Every MLB team is in action on Tuesday night, allowing DraftKings daily fantasy players a full complement of hitters to choose from. There are also a number of top-flight arms taking the mound, including Max Scherzer, Chris Sale and Chris Archer. With so many possibilities available, making the right selections to finish in the money becomes harder than ever.
Here are five ideal lineup picks for August 4.
Chris Archer, SP, Tampa Bay Rays ($11,700)
If you’re hesitant to spend $13,500 on Scherzer as an ace, Archer represents a much more affordable option at nearly $2,000 less. The Rays All-Star is third in the majors with 173 strikeouts, one more than Scherzer and only four fewer than Sale. Archer’s 0.99 WHIP and .206 batting average against each rank among the top 10 in baseball.
In his last appearance, Archer took a perfect game into the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers before surrendering a pair of unearned runs. Over his past three starts, Archer has struck out 26 batters and yielded a total of three earned runs while averaging 27.2 fantasy points per game.
Archer matches up with Sale and the Chicago White Sox Tuesday, a club that is last in the American League with 387 runs scored. Sale is also in a bit of a slump, having allowed 13 earned runs and 30 hits spanning his last three outings.
Jake Arrieta, SP, Chicago Cubs ($11,500)
For the past month and a half, Jake Arrieta has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the big leagues. In each of his last eight starts, Arrieta tossed at least six innings and never gave up more than three earned runs. During that time his ERA has dropped from 3.40 to 2.62, while opposing hitters batted just .172 against him.
Arrieta was also very good in two previous games against the Pittsburgh Pirates this season:
The Cubs righty is on a strikeout binge of late, having fanned 33 batters over 28 innings in his past four appearances. Arrieta also boasts a 2.21 road ERA this year, compared to 3.07 at home.
Ian Kinsler, 2B, Detroit Tigers ($4,100)
Ian Kinsler is on fire at the moment, coming off a weekend series in Baltimore in which he went 12-for-17 and recorded multiple hits in all four games. He scored double-digit fantasy points on each occasion, while averaging 14 per day. The Tigers’ official Twitter account made note of his outstanding performance:
Kinsler’s hot streak extends well beyond just his last four contests. After batting .262 through the first three months of the season, Kinsler hit .366 in July. Three of his five home runs this year also came last month. Since June 25, Kinsler has raised his average from .257 to .297.
The second baseman’s 39 hits in his last 30 games are tied for the second-most in baseball in that time.
Colby Rasmus, OF, Houston Astros ($3,300)
Colby Rasmus is batting just .237 this season with an on-base percentage of .305. You’re not putting Rasmus in your lineup for his 2015 numbers, however, but rather for his history when facing the Texas Rangers and starter Yovani Gallardo.
Through 27 career plate appearances, Rasmus owns a .481 OBP versus Gallardo, with four extra-base hits, four RBI and five runs scored. Even more impressive is what he’s done in his previous visits to Globe Life Park in Arlington, including slugging six homers in 10 games:
In his last two starts, Rasmus is 3-for-7 with two runs scored and two RBI. With a price tag of only $3,300, Rasmus will be an incredible bargain if he can continue his success both in Texas and against Gallardo.
Freddy Galvis, 3B/SS, Philadelphia Phillies ($3,000)
Like Rasmus, Freddy Galvis is a matchup play. The Phillies shortstop is hitting .600 for his career against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood:
Galvis is also swinging the bat well of late. He has four hits in his last two games and has reached base in 10 of his past 11 contests. It’s also worth noting that Galvis is a better hitter at home than on the road in 2015—he’s batting .291 with a .451 slugging percentage in Philadelphia as opposed to .265 and .337 in away games.
If you’re running low on money and need a shortstop or third baseman to finish out your roster, Galvis could provide solid bang for your buck.
All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Statistics via MLB.com unless otherwise noted. Mark Vandeusen is an MLB Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @LucidSportsFan.
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