Pitcher List is proud to partner with DraftKings for the 2019 season. We’ll be featuring our top picks for every daily slate through the season and feature articles dedicated to the GPP.
DraftKings’ MLB Showdown provides a different type of DFS competition where you create a team from one game while staying under the $50,000 salary cap.
Lineups consist of six players (1 CPT, 5 UTIL) and must include players from both teams. The player you select as captain will score 1.5 times the standard fantasy point value for each statistic, but drafting a player as captain will cost more salary than drafting him in a utility slot.
Let’s look at my lineup for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Rangers, which starts at 8:05 p.m. EDT.
CPT(1.5x): Joey Gallo, ($15,300)
It’s no surprise that Gallo is the most expensive hitter on the board tonight. Hitting .338 with seven bombs vs. left-handed pitchers this season, the return on investment should be well worth it here. Framber Valdez features a subpar four-seam fastball along with a pretty good sinker and plus curveball. Working in our favor, Gallo is hitting .500 against curveballs this season. It also helps that he’s 2-2 against Valdez in his career. Don’t let the price point scare you away.
UTIL: Elvis Andrus, ($8,800)
Not only is Andrus also having success against left-handed pitchers this season, but he is also crushing four-seamers (.369 BAA) and sinkers (.348 BAA). Currently fifth in MLB in stolen bases, Andrus can rack up the DK points with both his bat and his legs. The upside here is too much to ignore.
UTIL: Yuli Gurriel, ($7,800)
The hottest hitter on the planet, the All-Star Game couldn’t have come at a worse time for Gurriel. The righty hit seven home runs over the 14 days before the break. Hopefully, his scorching hot bat carries over from the first half. With 13 of his 14 dingers on the season coming against right-handed pitchers, Gurriel may just run into a Lance Lynn fastball and put some points on the DK board.
UTIL: Michael Brantley, ($7,200)
I’m very surprised to see one of the best pure hitters in the game priced this low, especially in a lefty vs. right matchup. Arguably the best offseason acquisition in all of Major League Baseball, Brantley has made a career on hitting right-handed pitchers, which holds true this season with a BAA of .324. While Lynn has had some sort of career resurgence this season, he still doesn’t get people to chase, so look for Brantley’s absurd 96.5% Z-Contact to help your squad.
UTIL: Josh Reddick, ($5,600)
Another player who has made a career on hitting right-handed pitchers, the people’s champ is a decent look at a cheap price point tonight. Not only does Reddick handle himself well against four-seam fastballs, but he’s also is hitting .400 against cutters, which is Lynn’s second-best pitch this season. Lynn doesn’t have much in the bag that will surprise the lefty, so I would consider using him to fill out your roster.
UTIL: Robinson Chirinos, ($5,000)
One of the only starters left on the board to fill out my roster, Chirinos being super cheap will probably lead to a high usage rate today. Even with the low average, the backstop has shown flashes of big power this season, hitting 12 home runs. It’s quite possible that he runs into one at some point in the game, and the ROI will be huge.
Remaining Salary: $300
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is MikeTheRotoCop) 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.