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Saturday’s batch of daily fantasy baseball picks are devoted entirely to hitters, but DraftKings participants should all build around an ace.

Two young aces leaping to superstardom take the hill on Saturday. The red-hot Chris Archer gets a great matchup in the Chicago White Sox, and the surging Gerrit Cole receives baseball’s worst offense in the Philadelphia Phillies. Fading both puts gamers in the—well, Chris’s long-lost brother Sterling can explain it better.

While the night slate offers fewer premium options, Zack Greinke becomes an essential play for anyone playing the isolated late shift. Either way, nobody can fill up on Giancarlo Stanton and Paul Goldschmidt while paying over five figures for an ace. So let’s highlight some affordable sluggers presented great opportunities on Saturday.

C Salvador Perez ($3,500) and OF Lorenzo Cain ($3,800), Kansas City Royals at St. Louis (LHP Tyler Lyons)

Lance Lynn was originally scheduled to face the Kansas City Royals, but the St. Louis Cardinals shelved him with a forearm injury. The team announced the move and his replacement on Friday:

Kansas City goes from facing a stout righty to an unproven southpaw. That’s great news for Salvador Perez, a career .307/.342/.502 hitter vs. lefties with a .362 weighted on-base average, per FanGraphs. Also benefiting from the swap, Lorenzo Cain comes at $3,800 while lighting up lefties (.344/.420/.525) all season.

Because of the last-minute change, Perez and Cain come at bargains despite the favorable platoon splits. On the other end of the coin, lefties Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas lose appeal.

1B David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox ($4,000) vs. Toronto (RHP R.A. Dickey)

David Ortiz has endured a dishearteningly slow start—but only against southpaws. He’s just fine when fed a righty, whom he has punched for an .897 OPS. Although it’s usually foolish to look at batter vs. pitcher matchups, there’s something to be said for his ability to handle R.A. Dickey’s knuckleball.

Big Papi has gone 8-for-23 with two homers and two doubles against Dickey, who has a 5.35 ERA this season with a .478 opposing slugging percentage against right-handed batters.

Essentially, the head-to-head success supports a preexisting inkling to use a slugging lefty against a righty prone to offering up gophers. While $4,000 may seem steep for someone hitting .225/.303/.387, DraftKings usually inflates the price much more for someone receiving such a golden matchup.

2B Kolten Wong ($4,000) and 3B Matt Carpenter ($4,300), St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City (RHP Jeremy Guthrie)

Jeremy Guthrie enters the weekend with a .318/.396/.591 opposing slash line against lefties, surrendering nine homers and 31 earned runs through 31.1 innings. He has also relinquished a .945 OPS and 8.17 ERA outside of Kauffman Stadium, so stack some Cardinals teeing off at Busch Stadium.

The most tantalizing lefties in play are Kolten Wong and Matt Carpenter, both of whom top St. Louis’ batting order and flourish against opposite-handed pitchers. For $3,200, Randal Grichuk also has the pop to pay off as a high-reward tournament play.

3B Joey Gallo ($3,800), Texas Rangers vs. Minnesota (RHP Mike Pelfrey)

Don’t be deceived by Mike Pelfrey‘s 2.28 ERA. Although he has harnessed better command and netted more ground balls, he has also notched 34 strikeouts through 67 innings. He remains much closer to the gentleman with the career 4.42 ERA.

Pelfrey will look to inflate his strikeout numbers against rookie Joey Gallo, but even if he does, so what? We’re here to see some dingers, and the rookie offers all the power in the world against righties. He registered a 1.141 OPS versus righties before his promotion and is 8-for-19 with three walks, a homer and a double against them in the majors.

Other Texas Rangers sluggers—most notably Mitch Moreland at $4,600—received price hikes heading into Saturday. Yet Gallo is affordable and awfully dangerous.

