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We’ve got another full day of baseball action on Sunday. Today’s main slate starts at 1:05 p.m. ET and features 10 games to choose from. Let’s take a look at some of the top studs and values at each position to help you set your lineups.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Brandon Woodruff, MIL vs. PIT, $8,200 – Today’s slate is a little light on stud pitchers, with no one possessing a salary above $9,600. That said, Woodruff is an excellent consolation prize. He’s taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have been an absolute disaster offensively this season. The Pirates rank dead-last in wRC+ vs. right-handed pitchers and Pittsburgh has also posted the seventh-highest strikeout rate. Woodruff has been excellent this season – he’s pitched to a 2.87 FIP and 10.06 K/9 – so he’s definitely capable of taking advantage of this matchup.
Overall, the Pirates’ implied team total of 3.4 runs is the lowest mark on the slate and Woodruff is also a massive -234 favorite.
Other Options – Kenta Maeda ($9,600), Blake Snell ($9,200)
Value
Dane Dunning, CWS vs. KC, $4,500 – Dunning stands out as the easy top choice for the value spot at pitcher. He’s priced at just $4,500, which makes him the cheapest starter on the slate and he was excellent in his first start of the season. He racked up seven strikeouts over just 4 1/3 innings, resulting in a 1.95 xFIP. He did allow three earned runs in that contest but his .400 BABIP and 33.3% HR/FB rate both suggest he was better than his traditional numbers indicate.
He’s also in a solid spot today vs. the Royals, who rank merely 24th in wRC+ vs. right-handed pitchers.
CATCHER
Stud
Yasmani Grandal, CWS vs. KC, $5,100 – The White Sox were expected to be improved offensively this season but I don’t think anyone saw this coming. Chicago has been the top offensive team in baseball in basically every category across the board, ranking first in wRC+, wOBA, and ISO.
The White Sox have been extremely potent vs. left-handed pitchers – their wRC+ of 168 is the top mark in the league by a wide margin – and Grandal has been a big part of that success. He’s posted a 125 wRC+ vs. left-handers this season after posting a mark of 138 in 2019. There is currently no betting info posted for this contest but expect the White Sox to own one of the highest implied team totals vs. Royals left-hander Kris Bubic ($6,500)
Other Options – Christian Vazquez ($4,500), Kurt Suzuki ($4,200)
Value
Jose Trevino, TEX vs. LAD, $3,100 – Trevino is expected to occupy the No. 3 spot in the Rangers’ lineup at just $3,100, which automatically puts him in consideration at the catcher position. It’s hard to find a catcher with a premium spot in the batting order, let alone one as cheap as Trevino. Trevino isn’t someone who should strike fear into the heart of opposing pitchers but he has posted a 109 wRC+ through his first 48 plate appearances in 2020.
Other Options – Will Smith ($3,700), Jacob Nottingham ($2,300)
FIRST BASE
Stud
Max Muncy, LAD @ TEX, $5,000 – Muncy has historically been at his best vs. right-handed pitchers – he posted a .391 wOBA and .269 ISO in those matchups last season – and he’ll be facing a pretty mediocre right-hander today in Kyle Gibson ($6,100). Gibson has pitched to a 5.73 ERA through his first 33 innings in 2020 and a whopping 27.3% of the fly balls that he’s allowed have turned into home runs. Muncy is a pretty extreme fly ball hitter vs. right-handed pitchers, so this is a perfect matchup.
Other Options – Asdrubal Cabrera ($4,500), Joey Votto ($4,000)
Value
Matt Beaty, LAD @ TEX, $2,700 – Double-dip with Dodgers first baseman? Why not! Beaty benefits from the same matchup as Muncy and he has also been solid vs. right-handers throughout his career. He posted a .354 wOBA in those matchups last season, so he’s a reasonable target at such a cheap price tag.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Matt Beaty is not in the lineup for today’s game vs. the Rangers.
