Ten games make up our main slate at FanDuel Tuesday evening, getting underway at 7:07 p.m. EDT. It's a very top heavy pitching slate led by Cam Schlittler, with four arms priced in five figures and six more sitting at $9,000 or greater. That's half of our pitching options, seemingly forcing a pay-up to start your roster construction.
As usual, the Dodgers (-235) are the slate's biggest favorite, followed by the Yankees (-200). The Dodgers - Rockies matchup has a total of 9.0 runs, only bested by A's - Mariners at 9.5. An initial scan of weather does not suggest it will factor in any major way.
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Pitching
Chase Burns, CIN at NYM ($11,000): It's a massive salary, and perhaps an unnecessary one with so many top options available, but if you can stomach the price, lock Burns in. He's earned 31 points or better in seven straight and nine of 10 overall. And the matchup is fantastic against the slumping Mets, who have a league-low .288 wOBA and 85 wRC+ off righties. Minor concerns on Burns' potential ceiling given the Mets' 21.3 percent K rate, but he's rolling and we should expect a quality start.
Aaron Nola, PHI at SD ($8,000): Similar, but different to Burns; with so many decent options, is it necessary to take a risk on Nola? Probably not, but there's low roster percentage upside here for GPPs. He's surely due some better luck, sporting a .356 BABIP and his 6.04 ERA comes with a far better 3.69 xFIP. San Diego has just a 94 wRC+ off righties, and while this is a clearly aging version of Nola, he's dominated this lineup, allowing a .165 average and .413 OPS across 79 at bats.
David Peterson, NYM vs. CIN ($6,800): This game has a 7.5 run total, so if we like Burns atop the slate, it makes some sense for Peterson to be a pay-down option on the other side of that number. The Reds (-120) aren't massive favorites and they have an attractive 25.4 percent strikeout rate off lefties. Peterson hasn't worked more than 5.1 innings all season, so we have to lean on Cincinnati's proclivity for swing and miss, and at 9.1 per nine, he can get us enough. Similar to Nola, he's due some better results, sporting a .351 BABIP, 5.03 ERA and 3.62 xFIP.
Top Targets
I assume everyone just starts with Ketel Marte ($3,400) and builds from there. Since a day off May 17, he's 23-for-50 (.460) with three homers and 15 RBI over his last 12. And he's 8-for-12 with two homers off Tyler Mahle.
There's not a lot that's trustworthy in Seattle's lineup, but overlooking them in Sacramento seems unwise. Randy Arozarena ($3,700) has been their steadiest option.
Rare that you'd need a reason to consider Shohei Ohtani ($4,100), but he's 7-for-11 with two homers off Kyle Freeland.
Bargain Bats
Rafael Devers ($2,800) is waking up with five homers and 18 RBI this month, plating seven in his last two games. He's an okay 2-for-8 off Eduardo Rodriguez, enough to merit consideration at this salary.
The projected top five in the A's lineup have all taken Emerson Hancock deep in eight or fewer at-bats. He's been slightly more vulnerable to righties, so I'm on Brent Rooker ($3,100), but Tyler Soderstrom ($2,900) or Carlos Cortes ($2,800) are also in play as cheap power darts.
Eric Lauer has allowed at least one homer in six straight, five times surrendering at least three runs. Yet Colorado has just a 3.1 run expectancy. Something has to give. He's been more vulnerable to lefties, so perhaps TJ Rumfield ($3,000) or Troy Johnston ($2,900) pop, but Willi Castro ($2,700) should hit leadoff and can slot into four different positions.
Stack to Consider
Brewers vs. Michael McGreevy (Cardinals): Christian Yelich ($3,500), William Contreras ($3,300), Jackson Chourio ($3,200)
McGreevy is coming off allowing 10 hits in 5.0 innings against Pittsburgh, and there are ample signs he's due regression. His 2.40 ERA comes with a 5.82 xERA, and he doesn't miss bats, striking out just 5.9 per nine. Yelich and Chourio aren't in terrific form at the moment, but their salaries are manageable and they give us two of three pieces to surround Brice Turang without having to pay for him. Contreras is a nice standalone play if you're not feeling this stack, riding a nine-game hitting streak and hitting .450 over his last five.