OF David Peralta ($3,500), Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco (RHP Ryan Vogelsong)

David Peralta hasn’t homered since May 29, which is great news for DraftKings players. The power outage has diminished his price to $3,500 despite facing Ryan Vogelsong, a soft-tossing righty with a 4.52 ERA and 2-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Peralta still maintains a .500 slugging percentage against right-handed pitchers. Before assuming the past couple weeks represent the new normal, he’s a career .312/.347/.506 hitter against righties dating back to last season.

That production is available for the same price as Eduardo Nunez or Michael Bourn? Please and thank you.

OF Andre Ethier ($3,300), Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego (RHP Ian Kennedy)

If Andre Ethier is going to remain so cheap, why not keep going to the well? He’s back to his old self against righties, hitting .291/.387/.539 against them prior to Friday night. 

Although he’s playing at Petco Park, he gets a laboring Ian Kennedy, who sports a 6.48 ERA while having already surrendered a dozen homers. Nine have come inside the supposed pitchers’ haven, which has actually induced deep balls at an above-average rate this season, according to ESPN’s park factors.

Just check the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup before finalizing yours to make sure manager Don Mattingly doesn’t throw Alex Guerrero a bone. In that case, play him instead for $2,800.

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Many of the pitchers competing Saturday have exceeded expectations throughout the season. The question when filling out your daily fantasy baseball team is which ones are going to keep up their great play.

Despite tough choices in many cases, here is a look at the top options at various prices throughout the day.

Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays ($11,800)

The price is extremely high, so you have to decide whether he is worth conceding production in other areas. However, Chris Archer has been incredible in his past three starts with just one earned run allowed in 23 innings. Most impressively, he has 38 strikeouts and no walks in that stretch.

Against the light-hitting Chicago White Sox, he should once again have a big day. The question will be whether he is worth over one-quarter of your budget.

Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh Pirates ($10,700)

While Zack Greinke ($10,500) seems like a good bet thanks to his 1.92 ERA in a pitcher’s park, the San Diego Padres have actually had one of the better offenses in baseball this season. Conversely, Gerrit Cole gets to face the lineup that ranks dead last in the majors in runs scored in the Philadelphia Phillies.

Of course, Cole’s been a great option of late regardless of the opponent. Over the last four starts, the 24-year-old pitcher has allowed just two earned runs in 29.1 innings, totaling at least seven innings and seven strikeouts in each game.

There are few hotter pitchers in baseball, and you have to take advantage of this with your fantasy team.

Shelby Miller, Atlanta Braves ($8,500)

Jacob deGrom ($10,500) has been excellent recently, but a better and cheaper option will be the pitcher on the other side of the field Saturday. Shelby Miller had one bad showing two starts ago but got back on track and now has a ridiculous 1.84 ERA.

In 12 starts, Miller has only once allowed more than two earned runs, and lately, opponents are struggling to even get on base. With the New York Mets not producing at the plate, this is another good matchup for the Braves starter.

Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs ($7,100)

After a good rookie season, Kyle Hendricks has been up and down in his sophomore year but still produced some pretty impressive showings, including a complete-game shutout a few weeks ago. The inconsistency should scare you, but the peak talent makes him an interesting option.

Considering the Cincinnati Reds’ road issues this season and Hendricks’ ability to get both righties and lefties out, the young starter has a chance for an impressive game.

Mike Montgomery, Seattle Mariners ($4,300)

This pick would certainly qualify as a risk, but Mike Montgomery has pitched well enough to be worth more than just $4,300 in his first two starts. In two starts, the rookie has a 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and just nine hits allowed in 13 innings.

The Houston Astros have a lot of talent but have also struck out more times than anyone else in the American League. Mike Montgomery could definitely outperform his price with a big day Saturday.

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

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There are several top-notch MLB starters throwing on Tuesday, which makes picking just two in DraftKings daily fantasy contests all the more difficult.  Scoring big with pitchers becomes vital when there are so many quality arms available.

Whether you’d like to spend for an ace or find a bargain and hope for the best, here are five of the leading options to choose from when selecting pitchers for June 9.

