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Crunch time is approaching for the 2015 daily fantasy baseball season. With the postseason just over one month away and myriad teams still vying for playoff spots, the pressure has been ratcheted up in baseball.

What does it all mean for daily fantasy owners? Well, let’s just say there are some stars emerging who simply can’t be left out of lineups. Here is a look at some players who need to be picked up for Monday’s slate of games.

Pitcher: Taijuan Walker, Seattle Mariners ($8,100)

Hello, Taijuan Walker. Once a top minor league star for the Seattle Mariners, Walker has blossomed into one of the best young MLB pitchers over the last month. He may only have one win to show for his efforts in his last four starts, but Walker has been a steady starter for the Mariners.

A huge component of Walker’s recent success has been his curveball.

“[David Price] told me, ‘Your stuff is really good, you throw hard, but everything’s hard so you have to be able to mix stuff in,'” Walker said, per Andrew Erickson of MLB.com. “Once I started doing that, I saw the swings I was getting. … After I showed that I could throw my curveball for strikes, that was another pitch they had to look for.”

Averaging 23.3 fantasy points over his last four starts, Walker is pitching against a lineup he had off balance earlier this year. Facing the Texas Rangers again, expect another great night after he tallied 25.6 points against them the last time around.

First Baseman: Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates ($3,600)

Pedro Alvarez has shown vast improvement over the last week since getting off to a slow start to the season. He’s still hitting below the .250 mark but has 18 homers and 58 RBI. So when he runs into the ball, he hits it a long way.

Over his last five starts, Alvarez has four multi-hit games with three homers, three runs and five RBI. Oh yeah, and that equates to 14.2 fantasy points per game over that stretch. Now that he’s returning home against the erratic Jeremy Hellickson, look for Alvarez to mash again Monday night.

Second Baseman: Jace Peterson, Atlanta Braves ($3,300)

During his time with the Atlanta Braves, Jace Peterson has proved he can truly do it all. While he had a slump earlier this season that dropped his average below .245, Peterson is a clutch player coming off a great weekend.

In the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the second baseman had a double, triple, single, two runs and a walk. That was good for eight fantasy points per game over the last three starts. Going up against a right-handed pitcher in rookie Colin Rea, expect good things from Peterson Monday night.

Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants ($3,700)

Brandon Crawford might not be the flashiest player on your fantasy team. Hell, he’s not even a huge power hitter to target. But when you need consistent fantasy points out of a shortstop, the Giants middle infielder is your man.

Since taking a day off on Aug. 5 in Atlanta, Crawford has been on a tear. After going hitless in three of the previous six games before the off day, he has a hit in 10 straight contests. Even with a tough matchup against Michael Wacha Monday evening, expect Crawford to come away with solid points.

Outfielder: Justin Upton, San Diego Padres ($4,600)

Something tells me Justin Upton is going to continue his recent hot streak this week. Upton had reason to be frustrated Sunday when his eight-game hitting streak came to an end, but he can quickly start another one Monday against his former team.

During the offseason, the Atlanta Braves traded away Upton to the Padres for prospects. Now, he gets a chance at revenge in San Diego against rookie pitcher Williams Perez. Averaging 11.6 fantasy points per game over his last nine starts, Upton is a great value for a No. 1 outfielder or high-end No. 2.

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Throughout the season, fantasy baseball managers envisioned better times via the trade market. Now with the deadline about up in most leagues, all of everyone’s hopes transfer to the waiver wire.

Locking trades entraps owners into feeling their fates are set. With no portal left for deals, everyone is largely stuck to play the season out and watch the end unfold. Free agency is nice, but how many game-changers funnel through the open market?

You’d be surprised. Consider all the contributors who went undrafted in most standard mixed leagues. Brandon Crawford, Matt Duffy, Cameron Maybin, Carlos Correa, Jeurys Familia, Noah Syndergaard and Carlos Martinez have since made indelible marks, and there’s still time to expand that list.

Don’t get deterred during the dog days of summer. Keep examining the waiver wire for gems blistering under the sun.

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Although a good problem to have, daily fantasy baseball gamers must choose from a crowded field of aces taking the mound on Sunday.

Chris Sale, Zack Greinke, Matt Harvey, Madison Bumgarner, Carlos Carrasco and Carlos Martinez will all work to close out the weekend. While loaded at the top, the options quickly dwindle after the highest tier. It’s probably a good idea to spend big on two stud hurlers in cash contests.

But which two to choose, and how can DraftKings players form a winning offense? Keep in mind that a pitching-heavy approach prevents players from investing in Nelson Cruz, Carlos Gonzalez and/or Carlos Correa—top hitting choices all priced above $5,000.

