We're back in action for another Thursday slate. Like most Thursdays, we have a shortened schedule due to teams traveling. The good news is that we still have eight games in total, with most of them happening during the day. That's the slate we're going to zone in on, and it should be a fun one. With that in mind, let's get started by recommending two veteran pitchers!
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Pitching
Michael Wacha, KC vs. TEX ($9,800)
Why has Wacha become so overlooked? This guy was hyped loudly in his time with St. Louis, and he's quietly been one of the most consistent pitchers over the last five years. This righty has a 3.44 ERA and 1.14 WHIP this season, while posting a 3.46 ERA and 1.17 WHIP since 2022. He's also never finished with an ERA above 3.86 or a WHIP above 1.22 throughout those five years, making him one of the most reliable pitchers in baseball. We also love that he's at home against a subpar Texas lineup, with Wacha amassing a 2.45 ERA and 0.94 WHIP at home this season. Not to mention, the Rangers rank 20th in K rate, 24th in wOBA and 27th in runs scored.
Merrill Kelly, ARI at MIA ($7,700)
This veteran got off to a nightmarish start this season, but he's starting to find it. Kelly allowed seven runs to the best offense in baseball in his most recent start, but compiled a 2.36 ERA and 0.99 WHIP across his previous five starts. We're willing to overlook that shelling against an elite offense, especially when examining his matchup with Miami. Not only is Marlins Park one of the best pitchers' parks, but Miami ranks 21st in wOBA and last in xwOBA. We're talking about a pitcher who has a 3.47 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over the last four seasons, while averaging 32 FanDuel points per game in three matchups with the Marlins last year.
Top Targets
Michael Busch, CHC (vs. Ryan Feltner) $3,500
It feels like the fantasy community doesn't realize just how hot Busch is right now. This breakout from last season homered in the first game of this series and now has a .426 OBP and .962 OPS across his last 15 fixtures. The reason we love him here is that he faces a weak right-hander, with Busch producing a .351 OBP and .840 OPS against righties since his call-up. We'll discuss the Feltner matchup more in the stacks section!
Dillon Dingler, DET (vs. Zebby Matthews) $3,400
Catchers always seem to be undervalued on FanDuel, but Dingler is one of the best backstops in baseball right now. This Tigers slugger has been hitting cleanup every day while hitting 14 homers this year. Most of that damage has happened recently, with Dingler tallying a .371 OBP, .750 SLG and 1.121 OPS across his last 16 outings. That includes a four-hit masterpiece on Tuesday, with Dingler scoring a career-high 57 FanDuel points in that gem. A matchup with Zebby Matthews doesn't worry us because he has a 5.56 career ERA and 1.45 WHIP.
Bargain Bats
Troy Johnston, COL (vs. Edward Cabrera) $3,300
There are always a few Rockies who develop into elite DFS options, and Johnston could be one of them. He's been hitting in the heart of Colorado's lineup every day, collecting a .314 AVG and .800 OPS in a breakout campaign. His splits are stupendous too, with Johnston generating a .405 OBP and .882 OPS against righties while posting a .333 AVG and .835 OPS at home. A guy like Cabrera could struggle in Coors Field, with the righty collecting a 4.99 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
Jac Caglianone, KC (vs. Kumar Rocker) $2,700
The baseline numbers are nothing special for Caglianone, but there could be something brewing here. This talented hitter ranks in the top 10 percent in average exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard-hit rate and bat speed. Those are the metrics you typically see from an All-Star, and it feels like just a matter of time before Jac gets hot. We might be seeing the start of it because Caglianone has compiled a .593 OBP, .952 SLG and 1.545 OPS across his last seven outings. Not to mention, he has much better splits against righties (.766 OPS) while facing one with a 4.60 career ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
Stacks to Consider
Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies (Feltner): Ian Happ ($3,800), Pete Crow-Armstrong ($3,800), Busch ($3,500), Nico Hoerner ($3,500)
On a short slate like this, we have to stack the opposing team in Coors Field. The Rockies rank last in wOBA and xwOBA, with Chicago projected to score over five runs in this game. That's no surprise when looking at the matchup because Feltner has a 5.11 career ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
Happ has been rocking right-handers throughout his career, registering a .360 OBP and .825 OPS against them over the last three years. He also has a 1.077 OPS across the last two weeks. PCA is even hotter than that, tallying a .362 OBP and .891 OPS across his last 38 games. We also talked about Busch, but Hoerner is averaging 9.8 FanDuel points per game as the two-hole hitter.