Sonny Gray ($10,100) vs. Texas Rangers

Sonny Gray leads all major league starters with a 1.65 ERA, while his 0.91 WHIP is tied for the second best in baseball.  He’s also holding opposing hitters to a .186 batting average in 2015.

Gray has yet to allow more than four earned runs in a single outing this season, and he’s surrendered two runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts.  In addition, the righty has lasted at lease five innings every time and completed eight full innings in each of his last two games.

Why pay $12,000 for Max Scherzer, or $10,900 for Corey Kluber, when you can get the same ace-like stats from Gray at a much better price?

Francisco Liriano ($9,700) vs. Milwaukee Brewers

As noted in the above chart, Francisco Liriano is the only pitcher in the majors holding hitters to a lower batting average than Gray is—and he costs $400 less.  The Pirates left-hander has been outstanding over his past three starts, giving up just two earned runs while striking out 29 batters in 19 innings.

Liriano’s 3-4 record and 3.24 ERA aren’t superstar numbers, but he has an extremely favorable June 9 matchup.

Milwaukee owns a .233 team batting average and a .286 on-base percentage, both of which are the worst in MLB.  The chance to face a 25-year-old rookie making his first start in the bigs also bodes well for Pittsburgh’s offense.

Dallas Keuchel ($9,100) at Chicago White Sox

Considering what Dallas Keuchel is doing in 2015, he’s an absolute steal at $9,100.  Keuchel leads all of baseball with 87.2 innings pitched—he’s tossed at least six innings in every start and eight or more on five of 12 occasions.

Keuchel‘s 1.85 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and .189 batting average against all rank in the top five in the majors.  He also won the American League Pitcher of the Month award in both April and May.

The 27-year-old’s moderate price tag this week is a bit of a mystery.  After steadily rising all year, Keuchel‘s salary hit a season-high $10,000 for his last start against the Baltimore Orioles.  His six-inning, two-run, seven-strikeout no-decision shouldn’t do much to lower his value, especially on Tuesday against a White Sox team with the second-fewest runs scored in the American League.

Eduardo Rodriguez ($7,100) at Baltimore Orioles

As a rookie about to make his third career big league start, Eduardo Rodriguez’s $7,100 cost is actually quite high.  However, if he can put together another performance like his first two, he’ll likely be the best bargain of the day. 

Rodriguez also struck out seven batters in each of his first two appearances.  His ERA and WHIP both stand at exactly 0.61 through 14.2 innings pitched.  In his first game, Rodriguez posted 32.3 fantasy points, then in his second he put up 29.4.

Obviously, it’s a tiny sample size, but the 22-year-old has easily the best fantasy scoring average available despite being one of the lower-priced pitchers on Tuesday.

Robbie Ray ($5,000) at Los Angeles Dodgers

If you’ve filled your lineup with stud hitters and need a bargain on the mound, Robbie Ray is your guy.

Like Rodriguez, Ray has made just two starts in 2015, while also allowing only a single earned run.  Over 11 innings, Ray has yielded 11 hits and one walk to go along with nine strikeouts.  He’ll take the hill for the second time in a row after spending a month in Triple-A between his previous two starts.

Ray faces a tough Dodger lineup that leads the National League with a .335 on-base percentage and a .441 slugging percentage.  However, Ray’s opponent, Carlos Frias, has a 4.25 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP this season.  At $4,300, Frias is the second-cheapest pitcher on the board.  Ray is a gamble, but at least his offense will have a solid opportunity to get him ample run support.

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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A long list of ace pitchers means there could be some huge scores in daily fantasy baseball Tuesday. Make sure you get the right players at each spot to help you get into the money in any contest. 

Pitchers to Draft

Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians ($10,900)

There are a few elite pitchers to choose from Tuesday, but Corey Kluber is the one with the best matchup. While Max Scherzer and Masahiro Tanaka battle each other and Sonny Gray faces a tough Texas Rangers lineup, Kluber matches up against the light-hitting Seattle Mariners.

