We have a full 15-game main slate to work with today, so there are a ton of options. That means we can be selective about who we want to pay up for while keeping an eye out for potential value in larger contests. Below, I’ll cover my starting pitcher and hitter strategies, identify some of my favorite targets for today, and point out some potential values on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Remember to reach out on Twitter with questions anytime @mikeMaher.
Check out today’s MLB Grand Slam contest at FanDuel 
Tuesday’s Starting Pitcher Strategy
I love Trevor Rogers but don't anticipate paying up for him on such a large slate. Of these top arms, Julio Urias is the one I am most likely to grab in cash games, while Casey Mize is something I'll definitely be targeting in GPP contests, especially at that DraftKings price. There are a number of pitchers I chose not to list here, notably Andrew Heaney, Mike Minor, Frankie Montas, Zach Eflin, and Kyle Gibson. Heaney is $9,200 on FanDuel and $8,100 on DraftKings, and those just aren't prices I'm willing to pay for him to face the Oakland A's on a full slate. Let's take a look at my favorite picks for today.
We have a full 15-game main slate to work with today, so there are a ton of options. That means we can be selective about who we want to pay up for while keeping an eye out for potential value in larger contests. Below, I’ll cover my starting pitcher and hitter strategies, identify some of my favorite targets for today, and point out some potential values on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Remember to reach out on Twitter with questions anytime @mikeMaher.
Check out today’s MLB Grand Slam contest at FanDuel
Tuesday’s Starting Pitcher Strategy
I love Trevor Rogers but don't anticipate paying up for him on such a large slate. Of these top arms, Julio Urias is the one I am most likely to grab in cash games, while Casey Mize is something I'll definitely be targeting in GPP contests, especially at that DraftKings price. There are a number of pitchers I chose not to list here, notably Andrew Heaney, Mike Minor, Frankie Montas, Zach Eflin, and Kyle Gibson. Heaney is $9,200 on FanDuel and $8,100 on DraftKings, and those just aren't prices I'm willing to pay for him to face the Oakland A's on a full slate. Let's take a look at my favorite picks for today.
Cash Game Recommendations
Julio Urias (LAD) vs. PHI
Rather than paying for Trevor Rogers, I'm saving a few bucks and rolling with Julio Urias against the Phillies. The Phillies have been inconsistent on offense this season, while Urias has won five of his last six starts. The cost isn't prohibitive here, and he's a reliable option in cash games that leaves us enough money to still be aggressive in building out our lineup of batters.
Yu Darvish (SDP) @ COL
I almost considered this as a GPP recommendation since so many people are going to be scared off by Coors Field, but the price tag here suggests FanDuel and DraftKings expect DFS players to see past that potential red flag. Darvish has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season, and the Rockies are a bad team starting a bad opposing pitcher. Don't be scared off by the Coors Field factor.
GPP Recommendations
Casey Mize (DET) @ KC
Casey Mize is my favorite value arm for today, especially at $7,100 on DraftKings. After a slow start, seven of his last eight starts have been quality starts. That isn't a typo. In eight starts since 4/23, he has gone at least six innings and allowed three or fewer runs in seven of them. The Royals have a lineup that can get streaky at times, but they just lost Andrew Benintendi to the injured list and have been largely disappointing while dealing with a number of injuries this season.
Luis Castillo (CIN) @ MIL
Is there a scarier thought than relying on Luis Castillo to pitch well? The answer is yes: having shares of Castillo in season-long formats. All joking aside, Castillo has looked better over his last three starts and appears to be turning things around. The price here is a value because of his season-long struggles, but he is on the road against a Brewers lineup that has struggled all year. In his last start (in hitter-friendly Cincinnati), Castillo allowed one earned run over 5 2/3 innings while striking out seven and allowing just one hit. I like him as an affordable option on FanDuel and a high-upside SP2 on DraftKings.
Top Lineup Stacks
Core Studs
Value Plays/Punts
Tuesday's Hitter Strategy
- I won't be spending $4,500 on Austin Riley on DraftKings, but $3,000 for Riley on FanDuel against a struggling Eduardo Rodriguez is something I'm interested in.
- Another thing I'm interested in is stacking right-handed Blue Jays batters against Yankees lefthander Jordan Montgomery. I'm paying up for Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and taking solid value with Teoscar Hernandez, especially on FanDuel.
- For a little mini-stack, I'm grabbing Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach for cheap against Chris Flexen tonight. Kirilloff homered last night for the first time since May 2 and may be about to get hot now that he has finally shaken off that wrist injury.
- Did you know Jake Fraley has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball over the last two weeks? In my recent Week 11 Quick Grades piece, he received a grade of 89.56, good for 8th overall out of more than 240 hitters. FanDuel and DraftKings are starting to catch up with their prices for Fraley, but he's still a value tonight against J.A. Happ.
- As you can see in the Lineup Stacks section, stacking the Padres against Chi Chi Gonzalez at Coors Field tonight is going to be a popular move. I'd probably lean on that stack more in cash game contests than GPP. But there is never a bad time to pay up for Fernando Tatis Jr., especially when he's in Colorado against a below-average starting pitcher.
That's it for today. Feel free to reach out on Twitter @mikeMaher with questions or feedback anytime.
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Mike Maher is an editor and featured writer at FantasyPros and BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive, follow him on Twitter @MikeMaher, and visit his Philadelphia Eagles blog, The Birds Blitz.