Let’s break down Sunday’s optimal choices, focusing on elite pitching instead of offense.

SP Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox ($11,600) vs. Chicago Cubs 

While a tall price to pay for a single player, $11,600 is lower than usual for Sale. Two seven-run blunders bloated his ERA to 3.47, but don’t panic. Among qualified starters, his 2.51 fielding independent pitching (FIP) still ranks second behind Clayton Kershaw:

Of heaver importance for Sunday’s inner-state tilt with the Chicago Cubs, he has registered an MLB-best 11.55 strikeouts per nine innings backed by a 15.2 swinging-strike percentage. Baseball’s best strikeout artist against baseball’s most strikeout-prone lineup presents maximum point potential.

When Sale opposed the Cubs on July 11, he amassed 10 strikeouts through seven frames for the White Sox. That’s closer to the floor than ceiling when projecting his encore.

SP Carlos Carrasco, Cleveland Indians ($10,800) at Minnesota Twins

Like a bad DirecTV commercial, there are two versions of Carrasco. The good Carrasco lives up to his stellar 2.90 FIP and 22.3 strikeouts-minus-walks percentage with a gem. The bad one surrenders five or six runs, a frustrating feat he has already endured five times this season.

Over his last three starts, the good Carrasco has shown up:

There’s no guarantee he stays around to conquer the Minnesota Twins. After all, the maddening ace last unraveled against the White Sox, so his floor is much lower than most high-level studs.  

Yet all DFS participants can do is examine the full picture and trust the process. His peripherals support his torrid stretch as the real norm, and the Twins have plummeted to No. 25 in weighted on-base average (wOBA) versus righties. He’s worth the elevated price.

C Derek Norris ($4,200) and 2B/3B Jedd Gyorko ($3,500), San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies

The Jedd Gyorko plug worked on Friday, but not for the expected reason. Picked for his enhanced splits against lefties, the second baseman instead took right-handed reliever Rafael Betancourt deep.

Still, everything said two days ago applies on Sunday, when he ends his Coors Field excursion against southpaw Chris Rusin. Trust his .813 OPS against lefties to capitalize on Coors one last time.

This time around, let’s toss Derek Norris into the mix. The catcher went yard against Yohan Flande on Friday night, upping his OPS versus lefties to .770 on the season.  

2B/3B Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,800) vs. Cincinnati Reds

Welcome back, Justin Turner. Everyone missed you, especially with a right-handed pitcher in town against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 30-year-old infielder hasn’t exhibited much rust from his two-week absence, collecting four hits in three games, including a homer on Saturday night.

Don’t read anything from the small sample size other than “He’s fine.” But let’s remember how awesome he was before getting sidelined. He’s hitting an impeccable .326/.386/.568 this season but apparently still doesn’t hold enough name value for DraftKings to immediately hike up his price.

As long as the Dodgers don’t give him a rest day, employ Turner at second or third for $3,800 against Anthony DeSclafani. 

OF Khris Davis, Milwaukee Brewers ($3,700) vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Back in the Milwaukee Brewers’ starting outfield with Carlos Gomez and Gerardo Parra jettisoned, Khris Davis has already crushed five homers in August. Against righties, he’s registering an .848 OPS with nine of his dozen dingers.

Meanwhile, Aaron Harang has relinquished 45 earned runs over his last 50 innings, producing one quality start in nine outings. On the hook for a .780 opposing OPS, the 37-year-old righty gives Davis a great opportunity to impact Sunday’s slate.

OF Ryan Raburn, Cleveland Indians ($2,400) at Minnesota Twins

The Cleveland Indians activated Ryan Raburn from the bereavement list just in time to face a lefty. The team announced the move on Saturday:

Even before stepping away from the club, the outfielder logged five August at-bats. Yet the .300/.375/.533 hitter against southpaws always deserved recognition as an incredible bargain, and now he gets Tommy Milone fresh off the disabled list. If Cleveland starts Raburn, so should you.

Note: All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.

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Do you want to draft guys like Zack Greinke ($12,400), Nolan Arenado ($5,200) and Nelson Cruz ($5,400) on Sunday in your DraftKings contest? You’ll need to find productive bargains and sleepers to pull it off.

Drafting these six affordable but productive guys will leave you the room to splurge on the aforementioned stars.

Jedd Gyorko ($3,500), 2B at Colorado Rockies

Any day the Colorado Rockies are at home, it’s permissible to have at least one player from their game in your DraftKings lineup. According to ESPN.com, Coors Field is easily the most hitter-friendly ballpark in the major leagues.

Along with Arenado, DraftKings players might also want to take a strong look at the San Diego Padres’ Jedd Gyorko on Sunday.