After averaging 36.6 fantasy points on DraftKings over the last five games, Kluber should be set for another huge game.

Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros ($9,100)

We keep waiting for Dallas Keuchel to come back to earth, but he keeps adding to his outstanding season. He ranks third in the American League with a 1.85 ERA, and he has 18 strikeouts with just one walk over the past two games.

There is no reason to expect this to stop against the Chicago White Sox, who rank second to last in the majors in OPS.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox ($7,100)

Although Eduardo Rodriguez has only made two career starts, he looks like he can be a big addition to the Red Sox. So far, he has pitched 14.2 innings while allowing just one run and five hits. Eno Sarris of FanGraphs discussed his belief in the young starter:

The price will likely keep going up for the lefty, so you might as well get him while he is still reasonably cheap.

Pitcher to Avoid

Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees ($10,400)

Although Tanaka’s return from the disabled list was a good one (one run in seven innings with nine strikeouts), he only threw 78 pitches in the start. Considering he hasn’t topped 100 pitches in a game this year, he likely will be limited once again as he gets to full strength.

Against a tough lineup like the Washington Nationals, this might not be enough for a great performance.

Hitters to Draft

Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs ($5,000)

Few players have been more consistent than Anthony Rizzo this season, and he has been even better recently, getting two hits just about every time out. Considering the inconsistency of Detroit Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez, Rizzo could be in for more big hits.

Kolten Wong, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals ($4,400)

The lefty-on-lefty matchup usually scares people, but Kolten Wong has been equally good this year against pitchers from both sides of the rubber. Meanwhile, Jorge De La Rosa has improved but still has just a 6.15 ERA for the season.

Most of the Cardinals have a chance of succeeding in the hitter-friendly Coors Field, but Wong has been consistent and still has the best value.

Delino DeShields, OF, Texas Rangers ($3,300)

Consistency hasn’t been his strong suit, but Delino DeShields has had some great games as a leadoff hitter for the deep Rangers lineup. With his ability to get steals and runs, the outfielder represents good value.

Hitter to Avoid

Matt Carpenter, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals ($5,000)

Even at Coors Field, Matt Carpenter has not been great against left-handed pitchers this season. Add this to a poor start in June, and this is not a good time to use the third baseman. 

Team to Stack

Arizona Diamondbacks

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Carlos Frias has struggled at home this year to the tune of a 6.17 ERA in five games (four starts). This represents a good opportunity for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have one of the top scoring lineups in baseball.

Even though Paul Goldschmidt ($5,900) is quite pricey, you should want to get as many of these hitters in your lineup as possible.

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

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We were on the right side of FanDuel’s 50/50 leagues yesterday.  On a high-scoring day, we were in the 60th percentile or better (in most June 5 daily leagues) with 37.5 points.  Carlos Martinez’s gem at Dodger Stadium was the difference.

As always, confirm that your chosen players are in their respective lineups, and stay away from games that may be rained out.  An excellent website for lineups and weather is Rotowire.com.  

The following ideal lineup is for June 6 and will be for FanDuel leagues starting at 12:05 p.m. EDT.

P Clayton Kershaw, $11,700

We’re paying a premium for one of MLB‘s best pitchers in Dodger Stadium.  Kershaw has averaged 13.5 FanDuel points per game in 11 starts.  In his last four, the Dodgers’ ace is averaging 16.25.  The power lefty has 90 strikeouts in just 72 innings pitched.

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On a day dominated by pitching, daily fantasy baseball players will distinguish themselves by picking profitable hitters on DraftKings.

It doesn’t take a DFS genius to play Clayton Kershaw, Felix Hernandez, Madison Bumgarner or David Price. Don’t fill out a lineup without one of those aces as the anchor, particularly in cash contests. That of course, will compel gamers to get more creative with their sluggers.

