Pitcher List is proud to partner with DraftKings for the 2019 season. We’ll be featuring our top picks for every daily slate through the season and feature articles dedicated to the GPP.
SP: Jeff Samardzija, SF ($7,500) vs. COL
With injuries to Daniel Murphy, David Dahl, and Ryan McMahon, the Rockies lineup is in very poor shape. They have an atrocious .234 wOBA on the road this season and a 28.8% K-rate. In pitcher-friendly Oracle Park, the Rox are an easy target for Jeff Samardzija. While it’s true that Samardzjia isn’t actually a good pitcher, it’s very possible for him to put up a worthwhile start against such a weak opponent. If Shark is able to put together a good start as one of the cheapest starters on the board, he will return a ton of value.
OF: Yasiel Puig, CIN ($3,800) vs. MIA
Yasiel Puig is back from his suspension and comes at an incredibly cheap price on DraftKings. Puig has gotten off to a cold start, but judging him on a nine game sample is just silly — this is still the guy that put up an elite 150 wRC+ against righties last season. Cincinnati is an extreme hitter’s park and Puig is in a fantastic spot for runs and RBI batting third for the Reds.
3B: Rafael Devers, BOS ($3,900) vs. TOR
It would be nice to be able to run an entire Red Sox stack against Aaron Sanchez, but that’s going to be tough to afford. Luckily, we can still grab Devers for cheap. Sanchez was good through his first two starts, but he faced weak lineups in the Tigers and Indians — he is not going to have a fun time in Fenway. If Boston’s lineup has a big day, it’s tough to see a scenario where Devers doesn’t produce.
OF: Mitch Haniger, SEA ($4,400) at KC
Mitch Haniger has a lot of upside today against Royals starter Pablo Lopez, who is coming off of a 5.03 ERA in 2018. Haniger homered last night and is now slugging .492 on the year, which is the type of power worth chasing in GPP contests. He will see plenty of chances to produce as the Mariners two-hitter, as he’s already got 12 runs and 10 RBI and should add to that total on Thursday.
Tournament Stack: Dodgers at Cardinals (RHP Michael Wacha)
The Dodgers lineup is off to a torrid start this season and it doesn’t look like Michael Wacha will be stopping them. Wacha somehow managed to walk eight batters in his last start and his 1.54 ERA is as good as gone after today. Justin Turner ($4,100) and A.J. Pollock ($4,000) are my favorite picks, but you can go with anybody that your payroll can handle from this offense.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is troyklauder) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games on which I offer advice. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any nonpublic information.