Gyorko is on an eight-game hitting streak and facing Rockies left-hander Chris Rusin. Opponents are hitting .313 against Rusin this season. With this matchup taking place at Coors Field, Gyorko is the perfect budget pick at second base.

Torii Hunter ($3,600), OF vs. Cleveland Indians

The ageless Torii Hunter loves to see the Cleveland Indians’ Carlos Carrasco on the mound. The 40-year-old center fielder is hitting .333 against Carrasco in 18 at-bats with a whopping .833 slugging percentage. This matchup couldn’t come at a better time for Hunter.

He has been mired in a slump this month. Hunter hasn’t had a hit since August 7, but this is an ideal spot for him to break out of his funk.

Melky Cabrera ($3,500), OF vs. Chicago Cubs

While Melky Cabrera has cooled off a bit from his red-hot run in July, he’s still one of the Chicago White Sox’s most dependable run producers. In the finale of the Crosstown Classic against the Chicago Cubs, the White Sox will take aim at the very hittable Dan Haren.

To be effective, Haren has to do surgeon-like work off the edges of the plate. Thus his margin for error is slim. Cabrera has done well at making him pay for his mistakes in the past. He’s hitting .313 against Haren in 16 career at-bats.

Cabrera should be in your outfield on Sunday.

Lucas Duda ($4,300), 1B vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

The New York Mets have been tough at home all season. Part of the reason for the team’s success is the power and run production of Lucas Duda. He’s hit 18 of his 21 home runs at Citi Field, and 41 of his 55 RBI have come at home as well.

He’ll be facing the left-handed Jeff Locke on Sunday. Despite hitting from the left side, Duda has had no problems against southpaws. He’s hitting .304 against them and slugging .539.

He’s the most expensive choice on this list, but he should be worth it.

Vidal Nuno ($4,300), SP at Atlanta Braves

The key to this budget lineup paying off is Vidal Nuno. At $4,300, he’s the second-cheapest pitching option available.

He’s listed here for two reasons. First, his strikeout numbers make him a potential fantasy stud. Nuno has 46 strikeouts in just 44.1 innings pitched. Second, there’s got to come a point when the Boston Red Sox offense will slow down.

Over the last two games, the Red Sox have scored 37 runs. The law of averages suggests balance is on the way.

Geovany Soto ($2,500), C vs. Chicago Cubs

Cabrera is not the only player in line to benefit from the Cubs sending Haren to the mound. Geovany Soto is set up to do damage against Haren, too.

Their brief history doesn’t suggest Soto will dominate Haren (0-for-8), but if you take a look at the White Sox catcher’s home run pacing, it’s about time for him to go deep again.

Soto averages a home run every 17 at-bats. That at-bat could easily take place with Haren on the mound. Haren is one of the easiest pitchers in the majors to take deep—he’s given up 24 homers this season.

The stats favor a Soto dinger on Sunday.

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Thursday was International Left-Handers Day, but from the looks of the starting pitchers scheduled to take the mound on Friday, the holiday should have been celebrated a day later.

There are a whopping 11 left-handed starters on tap in the 15 games on the day’s ledger. With so many lefties on the bump, there’s a good chance success in DraftKings contests will ride on the strength or weakness of a southpaw’s arm.

Which pitchers and hitters should you take and avoid? Take a look at the breakdown below.

Players to Target

David Price, SP, Toronto Blue Jays ($12,300) vs. New York Yankees

It’ll cost a pretty virtual penny to draft David Price, but it’ll be worth it. Since joining the Toronto Blue Jays, Price is 2-0. In two starts, he has allowed just one earned run in 15 innings. Price has struck out 18 and walked five. That’s good for an average of 34.6 DK fantasy points per game.

He’ll be facing the New York Yankees on Friday. This will be the second time in a row that Price has pitched against the Bronx Bombers. On August 8, he shut down the Yanks by allowing just three hits and no runs while striking out seven over as many innings.

Normally, the advantage would go to the offense in a rematch such as this—especially when the pitcher dominated the first round—but that’s not the case this time.

In the three-game set against Toronto, the Yankees scored a grand total of one run. Since then, the Yankees bats have come alive a bit against the Cleveland Indians, but they have still only mustered 17 runs in their last eight games.

Can Price and the Jays expect to shut out the Yankees again on Friday? Maybe not, but Price will dominate again en route to a big day for fantasy owners.

