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The 2015 All-Star break may be baseball’s midway point, but in fantasy baseball, it means you have about one month-and-a-half left to make a push for the postseason.

First-half standouts can easily become second-half duds. Conversely, the post-All-Star break portion of the season may be when the underperforming early draft pick finally proves his worth.

Chances are your lineup has at least one or two holes in it, so let’s take a look at 10 players (one per position plus a utility bat) who should give your lineup that extra something it needs.

Some positions are obviously more valuable than others, and there are often stark differences between points league rankings and roto rankings. To make this article as all-inclusive as possible, we discuss a little bit of everything.

Each player is the most likely candidate to break out and provide your team with a difference-maker. The cost to acquire him and expected return on your investment are why these players made the list.

Let’s get to the list.

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The All-Star break is over, and the start of the second season is upon us. That makes Friday one of the most exciting days for daily fantasy owners on DraftKings.

Taking some time off to enjoy the All-Star Game was fun, but it’s time to get back down to business. Prior to setting your lineups Friday, here’s a look at some low-value players for July 17.

First Baseman: Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers ($4,300)

Mr. Consistency isn’t slowing down this season. In the heart of a loaded lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he has protection in front of and behind him every night. That is a huge reason A-Gone is averaging 8.2 fantasy points this season and nine in his last 10 games.

After hitting a home run in his last game before the break, Gonzalez should be rested up and ready for a hot start in the second season.

With his team pitted against another one of the best teams in the National League, he’ll need to provide some offense against Jordan Zimmermann. Expect him to do just that, as he has 16 homers and a .536 slugging percentage against right-handed pitchers.

Second Baseman: Devon Travis, Toronto Blue Jays ($3,800)

He may be a rookie, but Devon Travis has hit like a veteran so far this season. Even with just seven homers, Travis has averaged more than eight fantasy points per game with an .845 OPS.

In just 52 games, he has 32 RBI and has shown patience at the plate with 13 walks. Oh, then there’s the fact that Travis had a ridiculous stretch of four multiple-hit performances in a four-game stretch before the break. Don’t overlook Travis for a more experienced player, or you might regret it.

Third Baseman: Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox ($4,000)

Speaking of young players, Xander Bogaerts is another slugger under 25 who’s hitting at a ridiculous clip recently. Through 10 games in July, Bogaerts has at least one hit in each and multiple hits in half of them. His .395 average this month has helped raise his season average above the .300 mark.

Bogaerts might not be the same value as Travis, but he’s a bargain for a third baseman. With Miguel Cabrera and David Wright still on the disabled list, Bogaerts is a solid choice to help fill out the rest of the lineup with power bats.

Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants ($3,500)

Brandon Crawford is an All-Star. He also has 12 homers—second-most among MLB shortstops. Yet somehow, someway, Crawford can be had on DraftKings for $4,500 on Friday.

It might have something to do with the slight dip in his production, with just one hit in six games starting in Washington. However, his numbers before the break—four hits in two games with a triple, two RBI and two runs—tell a different story.

Crawford also has a great matchup. Facing off with Robbie Ray, he’ll get a chance to see a pitcher who has been up and down over his last four starts. Carrying a .318/.375/.545 clip against lefties with three homers, Crawford should have no issues putting up strong numbers at a low price.

Outfielder: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles ($3,800)

Keeping with the theme of players who have outproduced their value on DraftKings, we give you Adam Jones. The Baltimore Orioles slugger has been raking recently, with seven hits over his last six games—four of which have been home runs.

Similar to Crawford, Jones has a perfect matchup against Anibal Sanchez. With a .600 OBP against Sanchez and 10 homers against righties this season, there’s no reason not to trust Jones as a No. 2 or high-end No. 3 outfielder. 

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Friday kicks off the second half of the MLB season, which gives both players and daily fantasy baseball owners a chance to either build off their early success or turn things around after a slow start.

