Kuzul

Can’t wait for the weekend to get your daily fantasy baseball on? Yeah, neither can we. After all, it’s the best way to build up that bank account before spending it all out on the town.

That’s why we scoured for premium players at a reasonable salary to fill out DraftKings lineups. While it won’t fill out your lineup completely, here’s a look at some of the best options at multiple positions with our strategy and primer for June 26.

Pitcher: Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs ($9,800)

For those who want to pony up the dollars for Max Scherzer, be our guest. But for those who are looking to shell out less than $10,000 for a premium starter, Jake Arrieta is the best option on Friday.

Arrieta is coming off one of his best starts of the season against the Minnesota Twins. After compiling seven strikeouts and just four hits allowed in the complete-game shutout, Arrieta has a good matchup on Friday night.

His last game against the St. Louis Cardinals didn’t go as planned, but he shut them out for seven innings earlier in the season. With the hurler holding the Cards to a combined .211 average with no home runs, Arrieta offers solid value as a No. 1 pitcher.

Catcher: Brian McCann, New York Yankees ($4,300)

Sticking with the theme of having a great matchup, Brian McCann has the best out of any catcher. Averaging over eight fantasy points in his last 10 games, the Yankees backstop will now face a young Houston Astros pitcher who has struggled in his last two starts.

Vincent Velasquez was erratic in his last outing despite allowing just two hits in 3.1 innings. With McCann hitting .288/.355/.525 against righties with nine home runs, expect huge numbers from the 10th-year player in Houston.

First Baseman: Stephen Vogt, Oakland Athletics ($4,200)

Whether he’s slotted as a catcher or first baseman, Stephen Vogt needs to be in every lineup. The Oakland Athletics utility player has been raking recently and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

His six hits over the last two games continued a seven-game hitting streak and marked the third time he’s had a trio of hits in the last four starts. That all equates to an average of over 12 fantasy points per game during that stretch.

Vogt doesn’t have an easy matchup with Edinson Volquez making the start for the Kansas City Royals. But with 12 of his 13 homers and a .578 slugging percentage against right-handed pitching, Vogt will continue streaking for DraftKings owners on Friday.

Second Baseman: Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers ($4,000)

Justin Turner is currently more on fire than his red hair. In the last eight games that he’s started, the Dodgers infielder has five homers, 11 RBI, two doubles and a triple. That, my friends, is what we call torching hot.

Turner should have no issues remaining productive.

Outfielder: Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies ($4,400)

At this point, is there anything Charlie Blackmon can’t do? The 28-year-old slugger is crushing home runs and cruising to doubles with relative ease. Compiling five multihit games over the last seven starts, the production certainly warrants plugging him in as a No. 2 outfielder.

Coming at a price of just $4,400, Blackmon is a steal for owners against Tim Hudson. Holding an 8-for-24 clip with a .429 OBP against the Giants veteran, the surging outfielder is a no-brainer to slot into every lineup.

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The latest results aren’t always the most meaningful ones, yet they’re fresh in everyone’s mind and thus more heavily weighed than the others. Fantasy owners can utilize this recency bias to their advantage on the trade market.

At the end of May and beginning of June, Chris Sale allowed 13 earned runs through two starts. Anyone who ran away from the ace missed a truly dominant stretch when he surrendered nine runs through eight outings with 13.57 strikeouts per nine innings.

And anyone who sold him after he gave up five runs on Wednesday? Buckle up for a long summer.

When a player catches fire, don’t assume that streak represents the new norm. On the flip side, a rough patch isn’t the end of the world. Everyone experiences ups and downs, so a savvy manager will capitalize on unsustainable good times and take calculated risks on those in a slump.

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Baseball is a game of peaks and valleys, which means it’s important in daily fantasy baseball to take advantage of those currently on a hot streak. While a quality game can always come out of nowhere, it’s usually better to trust those performing well at the moment.

Here is a look at a few of those players, along with the best and worst picks for June 23.

Pitchers to Draft

Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers ($10,500)

After more than a decade in the league, Zack Greinke is on pace for his best career season. He currently has a 1.81 ERA to go with a 0.94 WHIP while not showing any signs of slowing down.

In his last nine starts, the veteran has allowed one run or fewer eight times. Another game featured eight innings with two runs allowed. With the exception of one poor start in hitter-friendly Coors Field, Greinke has been unstoppable over the past two months.

