Kuzul

The challenge for Tuesday’s daily fantasy baseball contests is to choose which of the elite options are truly the best for your lineup. With some of the highest prices of the season for both pitchers and hitters, it’s important to make sure you get the right players to help you win.

Players to Draft

Corey Kluber, SP, Cleveland Indians ($11,200)

While Max Scherzer has been on an incredible stretch, it’s still hard to justify spending $14,200 on just one player. Even an outstanding game might not be enough to make up for the rest of your lineup.

However, you can save quite a bit of money on Corey Kluber, who has the potential for a big day against the Houston Astros. Although this is a tough matchup on paper, the opposing lineup strikes out more than anyone else in baseball.

With Kluber always a threat to reach double-digit strikeouts and beyond, he could put up a lot of fantasy points on Tuesday.

Taijuan Walker, SP, Seattle Mariners ($8,200)

The Seattle Mariners are being rewarded for their patience with young pitcher Taijuan Walker. After a rough start to the season, he has been outstanding lately with a 1.68 ERA and 51 strikeouts in his last seven games (via Scott Pianowski of Yahoo Sports).

These strikeout totals and the ability to keep runners from scoring have turned Walker into an elite fantasy starter. Against a Detroit Tigers lineup without Miguel Cabrera, he could easily surpass expectations for this cost.

Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels ($5,600)

We are seeing a renaissance for Albert Pujols this season, as the future Hall of Famer is starting to once again showcase the power he was known for with the St. Louis Cardinals. This should continue in a hitter’s haven like Coors Field.

After a quality series against the Texas Rangers, look for some more deep shots against the Colorado Rockies.

Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers ($4,000)

The Milwaukee Brewers have been the hottest team in baseball over the past week, and a lot of that has to do with the play of Aramis Ramirez. The third baseman is coming through with a multihit game just about every time out and is driving in plenty of runs in the process.

Joc Pederson, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,700)

Although Joc Pederson is coming off a bad series against the New York Mets, things could be easier against the Philadelphia Phillies and starting pitcher Chad Billingsley. The former Dodger has a 7.71 ERA in four starts and might not get many more chances.

With Pederson’s power at the plate, the young hitter is a quality bet for a home run or two.

Players to Avoid

Francisco Liriano, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates ($10,300)

Among all the top names available Tuesday, Francisco Liriano has been the least consistent from a fantasy perspective. His strikeouts have fallen off lately, with only one of his last six starts featuring more than six strikeouts.

With Liriano also struggling a bit at home (4.10 ERA), there are simply better options for this price.

Prince Fielder, 1B, Texas Rangers ($4,900)

Even in the midst of an outstanding season, Prince Fielder remains much worse against left-handed pitchers, with a batting average about 100 points lower than it is against righties. 

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Robbie Ray has fared well in his young career and should be able to cause more problems for Fielder.

Todd Frazier, 3B, Cincinnati Reds ($4,100)

The newly minted All-Star starter has had a great year, but no one can be trusted against Scherzer. The Washington Nationals pitcher has allowed just 11 total hits in the last four games, all of them complete games except for one where he went eight innings.

It’s tough to bet on Todd Frazier to do much better against a starter who has allowed right-handers to hit just .161 this season.

Team to Stack

Toronto Blue Jays

Not only have the Toronto Blue Jays had by far the best offense in baseball this season, but the right-handed-heavy lineup has absolutely crushed southpaws. The team is hitting over .300 (per FanGraphs) against left-handed pitchers with Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista especially excelling.

Considering Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana has terrible splits to begin with (.184 batting average vs. lefties, .310 vs. righties), the Blue Jays could be ready for a high-scoring game.

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

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Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for daily fantasy advice and nonstop sports.

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Fantasy baseball is often a game of mix-and-match when figuring out the right players to pick in daily fantasy leagues. One aspect of the game is often overlooked by a majority of fantasy baseball players and can help immensely in figuring out players to select.

While looking at too many forms of advanced statistics may do more harm than good, there is no doubt that some metrics are essential in helping a fantasy team win.