The contests on July 17 feature plenty of high-priced talent like Clayton Kershaw ($13,600) and Jose Fernandez ($10,200) on the mound as well as hitters Paul Goldschmidt ($5,500) and Bryce Harper ($5,400). However, the best way to succeed might be to use some of these bargains and create balance with your team.

Julio Teheran, SP, Atlanta Braves ($8,100)

It seems like Julio Teheran is way too good to have a 4.56 ERA at the All-Star break, but the crazy thing is that most of the damage has come on the road this year:

The Braves ace has looked like a Cy Young candidate when at Turner Field and has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last five home starts. Against a Chicago Cubs team that strikes out more than anyone else in the National League, Teheran can easily outproduce his cost.

Mike Montgomery, SP, Seattle Mariners ($6,400)

The former highly touted Kansas City Royals pitcher is finally putting together the major league career many expected of him a few years ago. In eight starts with the Mariners, he has posted a 2.29 ERA thanks mainly to back-to-back complete-game shutouts in June.

While he came back to earth a bit in his last start (five earned runs in five innings), Montgomery still has plenty of talent and is tough to hit. Opponents have only batted .209 against him this year for a reason. He should be able to get back on track Friday against the New York Yankees. 

Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays ($4,100)

Although his power numbers are down this year, Evan Longoria‘s .276 batting average and .350 on-base percentage would be his highest in three seasons. More importantly, he has a great matchup against a pitcher who hasn’t performed anywhere near as well as his 8-2 record would indicate.

Toronto Blue Jays starter Drew Hutchison comes out of the All-Star break with a 5.33 ERA while failing to get out of the sixth inning in any of his last six starts. The right-hander has especially struggled against fellow righties this year, allowing those batters to hit .335 against him.

Longoria has a chance to lead the Rays to a big day at the plate.

Gerardo Parra, OF, Milwaukee Brewers ($3,900)

The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a worse time for Gerardo Parra, who has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball. Since the start of July, the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder has hit .425 to go with four home runs and 11 runs.

He has started nine games this month and has multiple hits in seven of them.

Assuming the few days off didn’t cool him off too much, Parra represents great value at this price.

C.J. Cron, 1B, Los Angeles Angels ($3,200)

Throughout the first few months of the year, C.J. Cron only managed a .204 batting average with one home run. After being sent down to the minors and recalled on June 29, the 25-year-old hitter has been a completely different player.

In 10 games since the call-up, Cron has batted .459 with four home runs and 12 RBI. As long as he can keep his new spot in the lineup, this remains a bargain for fantasy players.

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

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Back to work. The MLB season resumes on Friday, leaving fantasy baseball players precious time to execute a second-half trade.

Depending on the league’s deadline, most managers have 2-4 weeks before the trading period closes. After spending the four-day break agonizing over roster deficiencies, gamers are anxious for change.

Although really just a mini-vacation, the break represents a fresh start. It also froze everyone’s numbers for a few days, causing managers to fixate over those stagnated stats. Capitalize on the All-Star break by buying or selling these players.

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When doing research on your favorite player, you may come across some statistic types you might have never heard of before. These metrics can help you win your fantasy baseball league if you know more about them and how they work.

Here are four types of MLB advanced metrics that can help you in your respective fantasy baseball leagues.

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Relax. Take a stroll outside. MLB games have paused for All-Star festivities, giving daily fantasy players a four-day reprieve.

Use some of that free time to refresh and reset for the second half, where savvy gamers have larger sample sizes to use to their advantage. Don’t, however, take the entire time off from researching. The break presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on the opening half and preview the final two-plus months.

Daily players are accustomed to studying specific splits and matchups, but let’s take a step back and examine some top sluggers from a macro perspective. It’s easy to get swept up in a hot or cold streak during the daily grind, but few players will mirror their early results. Baseball simply doesn’t operate at such a linear level.

Rest-of-season projections won’t guide Friday’s slate, but a larger understanding will guide overall decisions throughout the second half.  

Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals

Bryce Harper is eventually going to cool down. Unless he doesn’t.

The 22-year-old took a cavernous leap to superstardom during the first half, hitting .341/.466/.707 with 26 homers and an MLB-best 216 weighted runs created plus (wRC+). A 100 wRC+ is considered average, making Harper more valuable than two above-average batters combined.

He’s currently enjoying the best offensive season of the decade. Nobody has notched a slugging percentage above .700 since Barry Bonds netted an .812 clip in 2004. If he keeps going deep with such regularity, as noted by ESPN Stats & Info, he’ll set a record that’s even more impressive in the modern, power-condensed era.

Harper went bananas and belted 13 long balls in May, but April represents his worst month with a .985 OPS. He has also brandished tremendous plate discipline with a 18.4 walk percentage and diminished 20.6 strikeout percentage.

The best case for a second-half decline is that no human being can possibly maintain his stellar rate during the post-steroid era. The average especially smells fishy for someone who has never hit above .275, which will certainly change even if he goes a more reasonable .290-.300 going forward.

Even with regression, he’ll remain one of baseball’s top superstars who will always cost a premium regardless of the opponent. Due to his exorbitant price tag, which won’t change if he’s merely awesome instead of otherworldly, save him for when fed a terrible pitcher. 

Projections: .295/.390/.540, 15 HR, 45 RBI, 40 R, 4 SB

Best Used: Against poor pitcher in cash contests when punting second starter or other position

Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels

Albert Pujols’ on-base percentage has dropped in six straight seasons, and the trend remains in jeopardy. Most of his other numbers followed the decline before avenging a poor 2013 with a solid 2014.

This year, he looks like vintage Pujols in the power department, clobbering 23 of his 26 homers since May 1. Along with hitting .303/.395/.737 with 13 homers during a scorching June, he drew 13 walks while striking out eight times.

Yet he still possesses a career-low .256 batting average. Along with a heavier emphasis on defensive shifting, the former MVP can blame a .217 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), MLB’s third-lowest rate.

On one hand, gradually fading veterans usually don’t gain such a spirited second burst at age 35. Pujols hasn’t hit 40 homers since 2010, so June’s travel back in time likely won’t happen again.

On the other hand, the legend entered spring training healthy for the first time in years. Daily gamers would prefer the power over more hits, but expect his numbers to even out. Sorting a .921 OPS against righties, he’ll remain a high-level choice on most nights.  

Projections: .270/.335/.500, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 39 R, 1 SB

Best Used: Against weak righties vulnerable to long balls 

Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs

It took some time, but Kris Bryant proved worth the wait.

The Chicago Cubs let the hype build until mid-April, when they promoted the blue-chip prospect with an added year of service time under their belt. Although he hit well from the start, the third baseman didn’t register his first MLB homer until May 9.

Skip ahead two months, and he’s hitting .269/.376/.472 with 12 long balls, eight steals and a 136 wRC+. Rarely does anything so hotly anticipated deliver, but Bryant has warranted all the hoopla.

Regularly batting third behind Anthony Rizzo, Bryant will remain saddled atop DraftKings’ price listings. He has also proven capable against all challengers, collecting a .380 on-base percentage against righties and a .554 slugging percentage versus southpaws.

Just beware the potential for a major slump or two. He’ll struggle to keep hitting .269 while ending 29.7 percent of his plate appearances in strikeouts. His .369 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) will fall, but the power, speed and plate discipline won’t go anywhere.

Projections: .255/.355/.490, 13 HR, 42 RBI, 40 R, 6 SB

Best Used: Against subpar starter with wind blowing out of Wrigley Field

Robinson Cano, 2B, Seattle Mariners

What the heck happened to Robinson Cano?

The career .306/.354/.492 hitter has gone MIA, batting .251/.290/.370 with six homers and an 85 wRC+. Barring an unbelievable half, his average will finish below .300 for the first time since 2008. 