With the Chicago Cubs leading the National League in strikeouts, this could lead to another huge game for Greinke.

Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals ($8,300)

There have been some rough starts, but Carlos Martinez has been outstanding lately. The 23-year-old starter has allowed just four earned runs in 40.1 innings across his last six games.

While Martinez has been a bit wild at times, he’s still done enough to contribute 26.2 fantasy points per game on DraftKings during this recent stretch. Pitching against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park, where it is extremely difficult to hit a home run, Martinez should put up more big numbers.

Chi Chi Gonzalez, Texas Rangers ($6,800)

When a baseball player gets off to a surprisingly good start to his career, you can either expect a fall to earth or simply ride the wave. With Chi Chi Gonzalez, you might as well keep him on your fantasy team until he slows down.

Through four starts, he has a 0.90 ERA that includes a complete-game shutout. His worst start statistically came when he allowed two runs in the ninth inning to break up his second attempt at a shutout.

He has pitched too well for you to stay away at this price.

Pitcher to Avoid

Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays ($9,800)

The Toronto Blue Jays have the best offense in baseball, and it isn’t even close at this point. This could be a problem for Chris Archer, who has allowed three earned runs in each of his last two starts after faring better in each of his previous six appearances.

Add in the fact his strikeouts are down in his last two games, and this might be a time to avoid the high-priced pitcher.

Hitters to Draft

Mookie Betts, OF, Boston Red Sox ($4,800)

The cost is going up for this talented young hitter, but Mookie Betts remains worth the price. He has reached double-digit fantasy points in seven of his last eight games, earning high honors in the process:

Baltimore Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez has had a bit of a bounce-back season, but he isn’t much of a threat to slow down the red-hot Betts.

Justin Turner, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,900)

Last year’s fluke season where Justin Turner batted .340 is turning out to not be a fluke at all. He is once again well over .300 while even showing more power, especially in the past week.

As long as pitchers continue to challenge him, Turner remains a good value bet for your fantasy team.

Hitter to Avoid

Charlie Blackmon, OF, Colorado Rockies ($5,100)

There is obvious appeal to a player who has nine hits and eight RBI through the first five games of a homestand. The problem is he is still just a .275 hitter who only has two home runs this month.

Meanwhile, Chase Anderson has the talent to limit the outfielder while trying to improve his 1.45 June ERA.

Team to Stack

Arizona Diamondbacks

There’s nothing quite like a trip to Colorado to ignite an offense, and the Arizona Diamondbacks will get that opportunity with a road series against the Rockies. Even better, they get to face Kyle Kendrick with his 2-9 record and 5.95 ERA.

Interestingly, Kendrick is even worse in night games (0-7 with a 7.54 ERA in nine starts). This bodes well for Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock and the rest of the underrated Diamondbacks offense.

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

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Tuesday’s MLB matchups feature several star pitchers, including Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke and David Price.  Which of these aces is the best bet in DraftKings daily fantasy?  Or, is it a wiser move to spend your money on less expensive starters who may outperform their cost?

Here are five of the top pitcher choices for June 23.

Chris Archer ($9,800) vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Chris Archer was touched up for three earned runs in each of his past two starts.  He also faces a tough Blue Jays lineup that has scored far and away the most runs in baseball.  For these reasons, Archer has a relatively low price tag, significantly less than any of the three names mentioned above.

However, his 2.18 ERA is seventh in MLB and his .207 batting average against is eighth.  No pitcher available Tuesday has more strikeouts than Archer’s 116, the fifth-most in the majors.  With an average of 24.9 fantasy points per game, Archer is also easily the day’s top scorer.

Dating back to May 7, the 26-year-old is 5-0 over his past eight starts.

Jason Hammel ($8,500) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The table below shows two pitchers’ stats to this point in 2015.  The names may come as a bit of a surprise.

Player A is Jason Hammel, who’s putting together a terrific season for the Chicago Cubs.  Player B is Greinke, the Dodgers’ former Cy Young Award winner.  The two oppose each other Tuesday, which is a good reason to stay away from both.

But if you’re considering spending $10,500 on Greinke, why not grab Hammel instead for $2,000 less?  Greinke is averaging 22.0 fantasy points per contest, only slightly better than Hammel‘s 21.2.  In addition, the Cubs righty has yielded two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last eight outings.

