the better lineups in the league to deal with. I expect Boston to take advantage, but needless to say, there will be a need to pay down elsewhere in your lineup.
Atlanta vs. Josiah Gray: Ronald Acuna ($5,900), Dansby Swanson ($5,100), Austin Riley ($5,300), Matt Olson ($4,500)
Gray had his start bumped back by rain, so I'm willing to advocate for an Atlanta stack for the second consecutive day. Gray is an attractive target because he has allowed 2.0 HR/9 and has a walk rate just below 11%. However, he has shown flashes of dominance, including across his last pair of starts, which could be a sign of true improvement given his age and prospect pedigree. Meanwhile, Atlanta is a really high-priced stack, though each of the above-listed player's price points dropped a few hundred from Monday's games. Even so, there is little margin for error in this build given the amount of the cap needed to roster the top of the Atlanta order. The combination of Gray's recent form, the price points of the stack, and a large number of teams to work with could mean that Atlanta is an underappreciated option Tuesday.