Other Options – Ryan O’Hearn ($2,700), Garrett Cooper ($2,600)
SECOND BASE
Stud
Keston Hiura, MIL vs. PIT, $5,200 – Hiura is only in his first season as a full-time major leaguer but he’s already blossomed into one of the best offensive second basemen in the league. He’ll be on the positive side of his batting splits today vs. Pirates left-hander Steven Brault ($5,400) and Hiura has posted a 113 wRC+ vs. southpaws in 2020. The Brewers are currently implied for the fourth-highest mark on the slate, so Milwaukee has plenty of upside in this matchup.
Other Options – DJ LeMahieu ($4,700)
Value
Nick Solak, TEX vs. LAD, $3,300 – Most of the attention in this matchup will be placed on the Dodgers but Solak is an interesting option at $3,300. He’s expected to occupy the No. 2 spot in the lineup, which is very appealing considering his $3,300 price tag. He does have a tough matchup vs. Tony Gonsolin ($8,400), who has yet to allow an earned run through 14 1⁄3 innings this season but Solak has posted a 108 wRC+ vs. right-handers in 2020.
Other Options – Luis Arraez ($3,500), Jose Peraza ($2,500)
THIRD BASE
Stud
Rafael Devers, BOS vs. WSH, $4,700 – Devers has struggled a bit in 2020, which has caused his salary to drop to just $4,700 for today’s matchup. That makes him a very appealing target vs. Austin Voth ($6,800), who has pitched to a 6.28 FIP through his first five starts this season. Devers was arguably the best hitter in baseball vs. right-handers in 2019, so there’s no reason to avoid him against a poor right-hander at a reduced salary.
The Red Sox are also currently implied for 5.9 runs, which is the top mark on today’s slate.
Other Options – Jose Ramirez ($5,400), Eugenio Suarez ($4,300)
Value
Yoshi Tsutsugo, TB @ MIA, $2,300 – It’s hard to find a better value than Tsutsugo on today’s slate. He’s hitting fourth for the Rays, who have been one of the best teams in baseball vs. right-handers this season. Tsutsugo has struggled offensively this season but he still projects to be a solid hitter vs. right-handed pitchers in the MLB.
Other Options – Luis Urias ($3,000), Todd Frazier ($2,800)
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Trea Turner, WSH @ BOS, $5,400 – Turner has been red-hot offensively and he’s coming off a 5-for-5 performance yesterday vs. the Red Sox. He has another exploitable matchup today vs. Zack Godley ($5,600), who has pitched to a disastrous 7.29 ERA through 21 innings in 2020. The Nationals’ implied team total of 5.7 runs trails only Boston’s total, so expect there to be plenty of scoring on both sides in this contest.
Other Options – Xander Bogaerts ($4,900), Jorge Polanco ($4,600)
Value
Jon Berti, MIA vs. TB, $3,200 – Berti has a very tough matchup today vs. Snell but at least he’ll be on the positive side of his batting splits. He’s also projected to occupy the leadoff spot in the order, which is definitely appealing for someone with a $3,200 price tag.
That said, this pick is more about what Berti can do with his legs than his bat. He’s averaging .209 steals per game over the past 12 months, which is the third-highest mark among today’s batters.
Other Options – Orlando Arcia ($2,500)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Juan Soto, WSH @ BOS, $5,700 – Soto was a great hitter in 2019 but he has blossomed into arguably the best pure hitter in baseball in 2020. His numbers are absolutely absurd, particularly against right-handed pitchers: .497 wOBA, .353 ISO, 216 wRC+. The thought of rostering him against Godley is downright salivating.
Other Options – Christian Yelich ($4,900), Max Kepler ($4,500)
Value
Joc Pederson, LAD @ TEX, $3,800 – Loading up on the Dodgers’ lefties makes a lot of sense vs. Gibson and that includes Pederson. He has prolific pop in those matchups – he clubbed 36 HRs vs. right-handers in 2019 – so he has plenty of upside at his current price tag. He’s not expected to bat leadoff, which is something he did against right-handers for most of last season but he is still expected to occupy a top-five spot in the lineup.
Other Options – Ryan Braun ($4,100), Adam Eaton ($3,200)
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $250K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) 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 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.