Carlos Martinez ($8,300) at Miami Marlins

Carlos Martinez has lasted into the seventh inning in each of his last six starts.  In that time, he’s given up a total of just four earned runs.

The St. Louis Cardinals are 11-3 in the 14 games that Martinez has taken the mound this year.  Martinez and the Cardinals also have a very favorable matchup against Jose Urena and the Marlins.

Urena is averaging 6.5 fantasy points per game, the lowest of any pitcher throwing on Tuesday.  The 23-year-old rookie is 1-3 with a 4.18 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and a .275 batting average against.

Ubaldo Jimenez ($6,900) at Boston Red Sox

Considering he’s scoring 17.1 fantasy points per contest, Ubaldo Jimenez is a decent bargain at under $7,000—there are seven pitchers with higher salaries than him who are posting lower averages.  Jimenez hasn’t lost since May 16 and has 27 strikeouts over his last 22.2 innings.

There’s nothing particularly exciting about Jimenez’s overall numbers for the Baltimore Orioles this year, but the odds are in his favor against Boston.  The Red Sox pounded out a season-high 13 runs in their last game, while also slugging 13 extra-base hits.  It stands to reason there will be a regression to the mean for their offense on Tuesday.

The Orioles are 7-3 against Boston this year, including a three-game sweep in Baltimore two weeks ago.  Jimenez made one appearance against the Red Sox on April 17, getting ejected after 3.2 scoreless innings for throwing at Pablo Sandoval.  Boston did not yet have a hit at the time.

Chi Chi Gonzalez ($6,800) vs. Oakland A’s

Chi Chi Gonzalez makes just his fifth major league start.  However, through his first four he’s allowed only three earned runs.  In fact, after eight scoreless innings in his previous outing, Gonzalez was on the verge of his second complete-game shutout.

Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News took note of the impressive accomplishment:

Gonzalez lost the shutout when he surrendered a two-run homer in the ninth inning, but his numbers to this point are still extremely impressive.  In four games, he owns a 0.90 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, while holding opposing hitters to a .173 average over 30 innings.

At a price of $6,800, Gonzalez is a steal.  Daily fantasy players should use him in their lineups until he proves otherwise.

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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Daily fantasy baseball can sometimes feel like a crapshoot. But there are always spots where dedicated fantasy players find advantages. Here are five pitchers I feel will more than likely outscore their projection.

1. Dallas Keuchel ($9,900) at Mariners

According to DraftKings, Dallas Keuchel enters Saturday’s ballgame in Seattle with eight wins, two losses and an ERA just north of two. His WHIP checks in at 0.95.

Though he hasn’t lit the league on fire since his complete-game, 11-strikeout, 48.9-fantasy point shutout on May 30, he’s pitched well enough to be trusted. Keuchel also provides his owners a high floor—totaling at least 14 fantasy points in each of his last six starts.

Seattle has been bad offensively. Early-season MVP front-runner Nelson Cruz has come back down to earth, and Robinson Cano is having a tough year. Per FanGraphs, the Mariners have scored only 81 runs over the past 30 days, the second-lowest mark in the league.

2. John Lackey ($7,900) at Phillies

John Lackey hasn’t been a sexy pitching name since he left Anaheim in 2010.

But despite the moans of millions of Red Sox fans, he’s been pretty good over the last couple of seasons. The weighty righty is in the middle of his third straight year with an ERA under 4.00. This season’s 3.59 ERA is the result of some stellar outings—and some poor starts.

Lackey should pitch well on June 20. He’ll take the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies, who’ve crossed the plate a meager 210 times this season. The Phillies are more than 16 runs back of the 29th-best offensive team, and they also take walks at the second-worst rate in the league and hit the fewest homers.

3. Nick Martinez ($5,900) at White Sox

Nick Martinez is the fourth-least expensive pitcher going in the early slate on June 20, even though he’s sporting a minuscule 2.76 ERA on the season.

Aside from his last start against the (gulp) Chicago White Sox, Martinez has provided a nice foundation for a cheap spot starter. According to Rotogrinders, he’s scored at least 11 fantasy points in six of his past seven starts.

According to Baseball-Reference.com, Martinez is walking two batters per start, but he’s also pegged nine guys this season—tops in the bigs. If he can control his pitches and not start any riots, he should bounce back from his last outing against these White Sox, who currently rank last in the league in slugging percentage.