Here are a few key MLB advanced metrics to use in daily fantasy baseball leagues.

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The Fourth of July is the time of year to celebrate fireworks and hot dog eating contests. There might be some patriotic parts in there somewhere, but there are few things more American than baseball.

Of course, as long as you’re watching baseball, you might as well make some money in daily fantasy with the help of these pitchers.

Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers ($11,100)

While fans can expect an exciting pitchers’ duel between Matt Harvey and Zack Greinke, only one of them gets to face a New York Mets lineup that recently scored just one run in a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Greinke not only has an easy matchup, he is also coming in with three straight scoreless efforts totaling 20.2 innings. With an incredible 1.58 ERA to this point in the season, the veteran pitcher seemingly cannot be stopped.

Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals ($9,000)

Carlos Martinez continues to impress in his first full year as a starter. Not only does he have a 9-3 record with a 2.80 ERA for the season, but he has been even better lately, finishing June with a 2.18 mark.

He has also been excelling as a fantasy player, averaging 26 points over his last eight starts. The San Diego Padres haven’t exactly been world-beaters at the plate, which makes this a good opportunity for a big game from Martinez. 

Michael Pineda, New York Yankees ($8,300)

Consistency has been a real issue for Michael Pineda, but when he is on, he can be a huge help to your fantasy team. In four of his last six starts, he has allowed two or fewer earned runs while striking out at least eight.

What helps his cause is the ability to limit his own damage. He currently leads the American League with a 7.92 strikeout-to-walk ratio and can take advantage of this against the light-hitting Tampa Bay Rays.

Collin McHugh, Houston Astros ($7,600)

The Boston Red Sox have been hitting better lately, but this still isn’t a good team, and Collin McHugh has a good chance to leave Fenway Park with a win. Meanwhile, whatever had been ailing McHugh is apparently fixed, per ESPN.com’s Mark Simon:

A pitcher who can go deep into games is a real asset in daily fantasy baseball, and McHugh can provide players with a big game for reasonable cost.

Wandy Rodriguez, Texas Rangers ($5,400)

For those looking to save some money with a pitcher, Wandy Rodriguez represents an intriguing pick. The veteran has had an up-and-down season, though his 3.91 ERA would drop to a more respectable 3.10 if you took away his one terrible start against the Oakland Athletics (eight runs allowed in four innings).

The Los Angeles Angels have been inconsistent at the plate this year and, except for Mike Trout, not much better against left-handed starters. You could end up with some serious value if Rodriguez puts together a quality game.

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

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MLB will celebrate Independence Day with a full slate dispersed throughout the day. With start times ranging from 11:05 a.m. to 10:10 p.m. ET, daily fantasy gamers will have ample opportunities to work around the holiday.

A specific slate will dictate a DraftKings strategy for choosing offense, but at least one ace is going at any given time. There are also, however, values available, most notably Clay Buchholz, Michael Pineda and Kendall Graveman as a deep bargain.

The hot-dog-eating contest will have to wait. Here’s a handy guide of top position players to employ on Saturday. 

1B Adam Lind ($4,600) and OF Ryan Braun ($5,100), Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati

For a pair of star building blocks, highlight the Milwaukee Brewers’ Adam Lind and Ryan Braun. They’ll tee off against rookie Josh Smith—who has allowed eight runs and 10 walks through eight innings—at the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. 

Lind boasts a .900 OPS against righties, and his strong splits vault him into the top pricing tier against Smith. Braun has hit 13 of his 15 homers against righties and is looking more and more like the MVP of old. 

Either one or both warrants the hefty price tag against an overwhelmed 27-year-old newcomer.

2B/3B Jace Peterson, Atlanta Braves ($3,300) vs. Philadelphia

Opposing lefties are hitting .313/.396/.644 with a .432 weighted on-base average (wOBA) against Kevin Correia. Jace Peterson isn’t an overly appealing daily play, but he wields a .348 on-base percentage versus righties and maximizes his plate appearances in the Atlanta Braves’ leadoff spot.