With elite pitchers setting the table, the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Gordon, Paul Goldschmidt and Josh Donaldson will prove tougher to work into a budget. (Even at $5,700, Stanton warrants a long look while spending the weekend at Coors Field.) Let’s take a look at some affordable bats for Saturday.

Chicago Cubs at Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals tweaked their rotation with Stephen Strasburg sidelined, causing the Chicago Cubs to all come at user-friendly price tags for Saturday’s bout with Joe Ross. The 22-year-old will make his MLB debut after notching a 2.81 ERA in Double-A.

Although Lance McCullers has recently skipped Triple-A with no repercussions, Ross’ first start presents an interesting opportunity with the Cubs all discounted:

Guys hitting .325/.445/.602 don’t cost $4,700 unless they’re facing a Cy Young-caliber ace. Yet Anthony Rizzo is there for the taking for $900 less than Goldschmidt. Kris Bryant, who has lived up to the hype with an .863 OPS against righties, costs less than 10 third basemen. He’s probably better than the identically priced yet shelved Adrian Beltre and Daniel Murphy. 

For those who can’t choose between the top aces and sluggers, have it all by inserting Junior Lake, who requires a minimal $2,500 investment despite sliding into Jorge Soler’s starting gig. Anyone who wants to stack Chicago must act fast, as the game starts at 12:05 p.m. ET. 

1B Justin Bour ($3,500), Miami Marlins, and OF Brandon Barnes ($3,300), Colorado Rockies

This isn’t to dissuade anyone from using the likes of Stanton, Gordon, Troy Tulowitzki, Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado. David Phelps and Chris Rusin will pitch at Coors, so it’s no secret to target the Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins. Just be prepared to pay up for almost all of them.

A resounding replacement for the ineffective and injured Michael Morse, Justin Bour is hitting .333/.383/.573 with five homers through 33 games. Facing a weak righty at Coors Field is a dream come true for the lefty raker.

On Colorado’s side, Brandon Barnes is the cheap play if given the start. The 29-year-old has made the most of Coors plate appearances, going 15-for-30 at home while collecting three hits on the road. Leave it to Coors to turn a journeyman into a hit machine.

OF Andrew McCutchen ($4,600) and 1B/3B Pedro Alvarez ($3,300), Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves

The Pittsburgh Pirates are weirdly underpriced against the Atlanta Braves’ Julio Teheran, he of the 5.54 fielding independent pitching (FIP). Take advantage with their two top sluggers, a discounted superstar and bargain-bin masher.

Andrew McCutchen‘s struggles are long behind him. Erasing his rough start, the former National League MVP is now hitting .295/.382/.497, yet he costs the same amount as Rajai Davis. While everyone else hopes Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich heat up in Coors Field, take the superstar for $4,600 against a subpar pitcher.

As for Alvarez, he carries a .497 slugging percentage against righties this season, hitting nine homers off of them through 169 plate appearances. Someone with such massive pop is a steal at $3,300.

C James McCann ($3,000), Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox

Selecting a catcher is usually as exciting as a tooth cleaning, but there are a few intriguing options on Saturday’s slate. Russell Martin and Salvador Perez are both high-level plays against lefties, and Brian McCann is worth a look when teeing off at Yankee Stadium. 

But come on, who wants to spend money on catcher when Kershaw and Felix are on the mound, Stanton’s swinging at Coors, and Rizzo and McCutchen are on sale? Save some cash with James McCann, who is 9-for-29 with two homers and three walks against southpaws.

A small sample indeed, but he’s worth a try against John Danks, who has a .584 opposing slugging percentage against right-handed batters this year. Don’t shy away because of his complete-game shutout over the erratic Houston Astros last weekend.

SS Brad Miller ($3,500) and OF Seth Smith ($3,600), Seattle Mariners vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Whenever the Seattle Mariners face an unimposing righty, Brad Miller and Seth Smith are worth a look. Each entered Friday night hitting .254 with five homers against right-handed pitching, and the power particularly makes them names to circle against Alex Colome’s 5.01 ERA and 27.4 line-drive percentage.

