Our first article on Saturday was a success, and we’re going to build off of that momentum here. We have every team in action once again, with almost every club taking the field during the day. That’s typical for Sunday slates, and it’ll be fun to break them down for the remainder of the season!
Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Strategy
We’ve cycled through the top of the rotations in the opening three days of the season, so we’re starting to dig deep. This is when the back of the rotations toe the rubber, leaving us with one of the most lackluster pitching pools of the season. With that said, it has opened up a ton of value because many of these guys are way too cheap. That’s why we will zone in on some more affordable arms and pay up for hitters later on!
Our first article on Saturday was a success, and we’re going to build off of that momentum here. We have every team in action once again, with almost every club taking the field during the day. That’s typical for Sunday slates, and it’ll be fun to break them down for the remainder of the season!
Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Strategy
We’ve cycled through the top of the rotations in the opening three days of the season, so we’re starting to dig deep. This is when the back of the rotations toe the rubber, leaving us with one of the most lackluster pitching pools of the season. With that said, it has opened up a ton of value because many of these guys are way too cheap. That’s why we will zone in on some more affordable arms and pay up for hitters later on!
Cash Game Recommendations:
Freddy Peralta (MIL) at CHC
Peralta broke out last season with a 2.81 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 12.2 K/9 rate. That’s the prospect stud we’ve been waiting to see, and he did plenty of that damage against these Cubs. He actually faced them five times last season, generating a 2.39 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 14.0 K/9 rate. Those absurd numbers are no surprise when you see that Chicago ranked 20th in OBP and 26th in xwOBA last season. We also don’t mind that Wrigley Field plays as one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in baseball, either.
Carlos Carrasco (NYM) at WAS
Cookie Carrasco has had two bad seasons over the last eight years, and one was when he returned from cancer! Outside of that, Carrasco has been pitching at a $9K level. In fact, Carlos compiled a 3.41 ERA and 1.12 WHIP between 2014 and 2020, posting a 28 percent K rate in that span. Facing Washington is wonderful, too, with the Nationals possessing one of the worst bottom-half lineups in baseball.
GPP Recommendations:
Corey Kluber (TB) vs. BAL
Klubot has had some malfunctions over recent years with his hardware, but joining Tampa might be the thing to get him going. They tend to fix any starter’s issues, and we’re talking about a former AL Cy Young arm. The right-hander had a troublesome 2019 but still has a 3.00 ERA and 1.06 WHIP dating back to 2014. If he can recapture 80 percent of that form, he’s about $2,000 too cheap. Facing Baltimore is brilliant, too, with the O’s ranked 26th in OBP and 24th in xwOBA last season. Entering this matchup as a -200 favorite is the icing on the cake!
Michael Kopech (CWS) at DET
This guy is so talented. Kopech struck out 103 batters across 69 innings as a reliever last season, and he could genuinely be one of the league leaders in K rate this year. That’s rough for Detroit, with the Motor City Kitties ranked 28th in K rate last season. He might be limited to five innings here, but that could equate to 10 strikeouts the way these stats play out! He’s impossible to fade on DraftKings below $6,000.
Top Lineup Stacks
Philadelphia Phillies (vs. Daulton Jefferies)
Doesn’t Daulton Jefferies just sound like a pitcher who will get blown up? Oakland has gone into full-on rebuild mode, and they’re going to send out gas cans like this all season. Jefferies had a 4.91 ERA and 1.31 WHIP at Triple-A last season and provided a 10.45 ERA at spring training this year. They’re simply sending this guy to the wolves, and this potent offense will feast in a hitter’s haven like Citizens Bank Ballpark.
Tapa Bay Rays (vs. Tyler Wells)
No one ever really knows what the Rays will do, but it makes them a good value in DFS. They play the platoon game more than anyone else, keeping their bats cheap on these sites. They still have one of the best offenses around, and it should roll right through Tyler Wells. The O’s righty pitched out of the bullpen last year and hasn’t made a start since 2018!
St. Louis Cardinals (vs. Bryse Wilson)
We’ve been stacking against Wilson for most of his career. The Pirates pitcher had a 5.88 ERA and 1.69 WHIP last season and now totes a 5.55 ERA and 1.58 WHIP for his career. That’s scary with how good the revamped Cards lineup is looking, scoring 15 runs in their first two games.
Core Studs
- If the Phillies are the best stack on the board, then Harper is the best play. Jefferies will surely struggle with the NL MVP, with Harper posting a .444 OBP and 1.167 OPS against right-handers last season. He was also better at home, and it’s scary since he led spring training in home runs and RBI! This guy is hot and couldn’t be in a better spot!
- Vlad could be in this section every day. He led all hitters in fantasy points last season and kicked off this year with two runs, four hits, and three RBI. This is quite simply the best true hitter in baseball, and we’re obviously not worried about him facing some TBD from this terrible Texas rotation.
- Goldy had a bounceback season last year, and if the opener is any indication, he’s seeing the ball really well right now. He had four walks, two runs, and a stolen base in the Cards drubbing on Sunday, getting on base in all five of his at-bats. There’s no way a gas can like Wilson will keep him off the pillows with those sorts of numbers in his back pocket.
- Franco set a rookie record with a 40-game on-base streak last season, and he’s simply going to be one of the best bats around. We love that he has the platoon advantage here against an unproven Wells and should build off of his 3-for-4 gem in the opener.
Value Plays/Punts
- Many people might forget that Cano even exists after being suspended for the 2021 season. He’s back now and playing every day for the Mets. This guy was a monster when he was playing before, posting .934 OPS against righties since 2019. That’s huge from someone this cheap, and we certainly don’t mind that he got on base four times in the first two games of the season.
- Reyes has some of the best raw power in baseball. He has a .502 SLG for his career and is flirting with a .250 ISO against lefties. Kris Bubic is not someone we’re scared of either, with the southpaw slinging a 1.41 WHIP for his career.
- Sano and Reyes are very similar players. Franmil is probably the better hitter, but Sano has some of the best power in our sport. The only thing that’s held him back is his strikeouts, but facing a subpar K rate guy like Marco Gonzales makes him a far less risky option. We also love that he has the platoon advantage against a soft-tossing lefty!
- It’s strange to see Kelenic this cheap. He’s one of the top prospects in the sport, and many experts have him pegged as a future All-Star. There’s no doubt that he’s struggled at this level but let’s buy this stock when it’s at its lowest and watch this youngster grow!
Sunday’s Hitter Strategy
There are so many good spots for hitters! We already discussed how it’s a lackluster day for pitching, which obviously means many of these hitters are in fantastic spots. Some of the offenses we love today include St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Toronto. One thing to consider with Sunday slates is that we usually get rest days. That’s going to be a trend all season, and it leads to more value once lineups are released. It’s tough to predict who will get rested but it’s something worth keeping an eye on!
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
