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Following the weather disruption yesterday, there are a whopping 14 games on today’s slate, which means plenty of options for DFS. If you’re unfamiliar with OwnersBox, they offer a unique roster format that includes one pitcher, four IF, three OF, and one Super Flex (OF, IF, and P).
Starting Pitchers
In the afternoon slate of games, Lucas Giolito ($9,200) is one of the pricier starters available but should be worth the pretty penny. There’s a decent likelihood other DFS players will be scared off of using him at this price, but that just makes him a good option for GPP. He didn’t have the most amazing start against Houston, but still limited them to just two earned runs on five innings pitched with six strikeouts. Now he gets a polar opposite matchup in the Pirates, who have hardly faced him before. The strikeout upside is very high for Giolito today if he manages to put it all together.
A more valuable listing of $7,600 lies with Alex Cobb, who faces Kansas City. The Royals have been abysmal at the dish to start the year and are at the bottom of the table on offense with a 46 wRC+. In his first start against the Yankees, Cobb couldn’t find the zone with his signature splitter but still managed a 35.5 CSW% and six strikeouts across just 11 outs recorded. He should bounce back in a big way in this matchup today.
Zack Wheeler is probably the safest option of them all if we’re being real, though. Despite a lackluster opening start against the Rangers, he is the highest-priced pitcher ($9,800) for a reason. He should have no qualms getting through this Reds lineup at home.
Moving over to the night contest, Brandon Woodruff has a fantastic track record against the Cardinals who have been hot at the plate so far. St. Louis has a measly .295 xwOBA and 26.8% K% in 158 plate appearances versus Woodruff. He had a fantastic opening start to the season, shutting down the Cubs in six innings of one-run ball while racking up eight strikeouts, but the only problem is, he costs $10,100 at OwnersBox.
If you’re looking for a more cost-efficient option, look no further than MacKenzie Gore at $7,200. He draws a tough start at Coors Field but looked solid against the Braves in his first start. It’s definitely risky rolling with anyone facing the Rockies at home, but all of the other pitching options seem a little too rich.
Clayton Kershaw is the only other starter worth considering, but he is also pricy at $9,800. He looks worth the price, though, facing the Diamondbacks, whom he just faced. Kershaw found nine strikeouts in six innings of one-run ball against them last Saturday. Look for him to replicate those results on the road.
Bats
Aaron Judge ($6,400) and the Yankees make a fantastic, yet popular stack against Dean Kremer who starts for the Orioles. The Yankees Captain has three homers in seven trips to the plate versus Kremer. Another Yankee worth looking at is Gleyber Torres ($4,700) who has been hot early on and surprisingly has five stolen bases. D.J. LeMahieu ($4,300) is a slightly better bargain and has seen the ball well off Kremer. He is 7-17 with two doubles and a .400 xwOBA against him.
Another starter to stack against is Rich Hill who faces the White Sox. Chicago has been one of the best teams against southpaws over the last two years and it’s surprising Hill is still starting in the league at this point. Andrew Vaughn ($4,400) and Jake Burger ($3,000) are the best values on the team hitting in the middle of the lineup.
In the later OwnerBox contest, the Nationals lineup has the most value on the board. Coors always brings the best out of hitters, and it’s not like Jose Urena is some sort of world-beater anyhow. Dominic Smith ($3,800), Jeimer Candelario ($3,500), and Lane Thomas ($3,900) are affordable options hitting at the top of the lineup
The Dodgers are a pricier stack, but one that will likely come through against Madison Bumgarner aka Mason Saunders. Like Hill, Mad-Bum is a shell of himself at this point and the Dodgers just touched him up for five runs in just four innings last Saturday.
Design by J.R. Caines (@JRCainesDesign on Twitter and @caines_design on Instagram)