According to the Stokastic MLB DFS Top Stacks Tool, the Washington Nationals profile well against RHP Kyle Hendricks and forever-prospect RHP Michael Soroka in turn is appealing against the Los Angeles offense. For the afternoon action, there are plenty of tournament targets with the Reds looking tough in Cincinnati, against RHP Randy Vasquez. On the pitching front, LHP Robbie Ray and RHP Bryan Woo are the aces, with RHP Quinn Priester getting the lucky matchup against the Colorado Rockies on the road.
MLB DFS Optimizer Picks Today: Spotlight Pitchers & Stacks
MLB DFS Optimizer Picks Today: Spotlight Pitchers
Hendricks is getting by on smoke-and-mirrors, so he is not overly exciting, which somehow leaves Soroka as the recommended option or at the very least the preferred SP2 on DraftKings and Yahoo. To be clear, this is a “both-sideser” (hat tip to TMcB for that phrase), though there is merit for Soroka against the mostly right-handed Halos lineup.
Switch-hitter Yoan Moncada is on the injured list, which leaves slap-hitting Luis Rengifo, first baseman Nolan Schanuel and San Francisco castoff LaMonte Wade Jr. as the only lefties in the lineup. Los Angeles does have plenty of power in righty-righty matchups, though Soroka should have a fighting chance to hold his own, with actual strikeout upside.
This three-game slate will be about guessing correctly with the pitcher or two that survives and then corralling the correct offense. Fun for tournaments, but diabolical for sanity.
Yes, LHP Robbie Ray tends to leave DFS gamers with a pit in their stomach whenever he is toeing the rubber, but this is a cherry matchup. The oft-injured 33-year-old has ceded four home runs in his last four starts, along with three unearned runs, while also costing a pretty penny — but faders beware.
The projected lineup for Chicago has a 24.6% strikeout rate against southpaws this season, with some power upside — when ChiSox such as Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, Austin Slater and Miguel Vargas make contact.
Anything less than a quality start and half a dozen strikeouts should be considered an extreme disappointment for Ray.
This afternoon in Texas, RHP Bryan Woo will be taking the mound for Seattle. The 25-year-old has been the most efficient pitcher in the league, averaging 14.03 pitches per inning. This has helped him close the book on the sixth inning in all 15 of his appearances, resulting in a stellar 11 quality starts.
The Rangers have scored six or more runs in four of their last seven games and finally are showing a little consistency at the plate over the last week. Woo has suffered two home runs in four of his last five starts, which is a little concerning, especially since he is priced for perfection with a $10,200 salary on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
In Milwaukee, RHP Quinn Priester is the salary saving option on DraftKings ($7,900) and Yahoo ($37), in a delightful matchup against Colorado. The 24-year-old has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last nine starts, posting a 2.64 ERA, 3.76 FIP and 3.53 xFIP in these 47.2 frames. Strikeouts are the currency of the DFS realm and that is something lacking with Priester, who has a lowly 16.1% K-rate across his last 520 batters faced. The projected lineup for the visiting team has a 27.1% strikeout rate against righties over the last season-plus, so there is potential upside for the taking this afternoon.
MLB DFS Optimizer Picks Today: Top Stacks
Main Slate Primary Target: Washington Nationals
During the first half of Hendrick’s career was solid, with the now 35-year-old doing a terrific job of limiting power (0.89 home runs per nine innings), while working deep into games with nearly six innings on average. The last five seasons have been tougher, with Father Time and the universal designated hitter causing Hendrick’s to cede more power (1.38 home runs per nine) and battle to close out the fifth inning in most games.
Last night the Nationals put up 15 runs and while the Angels used five relievers, nobody in the bullpen has pitched more than once over the last four days, so interim manager Ray Montgomery will have plenty of options if Hendricks gets in trouble. Again, this is a muddy slate all the way around, so let your own personal preference guide your decision making.
Main Slate Alternate Target: Cincinnati Reds
This afternoon, RHP Randy Vasquez will be on the mound for San Diego, with the 26-year-old arguably being the luckiest pitcher in the league this season. Vasquez has issued 4.16 walks per nine innings, with 1.35 home runs and only 5.06 strikeouts per nine. Somehow he has a 3.60 ERA, despite a 5.72 xERA, 5.52 FIP and 5.68 xFIP. June has been even more wild, with Vasquez surviving six home runs and 10 walks in his 24.2 innings. His 3.65 ERA is nowhere close to his 7.01 xERA, 6.77 FIP or 5.93 xFIP — which means regression is lurking just around the corner.
Across his last 775 batters faced since the start of last year, Vasquez has a 13.8% strikeout rate, with his 10.0% barrel rate above his 7.7% swinging strikeout rate. That is hard to accomplish across that sample size. Much like Domino in the Deadpool franchise, it would appear that luck is his only actual attribute.
Elly De La Cruz is the obvious building block for Cinci stacks, with TJ Friedl and catcher Tyler Stevenson fine wingmen. Spencer Steer accounted for three of the four longballs last night and he has been riding high the last 12 games with five home runs, three steals and a .378/.370/.882 triple-slash line.
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