Slate Details
DK – Main slate (9 games) – starts 1:95 p.m. EDT
FD – Main slate (10 games) – starts 1:05 p.m. EDT
Weather Impact
The only game with trouble is DET@MIN and it seems like we are in for at least a delay in that one. Aside from that, the Father’s Day skies look all clear.
Pitching
Jesús Luzardo has been alternating good and bad starts for a month now and it is time for one of the good ones. The Nationals’ offense had a brief run of run-scoring but that time is over and they have been one of the worst in baseball over the past couple weeks (73 wRC+). In Luzardo’s four good starts since May he has allowed just four ERs over 24 innings with 27 Ks. I like Luzardo’s chances of a good start today and those usually result in quite a few fantasy points.
Louie Varland has had a tough go of things in his last two starts on the road against quality lineups in Tampa Bay and Toronto. Sunday he gets the light hitting Detroit Tigers at home and I think it’s time he turns it back around. As long as he can avoid walks, he has the stuff to limit the weak Detroit offense. Over the last two weeks, the Tigers have just a 7.3 BB% and a 25.2 K% so Varland’s stuff should play very well.
The Toronto Blue Jays have a lot of talent in their lineup but they have struggled lately, scoring just nine runs total over their last four games. Facing a pitcher like Jon Gray, who allowed just one ER in a complete game with 12 Ks in his last start, He has allowed just four ERs over his last six starts, good for a 0.83 ERA in that span. Gray is just on another level right now and he is a good play, no matter what offense he is facing.
Pitcher Pricing 6-18-2023
Hitting
The entire Atlanta Braves lineup is triple slashing .310/.370/.535 over the last two weeks and are facing Chase Anderson, who is not the caliber of pitcher his 2.72 ERA would indicate. The power/speed combo of guys like Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, and Orlando Arcia make them outstanding DFS options and nobody has been hotter than those four of late. Matt Olson hit his 20th HR of the season yesterday and Eddie Rosario hit his 11th HR making them great power options Sunday along with Austin Riley, Travis d’Arnaud. and Marcell Ozuna. Literally, the whole lineup is in play.
Atlanta is the only team that has hit more HRs than the Angels who have really turned it on lately. Shohei Ohtani has eight HRs and an absurd 309 wRC+ over the last two weeks and just continues to prove that he is the best baseball player on the planet. A HR against Zack Greinke is a lock today. Taylor Ward has turned it around of late, Mike Trout is still Mike Trout, and Brandon Drury has continued to build off his big 2022 season after a two-homer game on Saturday. Along with leadoff hitter Mickey Moniak, the Angels are a good stack to go after on Sunday.
Other hitters to consider:
- The Cincinnati Reds are absolutely on fire right now and I’m not sure Ronel Blanco is the pitcher to stop them. Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz have been absolutely electric since their call-ups and complement Jonathan India and Spencer Steer perfectly. Always a good idea to go with the hot hand and nobody is hotter than the Reds right now.
- Jameson Taillon has just not figured it out this season and the Baltimore Orioles lineup is not the one to help him figure it out. The 1-4 quartet of Austin Hays, Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander, and Gunnar Henderson are very much in play today against Taillon.
Hitter Pricing 6-18-23