The Opening Day aces have made their way back around in the rotation for Tuesday’s 10-game main slate. With numerous higher priced pitching options to choose from I’ll give you my top options at some different price points and offer up a couple reasonably priced stacking options if you want to try to squeeze one or two of the big arms into your DFS lineup in GPPs.
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Let’s mow down the competition 3 Up and 3 Down…
3 Up
Ace
Max Scherzer (FD-$11,700 / DK-$11,800)
It should be a fun game in D.C tonight with Bryce Harper returning to face Max Scherzer and the Nationals. Both teams should be pumped up for a big early-season divisional game as I expect Scherzer to provide his typical outing with double-digit strikeouts while pitching deep into the game and allowing a long ball or two. Ultimately, Scherzer should pick up the win as a heavy home favorite and is my top high dollar pitching option on a slate that has a few solid choices.
Value
Blake Snell (FD-$10,000 / DK-$9,500)
When Blake Snell has only the fourth or fifth highest salary on the slate you know there are some big names on the hill. Snell give you an ace at a discount price with similar upside as the higher priced options. Last year’s AL Cy Young winner got off to a bumpy start in his first outing yielding five runs on three homers to the Astros over six innings. He should fare better on Tuesday against the Rockies outside of Coors Field. Snell allowed a minuscule .232 wOBA while putting up a 31.6% strikeout rate at home last season. The Rays come in as a Vegas favorite while the Rockies have one of the lowest implied run totals on the slate. Look for a bounce-back effort from Snell.
Darkhorse
Zack Greinke (FD-$8,800 / DK-$7,600)
Speaking of a pitcher in need of a bounce-back effort, we have Zack Greinke. Greinke got lit up by the Dodgers on Opening Day but serving up four homers and seven runs in just over three innings. He has seen his price drop (especially on DK) for Tuesday’s start against the Padres in San Diego. Greinke should benefit from a favorable pitcher’s umpire with Bill Welke calling the balls and strikes who typically gives a boost to strikeout and diminishes walks. Greinke has also pitched well against the current collection of Padres hitters over his career allowing just a .288 wOBA in 145 plate appearances. I lean toward Greinke slightly over Marcus Stroman for my SP2 on DraftKings but prefer the salary savings with Stroman on FanDuel.
3 Down
Top Stacks
Red Sox vs. Mike Fiers
The Red Sox have gotten off to a very slow start going 1-4 but it has been more about the poor pitching than the offense most nights. After getting roughed up by the Mariners in Japan during his first start, Mike Fiers had a strong outing against the Angels allowing no runs and one hit over six innings. Fiers allows too much contact to survive the Red Sox lineup. His BABIP and HR/FB rates are also due for a regression. It should be a good time for a Red Sox blowout on the road.
JD Martinez (FD-$5,000 / DK-$5,300) – You can probably only get one stud Red Sox OF between Martinez and Mookie Betts, so I’m going to lean toward J.D. who has had more success against Fiers in his career batting .500 with two homers in 14 at bats.
Andrew Benintendi (FD-$4,100 / DK-$4,900) – Benintendi posted a .376 wOBA and .184 ISO against righties last season.
Xander Bogaerts (FD-$4,100 / DK-$4,300) – Bogaerts was better against righties than lefties last season with a .379 wOBA and .259 ISO.
Rafael Devers (FD-$3,400 / DK-$4,100) – Devers has at least one hit in four of the first five teams while batting in the sweet spot of the Red Sox lineup between the big boppers. He has a career .329 wOBA and .204 ISO versus righties on the road.
Mets vs. Jose Urena
Urena surrendered five runs at home against the Rockies in his first outing this season. He has allowed a .332 wOBA and 1.35 HR/9 to lefties in his career which is a bad split against the left-handed heavy Mets lineup. Urena also allows a lot of contact with just a 15.7% strikeout rate in his career.
Michael Conforto (FD-$3,200 / DK-$4,500) – Conforto has a pair of hits in three straight games and had a .394 wOBA and .248 ISO on the road against righties last season.
Brandon Nimmo (FD-$3,100 / DK-$3,900) – Nimmo is off to a slow start but he crushed right-handed pitching last season with a .407 wOBA and .246 ISO.
Robinson Cano (FD-$4,200 / DK-$3,900) – Cano posted a solid .350 wOBA and .178 ISO against righties last season and has collected a total of four hits including a long ball through his first four games with the Mets.
Dominic Smith (FD-$2,000 / DK-$3,600) – Smith is expected to get the start at 1B on Tuesday against the Marlins. He offers some value and plenty of power with a career .212 ISO versus righties.
Contrarian Stack
Padres vs. Zack Greinke
Yes, Greinke is likely my SP2 on DraftKings in Cash games, but by no means is he a lock for a strong outing. So, I’m interested in stacking against him in GPPs with the Padres. His velocity was around 88 mph against the Dodgers which is even a little lower then he was throwing last season. I’m not sure if it will be more contrarian to use Greinke or stack against him on Tuesday but I’m taking both angles.
Manny Machado (FD-$4,100 / DK-$4,400) – Machado is off to a slow start but did have a .374 wOBA and .242 ISO against righties last year.
Ian Kinsler (FD-$3,300 / DK-$3,600) – Kinsler continues to hit atop the Padres lineup to begin the season and offers solid pop for a leadoff man filling a tough position to fill.
Eric Hosmer (FD-$2,800 / DK-$3,800) – Hosmer had a .353 wOBA and .167 ISO against righties last season and should have plenty of opportunities for runs and RBI with the collection of hitters around him in the lineup this year.
Wil Myers (FD-$3,700 / DK-$4,200) – Myers has been horrible against Greinke in his career batting .128 with 13 Ks in 35 at bats but he is off to a hot start this year with three multi-hit games including a homer.
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