It’s a standard Tuesday night, with all 30 teams playing. The large player pool provides us a few enticing starting pitcher options. Further, the stacks are tantalizing, and there are too many bargains to whittle them down to the customary trio, so I’ve tacked an extra one on.
Check out today’s MLB Grand Slam contest at FanDuel 
Tuesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
Gerrit Cole was initially my top cash game option. However, he tested positive for COVID-19, bumping Zack Wheeler up from my top GPP arm to my favorite cash game pitcher. It should go without saying, but I'm also enamored with him in GPPs. Johnny Cueto is my favorite value SP2 option on DraftKings in cash games. However, Luis Patino is a viable SP2 in GPPs. He's also an intriguing GPP option at a bargain salary on FanDuel. Dylan Cease goes from narrowly missing the cut when Cole was scheduled to pitch, to rounding out the quartet of touted pitchers for tonight's slate.
It’s a standard Tuesday night, with all 30 teams playing. The large player pool provides us a few enticing starting pitcher options. Further, the stacks are tantalizing, and there are too many bargains to whittle them down to the customary trio, so I’ve tacked an extra one on.
Check out today’s MLB Grand Slam contest at FanDuel
Tuesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
Gerrit Cole was initially my top cash game option. However, he tested positive for COVID-19, bumping Zack Wheeler up from my top GPP arm to my favorite cash game pitcher. It should go without saying, but I'm also enamored with him in GPPs. Johnny Cueto is my favorite value SP2 option on DraftKings in cash games. However, Luis Patino is a viable SP2 in GPPs. He's also an intriguing GPP option at a bargain salary on FanDuel. Dylan Cease goes from narrowly missing the cut when Cole was scheduled to pitch, to rounding out the quartet of touted pitchers for tonight's slate.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Zack Wheeler (PHI) at WAS
Wheeler's been great this year, spinning a 2.45 ERA, 3.12 SIERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 29.8 K% in 21 starts spanning 139.2 innings. The Nationals were sellers at the MLB trade deadline, leaving them with a horrendous lineup.
The betting info supports a pitcher-friendly matchup tonight, too. The game's total is only 7.5 runs, and the Phillies are -163 favorites. Factoring in the betting info adds to my belief Wheeler will deliver the goods tonight.
Johnny Cueto (SF) at ARI
Forgive Cueto for his underwhelming start against the Diamondbacks on July 1, ceding five runs in five innings. San Francisco's broadcast team noted he was under the weather. However, he's rebounded nicely since then, pitching five or more innings in four straight, striking out five batters in each, and allowing three runs or less in his last three starts.
Cueto's in the midst of a rock-solid 2021 campaign, recording a 3.84 ERA, 4.13 SIERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 21.1 K%. As a roughly average starter, he's equipped to provide daily fantasy gamers a useful line against the lowly Diamondbacks. Arizona ranks 29th in wRC+ (80) against righties this year.
GPP Recommendations:
Dylan Cease (CWS) vs. KC
Cease wildly outpitched his peripherals last year en route to a 4.01 ERA. His ERA has slipped to 4.14 this year. Yet, this is unquestionably a breakout campaign. Comparing last year to this year, he's shaved more than two runs off of his 5.86 SIERA, whittling it down to 3.77.
Cease boasts a high-octane arsenal that's allowed him to strikeout out a whopping 29.3% of the batters he's faced in 2021. Cease's case for usage in daily baseball lineups is bolstered by a matchup with the Royals tonight. Kansas City ranks tied for 25th in wRC+ (86) against righties this year.
Luis Patino (TB) vs. SEA
Patino's coming off a dominant start in which he held the Yankees scoreless through six innings on three hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. The youngster is stretched out now, and he's pitched 5.1 innings or more in three straight.
The righty's strikeout prowess and matchup fuel my interest in him in GPPs. He's struck out 26.7% of the batters he's faced in 2021. Meanwhile, the Mariners have struck out in 25.6% of their plate appearances against righties.
Top Lineup Stacks
The Giants will face an old friend tonight, Madison Bumgarner. Their former ace isn't what he once was, and his fly-ball tendencies and lackluster strikeout ability make him a target to stack against with San Francisco's potent offense.
The Red Sox will probably be chalky tonight. I normally list stacks I expect to be chalky as options in cash rather than both game types. However, it's a full slate, so chalky is relative, and I don't expect the percentage of rosters they're on to be outrageous. The regression monster has reared its head in full force in back-to-back starts for Wily Peralta. Yet, there's still more to come, and the Red Sox should provide it tonight.
Kenta Maeda isn't a scrub. Let me make that clear. However, Great American "Small" Park is a treacherous place to pitch, and the Reds have enjoyed home cooking this year. Cincinnati ranks seventh in wRC+ (108), seventh in ISO (.190), and tied for second in wOBA (.342) at home.
View the best player prop bets for today's slate with our MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Rafael Devers has a .359 ISO and 163 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers this year.
- Joey Votto's on an absurd heater. Still, let's not overlook his excellence against righties overall this year. He has a .413 OBP, .351 ISO, and 179 wRC+ against them.
- Jesse Winker's nipping at Votto's heels against righties in 2021, amassing a .415 OBP, .286 ISO, and 175 wRC+.
- Votto's heater overshadows the hot streak Kyle Farmer's been on. The right-handed hitting infielder has excelled in same-handed matchups of late, recording a .421 OBP, .239 ISO, and 164 wRC+ against righties in 76 plate appearances since July 1.
- Franchy Cordero struggled for the Red Sox earlier this year. Then, he was demoted to Triple-A, where he ripped the cover off the ball. He hasn't lit the world on first since his promotion to the parent club. Yet, he's done well. Further, he'll have an opportunity to tap into his immense raw power thanks to Peralta's underwhelming 16.7 K% against lefties this year.
- I'm not using Darin Ruf instead of Votto at first base on DraftKings. Thankfully, he's also outfield eligible on FanDuel, where he's also priced as a steal. He's teed off on lefties this year for a .420 OBP, .329 ISO, and 171 wRC+.
- Tommy Edman's a screaming value at DraftKings, where I'm locking him in at the keystone position without hesitation. He has a .373 OBP, .286 ISO, and 163 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers in 2021.
Tuesday's Hitter Strategy
Today's hitter strategy is brought to you by the color red. As in, I suggest rostering hitters from the Reds and Red Sox.
Create MLB DFS lineups with our Lineup Optimizer Tool
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Whether you're new to fantasy baseball or a seasoned pro, our Fantasy Baseball 101: Strategy Tips & Advice page is for you. You can get started with our Sabermetrics Glossary or head to a more advanced strategy - like Maximizing Your Potential in Multi-Lineup Contests - to learn more.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
