A really interesting slate of games for Sunday. A mix of aces and young starters will be taking the mound. Commentary based on DraftKings strategy and scoring.
The most expensive pitcher in Matt Harvey ($11,800) is probably not rosterable. Reports have Harvey on an innings limit for this game! He’s not expected to pitch more than five or six innings which is certainly going to cap his upside. I can’t think of a scenario where you’d be comfortable rostering Harvey unless the Mets are flat out lying about how they’ll use him!
My favorite stud is Stephen Strasburg ($10,400) who I am surprised to see priced as the sixth most expensive pitcher. No pitcher on this slate has scored more DK points per game than Strasburg (27.42) over the L30 days. He is coming off two massive outings of 48.8 and 32.9 DK points where he racked up 27 strikeouts. He’s looking like the stud everyone once thought he would be. Miami did give him fits two starts ago, but I more than happy to roster Strasburg in all format today. Not only does Strasburg have the best xFIP on the slate but he’s the only pitcher with a 10+ K/9 in the L30.
Certainly worth a good look at Jon Lester ($10,300). Coming off a dominating 38.6 point performance versus PIT in his last time out and 26 points against STL in the start prior. He will get the Cardinals yet again today who are the perfect matchup for the southpaw. Only five teams have struck out more than the Cardinals in the last seven days and they have really struggled versus LHP this season. The Cards have the 4th worst wOBA and the second highest K% vs. LHP this season. I am hoping for the wind to be blowing in to really make Lester a must start.
Lester’s counterpart, Carlos Martinez ($9300), should also be on your radar. He’s sporting a 9.2K/9 in the L30 and is coming off a big time outing against the Brewers where he went 8 IP, tallied 9Ks and 30.4 DK points. No team has struck out more often than the Cubs this season, so they are always worth a GPP target against them. Martinez could use his electric stuff to rack up the Ks in this game.
The man who tops our Pitcher Value Chart is Matt Shoemaker ($7,000). Shoemaker is averaging 26.16 DK points in the L30 days, even though that’s only two starts. He’s been banged up recently, but when he’s pitched, he’s been great. He will face the Rollercoaster Twins in a very important game that may determine who gets the final Wild Card spot in the AL. At this point in the season, I love targeting pitchers and players who have something to play for. Shoemaker and the Angels certainly fit that bill.
If you can stomach it, the pure value play is Rich Hill ($4,000). Hill is in the worst matchup possible and one of the worst ballparks, traveling to TOR to face the Blue Jays. The Jays scorch LHP but Hill was awesome in his only start this season (9/13) vs. the Rays. Hill racked up 10 Ks in 7IP while only giving up one hit. The Rays are a top 7 team in wOBA vs. LHP so they are no scrubs. I must admit this matchup is much worse, but Hill would need a fraction of his last outing to pay for himself.