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Tonight’s FantasyDraft slate starts at 7pm eastern and includes all 15 matchups. With every team in play, we’ve got lots of different lineups to choose from.
Must Play SP: Aaron Nola, PHI ($22,900) vs COL
For some odd reason, Aaron Nola is not the most expensive pitcher on tonight’s slate. Nola has a 2.41 Deserved Run Average this year with a 24.8% K-rate, putting up the numbers of a bonafide ace. The Rockies lineup has been garbage this season, posting just a .304 wOBA versus righties. That number includes their games at Coors Field – away from home, they’re even worse. Nola is worth working into every lineup you enter at this price.
Honorable Mention: Miles Mikolas, STL ($21,200) vs SD
Value SP: Lance McCullers, Jr., HOU ($17,500) at OAK
McCullers is an attractive play in GPP tournament contests for his strikeout upside. If there’s anybody on this slate who is going to put up double digit strikeouts, it’s most likely to be LMJ. McCullers has a 24.7% K-rate this season and is facing an A’s lineup that strikes out 22.9% of the time against righties. He’s also pitching in Oakland, which is a pitcher-friendly park. There’s certainly risk involved with starting the 24-year-old, but McCullers can give you a start that will help you place at the top of your contest.
Honorable Mention: Jon Gray, COL ($15,000) at PHI
IF Mike Moustakas, KC ($8,200) vs CIN (RHP Sal Romano)
If the Royals had a more formidable lineup, I’d recommend an entire stack against Sal Romano. Romano has a 6.23 ERA this year with a 1.66 HR/9 and a 10.1% walk-rate, so he’s the perfect pitcher to target tonight. Moustakas is certainly a hitter worth playing against him, as he’s got a .342 wOBA this year with 13 home runs. Moose could pay off big time in GPP contests.
Honorable Mention: IF Alex Bregman, HOU ($8,200) at OAK (Mengden)
OF Nelson Cruz, SEA ($8,400) vs LAA (RHP Jaime Barria)
Nelson Cruz is on fire right now, as he’s batting .333 with a 1.083 OPS and six homers in the last 15 days. Four of those homers have come in the last three days! He should keep the hot streak going against Barria, whose ERA shouldn’t fool you – Barria has a 3.88 FIP with just a 20.4% K-rate this year. Cruz should rake in some RBIs out of the Mariners cleanup spot.
Honorable Mention: IF/OF Nicholas Castellanos, DET ($8,100) vs MIN (Odorizzi)
Value: IF Rafael Devers, BOS ($6,400) at BAL (RHP David Hess)
Devers has been awful for about a month now, but he’s still a dirt cheap power play that could give you outstanding value. Devers has nine homers on the year and will be playing in one of the best hitter’s parks in the league in Baltimore. Orioles starter David Hess has a 5.49 FIP with a pathetic 13.6% K-rate this year, so Devers and the Red Sox should have a big day against him.
Honorable Mention: OF Daniel Palka, CWS ($7,600) vs CLE (Plutko)
Top Stack: Indians at White Sox (RHP James Shields)
Shields is a frequent guest here in the stack blurb, as he’s got a 4.92 ERA this year and yet the White Sox just keep throwing him out there. If you can get one of Jose Ramirez ($10,600), Francisco Lindor ($10,000), or Michael Brantley ($9,400), try pairing them with guys like Yonder Alonso ($7,200) and Melky Cabrera ($6,700).
Honorable Mention: Red Sox at Orioles (Hess)