Justin Verlander is flashing signs of his old self in the last three weeks. Verlander has provided his owners with 22.1 IP, 27 strikeouts and only 4 ER in his last three starts. His 9.47 K/9 this season is fourth-best on the slate. Tonight he faces the Phillies who have been surprisingly in the win column, but it’s all do to their pitching. Philadelphia ranks 28th in wOBA this season, have hit the second-fewest HRs and will now have to travel to pitcher-friendly Comerica Park. Verlander is already installed as a sizable favorite for tonight, making him a solid play across formats.
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Speaking of surprises, Chris Tillman has been excellent for the Orioles this season. He’s earned wins in five straight starts while pitching 33.1 innings and sporting a 1.62 ERA in the process. His 38 strikeouts in that span is very close to an elite rate. While I hate the ballpark this game will be played in, Tillman is going to get the opportunity to face the Astros who strikeout more than any team in the league! It’s also been a rough stretch for Houston who ranks 27th in wOBA this week while striking out just a tick more than their normal rate.
Here’s a nice chance to fade Francisco Liriano. The Diamondbacks are scorching hot right now, owning the league’s third-best wOBA in the L7. They also crush LHP, to the tune of a .357 wOBA (4th-best) and striking out under 20% of the time. We’ve talked about their rare combination of power and speed which could cause havoc for Liriano tonight. Liriano is feast or famine, turning in stellar performances in three of his last six games while allowing multiple HRs in each of the other three.
That’s all folks! Be sure to follow me on Twitter for more player analysis and news as starting lineups are released! Commentary based on DraftKings strategy and scoring.