His nightmarish season is tough to explain. The star second baseman is carrying a career-high 17.3 strikeout percentage and his worst walk rate (4.6 percent) since 2009. Superstars rarely go from front-line option to below-average contributor without some advanced notice or a significant injury. 

While the 32-year-old has never went on the disabled list, he admitted to suffering from a stomach ailment over the past year, per USA Today‘s Jorge L. Ortiz.

“It still affects me,” Cano said. “Sometimes you drink water and it makes you feel like vomiting. I can’t eat the same way I did. It’s hard to deal with, especially being the first time this has happened to me. Sometimes I eat only once a day before playing, because I feel full. And you just don’t have the same energy.”

If there’s any sign of optimism, he’s hitting .327 with two homers during a dozen July games. He also boasts a career .318/.366/.528 slash line after the All-Star break, so don’t give up on the star second baseman just yet. Eye his matchups after the break, as he should remain affordable given his mighty struggles.

Projections: .285/.340/.440, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 33 R, 4 SB

Best Used: Against righties while price remains reasonable as he shows life.

Ian Desmond, SS, Washington Nationals

Although a better seasonal rotisserie player than daily option, shortstop Ian Desmond compiled three straight 20/20 seasons. Entering the break with seven homers and five steals, that streak is about to snap.

If only that was his biggest problem. The 29-year-old is batting an abysmal .211/.255/.334 with a 4.9 walk percentage and 28.4 strikeout percentage. Only there for his offense, he’s on the hook for 20 errors and a minus-0.9 WAR.

This will mark the third consecutive year his average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage drop. His 15.6 line-drive percentage and 13.9 infield-fly rate don’t support a rebound anytime soon. 

How much longer will Washington put up with his below-replacement play before turning to Trea Turner, a top shortstop prospect acquired to eventually replace Desmond? If that day doesn’t come until next season, can daily players turn to the slumping starter with any confidence?

Only when priced significantly low. Don’t treat Desmond like an above-average shortstop unless he proves otherwise.

Projections: .250/.300/.395, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 33 R, 7 SB

Beat Used: As a punt play

Note: All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.  

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A full slate of action Saturday gives daily fantasy baseball competitors plenty of options when it comes to selecting pitchers. As a result, you don’t necessarily need to draft the top names on the board.

Here is a look at the best value picks available from around the league.

Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs ($9,500)

Chris Sale has been statistically one of the top pitchers in baseball this season, but his counterpart Saturday might end up having the better game. Jon Lester comes into his matchup against the Chicago White Sox with no earned runs allowed in his last two starts while totaling 15 strikeouts and three walks in 14 innings.

The White Sox offense has also struggled mightily this year, especially against left-handed starters, as noted by Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs:

Look for Lester to continue his recent hot streak against a team that hasn’t been able to hit any southpaws this year.

A.J. Burnett, Pittsburgh Pirates ($9,400)

Considering he has a 1.99 ERA, it’s clear A.J. Burnett has been great no matter where he is pitching. However, he is even better at home where he has a 1.28 ERA in eight starts.

Only once has he allowed more than one earned run in a game at PNC Park, and that was when he gave up two runs in seven innings in early May. Unlike Dallas Keuchel, who also has great home splits but will pitch on the road this week, take advantage of Burnett’s success by plugging him in your lineup.

John Lackey, St. Louis Cardinals ($8,400)

Burnett could have a strong performance, but it still will be a challenge to get a win with John Lackey starting for the St. Louis Cardinals. The 36-year-old veteran allowed 10 runs in Colorado last month, but since then has gone at least seven innings with two or fewer runs allowed in five straight starts.

Even without high strikeout totals, Lackey can give fantasy owners enough points to justify the selection.

Mat Latos, Miami Marlins ($7,300)

The Cincinnati Reds have been wildly inconsistent at the plate lately, which will make things interesting when they face the inconsistent Mat Latos on Saturday. The veteran pitcher struggled mightily to start the year, but he is back on track, as he has lowered his ERA each month:

After allowling just one hit in seven innings in his last start, Latos is becoming a more trustworthy option for fantasy owners.