Nelson Cruz, OF, Seattle Mariners ($5,600) at Boston Red Sox

No one in the major leagues is on a tear like Nelson Cruz. Not only is he in the midst of a 21-game hitting streak, Cruz has seven home runs already this month—and we’re less than halfway through. ESPN Stats & Info added further perspective to Cruz’s torrid streak:

Those statistics are enough to make him a no-brainer draft choice. However, you might be a little gun-shy because of his hefty DK salary.

Perhaps this last bit of intel will convince you to tab him: In 11 at-bats against the Boston Red Sox starter on Friday, Joe Kelly, Cruz is hitting .455. If that doesn’t convince you, nothing will.

Kendrys Morales, 1B, Kansas City Royals ($4,000) vs. Los Angeles Angels

Whenever the Los Angeles Angels’ Jered Weaver is pitching these days, it’s a good idea to consider the opposition candidates for a fantasy explosion. Weaver hasn’t had a game with 20 or more DK fantasy points since May 25. Four of his last five starts have rendered single-digit fantasy production. 

Kendrys Morales jumps out as a player in position to have a big day at the dish against Weaver.

Morales has pounded the veteran right-hander in his career. In 12 at-bats, Morales is hitting .667 against Weaver. The batting average will get your attention, but when you also consider Morales has yet to strike out against Weaver, the Royals slugger becomes an even more attractive draft option.

If Morales is consistently putting the ball in play, something good is going to happen for him.

Robbie Ray, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks ($7,500) at Atlanta Braves

If you’re looking for the biggest potential bargain of the day, it’s Robbie Ray. He’s another of the 11 lefties on the mound, and he has a favorable matchup against the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta is 27th in the majors in hitting versus lefties. The team has struggled to score runs overall of late. It has scored seven runs in its last three games—six of those came in its most recent game.

This will be the first time the Braves have seen Ray. That should favor the 23-year-old in his second year in the majors. Despite a modest 3-7 record, Ray has been fairly consistent.

He has lasted at least five innings in all but one of his starts. Friday could be his best start of the season.

Players to Avoid

Max Scherzer, SP, Washington Nationals ($14,600) at San Francisco Giants

There is no way to justify drafting Max Scherzer for near $15,000 in DK salary. If you’re drafting a pitcher with a salary as high as Scherzer‘s, he has to produce at least 35 fantasy points to get a suitable return on investment.

Rarely will you see any player who offers that level of assurance. There was a stretch during this season when Scherzer was dominating opposing lineups. However, his latest work disqualifies him from sensible consideration.

Scherzer hasn’t had a plus-30 fantasy game since July 12. He’s also allowed three or more earned runs in three of his last four starts. That’s not production worthy of 29 percent of your available salary.

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies ($5,300) vs. San Diego Padres

The competition for best young third baseman in the major leagues is between the Baltimore Orioles’ Manny Machado, Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado. The latter is having a great season with 28 home runs and 82 RBI, but Friday isn’t a good day to draft him.

Usually, a stud like Arenado playing at home at Coors Field would call for an automatic spot in any DK lineup. But Arenado hasn’t had much success against the opposing pitcher.

The San Diego Padres’ Tyson Ross has limited Arenado to just three hits in 17 at-bats. No matter who’s on the mound, the rare air in Colorado can be great for hitters. Ross throws a ton of ground balls, and that’s the best way to maintain control of the game at Coors Field.

In Ross’ last 10 games, two-thirds of the outs he’s recorded have come via the ground ball. He’ll keep Arenado swinging at air or hitting the ball on the ground. The result will be a less-than-stellar fantasy performance from the Rockies star.

Corey Kluber, SP, Cleveland Indians ($10,600) at Minnesota Twins

To put it plain, Corey Kluber is far too inconsistent. He nearly no-hit the Minnesota Twins in his last start, but I wouldn’t draft him on Friday. Kluber has alternated good and bad starts since the middle of July.

When he’s on, he’s a tremendous strikeout pitcher with great fantasy potential. When he’s not, he’s average. With a second look at Kluber in the same week, the Twins will make sure he isn’t even worth his somewhat reasonable DK salary.

Kluber will stick to his recent trend and produce an underwhelming outing on Friday.

Jeff Samardzija, SP, Chicago White Sox ($7,100) vs. Chicago Cubs

After a strong run in July, Jeff Samardzija has seen the wheels fall off in August. In two starts, his ERA is 15.43, and a red-hot Chicago Cubs lineup is coming to U.S. Cellular Field to make matters worse for the team’s former ace.

The Cubs have won seven in a row and are scoring 5.7 runs per game during the streak. That includes a nine-run onslaught on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

At times, the Cubs have struggled with strikeouts, but Samardzija hasn’t been missing many bats of late. He’s managed just three strikeouts in each of his last two starts. All signs point to the Cubs doing a number on Samardzija in the first of three against their crosstown rivals.