SS Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox ($3,600) vs. Houston

Although everyone is still waiting for the power, Xander Bogaerts is a streaking shortstop with baseball’s fifth-best wOBA at the position.

He has also recently moved up to No. 3 in the Boston Red Sox’s batting order, greatly increasing his run-production chances. The 22-year-old has relished the enhanced responsibility, hitting .333 with nine runs and six RBI through 10 games. 

Yet his $3,600 price remains low, partially due to him staying stuck at three homers. Chasing fence-clearing pop is the hallmark of DFS strategy, but players can make an exception for an affordable shortstop hitting .333 since June 1.

OF Adam Eaton, Chicago White Sox ($3,900) vs. Baltimore

Chris Tillman is an intriguing opponent to target, even against the disappointing Chicago White Sox. The typically OK starter is getting destroyed for a 5.67 ERA with career lows in strikeouts (6.35) and walks (4.08) per nine innings. Righties have registered a .400 wOBA against him this season.

Adam Eaton, locked into the White Sox’s leadoff spot, carries a .342 on-base percentage against righties this year. After a horrendous April, the outfielder is since batting .268/.338/.423 with five homers and four steals.

Chicago isn’t deep enough to confidently recommend a full stack, but Jose Abreu, Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera also merit consideration.

OF Ryan Raburn, Cleveland Indians ($2,600) at Pittsburgh

The Cleveland Indians are facing lefty Jeff Locke, so play Ryan Raburn. The platoon specialist is hitting .313/.402/.563 against southpaws, and as always, he will cost next to nothing. 

Note: All advanced stats are courtesy of FanGraphs.

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Tuesday’s MLB action features a bunch of great pitchers as well as a few bad ones, which is the recipe for a lot of fantasy points both on the mound and at the plate. Those looking to win money in daily fantasy baseball leagues will need to put together great teams to keep up with the crowd.

Here is a look at the best and worst options available for June 30.

Pitchers

Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox ($12,800)

There are a few top-of-the-line pitching options available, with both Sonny Gray and Cole Hamels being solid choices and cheaper than Chris Sale. However, the White Sox starter has been on a run that has put him in rare company:

Even in a bad start last time out (five earned runs allowed in 6.2 innings), Sale’s 10 strikeouts made sure he came through with a solid fantasy day. These strikeout totals ensure he ends up with at least a reasonable output and possibly a huge one.

Ivan Nova, New York Yankees ($7,300)

Although he has only made one start this season and it came against the struggling Philadelphia Phillies, Ivan Nova looked good while putting up zeroes through 6.2 innings. If he can resemble his form from before Tommy John surgery when he had a 3.10 ERA in 2013, he could be a quality pitcher for fantasy teams.

Against an inconsistent Los Angeles Angels offense, this could be a chance to get plenty of points for relatively cheap.

Taylor Jungmann, Milwaukee Brewers ($6,200)

When in doubt, bet against the Phillies. While the offense has improved recently, this is still the worst team in baseball at 27-51, and it has few threats in the lineup.

Meanwhile, Taylor Jungmann has actually pitched fairly well in his four starts, amassing a 2.74 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 23 innings. He isn’t likely to carry your team, but you can get great value for the price.

Avoid

Shelby Miller, Atlanta Braves ($7,900)

Getting a pitcher with a 1.94 ERA for this price seems like a bargain, but there is a reason Shelby Miller isn’t listed with the other aces. He doesn’t get a lot of strikeouts (averaging just 3.7 per game in his last six starts), and he has a difficult matchup against the red-hot Washington Nationals.

He would have to put together a spectacular performance just to get a reasonable fantasy score, which isn’t likely to happen this time out.

Hitters

Josh Donaldson, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays ($4,800)

Boston Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez allowed six runs last start and nine runs three starts ago. Still, even a consistent lefty would have problems getting out Josh Donaldson in this game.

So far this season, Donaldson has a .360 batting average at home along with 13 of his 18 home runs. He also has crushed lefties to the tune of a .396 batting average. These splits mean bad news for Rodriguez and good news for fantasy owners. 

