There are seven games scheduled this evening for the DFS main-slate. Unlike most Thursday evenings, we have enough games to break down for lineup advice. Similar to the last couple of nights, there is a nice selection of top-tier aces taking the mound. Deciding which ace to go with is a tough decision. In addition, there are a few pitchers and bullpens we need to target hitters with full stacks. Let’s break down this slate in more detail and discover some of the best options.
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Pitchers
Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD): $11,000 vs. NYM
One of the surprise stories of the 2019 season has been the strong performance of Hyun-Jin Ryu. Off to a 7-1 start with a 1.65 ERA and 0.83 WHIP, Ryu is the early National League leader for the Cy Young award. For DFS purposes, the Dodgers ace is a lock for cash games. Considering his high probability for a win, quality start, and strikeout upside, there are few pitchers starting tonight who can match the fantasy floor Ryu possesses. Sure, there is no guarantee that Ryu will be the highest-scoring pitcher on the slate, however, against the New York Mets, he is the safest option.
Tyler Skaggs (LAA): $8,000 @ SEA
There are not a lot of salary-saving pitcher options this evening and Tyler Skaggs is about as low as I am willing to go. He is having a solid season, owning a 23.3% K rate. He will get a positive park shift as the Angels travel to Seattle to take on the last-place Mariners. Although Seattle has a seemingly powerful lineup, they have failed to pull off important wins and have increased their strikeout percentage to 25.2%, which is the sixth highest in MLB. It is hard to feel overly confident about Skaggs in cash games, however, he is worth a stab in tournaments at low ownership and cost.
There are seven games scheduled this evening for the DFS main-slate. Unlike most Thursday evenings, we have enough games to break down for lineup advice. Similar to the last couple of nights, there is a nice selection of top-tier aces taking the mound. Deciding which ace to go with is a tough decision. In addition, there are a few pitchers and bullpens we need to target hitters with full stacks. Let’s break down this slate in more detail and discover some of the best options.
Win cash playing in FanDuel’s MLB Rally >
Pitchers
Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD): $11,000 vs. NYM
One of the surprise stories of the 2019 season has been the strong performance of Hyun-Jin Ryu. Off to a 7-1 start with a 1.65 ERA and 0.83 WHIP, Ryu is the early National League leader for the Cy Young award. For DFS purposes, the Dodgers ace is a lock for cash games. Considering his high probability for a win, quality start, and strikeout upside, there are few pitchers starting tonight who can match the fantasy floor Ryu possesses. Sure, there is no guarantee that Ryu will be the highest-scoring pitcher on the slate, however, against the New York Mets, he is the safest option.
Tyler Skaggs (LAA): $8,000 @ SEA
There are not a lot of salary-saving pitcher options this evening and Tyler Skaggs is about as low as I am willing to go. He is having a solid season, owning a 23.3% K rate. He will get a positive park shift as the Angels travel to Seattle to take on the last-place Mariners. Although Seattle has a seemingly powerful lineup, they have failed to pull off important wins and have increased their strikeout percentage to 25.2%, which is the sixth highest in MLB. It is hard to feel overly confident about Skaggs in cash games, however, he is worth a stab in tournaments at low ownership and cost.
Other notables:
Hitters
Francisco Lindor (CLE): $3,700 @ CWS
The Indians’ hitters are set to face-off against White Sox starter, Manny Banuelos. Banuelos has struggled all season long, allowing 10 homers against, 30 earned runs, and 22 walks through just 35 innings pitched. While this Cleveland lineup is not as daunting as last year, Francisco Lindor is still one of the league’s best hitters and should be in line for a big offensive outing. The switch-hitter is coming off a three-hit game, which has extended his hit streak to four games in a row. Now with seven home runs and 19 RBIs, Lindor is quietly putting together a solid year after missing the month of April to injury.
Shin-Soo Choo (TEX): $3,800 vs. KC
The red-hot Rangers are back home after a quick road trip on the west coast. Globe Life is playing as one of the best hitter’s parks in MLB this season and will continue to showcase plenty of home runs as the temperatures rise in Texas. Shin-Soo Choo has been one of the most productive lead-off hitters, batting close to .300 with a .917 OPS. He is the table setter for this potent offense and also provides home run upside.
Russell Martin (LAD): $2,800 vs. NYM
After starting two games in a row, rookie Will Smith will likely take a seat this evening and give way to veteran catcher, Russell Martin. In his first season back with the Dodgers, Martin has yet to show much offensively, however, he provides exposure to a dangerous Dodgers stack against the southpaw, Jason Vargas. The Mets starter has earned a 1.53 HR/9 to start the season to go along with a 5.49 SIERA. The entire lineup for the Dodgers should be considered as this game could get ugly fast.
Jackie Bradley Jr. (BOS): $2,600 @ NYY
It is hard to imagine a world where Jackie Bradley Jr. makes a DFS article write-up. Yet, here we are. Obviously, Bradley Jr. is skilled defensively as an outfielder, which is why he is still holding down a roster spot. His hitting ability has been questioned for years. That being said, on a night where we need to pay up for pitching, finding value can be difficult. The Red Sox outfielder is coming off a three-hit game where he launched his fourth home run of the season and will face a left-handed pitcher. Yankee Stadium is a hitter-friendly ballpark which bodes well for this offense tonight as J.A. Happ has struggled most of the year. Consider the cheap outfielder as a salary-saving option and nothing more.
Other notables:
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Jeremy Maw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Jeremy, check out his archive or follow him @j_maw.
