Kuzul

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Note: All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Note: All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The 2015 MLB season continues to roll along with less than two months before October. Most daily fantasy owners have likely gotten into a groove at this point, but the names at the top of lists are constantly changing.

Some players have risen to the task in August, while others have fallen off under the pressure of a playoff push. Ahead of Thursday’s slate of games, here’s a look at some studs and duds for August 13.

Studs

Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs ($10,800)

That massive investment by the Chicago Cubs in the offseason is finally starting to pay off. As October approaches, Lester is starting to turn it on with two runs or less allowed in his last four starts. Three of those happened to come at Wrigley Field, which is where the Cubs will play on Thursday.

Not to mention, Lester is facing off against the lowly Milwaukee Brewers. With an average of two runs scored over the last five games, it seems pretty obvious that Lester should put up similar results. At $1,400 less than Sonny Gray, Lester is an affordable ace for owners to target.

Prince Fielder, Texas Rangers ($4,500)

Prince Fielder’s comeback season just keeps on going with another hot stretch recently. Over his last 10 games, Fielder is averaging over 10 fantasy points with five extra-base hits, including two homers.

Oh, let’s also note that he has a perfect matchup on Thursday.

Ervin Santana has struggled in his last three starts, allowing 19 runs over that stretch with his last outing ending after 2.1 innings. Fielder holds a .444 on-base percentage against Santana with three home runs and a double. If you aren’t convinced by now, maybe this isn’t for you. Fielder is a lock.

Michael Cuddyer, New York Mets ($3,400)

In order to afford the Jon Lesters and Prince Fielders of the world, you’ll need a value pick. Look no further than Michael Cuddyer. The New York Mets outfielder is back to the torrid pace he was on before hitting the disabled list last month.

Cuddyer’s three hits, two runs, RBI and stolen base over the last two games prove he doesn’t have any lingering effects. He’s also facing Eddie Butler, who has been horrid at the MLB level this season. The stars are aligned for Cuddyer to go off, so don’t miss this opportunity before his price goes up again.

Duds

Mat Latos, Los Angeles Dodgers ($7,200)

Most of the pitchers at the top of DraftKings‘ price sheet on Thursday are worthy of their salary. However, when looking for a pitcher to pair them up with, Mat Latos is not a formidable option. Even at $7,200, Latos is coming at too high of a price for his recent performance.

In his last two starts, Latos hasn’t fooled anyone with just one strikeout—combined. While Latos would likely love to shut down his former team, the Cincinnati Reds are simply too patient at 22nd in the MLB in strikeouts (822). Wielding bats like Todd Frazier, Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, the Reds stars will get the better of their former teammate.

Josh Reddick, Oakland Athletics ($4,100)

Josh Reddick is struggling. Like, getting the bat remotely close to the ball has been a tall task recently. Over his last 10 games, Reddick has barely averaged three fantasy points and has just one game where he reached double digits.

Reddick doesn’t have a difficult matchup with Mark Buehrle on the mound, but the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher has a habit of making batters uncomfortable. His fast approach to the plate combined with Reddick‘s recent struggles are a bad omen for DraftKings owners.

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

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

Afternoon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evening

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Statistics via MLB.com unless otherwise noted. Mark Vandeusen is an MLB Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @LucidSportsFan.

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

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

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

Afternoon 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evening

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Note: All advanced stats are courtesy of FanGraphs.

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There are only four Major League Baseball games on Thursday’s afternoon schedule. Short schedules are ideal for stacking your DraftKings lineup with position players from one team.

This time around, the Chicago Cubs are the team to lean on—hard.

Bleed Cubbie Blue—At Least for Day

The Cubs are among the hottest teams in the majors. They have scored 38 runs in the last seven games.

Chicago will be facing the Milwaukee Brewers and rookie pitcher Tyler Cravy at Wrigley Field. Cravy has struggled in his last two starts. He’s allowed 10 earned runs over that time while pitching just 10 innings. Cravy has just seven strikeouts and three walks with two home runs in that time as well. Perhaps worst of all for Cravy, opponents are hitting .303 against him.

The Cubs come in with multiple players swinging the bat well. Kris Bryant ($4,700) is on a nine-game hitting streak. He homered Wednesday night and is hitting .280 at home, with 13 of his 16 home runs coming at Wrigley.

Anthony Rizzo ($5,300) has cooled off a bit from the tear he was on a couple of weeks ago, but he’s still a problem for Cravy. Rizzo is hitting .351 in his last 11 games. 

Jorge Soler ($3,700) is also swinging the bat well. He had his 10-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday, but he has raised his batting average by seven points since July 30. 

We threw in Miguel Montero ($2,800) (walk-off home run Wednesday) Addison Russell ($3,200) (hit safely in 19 of his last 25 games) and Chris Coghlan ($3,200) as low-cost options who are also in line to put up numbers against Cravy.

One More Cub for the Road

Jon Lester ($10,800) had a rough start to the season, but few pitchers have been more consistent over the last month. In his last 10 starts, Lester has allowed more than two runs just once. In that time, he has averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game and just 1.4 walks.

In his only previous start against the Brewers, Lester went seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. Lester isn’t the only Cubs pitcher the Brewers have struggled against.

In the last six games against Chicago, the Brewers scored just 13 runs. Milwaukee lost all those games.

Lester should get the run support to feel comfortable on the mound. With a strong performance from the pitcher and the lineup, the Cubs should cruise to a win Thursday.

Jose Bautista is a Must-Have

He’s not a Cub, but you have to draft Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista ($5,600) on Thursday. He’s on an eight-game hitting streak after going 2-for-4 on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. Bautista has homered four times during the streak.

To add to Bautista’s draft appeal, he has hammered the A’s scheduled starter for the day. Sonny Gray is undoubtedly one of the game’s best young pitchers, but Bautista is hitting .500 against Gray in 10 at-bats. 

One of his five hits was a home run. The Blue Jays are red-hot. Toronto is the only team in the majors hotter than the Cubs right now, having won 10 in a row. Bautista is more than pulling his weight of late.

One More Jay

Mark Buehrle ($7,600) hasn’t been great this season or even in his last three starts, but he’ll almost always give you innings. 

Only four of Buehrle’s starts this season have been shorter than six innings. In his only start against the A’s this season, Buehrle pitched seven innings, allowing one run and no walks but just three strikeouts.

The performance was good for just 19 fantasy points, but that should be all you need if the Cubs hitters, Lester and Bautista do their jobs.

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