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It’s another busy Saturday in Major League Baseball, which comes to a close with a five-game main slate on DraftKings that gets underway at 6:07 p.m. ET. The two early starts are both the second game of doubleheaders and include three AL East teams, as the Rays visit the Blue Jays and the Yankees take on the Guardians. At 7:15 p.m. ET, two more games get underway when the Red Sox take on the Cubs at Wrigley Field and the Padres and Dodgers continue their big NL West series. The latest game of the day is also from the NL West, as the Rockies host the Diamondbacks at 9:10 p.m. ET.
With those 10 teams on the schedule, there are plenty of options in the player pool, but there could be some different lineups, especially in the doubleheaders. To keep up with all the latest lineups and player news, install the DK Live app and follow DK Live on Twitter (@dklive). I’m also available on Twitter (@ZT_Sports).
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For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
PITCHER
Stud
Yu Darvish, San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers ($10,200) – Darvish has a tough matchup vs. the Dodgers, but he’s still the best option on the limited slate. He has made six starts against his former team since joining the Padres and has gone 2-3 with a 2.25 ERA. He held them scoreless for six one-hit innings earlier this season to earn 25.1 DKFP. Darvish has been throwing the ball well, with over 20 DKFP in four straight starts while allowing just five runs total over that span and striking out 27 in 28 innings. He has a 3.26 ERA and 3.19 FIP on the season, although his 7.64 K/9 rate is a big drop from his career mark of 10.85 K/9. Producing fewer strikeouts reduces his margin for error, but his current form and his history of stepping up in big games keeps him the top option on Saturday’s slate.
Other Options – Nestor Cortes ($9,600), Tyler Anderson ($9,000)
Value
Josh Winckowski, Boston Red Sox at Chicago Cubs ($7,600) – In his four starts for the Red Sox, Winckowski hasn’t shown elite strikeout stuff (5.85 K/9), but he has been very solid and turned in quality outings, which is enough to make him the best play under $9K on this slate. In his three starts since being called back up to the majors, the 24-year-old has gone 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA and 2.60 FIP. He only has nine strikeouts in 17 innings but has produced an average of 16.1 DKFP per outing. The Red Sox bullpen has been a mess lately, so they could use a long outing from Winckowski in this contest. If he can provide them with that and continue to force so many ground balls, he’ll be a great value option on Saturday.
Other Options – Drew Rasmussen ($8,400), Dallas Keuchel ($6,400)
INFIELD
Stud
Trea Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres ($5,600) – After a slow start, Turner has helped keep the Dodgers offense on track despite multiple key injuries. Over his past 50 games, he is hitting .333 (69-for-207) with 10 homers and 12 stolen bases. He went 2-for-5 in the series opener on Friday and had 13 DKFP, bringing his average to 10.6 DKFP per game over his past 11. Turner has gone 5-for-11 with a home run against Darvish in his career, so he should be in a good spot to stay hot.
Stud
DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians ($4,500) – LeMahieu is actually pretty affordable for a player hitting atop one of the most potent lineups in the history of baseball. He has hit safely in nine of his past 12 games with multiple at-bats. He has two homers while hitting .304 over that span with a .399 wOBA. Aaron Civale ($6,400) was hammered by the Red Sox in his last start, and the Yankees will try to extend his struggles in this contest. LeMahieu is a solid option at 2B or 3B while still leaving plenty of salary to spend on other sluggers.
Other Options – José Ramírez ($5,400), Amed Rosario ($4,800)
Value
Ji-Man Choi, Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays ($3,300) – Choi is in a good matchup highlighted below in stacks and always deserves a look when facing a right-handed starting pitcher at this price. Choi has hit six homers in his 54 games this year, hitting .287 with a .372 wOBA, which would be a new career-best. Choi has gone 10-for-33 (.303) over his past 10 games with a double and a home run while averaging 6.9 DKFP per game. He doesn’t have elite power at 1B but can produce good returns at this salary in this spot.
Value
José Iglesias, Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,100) – Iglesias has been solid in his first season with Colorado and brings consistent production, even though he doesn’t bring a ton of power. Like Choi, he can still contribute while bringing good salary savings. Iglesias is hitting .342 with a .383 wOBA and a .151 ISO against southpaws this year. He has actually fared better on the road than at Coors Field, but that will likely level out over time. He has hit safely in 10 of his past 11 games with three doubles and a home run while hitting .268 with a .321 wOBA.