A high-upside hitter tailored for DFS, Miller boasts a .480 slugging percentage against right-handers with a .352 on-base percentage. A pure platoon bat, Smith holds a .465 slugging percentage against righties. This cheap pairing gives gamers a chance to purchase a star slugger elsewhere.

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Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.

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Whether you plan to spend a lot of money on pitching or you want to look for the bargains, you can’t win in daily fantasy baseball unless you get a lot of value from your pitchers. This doesn’t mean you need to draft one of the top names such as Felix Hernandez or Clayton Kershaw, but you better get someone who can get points.

Here is a look at those who should provide the most value in both the early and late contests for June 6.

Early Contests

Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants ($10,500)

The last two games have been relatively pedestrian, just barely getting a quality start in each. However, he is still one of the more talented pitchers in the game and can still come through with a huge fantasy performance at any time.

Against the Philadelphia Phillies, who have the worst scoring offense in the league and are led by mostly lefty hitters, Bumgarner is certainly worth the price.

Danny Salazar, Cleveland Indians ($8,800)

The last few outings have caused some concern for Danny Salazar, as he has only finished the sixth inning in one of his last four starts. Even with a few great performances in May, he could only manage a 4.04 ERA for the month.

Still, Salazar continues to get swings and misses, and he currently leads the majors with 11.69 strikeouts per nine innings. The Baltimore Orioles have struggled on the road this year and could be susceptible to a high-scoring fantasy game for the Indians star.

Jesse Chavez, Oakland Athletics ($6,600)

It might be easy to look past the journeyman pitcher who never truly got a chance to start until last season, but Jesse Chavez has been incredible this season. So far in 12 appearances (eight starts), he has a 2.11 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP.

After allowing just one unearned run over 16 innings in his last two starts, you might as well ride the hot streak while it lasts. 

Late Contests

David Price, Detroit Tigers ($10,200)

The Chicago White Sox love using their left-handed starters, but the offense hasn’t fared well against southpaws this year. The White Sox currently rank 29th in the league in batting average against lefties, just ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers.

With David Price being much better on the road this year (2.34 ERA compared to 4.22 at home), the left-handed starter could be in for a strong performance.

Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals ($7,700)

It will be difficult to earn a win in a matchup against Clayton Kershaw, but Jaime Garcia will come much cheaper and should give you plenty of points regardless.

The 28-year-old starter has only made three starts this season but has a 2.70 ERA and is coming off his best performance yet in which he allowed just three hits and one run in seven innings. He also hasn’t walked a batter in two games since giving five free passes in his first start.  

If he can slow down the big lefties such as Adrian Gonzalez and Joc Pederson, he could have another solid start.

Adam Warren, New York Yankees ($5,200)

With so many top pitchers available, going cheap might cause you to be left behind. However, if you want to save money for the hitters, you can get some decent value with Adam Warren.

The New York Yankees starter has produced four quality starts in a row while going seven full innings in two of them, giving him an average of 18.3 fantasy points per game on DraftKings in this stretch. Adding in his 2.05 home ERA in four starts, Warren should provide owners with a good outing against an inconsistent Los Angeles Angels lineup.

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!

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If you jumped on our FanDuel train yesterday, you were in the 80th percentile or better (in most June 4 daily leagues) with 36.75 points.  Our best offensive performers were Dustin Pedroia and Joey Butler, who combined for 15.25 FanDuel points.  It is only fitting that we keep them in the lineup.

As always, confirm that your chosen players are in their respective lineups, and stay away from games that may be rained out. An excellent website for lineups and weather is Rotowire.com.  

The following ideal lineup is for June 5 and will be for FanDuel leagues starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT.

P Carlos Martinez, $9100

With no real studs on the mound today, Martinez is our best bet.  The 23-year-old has averaged 16.44 FanDuel points in his last three starts.  The better news is that in his last start, he scored 19 points against the Dodgers, the same team he will face tonight.

