Thursday slates are always tricky due to the scheduling, and we have another bizarre one here. There are only nine games in total, and they're split across different times. There are only three games at night, so we're going to zone in on the day slate since that's the main card on FanDuel. We have some fascinating matchups, so let's get started with some interesting arms.
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Pitching
Michael Soroka, ARI vs. CWS ($10,700)
Soroka was a massive surprise last season, but his early-season surge shows it was no fluke. The veteran allowed four runs or fewer in all but one game last season while totaling a 1.13 WHIP. That form has carried over to this season, with Soroka tallying a 2.78 ERA and 1.06 WHIP en route to a 4-0 record. He's scored at least 27 FanDuel points in all four starts while averaging 40 FD points per game. The matchup is the icing on the cake because the White Sox sit bottom five in runs scored, OBP, OPS and xwOBA since the start of last season.
Tyler Glasnow, LAD at SF ($9,900)
It's always been a matter of health when talking about Glasnow's fantasy value, but he's fully healthy right now. The right-hander has a 3.24 ERA and 0.84 WHIP through four starts this season. That's right on par with the 3.17 ERA and 1.00 WHIP we've seen since 2020. That's a ridiculous run of consistency, and it's paired with one of the best K rates in baseball. We can't fade that, since he gets to face the Giants in San Francisco, with Oracle Park being a top-three venue for pitchers. In addition, the Giants sits 29th in OBP and dead last in xwOBA this season, with Glasnow scoring 30 and 39 FanDuel points in their two matchups last season.
Top Targets
Corbin Carroll, ARI ($4,000) vs. Davis Martin
There doesn't seem to be much discussion about Carroll, but he's quietly returned to the MVP form we saw in 2023. He ranks fifth among all position players with 14.6 FanDuel points per game. Carroll also has a .500 OBP and 1.200 OPS over the last week while swiping two bases Wednesday. That shows just how easily this stud can stuff the box score, and we love that he has the platoon advantage against Martin, amassing a .902 OPS against righties since the start of last season. Ketel Marte ($3,000) and Geraldo Perdomo ($2,900) are both too cheap if you want to stack Arizona here.
Troy Johnston, COL ($3,200) vs. Matt Waldron
DFS managers don't really trust this lackluster Rockies lineup, but they're always an intriguing option in Coors Field. We'll discuss that more below, but Johnston has been a pleasant surprise in his first campaign with Colorado. He's hitting in the heart of the lineup, collecting a .305 batting average and .835 OPS against right-handers. He also has a .355 OBP and .820 OPS at home, which makes him way too cheap.
Bargain Bats
Ronald Acuna, ATL ($3,000) vs. Cade Cavalli
How wild is it to see Acuna sitting at $3K? This guy was the best player in fantasy just three years ago, accruing 41 homers and 73 steals in one of the greatest seasons in MLB history. He backed that with a .417 OBP and .935 OPS last season, so it's just a matter of time before Acuna returns to being the elite weapon we've become accustomed to. It could start here against Cavalli, as the righty has collected a 4.99 xFIP and 1.73 WHIP this season. A full-on Atlanta stack is a strong option as well, with Drake Baldwin ($4,000), Matt Olson ($3,700), Austin Riley ($3,100) and Michael Harris ($2,900) all in play.
Kerry Carpenter, DET ($2,800) vs. Brandon Sproat
We always love to pick Carpenter when the Tigers match up with a right-hander, which typically puts the slugger in the cleanup spot. Carp has a .271 batting average and .877 OPS with the platoon advantage over the last three years. That's an All-Star stat line, and we love that he has a .375 OBP and 1.112 OPS across his last eight outings. Sproat won't scare us away either, as he sports a 6.88 ERA and 1.71 WHIP this season. This is one of the best cheap stacks out there, with Riley Greene ($3,000), Colt Keith ($2,700) and Spencer Torkelson ($2,500) looking like great pairings with Carpenter.
Stacks to Consider
San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies (Ryan Feltner): Fernando Tatis ($3,600), Jackson Merrill ($3,600), Xander Bogaerts ($3,500), Manny Machado ($3,400)
Everyone will be stacking San Diego in this spot, and it's easy to understand why. This is the highest-projected lineup on the slate, forecasted to score six runs. To put it simply, they face the worst pitching staff in the most hitter-friendly park in the sport. It's unlikely Feltner counters any of those variables, with the Rockies righty posting a career 5.23 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. In his last two starts against San Diego, Feltner has surrendered 22 baserunners and 10 runs across eight nightmarish innings.
We have to kick-start our San Diego stack with Tatis, who's been a top-10 player in DFS points per game since his call-up. Merrill has the platoon advantage against Feltner, maintaining a .289 AVG and .848 OPS against righties over the last three years. Bogaerts has the highest career OPS among active players against the Rockies while boasting a .444 OBP and .990 OPS across his last 15 fixtures. Machado is a perennial All-Star, and he is an easy piece of this stack as the cheapest player of the group.
Colorado Rockies vs. San Diego Padres (Waldron): Mickey Moniak ($4,000), Hunter Goodman ($3,400), Johnston ($3,200), TJ Rumfield ($3,000)
Let's go with a full-on Coors Field stack! The Rockies have the second-highest projection of any team on this slate, and they're more affordable than the Padres. They might have the better matchup of the two teams, too, facing a knuckleball pitcher who has a 14.73 ERA and 2.45 WHIP.
Moniak has been a stud since signing with the Rockies last season, totaling a 1.142 OPS against righties this year. Goodman has been their best bat over recent years, generating a 1.179 OPS across his last eight outings. Rumfield is projected to bat cleanup, tallying a .780 OPS against righties and a .770 OPS at home.