4. Jesse Hahn ($6,200) vs. Angels

Starting any A’s pitcher comes with a serious risk. The bullpen in Oakland is terrible. Relievers gave up seven runs on June 19, and they’re knocking on the door of an ERA over five, according to FanGraphs. ESPN’s Baseball Tonight noted the poor June 19 showing, and a Royals fan added to the misery: 

Because of this issue, many A’s starting pitchers have been cheated out of potential wins. Hopefully the bullpen can keep the Angels offense to a dull roar on Saturday.

Hahn, who prices in at just $6,200, provides his owners a ton of upside. He’s cracked 20 fantasy points in three of his past six outings and dropped 36.3 in a complete-game shutout over the Tigers earlier this season. He also gets to throw in a pitcher’s park with acres of foul territory against an Angels roster that has largely underachieved offensively this season.

5. Carlos Rodon ($5,500) vs. Rangers

Carlos Rodon will take on Joey Gallo and the Rangers at home on Saturday. Rodon is coming off his worst outing of the year. He allowed nine hits and seven runs in 3.2 innings in Pittsburgh on Monday. That’ll probably scare off most daily fantasy players.

But one major advantage of that poor outing is his immense drop in price. Rodon is $1,000 cheaper than he was a week ago. And before that outing in Western Pennsylvania, Rodon had posted back-to-back sound starts. If you’re looking to save on a pitcher, Rodon‘s value might never be higher.

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Fifteen MLB games scattered throughout Saturday create separate slates for daily players to tackle on DraftKings.

To keep things simple, let’s analyze them through the early and night slates. Although the afternoon’s six games can also be split apart into two distinct contests, all bouts starting before 7 p.m. ET will lie under the day umbrella. That leaves nine matchups for the latecomers.

Both tilts are driven by an ace, with Max Scherzer taking the hill early and Corey Kluber pitching later. If Bryce Harper is out again, Francisco Liriano becomes just as intriguing as his Cy Young-caliber opponent. After that, users can free up money on offense with affordable No. 2 starters such as Trevor May, Jesse Hahn, John Lackey and Taijuan Walker. 

The pitching choices are fairly clear-cut, so let’s break down hitters all across Saturday to target.

Day

OF Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles ($4,700) at Toronto

Since last year, Adam Jones is hitting .354/.404/.616 with 12 homers against left-handed pitchers. He’ll test that dominance against Mark Buehrle, who is sullied with a .479 opposing slugging percentages at the Rogers Centre this season.

Inside a great hitters’ park, the aggressive Jones gets a soft-tossing lefty who pitches to contact. Everything is lined up for a big day, with Delmon Young also serving as a cheaper platoon play.

SS Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers ($3,800) at White Sox

In a week where they’ve already seen baseball’s two toughest lefties in Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale, the Texas Rangers receive a much more manageable adversary in Carlos Rodon. Typically not the ideal daily choice, Elvis Andrus boasts a career .351 on-base percentage against lefties.

The rookie hurler has already issued 25 walks through 44.1 innings, so Andrus should at least reach base while batting atop Texas’ otherwise lefty-loaded lineup. Inflation wiped out any Coors Field advantage for Jean Segura, so Andrus represents the best alternative to Troy Tulowitzki at shortstop.

Stack: Colorado Rockies vs. Milwaukee (RHP Kyle Lohse)

The chalk play is too good to ignore here. Kyle Lohse will step into Coors Field carrying a 6.44 ERA, the highest mark among all qualified starters. Although expensive, none of the Colorado Rockies cost $5,000 or more.

Managing a full Colorado stack will prove difficult, especially for those employing Scherzer. Catching fire with six homers this month, Carlos Gonzalez is back to an elite choice at home. Then again, Nolan Arenado has collected 15 of his 16 deep balls against righties this season, and Tulowitzki is the obvious top choice at shortstop. 

If forced to choose, rank them in that order. As long as they’re in the lineup, Nick Hundley and Ben Paulsen make cheap complements to one or two Rockies studs.

Night

C Derek Norris ($3,800), San Diego Padres at Arizona

Although he has yet to take a lefty deep this season, Derek Norris is hitting .341/.396/.477 against them. Over his career, he sports a 144 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) off southpaws.

While Robbie Ray has registered a 1.09 ERA through four starts, it comes with 5.84 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9), a .229 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) and a 4.48 skill interactive ERA (SIERA). A change in venue to Chase Field also helps Norris’ cause for finally clearing the fence.  