Billy Burns, OF, Oakland Athletics ($4,300)

Since entering the starting lineup for Coco Crisp, Billy Burns has been everything the Athletics could ask for in a leadoff hitter. He gets a hit just about every game, and once he is on first base, he is also a threat to steal and eventually score.

Although he isn’t likely to provide many home runs, he can give you consistent production for a reasonable price.

Curtis Granderson, OF, New York Mets ($4,100)

As bad as the New York Mets have been offensively, Curtis Granderson has done his part as of late. During his current eight-game hitting streak, the outfielder has gone 14-for-31 with five home runs, good enough for a .452 batting average.

Even at the top of the order, he is getting RBI to go with runs and a lot of fantasy points for everyone who has him on his or her team.

Avoid

Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays ($5,200)

You can argue that he’s due, or you can simply say Jose Bautista is ice cold. The slugger is hitless over his last six games, going 0-for-20 during this stretch. The fact he is still earning walks is encouraging, and he obviously has the talent to break out with a few home runs out of nowhere.

On the other hand, there is too much money at stake for a bet on a hitter on such a poor streak.

Team to Stack

Houston Astros

Kansas City Royals pitcher Danny Duffy couldn’t make it out of the fifth in his first start since returning from the disabled list. This has been a common theme for the young starter, who has managed to pitch just 14.1 innings total in his last four games.

The Houston Astros—who lead the majors in home runs this season—could force Duffy into yet another short start with some big hits early.

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

DraftKings is hosting one-day MLB contests! Claim your free entry by clicking on the link and making a first-time deposit!

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for daily fantasy advice and nonstop sports.

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All 30 MLB teams are in action Tuesday evening, giving DraftKings daily fantasy players a wide variety of pitching options to choose from.  Chris Sale is the biggest name on the board, but there are also several quality bargains available at much more affordable prices.

Here are five pitchers who should provide the best bang for your buck on June 30.

Chris Sale ($12,800) at St. Louis Cardinals

Chris Sale’s salary is $2,100 higher than any other starter going, but his resume of late makes him well worth it.  In his last time out, Sale surrendered five earned runs in 6.2 innings while taking a loss against the Minnesota Twins.  But he still recorded 19 fantasy points, in large part because he struck out 10 batters.

Sale struck out at least 10 in each of his last seven starts, one shy of tying the major league record dating back to 1914.  He has a total of 85 strikeouts during the seven-game streak.  Before his minor slip-up in Minnesota, Sale recorded 30 or more fantasy points in five consecutive outings, including over 40 in four of the five.

For the season, Sale has 129 strikeouts, the fourth-most in baseball, in just 95.1 innings pitched.  His 0.98 WHIP also ranks eighth in the majors.

Dallas Keuchel ($9,800) vs. Kansas City Royals

Dallas Keuchel’s 23.6 fantasy points per game is the second-highest scoring average of any pitching on the mound Tuesday, yet he comes cheaper than Sonny Gray, Cole Hamels and Lance Lynn.

Keuchel is a workhorse, leading MLB with 116.1 innings pitched.  He’s also tied for the top spot in both complete games and shutouts:

The lefty ranks eighth in baseball with a 2.17 ERA, while his 0.96 WHIP is sixth and his .194 batting average against is third.  Keuchel also has the added bonus of matching up against Royals starter Danny Duffy, who boasts a 5.44 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP. 

Shelby Miller ($7,900) vs. Washington Nationals

Like Keuchel, Shelby Miller is tied for the major league lead with two shutouts.  At just $7,900, Miller can provide an ace-like performance at a significantly lower cost. 

As noted by Fox Sports South, in his last start against the Washington Nationals, Miller faced the minimum number of hitters through six innings:

He finished the game with a no-decision after yielding three hits, a walk and one earned run in seven innings.

Miller has never given up more than four runs in a single outing this season and allowed two or fewer earned runs in 13 of his 15 starts.  Both his 1.94 ERA and .200 batting average against rank among the top five in the majors.

