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.
DraftKings kicks off the month of June with multiple slates covering all 30 teams, giving DFS players plenty of chances to start the month off on the right foot.
Top SP: Zack Greinke, ARI ($9,200) vs. NYM
Justin Verlander is actually the top starting pitcher as far as upside goes, but with Coors Field in play and Verlander sporting a price tag of $11,900 I think we should aim a little cheaper. At a savings of $2,700, Zack Greinke looks like the smart play on Saturday. After a disastrous opening start, Greinke has been cruising, with 11 straight quality starts and a microscopic 3.7% walk rate, second best in the league among qualified starters. He faces a Mets team that has struggled against right-handed pitching in the month of May, posting a .306 wOBA against them, good for 20th in the league. With a slate low run total of seven, Vegas sees Greinke and opposing starter Jacob deGrom locking up in a pitcher’s duel. I’ll lean Greinke here due to his consistency, though deGrom may be the higher ceiling option for tournaments.
Honorable Mention: Jacob deGrom, NYM ($9,400) at ARI
Value SP: Andrew Heaney, LAA ($8,500) at SEA
In his first start in 2019 coming off of injury, Andrew Heaney blew away expectations with a five-inning eight-strikeout performance. He was pulled at just 85 pitches, so that could remain a concern in this start, making him a bit of a risky play. But if Heaney is given more of a leash in his second start, he could be an intriguing option against a Mariners team that has struggled lately against lefties. Seattle’s overall wOBA against left-handed pitching sits at a respectable .329, but in May they have produced a lowly .284 wOBA with a 27% strikeout rate against southpaws. Pitching falls off a cliff after Heaney’s price point, with everyone cheaper than him looking like a pure dart-throw. If he can get deep enough into the game in his second start of the season, Heaney could have big-time strikeout potential.
OF Christian Yelich, MIL ($5,800) at PIT (RHP Nick Kingham)
Christian Yelich has a .495 wOBA against right-handed pitching in 2019. Yelich had a .425 wOBA against right-handed pitching in 2018. Nick Kingham has allowed a .478 wOBA versus left-handed hitters in 2019. Kingham allowed a .400 wOBA against left-handed hitters in 2018. If you can afford Yelich, you should play Yelich. Do I need to say more?
Honorable Mention: Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL ($4,700) vs. DET (LHP Daniel Norris)
3B Austin Riley, ATL ($4,900) vs. DET (LHP Daniel Norris)
Austin Riley continues a scorching start to his career, and while he is sure to cool off at some point, let’s see if we can get one more big game out of him. Riley sports an absurd .859 wOBA against left-handed pitching so far and squares off against a lefty on Saturday. Riley has four home runs in 13 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, so we may be at the point of playing him against lefties until further notice. And at $4,900, his price still hasn’t caught up to his production. While the rest of the field squeezes in Nolan Arenado in Colorado, save the $1,000 and play the equally locked in Riley.
Honorable Mention: 1B/OF Cody Bellinger, LAD ($5,800) vs. PHI (RHP Zach Eflin).
Value Bat: OF Jesse Winker, CIN ($3,800) vs. WAS (RHP Erick Fedde)
Jesse Winker has had his share of struggles this year, but much of it can be attributed to left-handed pitching. His .190 wOBA across 34 plate appearances against lefties has really sunk his overall line, as he owns a respectable .351 wOBA against right-handed pitching. Winker faces Erick Fedde, a righty, in Cincinnati’s hitter-friendly park on Saturday, and the matchup is an intriguing one for Winker. Fedde hasn’t figured out opposing lefties quite yet, as he allowed a .376 wOBA against them last year, and so far this year, left-handed hitters have a .351 wOBA against him. For $3,800, Winker is an attractive option in an offense that is beginning to gain some momentum after its early-season struggles.
Honorable Mention: 1B/OF Brandon Belt, SF ($4,000) vs. BAL (RHP David Hess).
Lineup Stack: Braves vs. Tigers (LHP Daniel Norris)
The Braves have had success against left-handed pitching this year, posting a .338 wOBA against them as a team in 2019. Riley, Acuna Jr., Freddie Freeman, and Ozzie Albies have all topped a .400 wOBA against lefties this year, and a Braves stack will be much lower owned than a Coors stack, for example. Norris has a mediocre 4.50 career ERA, has seen his strikeout rate drop to 17.3% this year, and will be relieved by one of the five worst bullpens so far this year. This is a good place to look for an under the radar stack.
Honorable Mentions: Rangers vs. Royals (RHP Homer Bailey).
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is eriks44) 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.