1B Mark Teixeira ($4,700) and 3B Alex Rodriguez ($4,400), New York Yankees vs. Detroit

Can Alfredo Simon continue to perform above his peripherals? Not when he’s forced to pitch at Yankee Stadium. While generating a stellar .555 OPS versus righties, lefties have done better at .705, producing four homers.

Still pretty solid, but the 34-year-old must combat the short porch in right field against Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, who both pulverize righties at home. Teixeira is particularly appetizing given Simon’s splits, but Mr. 3,000 is good enough to bet against Simon’s success against righties.

OF Anthony Gose ($3,500), Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees

There’s just as much to like on the other side of the Yankees-Tigers matchups. Opponents are teeing off against Nathan Eovaldi to a tune of .329/.371/.464. Lefties fare even better, hitting an outrageous .400/.453/.556.

Nobody is saying to fade Miguel Cabrera, and J.D. Martinez is a particularly attractive value at Yankee Stadium for $4,200. Yet Anthony Gose is a lefty hitting .301 against righties while leading off for the dangerous Detroit Tigers. A .385 BABIP has certainly helped, but he has a great chance of reaching base for the ninth consecutive game.

He should put the ball in play and cross home plate once or twice, but don’t count on any stolen bases. Eovaldi hasn’t allowed a steal all year, the one negative in an otherwise great matchup given Gose‘s $3,500 cost.

2B/3B Justin Turner ($3,700) and OF Andre Ethier ($3,500), Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco

Sick of hearing about Justin Turner and Andre Ethier? Too bad. As long as they’re cheap and starting against righties, they’re worth tossing into all lineups. 

Brandishing a 4.68 ERA and 4.54 K/9, Tim Hudson hardly imposes any fear into the opposition these days. Employing one or both of these overlooked Los Angeles Dodgers sluggers saves cap space for Cabrera, Giancarlo Stanton or an expensive Yankees or Tigers stack.

Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.

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Nothing makes Father’s Day special like being able to spend a little extra dough for a gift or even a special day with the pops. But where will that extra money come from? Daily fantasy on DraftKings, that’s where.

Friday’s schedule offers several great players that come at a low budget to help owners craft an optimal lineup. Before locking in a roster for the Friday slate, here’s a look at some strategy and low-budget options to choose for June 19.

First Baseman: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles ($4,500)

He doesn’t exactly come at the lowest price on this list, but owners know they need to shell out some dollars for a slugger at first base. That’s exactly what Chris Davis offers, and he’s been hitting well recently for the Baltimore Orioles.

Davis hasn’t faced Marco Estrada much, but he has one home run in three at-bats against the Toronto Blue Jays hurler. He might only be hitting .204 against right-handed pitching this season, but he also has 11 of his 14 homers against righties. His power hitting will get back on track Friday night.

Second Baseman: Jace Peterson, Atlanta Braves ($3,400)

If you haven’t heard of Jace Peterson, that’s understandable. All he’s done since being called up by the Atlanta Braves is put up solid numbers at the top of the lineup.

Whether he’s playing against righties or lefties, Peterson has hit nearly the same average against both. However, his OPS is .122 points higher against right-handed pitchers, making him a smart option on Friday. Peterson has even excelled against Jacob deGrom with a double in four at-bats.

Since taking a two-game break in early June, Peterson has 17 hits in his last 12 games. If he gets on with the likes of Nick Markakis and Freddie Freeman behind him, Peterson should put together another strong night.

Third Baseman: Brett Lawrie, Oakland Athletics ($3,500)

In his first season with the Oakland Athletics, Brett Lawrie certainly hasn’t made fans forget about Josh Donaldson. What he has done, however, is put up great stats sporadically at third base. Recent numbers prove that Lawrie is finally regaining some consistency.

Over his last six games, Lawrie has a homer and double on nine hits with five RBI, two runs and three walks. That equates to over 12 fantasy points per game during that stretch. With three hits in seven ABs against Matt Shoemaker and over $2,000 less than Miguel Cabrera, Lawrie is an ideal player to target.

Shortstop: Addison Russell, Chicago Cubs ($3,400)

Addison Russell has been somewhat overshadowed this season by all the star power on the Cubs’ roster, but he’s been a solid producer. Prior to Thursday night, Russell also had an eight-game hitting streak with two multi-hit games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

He’s not a huge power hitter, but there aren’t many shortstops who are. But for owners who want to stick with a hot hand at a reasonable salary, Russell is ripe for the picking.