Mike Montgomery ($6,800) at San Diego Padres

Through five major league starts, Mike Montgomery is averaging an impressive 19.8 fantasy points per game.  That stat is skewed, however, by the 45.7 points he registered the last time he took the hill.

MLB.com’s Paul Casella noted Montgomery’s rare accomplishment:

Even without Montgomery’s one spectacular showing, his overall numbers are quite consistent to this point.  He surrendered two or fewer runs in four of his five appearances, giving up four in the other.  Montgomery also lasted at least six innings in all five of his starts.

On Tuesday, he faces a San Diego Padres team with a .244 team batting average, the fourth-worst in the National League.

Marco Estrada ($6,300) vs. Boston Red Sox

After allowing a total of three hits in 15.2 innings over his past two games, Marco Estrada is as hot as any starter in baseball.

Via MLB.com:

Estrada became the first pitcher since Dave Stieb in 1988 to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning in back-to-back starts. In his last outing, Estrada was perfect through seven until he allowed an infield single with one out in the eighth.

It’s an extremely small sample size, but if you’re going to spend below $6,500 on a pitcher, you might as well ride the hot hand.

Estrada’s season stats are also perfectly respectable—a 3.45 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 73 innings.  And with baseball’s highest-scoring offense behind him, the Toronto Blue Jays righty is a decent play for the money.

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.

DraftKings is hosting one-day MLB contests! Claim your free entry by clicking on the link and making a first-time deposit!

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Without many great options at pitcher, Monday’s daily fantasy baseball contests could be a chance to really load up on the top hitters around the league. The key will be to find the right players at each spot to give you a chance to win money.

Not only are there only nine games to choose from, none of the pitchers are valued more than $9,000 on DraftKings. This could create some interesting lineups throughout the different contests available.

Pitchers

Nathan Karns, Tampa Bay Rays ($7,100)

C.J. Wilson has been wildly inconsistent lately, while Clay Buchholz and Lance McCullers have difficult matchups this week. As a result, there are few expensive options worth taking a chance on at this point.

However, Nathan Karns represents a relatively safe option thanks to his recent play. Over the last three starts, the Rays starter has allowed just two earned runs in 17.1 innings. With the Cleveland Indians struggling to score (just three total runs while being swept by the Baltimore Orioles this weekend), Karns could have another strong showing.

Jimmy Nelson, Milwaukee Brewers ($6,600)

The consistency isn’t there, but Jimmy Nelson has provided some gems so far this year. Three different times the right-hander has allowed just one run in eight innings, including his most recent start against the New York Mets.

Going up against one of the worst offenses in baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies provides another chance for a big effort from Nelson.

There is certainly risk involved in drafting a pitcher who has allowed at least six earned runs in two different starts this month, but Nelson represents a high-upside choice in tournament play.

Joe Blanton, Kansas City Royals ($4,800)

It was hard to expect much from Joe Blanton this season, who last had a 6.04 ERA in 2013. However, he has been lights-out for the Royals this year with a 1.73 ERA in nine appearances (two starts). Since moving into the rotation, he has allowed just two runs in 11 innings while totaling 11 strikeouts and no walks.

While you can expect him to come back to Earth at some point, Blanton can still have more success against a Houston Astros lineup that lead the majors in strikeouts. At the very least, there could be some good value here.

Hitters

Todd Frazier, 3B, Cincinnati Reds ($5,600)

While the cost is high, so is the potential output for the red-hot third baseman. In his last 21 games, Todd Frazier has an impressive nine home runs and 21 RBI. During this stretch, he has four three-hit games and only two games where we went without a hit.

Even better, Frazier gets to return home this series, where he is hitting .354 on the year with 15 of his 25 home runs. This is a good investment regardless of the price.

Prince Fielder, 1B, Texas Rangers ($4,800)

This matchup could be good for a bunch of Texas Rangers hitters, as they face Bud Norris, a pitcher who has struggled to a 6.70 ERA this season. It would have been worse if the five runs allowed in his last start weren’t all unearned.