Jaime Garcia, SP, St. Louis Cardinals ($9,800) vs. Miami Marlins

While Jaime Garcia has been good this season with an ERA of 1.77 and WHIP of 0.91, the left-hander will be facing a Marlins team that is hitting .283 against lefties.

Garcia did hold the Fish down back on June 24 when he went seven innings and allowed a run on five hits, but the second time around, the law of averages imply that the Marlins will get the best of him.

Even if Garcia can continue his success against the Marlins, his 46 strikeouts in 66 innings limit his fantasy potential.

Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees ($4,200) at Toronto Blue Jays

We mentioned earlier that Price has been nasty of late. Above and beyond his recent excellence, the lefty has always given the Yankees’ Mark Teixeira fits. New York’s first baseman is hitting just .200 against Price in 60 career at-bats.

That’s a large sample size accurately conveying who’s the boss in this matchup.

As if there was a need for more evidence that you should pass on Teixeira, here goes: Teixeira is hitting just .175 in August. Stay far away.

Team to Stack

Pittsburgh Pirates

Bartolo Colon gives up a lot of home runs.

To be exact, the hefty right-hander has given up 18 dingers in 134.1 innings. The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming to Citi Field, and they are hitting the ball well. The Bucs have averaged 6.14 runs per game in their last seven games.

Andrew McCutchen, Aramis Ramirez, Chris Stewart, Sean Rodriguez and Pedro Alvarez have hit Colon well in the past. That group is hitting a combined .384 against the 42-year-old veteran. Pittsburgh is the team to lean on if you’re stacking.

All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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This late in the MLB season, setting daily fantasy baseball lineups has become ingrained into players’ routines. Gamers have hit the daily grind for over four months, and plenty of days remain to boost that bankroll.

Well accustomed to the procedure, readers don’t need a lengthy introduction this late in the year. Let’s jump right into Friday night’s top DraftKings picks, beginning with a top-tier ace and ending with a bargain-bin outfielder, as usual. 

SP Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians ($10,600) at Minnesota

Five days ago, Corey Kluber flirted with a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins, allowing one run during a complete-game gem decorated with 10 strikeouts. Anybody worried about the American League Cy Young Award winner’s ups and downs should instead gaze at his 2.54 fielding independent pitching (FIP) and 22.3 strikeouts-minus-walks percentage.

As noted by ESPN Stats & Info, he has made double-digit strikeout outings a fairly regular event:

Sunday’s gem was no fluke; Minnesota places in the bottom 10 of weighted on-base average (wOBA) against righties. Meanwhile, David Price gets a New York Yankees lineup loaded with power despite its recent slumber, and Max Scherzer costs a monumental $14,600 against the heavily underrated San Francisco Giants.

SP Robbie Ray, Arizona Diamondbacks ($7,500) at Atlanta

Armed with a 3.13 ERA, 3.17 FIP and 22.2 strikeout percentage, Robbie Ray faces an Atlanta Braves offense with a .281 wOBA against lefties. Feeling the loss of Freddie Freeman, Atlanta is hitting .241/.290/.343 after the All-Star break with baseball’s second-worst wOBA (.277). 

Ray’s 41.7 fly-ball percentage hovers a tad too high for comfort, but at least the 23-year-old rookie gets away from Chase Field. His $7,500 price tag makes him a tremendous complement to Kluber.

2B/3B Jedd Gyorko, San Diego Padres ($4,000) at Colorado

This weekend, the San Diego Padres hitters are like kids raised without sugar staying at their friends’ house full of candy and soda. Liberated from Petco Park, they’ll get a sweet taste of the hitting-friendly Coors Field.

Not only does Jedd Gyorko upgrade from atrocious (.572 OPS) to average (.718) outside of Petco, he morphs into a dangerous slugger versus southpaws:

As a result, someone with a .287 wOBA and 25.5 strikeout percentage costs $4,000 against left-handed pitcher Yohan Flande. Pay the tall price.

1B/OF Ben Paulsen, Colorado Rockies ($3,200) vs. San Diego

Everyone playing at Coors Field received the accompanying price bump except Ben Paulsen, who remains an affordable $3,200 despite hitting .330/.392/.589 at home. He also holds a .375 wOBA against righties, so take the discount, even against Tyson Ross.

OF Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers ($4,700) vs. Philadelphia

Don’t feel like shelling out more than $5,000 for Nelson Cruz or an outfielder playing in Coors? Luckily for you, Ryan Braun brings a .404 wOBA against lefties into a bout with Adam Morgan, who yields a .496 slugging percentage to righties. 