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For fans playing DraftKings‘ daily fantasy baseball on Tuesday, there are a number of excellent starting pitcher possibilities.  The trick, obviously, is getting the most bang for your buck.  With so many quality options to chose from, how does one decide which two pitchers to go with?

Here are five of the best MLB pitcher picks for June 2, coming in at a variety of different price levels.

Max Scherzer ($12,000) vs. Toronto Blue Jays

At $12,000, Max Scherzer is the most expensive pitcher on the board—but his performance to this point easily backs up his cost.

Through 10 starts in 2015, Scherzer is averaging 29.2 fantasy points per outing.  By that rate, he’ll give you 2.43 points per $1,000.  For comparison, Johnny Cueto‘s $10,400 price is Tuesday’s second-highest.  With an average of 21.4 fantasy points per game, Cueto produces 2.06 points for every $1,000 spent.

Scherzer‘s 1.51 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 85 strikeouts all rank in the top three in baseball for each category.  Among the 20 league leaders in innings pitched, his 10 total walks are also the third-fewest.

If you’re still not sold on Scherzer, his career numbers against the Blue Jays are quite difficult to ignore.

 Scherzer will take up a huge chunk of your payroll, but his value is worth the risk.

Chris Archer ($8,900) at Los Angeles Angels

With an average of 24.0 fantasy points per game this year, Chris Archer is a bargain at under $9,000.  There are four starting pitchers on Tuesday that cost more than Archer, despite the fact that there are also only four pitchers in all of baseball who are holding opposing hitters to a lower batting average than he is.

Archer’s 82 strikeouts are the fifth-most in MLB, while his 0.99 WHIP ranks 10th.

In his last start, Archer outdueled Felix Hernandez with a spectacular eight scoreless innings, in which he surrendered two hits and zero walks while striking out 12.  If it weren’t for the hard-luck no-decision, Archer’s fantasy points, and subsequent price tag this week, would be even higher.  His performance that afternoon put Archer in DraftKings‘ daily perfect lineup. 

Shelby Miller ($8,300) at Arizona Diamondbacks

 Given his stats so far this year, Shelby Miller is a steal for $8,300.  As noted in the above graphic, Miller’s .175 batting average against is the lowest in baseball.  His 1.48 ERA is also tied with Zack Greinke for No. 1 in that category, while his 0.88 WHIP is second only to Greinke‘s 0.87.

If there’s one thing you can be absolutely certain of, Miller will put his team in position to win.  He’s lasted at least six innings in eight straight starts and has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any outing this season.

Miller doesn’t strike a lot of guys out—just 49 in 67 innings—but his other numbers more than make up for it.

Alfredo Simon ($6,100) vs. Oakland A’s

Over nine starts in 2015, Alfredo Simon is scoring an average of 16.6 fantasy points per game.  At $6,100, he’s good for 2.72 points for every $1,000—a higher production value than Scherzer.

After becoming a regular starter for the first time with the Cincinnati Reds last year, Simon has blossomed into a highly effective pitcher.  In 41 games since the beginning of 2014, he’s 20-12 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.

On Tuesday, Simon will have the added bonus of taking the mound at home.

Also worth noting, this will be Simon’s first game back in action following time on the bereavement list for the death of his father.  Don’t be surprised if there’s a little extra juice on his fastball.

Mike Wright ($4,800) at Houston Astros

If you’re in need of a pitcher at a bargain price, Mike Wright may be just what you’re looking for.  The 25-year-old rookie’s entire major league career consists of only three starts—the first two, however, were nothing short of spectacular.

In his third time out, Wright yielded three earned runs on six hits in five innings, but he didn’t walk a batter.  Over 19.1 innings, he’s given up a total of 13 hits and only three walks.