Playing in a home run haven like Camden Yards should lead to a high-scoring battle.

Of course, Prince Fielder is still the one you really want after five straight multi-hit games going into Monday.

Jimmy Rollins, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,600)

Although his first year with the Dodgers hasn’t been great, Jimmy Rollins is finally coming alive lately. In his last eight games, he is 10-for-31 (.323 batting average) with two extra-base hits.

With Allen Webster still struggling to get outs at this level, managing just a 6.28 career ERA in 22 appearances, Rollins could provide some value for cheap.

Team to Stack

Baltimore Orioles

Wandy Rodriguez is coming off his worst start of the season, where he allowed eight earned runs and 11 hits in four innings. Even if he isn’t quite as bad Monday, the Orioles should still do damage. Not only do players like Adam Jones and Manny Machado excel against lefties, but the entire team is much better at home (25-13 compared to 16-21 on the road).

We could see a lot of home runs from the Orioles in this one.

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

DraftKings is hosting one-day MLB contests! Claim your free entry by clicking on the link and making a first-time deposit!

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for daily fantasy advice and nonstop sports.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It’s a full slate today. Judging by the average pitcher cost on draftkings.com, there should be a fair amount of runs scored today. Between the daytime and nighttime slates, I counted six pitchers that are priced below $5,000.

You could theoretically throw out several different starting lineups where the average position player costs more than the average pitcher. I’m not suggesting this, I’m just saying it’s a possibility.

Because of the high number of inexpensive pitchers, I broke this article down into three categories: pricey but effective, mid-level hurlers and cheap gambles.

Enjoy!

Pricey but Effective

Clayton Kershaw ($12,300) at Miami

According to ESPN.com’s batter vs. pitching data, the Marlins have reached base just 25 percent of the time against the reigning Cy Young Award winner. He’s also struck out 23 men in just 103 plate appearances.

Despite his lofty 3.33 ERA and brutal 5-5 record, Kershaw is still in the conversation for best pitcher in the world. Per draftkings.com, Kershaw hasn’t dropped below 23 fantasy points per game in his past six starts.

Tonight, the league leader in strikeouts takes his talents to South Beach. Thus far this season, per ESPN’s “park factor” data, Marlins Park is the seventh-most pitcher-friendly park in the league.

With so many inexpensive options, I’ll be filling out one pitcher spot with the most reliable ace from the past five seasons.

Mid-Level Hurlers

Chris Young ($5,300) at Oakland

Young is really cheap for someone with, per DraftKings, a 2.83 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. It might have something to do with his disastrous last start (4.2 innings pitched, seven earned runs.) 

Part of the reason Young’s season ERA is so low is that he’s backed by a speedy Kansas City defense. They should travel well to O.co Coliseum in Oakland. It’s a big, relatively pitcher-friendly yard with a ton of foul territory.

Cheap Gambles

Speed round!

Adam Morgan ($4,600) vs. Washington

Morgan dazzled in his first start. The kid tossed 5.2 innings of one-run ball. He struck out six and scored 22 fantasy points.

Matt Andriese ($4,400) vs. Boston

Andriese has never pitched against the BoSox. Hopefully it takes them at least one time through the order to adapt to his stuff.

Chris Rusin ($4,300) at San Francisco

Until the past few games, the Giants had been struggling mightily to put up runs at home. They’re without Hunter Pence and Nori Aoki. Rusin is dirt-cheap and is moving from the worst pitcher’s park to the best. If you’re ever going to gamble on a Colorado starter, this is the time.

Kyle Ryan ($4,100) vs. Chicago White Sox

The White Sox can’t hit, and the Tigers can. If Ryan lasts five innings, he should be a lock for that four-point win bonus.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Outside of a few marquee aces—it’s Clayton Kershaw and Matt Harvey day—several bottom-shelf pitchers will dazzle on Saturday, creating an array of noteworthy hitter picks.

Whether playing an afternoon or night slate, daily fantasy gamers should have little trouble locating enticing position players. The crowd of mediocre pitchers, however, also means DraftKings contestants should pay up for two high-level options.

