Kuzul

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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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.

Begin Slideshow

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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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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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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