Even after his last promising start, the Philadelphia Phillies starter doesn’t inspire much fear with a 5.18 FIP. While quietly looking closer to the top slugger of old, Braun has also regained his stride with 18 stolen bases, putting him in a race with Paul Goldschmidt and Justin Upton for the first to lock down a 20/20 campaign.

OF Preston Tucker, Houston Astros ($3,300) vs. Detroit 

After an auspicious yet suspicious opening two months, Alfredo Simon has taken a massive beating. The veteran has relinquished 53 runs in 66 innings since June 1, recording one quality start along the way. His chances against the homer-happy Houston Astros aren’t good.

Opposing lefties hit .303/.366/.540 off him with a dozen of his 14 homers allowed. Preston Tucker, who has a .380 wOBA and 11 homers through 199 plate appearances against righties, will love this matchup. So will DraftKings players who roster the outfielder for a mere $3,300.

Note: All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs. 

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It’s (almost) the freakin‘ weekend, baby, I’m about to have me some fun. Yeah, I just quoted R. Kelly. And I will not apologize because DraftKings daily fantasy has me feeling some kind of way before the weekend even starts.

OK, now that that’s out of the way, let’s take a look at the best options for a balanced lineup. Before setting your roster for Friday, take a look at these bargain-bin picks for August 14 on DraftKings.

Pitcher: Chris Bassitt, Oakland Athletics ($6,300)

Want to afford top-of-the-line pitchers like Max Scherzer or David Price? Well you’re going to need a No. 2 starter that is affordable with numbers to back him up. That describes Chris Bassitt to a tee.

The Oakland Athletics churn out young pitchers with a wealth of talent, and Bassitt is the latest in that trend. With an average of 29.8 fantasy points in two August starts, Bassitt is primed for another key start. Oh, and one of those games was against the Baltimore Orioles—his Friday foe. Look for Bassitt to shine again.

First Baseman: Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates ($3,400)

Pedro Alvarez has been great in spurts this season. Those spurts haven’t lasted long, but he is slowly heating up again in August. Over the last four games, Alvarez has seven hits, four extra-base hits, two homers, (*takes breath*) three runs and three RBI.

That, my friends, is good for an average of over 12 fantasy points during that stretch.

Sure, there are other first basemen for over $4,400 like Paul Goldschmidt or Chris Davis that are putting up solid production. But with Alvarez batting .444 with three extra-base hits against New York Mets righty Bartolo Colon, he’s a perfect addition to any balanced lineup.

Second Baseman: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds ($3,500)

Speaking of players who are scorching hot recently, Brandon Phillips fits in that category. Alvarez has played well recently, but Dat Dude has just been absurd since July 30. Since that date, Phillips has a .411 average with five stolen bases, which is pretty good.

He also proved that he still has pop in his bat with a double and three RBI on Thursday. I’m not exactly sure why his price is so low, but Phillips boasts a higher average against left-handed pitchers this season. Going up against Alex Wood, who has struggled since joining the Los Angeles Dodgers, Phillips is a solid option.

Shortstop: Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians ($3,500)

For those who have read some of my recent articles, you are already aware of my thoughts on Francisco Lindor. Anyone who hasn’t read those aforementioned nuggets of wisdom, you’re forgiven. Luckily, you still have a chance to jump on the Lindor train while he’s still trucking along.

During his current eight-game hitting streak, Lindor is averaging over 10 fantasy points per game. He’s not tearing the cover off the ball like Carlos Correa or Troy Tulowitzki, but he’s consistent at the plate—and over $1,000 less than both players against Trevor May and the Minnesota Twins.

Outfielder: Ben Zobrist, Kansas City Royals ($4,000)

Change has clearly been a good thing for Ben Zobrist. The utility man is making the most of entering a postseason push with the Kansas City Royals. How, exactly? Oh, you know, by hitting .314/.405/.600 during August.

Zobrist reached base in every at-bat Thursday night with two singles and two walks. He’s also facing Los Angeles Angels hurler Jered Weaver, a pitcher he’s comfortable against during his time with Oakland. Weaver is scuffling and Zobrist has a .320 OBP with four extra-base hits against him. At $4,000, Zobrist is an affordable outfielder for owners.

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The clock is ticking to orchestrate a last-minute fantasy baseball trade.

If the trade deadline hasn’t already passed, many leagues will close their trade window soon. Monday marks the end date for several make-believe general managers. There go your weekend plans.

Let’s hope fantasy GMs exuded a more proactive approach than actual MLB executives, handling business before the final hour to maximize their newly earned gains. Yet it’s human nature to procrastinate in all walks of life. I could have written this introduction on Tuesday, but I waited until Thursday.