Ryan Vogelsong, San Francisco Giants ($6,600)

After being ejected in the fifth inning of his last start, Ryan Vogelsong should be relatively well-rested coming into this one. James Wagner of the Washington Post described the incident:

Including the shortened outing, however, Vogelsong has only allowed five earned runs in his last 22.2 innings. Opponents are struggling to make quality contact, and he is keeping runs off the board.

While the Philadelphia Phillies have played better as of late, they could struggle in a ballpark that rates as the worst hitter’s park in the league this season, via ESPN.com.

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

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On MLB‘s penultimate day before the All-Star break, DraftKings will want to conserve money with their position players.

With Chris Sale taking center stage during Chicago’s cross-city battle and Dallas Keuchel facing the Tampa Bay Rays, players have two elite aces worth choosing. That will make it tougher to stack stud sluggers, especially those with inflated Coors Field prices.

Employing one or two savvy platoon steals, however, should free up enough cash to form a winning lineup around expensive pitching.  

Stack: San Francisco Giants vs. Philadelphia (RHP David Buchanan)

The Philadelphia Phillies are promoting David Buchanan to start on Saturday, which is great news for the San Francisco Giants. Before getting demoted from baseball’s worst team with a colossal pitching mess behind Cole Hamels, the 26-year-old righty allowed 32 hits, 15 walks and 24 runs through 24.2 innings. 

In other words, Stack City resides in San Francisco. Buster Posey is a premium pay, but potentially out of many gamers’ price range. Joe Panik and Matt Duffy are solid mid-level targets, but Brandon Belt leads the charge while hitting .305/.372/.540 against righties.

As a reward for returning before the break, Hunter Pence gets a golden opportunity to torch his old club. He dusted off the cobwebs on Friday by crushing a grand slam. 

3B Chris Johnson, Atlanta Braves ($3,100) at Colorado

A career .317/.353/.446 hitter against lefties, Chris Johnson should get the start against Jorge De La Rosa at Coors. The Colorado Rockies southpaw has posted a 6.81 ERA at home this year and a career .793 OPS against righties.

For a team playing at Coors, the Atlanta Braves are fairly priced. Cameron Maybin and Jonny Gomes would have received a closer look if not for the influx of intriguing outfielders mentioned below. 

SS Carlos Correa, Houston Astros ($3,600) at Tampa Bay

It sure didn’t take long for everyone to grow bored of Carlos Correa. The rookie sensation has collected one hit over his last five games, giving him a measly .508 slugging percentage since his early-June promotion.

He’ll face Jake Odorizzi, a tough opponent coming off a month’s hiatus. In the time the Tampa Bay ace has spent sidelined, the 20-year-old shortstop has accumulated seven homers and five steals. But yeah, go ahead and abandon ship because of a five-game slump.

OF Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals ($4,600) vs. Toronto

Lorenzo Cain is on fire, going 13-for-29 with two homers and steals apiece to start July. Because of that, anyone who wants to use the All-Star will unfortunately have company.

This recommendation, however, has less to do with his hot streak than his .971 OPS and .417 weighted on-base average (wOBA) against lefties this season. Mark Buehrle has a 1.41 ERA over his last eight starts, so hopefully that draws the competition off the trail. 

OF Nelson Cruz ($4,600) and 1B/OF Mark Trumbo ($3,500), Seattle Mariners vs. L.A. Angels

Although quite a contrasting duo of Seattle Mariners sluggers, Nelson Cruz and Mark Trumbo both clobber lefties. Cruz sports an unfathomable 1.295 OPS against them this season, going deep seven times in 72 plate appearances. 

He has stayed silent since joining Seattle, but Trumbo holds a .500 slugging percentage against southpaws and went yard on Friday night. Don’t pay too much attention to C.J. Wilson’s reverse splits this season, as righties have registered a .741 OPS off him since 2013.

