:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72213632/1484958186.0.jpg)
To paraphrase an iconic line from the film Mean Girls: Stop trying to make 6:00 p.m. ET games happen, MLB. I don’t get it. I guess it allows kids to get home from the park earlier on school nights, but really all they do is make my head hurt. There’s six of these abominations on Tuesday, so it’s just a nine-game featured slate on DraftKings.
Let’s dive in and go position-by-position.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $250K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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
Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees, $10,500 - There’s a lot to like about Ryan right now. Sure, his hard hit rate (50.8%) and opponent BABIP (.193) don’t line up, but the 26-year-old is currently in possession of a 2.48 xERA across 25.0 innings. Ryan can mainly thank his new splitter for the success, as the pitch has allowed him to register very notable marks in strikeout rate (30.5%), K/BB ratio (7.3) and swinging strike rate (13.8) so far 2023. Meanwhile, the Yankees are a sneaky-underwhelming lineup at the moment. They came into Monday with a lowly 83 wRC+ over the past two weeks, then proceeded to score just a single run in Game 1 of this series. Injuries are taking a toll and Ryan should take advantage.
Value
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics at Los Angeles Angels, $5,700 - Miller wasn’t perfect in his MLB debut, yet he finished the outing with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. He also averaged 99.5 mph on his fastball against the Cubs. For some context, Hunter Greene is sitting at 99.1 mph this season. That’s some pretty rare company. Velocity doesn’t guarantee success at the big league level, but it certainly doesn’t hurt, and Miller showcased the upside of lighting up the radar gun in the minors prior to his call-up. In fact, Miller struck out 19 of the 29 batters he faced at Double-A and Triple-A in a start at each level. You’ll be hard-pressed to find this kind of ceiling below $6K very often.
INFIELD
Stud
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants, $6,100 - The writing has been on the wall for a couple seasons now, but Sean Manaea ($9,400) looks cooked. While the lefty has seen his fastball velocity spike in April, the veteran’s 8.07 xERA over four appearances in 2023 is quite ugly. As is the fact he’s surrendering a whopping 3.18 home runs per nine to opposing RHBs. Goldschmidt, the reigning NL MVP, is right-handed. His history with southpaws is solid, too, with the All-Star posting a 266 wRC+ within the split in 2022.
Stud
Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves vs. Miami Marlins, $5,400 - How much you want to pull from a 50 batted ball event sample size is up to you, but Bryan Hoeing ($8,300) struggled at the MLB level in 2022, conceding a 16.0% barrel rate in limited duty. The right-hander also managed to strike out a microscopic 9.8% of the opponents he faced with Miami. That’s a bad combination. Hoeing is making the emergency start on Tuesday, so it’s not shocking to find out that the Braves have one of this slate’s highest implied team totals. Riley, who owns a 130 wRC+, should be in the middle of a lot of action.
Value
Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals, $2,600 - If he’s in the lineup, and you’re looking to punt at catcher, you’re not going to find a better asset than Alvarez on Tuesday. The top prospect hasn’t hit much in his time at the MLB level, but a pair of home runs in 39 career at-bats is evidence of the 21-year-old’s elite power. Speaking of home runs, let’s talk Josiah Gray ($6,200). The RHP has surrendered 2.28 opponent long balls per nine for his career, and so far in 2023, he’s allowing right-handed hitters to slash .333/.377/.583. Woof.
Value
Brandon Belt, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago White Sox, $2,200 - Belt got off to a horrible start to his tenure with the Blue Jays, but things appear to be turning around. After his first home run of 2023 and a double on Friday night, the veteran managed two hits and three batted ball events of at least 100.0 mph in Monday’s win over Chicago. Considering how many issues Mike Clevinger ($7,700) has had with LHBs this season — he’s allowed them to combine for a .395 OBP through four starts — Belt offers some serious upside at the near minimum price. Doesn’t hurt Toronto always owns a high implied team total, too.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves vs. Miami Marlins, $6,600 - Acuna’s expensive, but he’s also incredibly difficult to fade on a slate where a Braves stack looks so appealing. The outfielder is slashing .358/.440/.537 across 107 plate appearances in 2023, and if that wasn’t enough, Acuna leads the league in steals by a relatively large margin (12). Acuna has been particularly amazing in right-on-right matchups this season, entering Monday’s action with a .600 slugging percentage and a 186 wRC+ within the split.
Stud
Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Kansas City Royals, $4,700 - Continuing down the speed rabbit hole, we find Carroll, who already has eight stolen bases of his own in 2023. More than that, after being moved up to Arizona’s three-spot last week, the NL Rookie of the Year favorite has absolutely raked. Carroll has an extra-base hit in three straight contests and he came into Monday with a 120 wRC+ for the season. Opposing the D-Backs on Tuesday will be the scuffling Brady Singer ($7,200). Singer sports an 8.14 ERA through four starts. It’s backed up by an uglier 8.68 xERA.
Value
Eloy Jimenez, Chicago White Sox at Toronto Blue Jays, $3,300 - This isn’t a knock on Jose Berrios ($8,100), who has actually started to look like the 2021 version of himself the past couple weeks. No, it’s simply an admission that Jimenez is too cheap. While the slugger was ice cold to start the season, Jimenez began to come alive in Tampa this past weekend, with a pair of home runs and a double. He’s always dangerous in the batter’s box and with the new dimensions at Rogers Centre, I’m willing to roll with the 26-year-old’s history and upside.
Value
LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals, $2,700 - I disparaged Manaea earlier, so let’s not let Jake Woodford ($5,000) slide. The Cardinals’ RHP has been awful to begin 2023, with an 8.07 xERA and a 7.36 FIP through four starts. To be honest, lefties and righties alike have been pummelling Woodford, yet the 50 LHBs he’s faced are specifically slashing .362/.400/.596 with three home runs. Wade has consistently been the Giants’ leadoff man when the team is opposed by a righty. If that continues on Tuesday, he’s very viable at this price.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $250K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) 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.