Tuesday night provides a second consecutive large slate. The main slate includes a whopping dozen games. Additionally, there are many excellent starting pitchers on the bump. Thankfully, there are a few intriguing bargain arms, too.
Tuesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
Interestingly, all four highlighted pitchers have merit for usage across game types on DraftKings. However, the top-listed pitcher was an easy selection for cash games at FanDuel, while the remaining trio has GPP appeal there.
Tuesday night provides a second consecutive large slate. The main slate includes a whopping dozen games. Additionally, there are many excellent starting pitchers on the bump. Thankfully, there are a few intriguing bargain arms, too.
Tuesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
Interestingly, all four highlighted pitchers have merit for usage across game types on DraftKings. However, the top-listed pitcher was an easy selection for cash games at FanDuel, while the remaining trio has GPP appeal there.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Corbin Burnes (MIL) at SD
Burnes hasn't skipped a beat from his National League Cy Young Award-winning form in 2021. According to FanGraphs, in eight starts lasting 51.2 innings, he's had a 2.26 ERA, 2.44 SIERA, 0.83 WHIP, 4.1 BB%, 31.5 K%, and 33.4 CSW%.
In addition, he has good betting data and a nice matchup. The Brewers are -134 favorites, and the game's total is 6.5 runs, per Betting Pros. As for the matchup, only three of San Diego's hitters have had better than a 105 wRC+ against righties since last year.
George Kirby (SEA) vs. OAK
It was a toss-up for the SP2 recommendation in cash games on DraftKings. Ultimately, the salary relief Kirby offers relative to the forthcoming SP2 suggestion in GPPs tipped the scale Kirby's way. The rookie righty has stumbled in two starts since his brilliant debut. Nevertheless, he has a get-right matchup and was excellent in Double-A.
In 50.2 innings in Double-A, Kirby had a 2.31 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 5.9 BB%, 29.6 K%, 1.07 WHIP, and 15.0 SwStr%. Tonight, he has a chance to resemble that pitcher against Oakland's lackluster lineup. The A's are 29th in wRC+ (72), with an exploitable 24.3 K% against right-handed pitchers in 2022. Moreover, their active roster has had many hitters with high strikeout rates against righties since 2019.
Finally, the betting info is excellent and should garner interest in the form of a high rostered percentage tonight. The Mariners are -150 favorites, and the over/under is a pitcher-friendly 7.0 runs.
GPP Recommendations:
Framber Valdez (HOU) vs. CLE
Valdez has been cooking with gasoline. The lefty has spun five consecutive quality starts. During his heater, he's had a 1.91 ERA, 2.92 xFIP, 1.12 WHIP, 6.6 BB%, and 19.9 K% in 33 innings.
Valdez is positioned perfectly to stay hot tonight. The Guardians have been 27th in wRC+ (80) versus lefties in 2022. Further, only three of the hitters on their active roster have had a wRC+ above 100 against lefties since 2019. Therefore, Valdez should cruise and receive run support from his talented offense, boosting his chances of earning a win.
Sonny Gray (MIN) vs. DET
Gray has been rock-solid since returning from the Injured List (IL) on May 7. In three starts totaling 14.1 innings, he's had a 2.51 ERA, 2.33 xFIP, 1.26 WHIP, and 33.3 K%. It took him a couple of starts to get stretched out, but he spun six innings in his most recent turn.
Gray has benefited from soft matchups in those starts. Nevertheless, he has another one tonight against the Tigers. Detroit is dead last in wRC+ (71) against righties, striking out at a 24.2% rate to boot. Additionally, Jeimer Candelario's 103 wRC+ against righties since 2019 has been the highest mark among their active hitters. In short, they've been awful against righties.
Top Lineup Stacks
This is the Bronx Bombers' fourth game against Bruce Zimmermann in 2022. Thankfully, they've done better every time against the crafty lefty. In fact, Zimmermann's last start was against New York, coughing up five runs on seven hits, one walk, and two strikeouts in five innings. The Yankees should get the better of him again tonight.
- Road (Nationals Park)
- Value: Low
- Risk: Low
- Game Type: Both
- Game Total/Moneyline: 9.0 Runs/LAD -210
The Dodgers hung 10 runs on the scoreboard last night. They rightfully have another sizable implied total tonight. Josiah Gray and, perhaps more importantly, Washington's bad bullpen are great matchups for the Dodgers tonight.
- Home (Minute Maid Park)
- Value: Low
- Risk: Low
- Game Type: Both
- Game Total/Moneyline: Unlisted
The Astros are a third high-powered offense in a good spot. They're facing Zach Plesac and his below-average strikeout rate. Plesac's inability to miss bats might be bad news for him against the Astros tonight, namely since he's done a horrible job of managing contact quality. Plesac has had an atrocious 5.69 xERA in 2022.
- Aaron Judge is playing like a superhuman creature this year. Last night, he clubbed two more homers, running his total to 17 in 172 plate appearances while lifting his ISO to .391 and wRC+ to 222.
- Yordan Alvarez hasn't matched Judge's excellence, but 12 homers, a .318 ISO, and 168 wRC+ in 155 plate appearances have been outstanding.
- Jose Altuve has been a sparkplug atop Houston's order, owning a .352 OBP, .300 ISO, and 176 RC+ in 122 plate appearances this year.
- Edwin Rios went 0-5 last night and isn't listed on the probable starters table for the Dodgers above. Regardless, if he spells a starter for the third consecutive day, he's a top-shelf punt.
- Max Kepler smacked a grand slam yesterday. He faces another righty tonight. The left-handed-hitting outfielder has had a .255 ISO and 123 wRC+ against righties since 2019.
- Gleyber Torres is a screaming value on FanDuel. In 391 plate appearances against lefties since 2019, he's had a .206 ISO and 127 wRC+.
- In two of his last three games, Tommy La Stella has hit leadoff, slotting fifth in the outlier contest. He's an adequate punt for lineup slot alone. Yet, La Stella's .203 ISO and 127 wRC+ against righties since 2019 are the cherry on top.
Tuesday's Hitter Strategy
Selecting a top-heavy lineup that includes players from the Yankees, Dodgers, and Astros makes sense tonight.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