OF Chris Young, New York Yankees at Boston

Hitting .243/.298/.446 during irregular playing time this season, Chris Young hides at the bottom of DraftKings‘ outfield registry. Still, he’s hitting .351/.412/.649 with five homers versus lefties this season. No MLB venue features a shallower right field than Fenway Park, the only place with a shorter porch than Yankee Stadium.

Note: All advanced statistics, updated as of late Friday night, are courtesy of FanGraphs.

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The San Francisco Giants’ Madison Bumgarner is the highest-priced pitcher available on the DraftKings market for Friday, and he’s worth the selection at $11,100. It’s no secret that you need at least 25 points from your pitchers if you hope to win your contest.

With Bumgarner facing the Philadelphia Phillies, he seems to be the surest bet to reach the 25-point plateau of any starting pitcher in action.

The Phillies are 28th in runs scored and 23rd in team batting average on the season. Bumgarner is coming off a dreadful performance in his last start, but this is an opponent he can bounce back against. In his previous start against Philadelphia, Bumgarner wasn’t at his best, allowing five earned runs over eight innings, but he compiled 29.8 fantasy points thanks to 11 strikeouts.

Look for him to be even better this time around.

Collin McHugh ($8,700) at Tampa Bay Rays

A host of aces are on the mound Friday: The Phillies’ Cole Hamels opposes Bumgarner, and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Gerrit Cole goes against Lance Lynn and the St. Louis Cardinals. Those guys are decent options, but you should be a little gun-shy because each clearly has a tough counterpart to tangle with.

Preferably, you’d like to tab a pitcher who has a good chance to earn the winning decision in his game.

That leads me to the Houston Astros’ Collin McHugh. Houston visits the Tampa Bay Rays, and the home team will send Erasmo Ramirez to the mound. He’s been decent this season (7-3, 3.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP), but he’s a pitcher the Astros figure to have some success against.

On the season, Houston is sixth in the majors in home runs and slugging percentage against right-handed pitching. 

As far as McHugh goes, he too is coming off a bad start, but he managed at least 22 fantasy points in each of his three starts in 2015. He’s struggled to find consistency this season, but he has pitched well against the Rays in his career.

In two starts since 2012, McHugh has 12 strikeouts in just 11 innings pitched and has allowed just three earned runs. His DK salary will still leave room for position players, and he’s in line for a solid fantasy performance.

Alternative Picks

Mike Montgomery ($7,500) vs. Los Angeles Angels

After two straight herculean efforts, Seattle Mariners left-hander Mike Montgomery produced just 14.6 fantasy points against the Oakland A’s on July 5. Montgomery will need to hold down the Angels’ dynamic duo of Mike Trout and the resurgent Albert Pujols in this one.

Even with Trout and Pujols, the Angels are only 19th in the majors in hitting against lefties, and Pujols is hitting just .197 against southpaws. 

Montgomery would be a legit pick and a potentially huge bargain.

Gerrit Cole ($10,000) vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Having slowed down a bit since his hot start, Cole isn’t as automatic of a choice to land in the two pitching spots as he was early in the season. It also doesn’t help that he’s facing St. Louis. 

The Cards can be a scary bunch—especially with Kolten Wong back in the lineup. However, this is a big game, and guys like Cole get up for these contests. The Cards have yet to face Cole this season, a scenario that usually favors the pitcher.

Cole could have a huge game, but his salary investment almost mandates a 30-point performance to be worth the draft slot.

Danny Salazar ($8,900) vs. Oakland A’s

Having been a huge strikeout pitcher all season, Cleveland Indians starter Danny Salazar is always a tempting option when he starts. He has 108 strikeouts this season in just 90 innings pitched.

That said, he’s seen his ERA rise to 4.10, and just three of his last 10 starts have produced games with 20 or more fantasy points. Is he due for a big performance?

It’s possible. He’s been better at home than on the road. At Progressive Field, Salazar is averaging 20.6 fantasy points. On the road, he’s produced 19.4. 