Despite the first-place Astros’ 32-20 record, a visit to Houston is not as daunting a task for an opposing starting pitcher as it may seem.  The club has a better winning percentage on the road, .652, than it does at home, .586.  Houston’s .225 home batting average is also the worst of any team in baseball.

Statistics courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted. 

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A deep list of top pitching options gives daily fantasy baseball competitors plenty of choices for Tuesday’s contests. If you don’t want to spend all of your budget on the true superstars on the mound, you can find worthwhile replacements on the next tier.

You can succeed with a variety of strategies in a full slate of action for June 2.

Pitchers to Draft

Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays ($8,900)

There are reasons to doubt the top pitching options available Tuesday, whether it is due to difficult matchups (Max Scherzer vs. Toronto Blue Jays), tough locations (Zack Greinke at Coors Field) or uncertainty following an injury (Johnny Cueto).

However, Chris Archer has provided some of the best individual performances of the year with one run or fewer allowed in seven of his 11 starts. He has at least eight strikeouts in four of his last five games, which should give fantasy players faith in another big day.

Shelby Miller, Atlanta Braves ($8,300)

A lack of strikeouts over the past couple of starts has limited Shelby Miller’s impact, and the Arizona Diamondbacks possess a dangerous lineup. That said, this is great value for a pitcher who is currently tied for the major league lead with a 1.48 ERA and is second with a 0.88 WHIP.

Miller hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a single start and already has two complete-game shutouts. Don’t overthink it.

Chris Heston, San Francisco Giants ($5,300)

Despite his inconsistency this year, Chris Heston has been much more successful at AT&T Park, which, according to ESPN.com, ranks as the most pitcher-friendly stadium in the majors in 2015.

After pitching 7.1 scoreless innings in his most recent home start, Heston has shown he can provide a lot of fantasy value for a low cost.

Pitcher to Avoid

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals ($12,000)

It’s hard to bet against one of the top pitchers in baseball, but for this price you better be certain a great game is coming. You simply cannot do that against the Blue Jays, which have the No. 1 scoring offense in the majors this season.

Scherzer still can come through with a strong effort, although it is not worth risking almost one-quarter of your budget.

Hitters to Draft

Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels ($4,800)

Although he’s usually an obvious name, Mike Trout has rare value with his price dropping from its usual level of well over $5,000. Even in a slump, he’s still one of the most feared hitters in baseball and is always a threat for a truly extraordinary performance.

While Archer remains a quality option on the mound, it’s hard to pass up this opportunity to get Trout for relatively cheap.

Josh Donaldson, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays ($4,300)

Even a matchup against Scherzer shouldn’t deter you from drafting the hottest hitter in baseball. Josh Donaldson has been unstoppable over the past week, hitting home runs against starters, closers, righties and lefties.

The value and upside are simply too great to ignore regardless of the opposing pitcher.

Addison Russell, 2B, Chicago Cubs ($3,900)

While he still lacks the consistency the Chicago Cubs are looking for, Addison Russell has shown flashes of greatness at the plate with a lot of extra-base power. A matchup against southpaw Brad Hand—who will make just his second start of the season for the Miami Marlins—could set the stage for more big-time hitting.

Hitter to Avoid

Todd Frazier, 3B, Cincinnati Reds ($5,100)

A red-hot hitter against a pitcher with a 1-4 record and 4.81 ERA seems like a slam dunk bet. However, Sean O’Sullivan’s struggles this year have stemmed from his inability to get lefties out (.372 batting average, 1.300 OPS) as opposed to righties (.225 batting average, .600 OPS).

The right-handed Todd Frazier isn’t necessarily going to take advantage of the seemingly weak matchup.

Team to Stack

Cleveland Indians

It’s hard to imagine Kansas City Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie being as bad as he was in his last start when he allowed 11 runs and got just three outs, but his 4.75 ERA going into that game proved he wasn’t pitching well anyway.

With Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley leading a Cleveland Indians lineup heavy on lefties and switch-hitters, things could get even worse for the right-handed Guthrie.

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

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