Outfielder: Billy Burns, Oakland Athletics ($4,100)

Sticking with young players who are streaking, Billy Burns is quickly becoming an American League Rookie of the Year candidate for his stellar play at the plate. Hitting .315 thus far, Burns has really made a difference on the basepaths.

In 16 attempts this season, Burns has stolen 13 bases and has four triples already. That ties him for fifth in triples and 12th in stolen bases in far less starts than most of the players ahead of him. He shouldn’t be the No. 1 outfielder on Friday, but he’s perfect for a second or third option at the position.

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Summer is the worst time for fantasy baseball players to take a vacation.

After watching the standings experience daily seismic shifts early in the season, some clarity will now form. A team staring at fourth place for the past three weeks now knows playing the waiting game won’t get the job done.

Besides, baseball is now the only game in town with the NBA and NHL entering offseason mode. Fantasy football draft preparation can wait a while longer.

So as everyone else fires up the grill or hits the beach, start crafting some trade offers before it’s too late. To inspire the creative juices, here are three players worth targeting for a bargain and three others to jettison before their stock crashes.

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Some intriguing scheduling with interleague play has led to rare day games on a Tuesday. As a result, daily fantasy baseball players will get more contests to compete in but fewer game options than usual in each.

While you will have to adjust your schedule, or at least your strategy, there are still plenty of quality options throughout the day.

Pitchers to Draft

Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs ($9,000)

Monday’s postponement will push Jake Arrieta‘s start to Tuesday, although this shouldn’t affect his play. The Cubs starter is coming off consecutive quality starts where he combined for 16 strikeouts and just one walk.

Despite the recent success, this will be the first time in over a month Arrieta will cost less than $9,500 on DraftKings.

While the lefty-heavy Cleveland Indians lineup is a bit scary for most right-handers, Arrieta has limited southpaws to a .234 opposing batting average this season, so don’t be afraid to stick with the talented pitcher.

Charlie Morton, Pittsburgh Pirates ($7,900)

Four starts for Charlie Morton since returning from the disabled list, and he has four wins and a 2.05 ERA. In three of these games, the 31-year-old pitcher went at least seven innings, including his 7.1 shutout innings last time out.

You really can’t ask for much more production from the veteran.

Against a struggling Chicago White Sox offense, there is no reason for Morton to slow down now.

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants ($7,800)

Although the past few starts have been less than stellar, Tim Lincecum has been much better at home this season. The former Cy Young Award winner has a 1.98 ERA in six home games compared to just a 4.88 ERA in the same amount of time on the road.

This has been a common theme for pitchers at AT&T Park this season, which has been the hardest stadium on hitters in 2015, according to ESPN.

Although he isn’t blowing anyone away like he used to, Lincecum should have a solid performance against the light-hitting Seattle Mariners.

Pitcher to Avoid

Matt Harvey, New York Mets ($10,800)

While he is obviously talented, Matt Harvey has gone through a bit of a rough patch. The last four starts have seen the struggling starter allow 20 runs in just 25 innings, including eight home runs.

This makes it difficult to bet on him to turn things around, especially against the Toronto Blue Jays and the No. 1 offense in baseball. 

Hitters to Draft

Justin Upton, OF, San Diego Padres ($4,400)

Playing in a spacious stadium like Petco Park usually causes problems for new hitters, but Justin Upton has been great at home in his first year with the Padres with a batting average about 100 points higher at home.

Oakland Athletics starter Scott Kazmir has had a good season, but Upton has fared well against lefties throughout his career, and he represents good value Tuesday against the left-hander.

Kole Calhoun, OF, Los Angeles Angels ($4,300)

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Jeremy Hellickson has had an up-and-down season but has really struggled against lefties, allowing a .330 batting average and .973 OPS. Despite high strikeout totals, Kole Calhoun has hit the ball well lately and should be able to take advantage of this favorable matchup.

Hitter to Avoid

Brett Gardner, OF, New York Yankees ($5,300)

When you are spending this much on a hitter, you should be expecting a huge game. Brett Gardner just doesn’t present as much opportunity for this as some of the other top names on the list.

The outfielder is down to just a .266 batting average after going 1-for-12 in his last three games and only has five home runs on the year. The stolen bases are nice, but there are many safer options available.