Heck, Kershaw and/or Harvey aren’t even essential with Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Wacha playing the strikeout-prone Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, respectively. Either way, all four of those options cost more than $10,000, so the hitter recommendations won’t highlight Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt, Jason Kipnis and other A-list studs.

Danny Espinosa, 2B, Washington Nationals ($3,700) at Philadelphia

Over his erratic career, Danny Espinosa has rarely faltered against left-handed pitchers. The Washington Nationals middle infielder sports a career .277/.348/.466 slash line and 124 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) versus southpaws.

Those skills have come to light this year, during which he’s hitting .333/.415/.521 against his favored opposition. Washington faces lefty Adam Morgan, making his first career start after recording a 4.74 ERA and 1.22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in Triple-A. The untested 25-year-old is ripe for the picking, and Espinosa‘s recent success has awarded him the No. 2 spot in Washington’s lineup.

Still not sold? Look at this mustache. Also, he’s not too expensive at $3,700.

SS Brandon Crawford ($3,900) and Angel Pagan ($3,600), San Francisco Giants vs. Colorado

Facing Chris Rusin’s 5.03 ERA and .296 opposing batting average, a pair of San Francisco Giants stand out as advisable plays.

Brandon Crawford has decimated lefties this season, sporting a 1.028 OPS through 60 plate appearances. While nobody expected this season’s full-scale breakout, he hit .320/.395/.484 off of lefties in 2014, so that facet of his emergence is no fluke.

With Nori Aoki sidelined, Angel Pagan has vaulted to San Francisco’s leadoff spot. Take notice, as he’s a career .282 hitter posting a .410 on-base percentage against southpaws this season. They won’t have the benefit of teeing off the Colorado Rockies hurler at Coors Field, but Crawford and Pagan are cheap enough to target at AT&T Park.

1B David Ortiz ($3,900) and Pablo Sandoval ($3,400), Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay

Rookie Matt Andriese has struggled mightily against left-handed hitters to start his career. They’re crushing him for a .333/.373/.557 slash line and four homers through 76 batters faced. His 3.79 ERA looks better due to a bullpen stint; he has a 4.98 ERA through five starts.

Neither David Ortiz nor Pablo Sandoval have lived up to expectations this year. Both, however, can thank atrocious numbers against lefties. Ortiz has a .284 OPS against them, while the switch-hitting Sandoval carries a horrendous .333 OPS. 

Those failures have drained their price, and it’ll matter if Andriese receives a quick hook. Yet with both under $4,000, see if they inflict damage given at least a couple of plate appearances against the unassuming neophyte.

Alejandro De Aza is also a worthwhile flier at $3,100.

OF Chris Young, New York Yankees ($3,300) at Houston

With the New York Yankees facing lefty Brett Oberholzer, expect Chris Young to get the starting nod. The 31-year-old is hitting .379/.438/.682 against southpaws this season, making him a platoon player to ride whenever he gets the call.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Miami Marlins (RHP Tom Koehler)

The Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s best offense against righties, are all suspiciously cheap against Tom Koehler, who enters Saturday with a 4.66 fielding independent pitching (FIP).

Bargains are available across the board, with even Adrian Gonzalez ($4,000) and Joc Pederson ($4,200) costing less than usual. For $3,400, gamers can get Yasmani Grandal’s .902 OPS against righties at catcher after resting on Friday night.

What in the world does Justin Turner need to do to get some attention? If Robinson Cano had Turner’s numbers (.316/.390/.569 and 10 homers), he’d easily cost above $5,000. Yet Turner remains an affordable $3,900 despite often batting third and holding eligibility at second and third base.

He’s also red-hot this month, as noted by the team’s Twitter page before Friday night:

Keep playing Turner until the price reflects his sizzling performance. As usual, Andre Ethier ($3,100) also warrants consideration as a thrifty outfielder. 

