Are those head-to-playoff matchups looking bleak? Was your rotisserie league wrapped up weeks ago? Get a new lease on life with FantasyDraft’s seven-game DFS slate on Thursday night. There may not be many great pitchers, but there’s one ace everyone should play in cash contests.
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Top SP: Max Scherzer ($24,900) vs. New York Mets
Rocking Max Scherzer would be the least the Mets could do to lock down Jacob deGrom’s deServed NL Cy Young Award. So yeah, he’s throwing a perfect game with 27 strikeouts. To the responsible onlooker not names Michael Wilbon who knows pitcher wins are obviously a poor measure of success, Washington’s ace has fallen out of the race by relinquishing 15 runs in his last four outings. Some might want to fade him because of recent reminders of his mortality and a steep $24,900 price tag. (Imagine what he’d cost if not for just allowing a season-high six runs.) The next-best option—unless you want to mess with Eduardo Rodriguez or Masahiro Tanaka at Yankee Stadium—is Matt Boyd, so let’s trust the stud with a 2.53 ERA and 28.1 K-BB%. This is a huge expenditure, but luckily there’s a dirt-cheap companion to keep the budget in line.
Honorable Mention: Matt Boyd ($18,000) vs. KC
Value SP: Cody Reed ($11,300) at Miami Marlins
Anyone who plays Scherzer needs to dig deep for a second starter, and Cody Reed stands out as the obvious pairing. He’s just $11,300 despite accumulating 10 strikeouts in five scoreless frames against the Cubs on Saturday. Sure, he merely lowered his ERA to 5.40 since rejoining Cincinnati’s rotation. And yeah, he’s unlikely to work more than five frames, if he gets that far. That’s why he’s cheaper than Josh Tomlin despite facing the Marlins, who have mustered a .286 wOBA (tied with the Mets and Orioles for MLB’s worst rate) against southpaws.
Honorable Mention: Kevin Gausman ($14,900) vs. PHI
IF Freddie Freeman ($9,400) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (RHP Vince Velasquez)
Freddie Freeman has upped his slash line to .311/.390/.509 by scattering seven hits (a double, two homers) and a steal in his last three games. Lefties are batting .273/.349/.512 against the highly erratic Vince Velasquez, who has yielded 52 baserunners and 22 runs in 32.2 frames since the start of August. Atlanta’s MVP candidate is $800 cheaper than Ronald Acuna Jr., who doesn’t possess the handedness advantage, but only $900 more than backup Lucas Duda.
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Rendon ($9,600) vs. NYM (Jason Vargas); Daniel Palka ($9,100) at CLE (Josh Tomlin)
IF Ryan Zimmerman ($9,000) vs. New York Mets (LHP Jason Vargas)
I feel bad about highlighting two high-priced hitters alongside Scherzer, but it evens out when I recommend some bargains. Also, I really want to use both of these NL East first basemen. This is an easy one to explain. Ryan Zimmerman against lefties: .373/.463/.672. Jason Vargas versus righties: .296/.358/.549. A lineup with Scherzer, Reed, Freeman, Zimmerman, and the three Rays/three Reds below meets the cap.
Honorable Mentions: Andrew Benintendi ($8,600) at NYY (Masahiro Tanaka); Nick Markakis ($8,500) vs. PHI (Velasquez); Yoan Moncada ($8,100) at CLE (Tomlin)
Values: IFs Joey Wendle and Willy Adames ($7,200) at Toronto Blue Jays (RHP Sam Gaviglio)
The Rays have scored 28 runs during their five-game winning streak, but most of them remain underpriced despite Sam Gaviglio costing less ($9,200) than many stud hitters. The righty has registered a 5.26 ERA, so take some affordable Tampa Bay position players unless desperate enough to bet on the starter’s 3.23 ERA in 61.1 frames at the Rogers Centre. Joey Wendle went 7-for-9 with one walk, three doubles, and a steal on Tuesday and Wednesday. He’s suddenly batting .330/.382/.500 after the All-Star break. Don’t limit the search to lefties. Righties have recorded a .338 wOBA against Gaviglio, and Willy Adames has performed better (.339 wOBA) against same-handed opponents anyway. Also consider turning this pairing into a stack by playing Tommy Pham ($8,200), who’s batting .327/.419/.570 with the Rays after Wednesday’s two-homer game.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Duffy ($7,500) at TOR (Gaviglio); Rowdy Tellez ($7,300) vs. TB (Ryne Stanek); Billy McKinney ($6,400) vs. TB (Stanek)
Lineup Stack: Cincinnati Reds at Miami Marlins (RHP Jeff Brigham)
Jeff Brigham has surrendered nine hits, five walks, and six runs in his first two major league starts spanning 7.1 innings. Righties have produced all three extra-base hits, so Cincinnati’s left-handed hitters (other than Joey Votto for $9,100) did not receive the appropriate price hike:
- OF Scott Schebler ($8,100): The leadoff hitter is batting .262/.348/.492 in September. While he has fared better (.360 wOBA) against lefties, that likely stems from a .348 BABIP. He has drawn more walks (10.0 %) with a .214 ISO versus righties.
- IF Scooter Gennett ($8,000): Despite going his last dozen games without a homer, Gennett still flaunts a .373 wOBA against righties. Two years is sufficient evidence to say this mini power funk represents the outlier rather than his unforeseen breakout.
- OF Mason Williams ($6,700): A lineup headlined by Scherzer needs some cheap offense. Williams has sat out five of the last six games, but all of them were against southpaws. A .311/ .340/.444 line at righties’ expense should land him a spot in Thursday’s batting order.
Honorable Mentions: Rays at Blue Jays (Gaviglio); Braves vs. Phillies (Velasquez)