Teams to Stack

Atlanta Braves

Not only did Wade Miley allow three homers in his last start, but the day ended with him yelling at manager John Farrell in the dugout for pulling him after four innings. On the plus side, he did show remorse for the latter incident:

The problem is, it’s difficult to expect a better showing from a pitcher who has put together just a 5.07 ERA with at least five earned runs allowed in four different starts.

Atlanta has a deep lineup and should put up plenty of runs in the hitter-friendly Fenway Park.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have struggled on the road but when at Camden Yards, they find a way to score. Manny Machado has been red-hot lately, while players like Adam Jones, Jimmy Paredes and Chris Davis are always capable of producing.

With the Philadelphia Phillies starter allowing at least four runs and eight hits in four of his last five starts, Baltimore’s offense should be solid once again.

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

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There aren’t many big-name starting pitchers taking the mound across MLB on Tuesday. Combined with the fact that there are five day games on the schedule, DraftKings daily fantasy players may have to think outside the box while setting their lineups.  

From an aging veteran to a rookie just getting his feet wet, here are five of the best values on the board for pitchers on June 16. 

Afternoon

Michael Wacha ($9,200) vs. Minnesota Twins

Michael Wacha has the second-highest salary among pitchers in the day games, but with an average of 18.8 fantasy points per outing, he’s easily the top scorer. Wacha‘s 2.45 ERA ranks seventh in the National League, while his 1.08 WHIP and .224 batting average against are both 11th.

His overall numbers aren’t dominant, but they are extremely consistent. Take a look at a recent tweet from Fox Sports Midwest’s Luke Thompson:

Through 12 games this season, Wacha has never allowed more than four runs or failed to last at least five innings. In nine of his 12 starts, he’s surrendered two or fewer earned runs. The 23-year-old has totaled over 19 fantasy points in five of his last six appearances and has scored better than 11 every time out.

Tim Lincecum ($7,800) vs. Seattle Mariners

He’s nowhere close to the pitcher he once was, but Tim Lincecum has several things going for him on Tuesday. Inside the confines of AT&T Park this season, Lincecum is averaging a solid 16.8 fantasy points per game.

In addition to pitching at home, Lincecum boasts a very favorable matchup against the Mariners. Seattle has scored the fewest runs of any team in the American League, while also posting an AL-worst .234 team batting average.

Lincecum owns many unspectacular starts this year, but he has always avoided disaster—the most runs he’s given up in any game is four.

Evening

Jake Arrieta ($9,000) vs. Cleveland Indians

For the season, Jake Arrieta is scoring 21.4 fantasy points per game. It’s the highest average of any pitcher on Tuesday and a much better value than Matt Harvey’s 21.0 at $10,800.

After spending the first three-and-a-half years of his career with the Baltimore Orioles, Arrieta‘s stats drastically improved upon joining the Chicago Cubs in 2013.

The 29-year-old is eighth in the NL with 83 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched. As with Wacha, Arrieta has thrown at least five innings and given up four or fewer earned runs in all 12 of his starts.

Nathan Eovaldi ($6,900) at Miami Marlins

With a 4.13 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP, Nathan Eovaldi is putting together an extremely mediocre season for the New York Yankees. Could he be in line for a quality start when he takes on his previous ballclub for the first time? Lohud Yankees Blog noted Tuesday’s pitching battle:

The two righties were actually part of the same deal between the Yankees and Marlins last December. Eovaldi should have the advantage in his old home against David Phelps, who faces a Yankee lineup that’s scored the fourth-most runs in baseball. On the other hand, only five clubs have plated fewer runs in 2015 than the Marlins.

There’s no denying Eovaldi is a risky choice. However, he’s got a 2.92 ERA in June and should have a little extra motivation for his first trip back to Miami.

Chi Chi Gonzalez ($5,400) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Chi Chi Gonzalez has just three major league starts under his belt, but they’ve all been quite effective. Lone Star Ball’s Adam J. Morris tweeted Gonzalez’s historic start:

Over 21.2 innings, Gonzalez has yielded just a single earned run. His 10 walks are a bit high, and his eight strikeouts are fairly low, but his fantasy totals are excellent. With an average of 20.5 points per game at a price of $5,400, Gonzalez gives you 3.8 points for every $1,000 spent.

The rookie’s string of impressive starts will likely come to a close in the near future. Considering Gonzalez’s bargain salary, it’s worthwhile to run him out there until it does.

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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