Other Options – Franchy Cordero ($3,000), Buddy Kennedy ($2,000)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians ($5,100) – While Aaron Judge ($5,700) has cooled off just a little bit lately, Stanton is starting to hit the ball well. He has five homers in his past seven games while going 7-for-25 (.280) with a .499 wOBA. Both of the Bronx Bashers make sense against Civale, who has let righties smash a .401 wOBA this season, but I’ll take the savings and go with Stanton in this contest.
Stud
Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers ($4,700) – Profar had a pair of doubles on Friday night to post 10 DKFP for the second time in the past three games. He has averaged 7.9 DKFP per contest on the season while hitting .250 with eight homers, four stolen bases and a .339 wOBA. Most of his success has come against lefties, making him a good play in this matchup with Tyler Anderson ($9,000). Profar has six of his eight homers against southpaws, pushing him to a very nice .348 wOBA in the split.
Other Options – Randy Arozarena ($4,700), Kris Bryant ($4,100)
Value
Christopher Morel, Chicago Cubs vs. Boston Red Sox ($3,500) – Morel had moved to the bottom of the lineup but was back in the leadoff spot Friday, where he should get more opportunities. He earned the promotion by picking up five hits Thursday and racking up 34 DKFP. He has homered in each of his past three games and hit the ball well in his other Friday at-bats despite going just 1-for-5. He is hitting .281 on the season with a .361 wOBA, but he has been even better lately, going 20-for-67 (.299) with five homers and a .373 wOBA over his past 15 contests. He’s locked in at the plate right now and is a nice value play, especially if leading off.
Value
Harold Ramírez, Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays ($2,800) – Ramírez has been underpriced most of the season and continues to check in at under $3K. He went 2-for-4 with a double and 12 DKFP on Friday and has gone 26-for-69 (.377) in his 24 games. Ramírez has five doubles, a home run and two stolen bases to go with his .396 wOBA over that span, and he gets a favorable matchup against the Blue Jays, as highlighted below.
Other Options – Alex Verdugo ($3,400), Alek Thomas ($3,400), Jordan Luplow ($2,300)
TEAMS TO STACK
Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies – The Diamondbacks got nine runs on Friday night at Coors Field and continue to bring plenty of value in Saturday’s matchup against Austin Gomber ($5,700). The Rockies’ bullpen is stretched thin after losing their starting pitcher early in each of the past two games, and Gomber is just moving back to a starting role after coming out of the bullpen in his two most recent contests. On the season, he is 3-7 in 12 games with a 6.55 ERA and 4.30 FIP. He has actually held lefties to a .275 wOBA but has allowed righties to hit .313 with 10 homer and a .388 wOBA in those 12 games. Jordan Luplow ($2,300) and Carson Kelly ($2,000) could be extreme value plays hitting high in the lineup while Christian Walker ($4,000) and Ketel Marte ($5,300) are solid middle-of-the-order options to pay up for. Buddy Kennedy ($2,000) and Jake Hager ($2,000) are also very affordable plays with high ceilings despite their recent struggles since the Diamondbacks are set up to light up the scoreboard in Denver. Lefties Josh Rojas ($4,800) and Alek Thomas ($3,400) are left-handed hitters who are higher risk against Gomber but have been putting up good enough numbers to deserve consideration in spite of the matchup.
Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays – The Rays will face Thomas Hatch ($5,200) in the second game of the doubleheader. The 27-year-old righty pitched in three major league games last year and allowed seven runs and two homers in 9 1/3 innings. This year at Triple-A, he has gone 4-4 with a 5.12 ERA and 4.18 FIP. He has let lefties hit .305 against him, so it should be a good place to stack lefties from the Rays. Choi (discussed above), Josh Lowe ($2,100) and Kevin Kiermaier ($2,300) are solid options while Wander Franco ($4,300) and Vidal Brujan ($2,200) will bat from the left side as well. Ramírez (discussed above), Randy Arozarena ($4,700) and Yandy Díaz ($3,600) are right-handed bats you can also mix in to round out your Rays stack.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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