You’ll have to choose between Salazar and McHugh for the second pitcher spot in your DK lineup.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter

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Washington Nationals All-Star Max Scherzer headlines the list of starting pitchers taking the hill across MLB Tuesday night.  Is his exorbitant salary a worthwhile investment for DraftKings daily fantasy players?  With 15 games on the docket, there of plenty of other possibilities to choose from as well.

Here are five of the top pitching options in a variety of price ranges for July 7.

Max Scherzer ($14,200) vs. Cincinnati Reds

Scherzer‘s $14,200 price tag is $3,000 more than any other pitcher available, but he’s earned it.  His 0.78 WHIP and .181 batting average against are easily the best in baseball, while his 1.82 ERA is second only to Zack Greinke’s 1.48.

The Washington Nationals ace has uncharacteristically allowed a pair of earned runs in each of his last two outings, yet still posted at least 29 fantasy points both times.  For the season, Scherzer is averaging a spectacular 30.8 fantasy points per game.  Over his last four starts, that number jumps to an absurd 43.8.  In that stretch he’s thrown complete games in three of four appearances, while pitching 34.1 out of a possible 35 innings.  Scherzer also has 42 strikeouts and just one walk in that time.

On Tuesday, he’ll face a Reds team batting .249 on the season, 11th in the National League.  Combined with the fact that Scherzer actually costs $300 less than he did his last time out, it’s worth dropping the enormous chunk of change it’ll take to get him in your lineup.

Sonny Gray ($9,600) at New York Yankees

With an average of 22.3 fantasy points per game, Sonny Gray is outscoring Francisco Liriano and Johnny Cueto, despite costing $700 and $500 less, respectively.  Gray’s 2.09 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and .205 batting average against all rank among the top 10 in MLB.

On Monday, Gray expressed his gratitude for being chosen to play in his first All-Star Game, something that should give him a little extra incentive when he steps onto the mound Tuesday:

In his only previous start against the Yankees this season, Gray earned a victory while surrendering just four hits and two earned runs in eight innings.  Gray’s opponent, Nathan Eovaldi, is 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA in three career starts versus the Oakland A’s.

Taijuan Walker ($8,200) vs. Detroit Tigers

Taijuan Walker’s 4.34 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 2015 suggest he’s not a pitcher who should cost upward of $8,000.  However, Walker is red-hot at the moment after busting out of an early-season slump.

He’s gone 5-0 in his last five starts and scored over 20 fantasy points in seven straight outings.  Ironically, Walker hasn’t walked a batter in four starts while striking out 30 in 26.1 innings.

The 22-year-old has tossed six or more innings in his last seven games while lowering his season ERA from 7.33 to 4.34.

Yovani Gallardo ($7,200) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Yovani Gallardo last allowed a run on June 10, more than four starts ago.  As noted by Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Gallardo is in the midst of one of the most impressive scoreless streaks in franchise history:

Since the month of May, Gallardo has given up a total of two earned runs.  Dating back to his last loss on May 19, the veteran is 4-0 with an ERA of 0.70 spanning eight outings.

In addition to the great run he’s currently on, Gallardo also boasts stellar numbers for his career against the Diamondbacks—a 7-1 record and a 2.12 ERA in 11 starts.

Manny Banuelos ($5,900) at Milwaukee Brewers

If you’re looking for a pitcher with the potential to provide quality stats at a bargain price, Manny Banuelos is your guy.  Banuelos has just a single major league start under his belt, but the results were exceptional.  The rookie allowed only two hits in 5.2 shutout innings while striking out seven batters.

Shortly after his early departure from the game, the Atlanta Braves announced it was for medical reasons:

Banuelos should be properly hydrated and ready to go for his second big league appearance Tuesday.

It’s not much to go on, but the Braves are 4-1 against the Brewers this year.  Banuelos is obviously a shot in the dark, which is really all that can be expected from a pitcher priced below $6,000. 

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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