Still have a chance to wheel and deal? Seize the opportunity to better your squad for the stretch run, starting with these buy-low and sell-high candidates.

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Thursday’s MLB schedule consists of only nine games, four during the day and five at night.  Whether DraftKings daily fantasy players choose to enter contests in the afternoon, evening or both, options are limited.  Scoring points from unexpected sources is what will separate the winners from the losers.

With that in mind, here are five names that qualify as bargain buys for August 13, ranging from an aging veteran to a relatively unknown rookie. 

Afternoon

SP Mark Buehrle, Toronto Blue Jays ($7,600) vs. Oakland A’s

Mark Buehrle has been the model of consistency in 2015.  The 36-year-old hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a game since May 29, a span of 12 starts.  Buehrle has also lasted at least six innings in 15 of his last 16 outings, with the only slip-up being a 5.2-inning performance.  In that time, his season ERA has dropped from 6.00 to 3.34.

Buehrle’s numbers at Rogers Centre this year are also much better than his stats on the road:

The soft-throwing lefty doesn’t get many strikeouts, but he rarely walks anyone either.  Buehrle has surrendered just two bases on balls over his past seven starts.

1B Prince Fielder, Texas Rangers ($4,500) at Minnesota Twins

A perennial All-Star, Prince Fielder hardly qualifies as a sleeper.  But considering his history when facing Twins starter Ervin Santana, Fielder is a bargain at $4,500.

The Texas slugger has three home runs and six RBI in 16 at-bats against Santana:

Fielder also owns a modest four-game hitting streak, during which he’s 7-for-17 with a homer and four RBI.

Evening

SP Keyvius Sampson, Cincinnati Reds ($4,500) at Los Angeles Dodgers

Keyvius Sampson is the definition of “sleeper”—at $4,500, he’s the cheapest pitcher available on Thursday night.  Sampson is making just his third major league start, but considering his average of 17.1 fantasy points through his first two, he’s a steal.

Above are highlights of Sampson’s previous outing in Arizona in which he picked up the win after yielding one run on four hits in six innings.  The rookie has a total of 12 strikeouts in 12 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .159 batting average.

Five of the 10 starting pitchers on the board cost more than double what Sampson does.  Taking a calculated gamble on the 24-year-old will allow for much bigger bats throughout your lineup.

SS Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians ($3,600) vs. New York Yankees

Francisco Lindor got off to a rocky start to his big league career.  However, the 21-year-old phenom is steadily building momentum as the season progresses.  Lindor batted only .211 in June, but he then hit .295 in July.  After 10 games this month, his August average stands at .325.

The youngtser’s offensive production over his last 20 games has been outstanding:

Lindor has a base hit in each of his last seven contests.  He’s 12-for-28 with eight runs scored during the streak.  Even though his salary ranks at the top of the list for shortstops, Lindor will be well worth the money if his hot hitting continues. 

2B Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates ($3,200) at St. Louis Cardinals

Neil Walker is 0-for-8 with a pair of strikeouts in his last two games, but look for that to change once he steps into the batter’s box versus Lance Lynn.  When the St. Louis righty last faced the Pirates on July 10, Walker went 3-for-3 with a homer in the first four innings.

Walker’s fourth-inning blast led to Lynn’s briefest appearance in over 13 months, according to KTGR radio host Brandon Kiley: 

For his career, Walker is 13-for-37 against Lynn, with seven extra-base hits, three homers, 10 RBI and a .432 on-base percentage.

Walker is also a better hitter away from PNC Park this season.  He’s batting .254 and scoring 6.5 fantasy points per game at home, but those averages jump to .289 and 7.8, respectively, on the road.

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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If nine games doesn’t limit Thursday’s daily fantasy baseball choices enough, the action disperses into separate slates throughout the day.

With start times stretching from 12:10 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. ET, DraftKings gamers will tackle their DFS lineups through afternoon and/or evening contests. Only so many roster combinations exist with four early and five evening bouts, limiting the margin of error for all participants.

On the bright side, there’s less noise to silence when researching the player pool. It’s easier to dive deep into every matchup and uncover optimal selections.

Afternoon 

SP Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets ($11,100) vs. Colorado

Are you really going to pay $12,200 for Sonny Gray against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre? Of course not. Don’t be silly. Noah Syndergaard looked mortal during his last start, but trust Thor to hurl a bounce-back gem against the Colorado Rockies. 

Even after Saturday’s five-run struggle, the rookie righty holds a 3.01 ERA, 2.86 fielding independent pitching (FIP) and 9.67 strikeouts per nine innings. Still weary of the neophyte? Consider his steep home-road splits, hardly uncommon for a newcomer:

Away from Coors Field, the Colorado Rockies failed to score a run against Matt Harvey or Jacob deGrom on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Count on Syndergaard to continue their turmoil at Citi Field.