SS Jhonny Peralta, St. Louis Cardinals ($3,800) vs. Cubs

Donn Roach will start for the Chicago Cubs tomorrow. Who’s Donn Roach? Good question. Hang on a second…

The 25-year-old righty worked 30.1 innings, almost exclusively out of the bullpen, for the San Diego Padres last season. During that time, he notched a 4.75 ERA, 17 strikeouts and 15 walks, but he’s carrying a lighter 2.29 ERA in Triple-A this year.

He also, however, submitted 33 strikeouts during 82.2 innings. Despite his heavy ground-ball tendencies, the St. Louis Cardinals can rough him up. Among St. Louis hitters, Jhonny Peralta represents the best value at $3,800.

Even in a neutral matchup, a shortstop hitting .300/.358/.485 with 11 homers is a nice play. 

OF A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,800) at San Diego 

Is this a trap? Does DraftKings know something we don’t about A.J. Pollock, who’s hitting .304/.348/.468 with nine homers and 15 steals this year? While a more well-rounded batter against lefties, he generates his power against righties. 

Is it a Petco Park penalty? The stadium hasn’t suppressed offense much this year, and Goldschmidt didn’t receive a similar price gouge. He’s not marred in a slump, and it certainly shouldn’t be a sign of respect for Andrew Cashner, who has allowed 29 runs (22 earned) in June.

Note: Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.

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While Saturday usually features plenty of contest options for daily fantasy baseball players, you might want to make sure to get in early on June 27.

With only four major league games starting after 7 p.m. ET and few quality options on the mound among those games, fantasy players will be better off playing either morning or all-day contests. With that in mind, here is a look at the best pitching options available throughout the day.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers ($12,300)

This is a high price, especially for someone who hasn’t looked like his dominant self lately. Clayton Kershaw has allowed three earned runs in each of his last two starts, and his 3.33 ERA is much higher than what we have come to expect from the MVP.

However, his strikeout numbers are what you need to focus on, with 131 total in 100 innings this year. Kershaw has at least seven punch-outs in eight straight starts, including a combined 41 over his last four. 

Add this to a quality matchup against the Miami Marlins, who struggle scoring runs in a park that is extremely difficult to hit home runs, and Kershaw should have a dominant showing to warrant the cost.

Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees ($10,600)

The last start was a bad one, as Masahiro Tanaka allowed seven runs (five earned) against the Detroit Tigers. This was a combination of regression to the mean after three impressive starts as well as simply not having his best stuff.

“I was missing spots and I was missing them by a far margin so I wasn’t really sharp today,” the pitcher explained through a translator, via Howie Rumberg of the Associated Press.

Tanaka should be back to his usual self Saturday against the Houston Astros, who strike out more than anyone else in the majors. The Japanese star should put up numbers that more resemble his previous three games, where he allowed just four earned runs in 21 innings to go with 21 strikeouts and no walks.

Julio Teheran, Atlanta Braves ($8,300)

This year has not been great for Julio Teheran, who came into his last start with a 5.07 ERA. However, he seemed to finally click against the New York Mets, pitching seven scoreless innings on just 78 pitches while allowing only one hit.

Although it will be difficult to trust this one start to become a trend, the Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t been great offensively over the past month, either. There is a big risk but also plenty of upside.

Jeremy Hellickson, Arizona Diamondbacks ($6,700)

Jeremy Hellickson is probably the best option in an otherwise bleak evening session. (Michael Wacha and Andrew Cashner have struggled lately, while Garrett Richards no longer strikes people out.) Hellickson has had his rough patches this season as well but has gone exactly six innings with two runs allowed in four of his last five starts.

As a fly-ball pitcher in the spacious Petco Park, Hellickson should provide more solid value in daily fantasy leagues.

Michael Lorenzen, Cincinnati Reds ($4,500)

The Mets are fading fast with the lineup struggling to get on the board each night. This represents a good chance for Michael Lorenzen to continue his recent hot streak.

In his last two starts, the 23-year-old rookie has gone 13 innings while allowing just three earned runs. The young starter is beginning to get comfortable at this level and can provide fantasy competitors with some serious value at this price.

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

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