Well, there’s only one show in town tonight: The 2022 MLB All-Star Game. The ol’ Midsummer Classic. It’ll be a star-studded affair in Los Angeles, as the American League attempts to win its ninth in a row and 21st since 1997. That’s some pretty serious exhibition dominance.
So, which assets stand out on these oversized rosters? Let’s break it all down.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB Showdown $250K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st] (AL vs NL)
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SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captain’s Picks
Paul Goldschmidt ($7,500 CP) - Of the 18 position players starting tonight’s game, only five carry a price tag of $5K or less. This makes sense when it comes to Joc Pederson ($5,000), Andres Gimenez ($4,800), Jeff McNeil ($4,600) and Alejandro Kirk ($4,400), as all four of those men are either batting eighth or ninth for their team. However, the fifth member of the group is Goldschmidt, who happens to be batting clean-up for the National League. Why does the algorithm hate Goldy? The veteran comes into the All-Star break leading all qualified NL players in wRC+ (184) and wOBA (.429). He also owns an insane 1.363 OPS against LHPs, which will come in handy should be have to face Shane McClanahan ($5,000) in the first inning.
Shane McClanahan ($7,500 CP) - It’s difficult to find assets with a floor in this setting, as most players will either be limited to two plate appearances or a single inning of work. However, McClanahan is one of the few people I can guarantee will accrue DKFP on Tuesday night. I doubt the lefty comes out for the second frame after starting this evening’s game for the American League, but McClanahan has the stuff to make an impact in a short period of time. Not only has the 25-year-old maintained a 1.71 ERA and a 1.99 xFIP in the first-half of the season, he’s also registered the baseball’s highest qualified strikeout rate (35.7%). If McClanahan can collect a couple strikeouts over a scoreless inning, you’re laughing.
UTIL Plays
Aaron Judge ($10,200) - He’s the most expensive player on the board, but he’s worthy of that excessive price tag. Judge has clubbed 33 home runs so far in 2022, and he sits second among all qualified players in ISO (.334) and expected wOBA (.453). Along with Shohei Ohtani ($10,000), Judge is certainly one of the people in this game who might get a third plate appearance based solely on popularity. Even if that doesn’t happen, his first plate appearance will be an opposite-hand matchup with Clayton Kershaw ($4,800), which is tantalizing with Judge in possession of a career .403 wOBA against LHPs.
Jose Ramirez ($6,400) - With all the replacement players that have been added to the rosters in recent days, I think there’s some value in finding positions that only have two options. Third base for the AL falls into this category, as Ramirez and Rafael Devers ($7,400) are the lone guys equipped to man the hot corner in their respective dugout. Because of this, I’d expect Ramirez still gets at least two plate appearances, even though he’s not in the starting lineup. The 29-year-old has been incredible this season, posting a 161 wRC+ in 375 plate appearances. He’s also a switch-hitter, which comes in handy in a contest where predicting pitching matchups is off the table.
Clay Holmes/Edwin Diaz ($4,000) - With every reliever in this game priced at the minimum, there’s obviously an opportunity to find some value in the bullpens. However, knowing which pitchers will get a chance to take the mound is a bit of a guessing game. For me, I can really only count on two names to make an appearance: Holmes and Diaz. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to suggest that these two closers have been the best relievers in baseball this season, with each leading their respective league in expected ERA. They deserve to pitch in the All-Star Game, particularly Holmes, who will be making his first trip to the Midsummer Classic.
Fades
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($7,200) - This is an interesting spot. On the one hand, you could argue that Guerrero is far too cheap, as he’s just the seventh most expensive bat in the AL’s starting lineup. He’s also the reigning All-Star Game MVP. However, in an odd quirk, there’s a glut of first basemen on the American League roster. Guerrero is joined by Luis Arraez ($4,800), Ty France ($4,600) and, of course, Miguel Cabrera ($4,000). With so many mouths to feed — and Guerrero reportedly declining an invite to the Home Run Derby — I could see this being a quick night for the phenom.
THE OUTCOME
I honestly have no idea. It’s not a real game. If you’re not rooting for this thing to end in a tie so we can get a bonus Home Run Derby, I’m not sure what to tell you. That said, if you’re forcing to me pick a side, the National League is about to get their fourth win in 26 years. Simply put, the NL has a much better pitching staff than the AL does.
Final Score: National League 5, American League 3
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB Showdown $250K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st] (AL vs NL)
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