SP Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs ($10,800) vs. Milwaukee

The other attractive ace going early, Jon Lester has overcome a slow start to sport a 3.22 ERA, 2.95 FIP and 8.96 K/9. He has especially dominated over his last seven starts, dating back to July 1:

Expect the Chicago Cubs southpaw to extend those good times against the Milwaukee Brewers, who rank second-to-last in weighted on-base average (wOBA) against southpaws. Pairing Syndergaard and Lester represents the safe and sensible plan, but those unwilling to pay for both should make Lester their top priority.

C Josh Phegley ($3,300) and 3B/OF Danny Valencia ($3,500), Oakland Athletics at Toronto

Rather than trust Mark Buehrle’s 3.34 ERA accrued in spite of a 4.32 K/9, implement a pair of Oakland Athletics who thrive against lefties.

Sporting a .398 wOBA off opposite-handed hurlers, Josh Phegley should get the nod behind the plate. Those stellar splits scream for exposure as a $3,300 catcher.

A curious cut by the Toronto Blue Jays, Danny Valencia is hitting .308/.348/.557 this season, blasting three homers in six games with Oakland. Generating a career .326/.369/.500 line versus lefties, the 30-year-old gets a golden opportunity to make his old employer jealous.

3B Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins ($3,800) vs. Texas

Miguel Sano won’t keep juggling a .295 batting average and 32.8 strikeout percentage, but it’s awfully hard to pass on someone with a .476 wOBA and 48.9 hard-hit percentage against righties. He gets a weak one in Alex “Chi Chi” Gonzalez, who has submitted more walks (19) than strikeouts (15) through 43.1 innings.

The Minnesota Twins rookie is due for regression, but not nearly as much as the Texas Rangers novice. Besides, his $3,800 price tag reflects the untrustworthy .419 batting average on balls in play (BABIP). 

Evening

SP Francisco Liriano, Pittsburgh Pirates ($11,000) at St. Louis

In his second start back, Stephen Strasburg is shaky for $10,900 against the San Francisco Giants, who lead baseball in weighted runs created plus (wRC+) versus righties. That leaves Francisco Liriano and Lance Lynn, who square off Thursday, as the evening’s lone aces. Taking both and hoping for one victory in a low-scoring game is fine, but given the St. Louis Cardinals’ struggles against southpaws, Liriano gets the edge.

St. Louis ranks No. 23 in wOBA versus lefties with a 23.1 strikeout percentage. Although shaky in his last two starts, Liriano still boasts a 10.02 K/9, sixth-highest among qualified starters, and a 53.4 ground-ball percentage. 

SP Nathan Eovaldi, New York Yankees ($7,700) at Cleveland

There aren’t many intriguing midcard starters to target Thursday, but Nathan Eovaldi is the most playable budget-saver beyond the five-figure aces. Since getting annihilated by the Miami Marlins (0.2 innings, eight runs) on June 16, he has registered a 2.85 ERA while allowing three or fewer runs during all nine starts.

He also averages an underwhelming 5.2 innings per start and doesn’t punch people out despite throwing gas. For anyone impressed by his 11-2 record, maybe stay away from DFS. 

Lefties crush him, making Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana significant obstacles. But at least he doesn’t have to deal with the injured Jason Kipnis or traded Brandon Moss when facing a suddenly lackluster Cleveland Indians lineup. This is a lukewarm endorsement, but he beats playing Buehrle.

OF Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals ($5,200) at San Francisco

Lefties have obliterated Ryan Vogelsong to a .532 slugging percentage this season, accounting for 13 of his 15 relinquished long balls. Bryce Harper is a pretty darn good lefty with a .677 slugging percentage and 24 dingers off righties. 

Since he hasn’t homered since July 29, his price didn’t rise to unspeakable heights. Although $5,200 is typically a lot of money to throw at one slugger, Harper looks like a bargain at that going rate.

OFs Kole Calhoun ($4,100) and David Murphy ($2,500), Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City

How can one afford Liriano and Harper? Turn to David Murphy, who costs a minuscule $2,500 in a perfect matchup against Jeremy Guthrie. Despite his current splits, the new Los Angeles Angels outfielder owns a career .345 wOBA against his preferred foe.

Meanwhile, lefties demolish the Kansas City Royals veteran to a tune of .332/.393/.542 and 13 homers. After looking at those brutal numbers, let’s take Kole Calhoun for the ride as well. 

Note: All advanced stats are courtesy of FanGraphs.

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