Tuesday night is delightful for gamers who love massive MLB DFS slate. There are a dozen games to pick players from on DraftKings and FanDuel. The fun begins at 7:05 pm ET at both DFS outlets tonight.
Tuesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
The pitching is absurdly good and deep on tonight's slate. Nevertheless, the two highest-ranked pitchers on the table were no-brainer choices. Additionally, the bargain hurlers rounding out the table were easy picks.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Gerrit Cole (NYY) vs. CLE
Cole narrowly edges out the top suggested tournament pitcher for this placement in the article. The flame-throwing righty is pitching well this year and dominates at home. According to FanGraphs, Cole has had a 2.69 ERA, 2.81 xFIP, 0.97 WHIP, 5.6 BB% and 33.4 K% in 248.0 innings at home for the Yankees since signing with them in 2020.
He should put on a show for the fans against a below-average offense. The Guardians are 23rd in wRC+ (88) against righties this season. And per Betting Pros, the Yankees are -178, and the game's total is a pitcher-friendly 7.5 runs. Thus, Cole is the top pitcher on tonight's slate.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) at NYY
Sadly, Bibee opposes Cole tonight. So, a win will be challenging to attain. Still, he's a sweet value at DK and can outproduce his salary without a win. Bibee quickly ripped through the minors before debuting in The Show last week.
The young righty was downright dominant in the upper minors. In 89.0 innings in Double-A and Triple-A combined, he had a 1.82 ERA, 2.60 FIP, 0.91 WHIP, 6.4 BB% and 28.9 K%. Bibee didn't skip a beat in his big-league debut, holding the Rockies to one run on six hits, zero walks and eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Additionally, the Guardians didn't handle him with kid gloves. Bibee threw 91 pitches. So, he can pitch deep tonight against an underwhelming lineup. The Bronx Bombers are tied for 21st in wRC+ (91) and have had a 24.7 K% against righties this year. And they're less imposing while Aaron Judge is on the Injured List. Therefore, Bibee is the most desirable SP2 in cash games at DK and an enticing tournament pick at FD.
GPP Recommendations:
Zac Gallen (ARI) at TEX
Ranking Gallen ahead of Cole was tempting. However, Cole's home dominance and easier matchup earned him the top honors. Still, Gallen is on fire. In his last four starts totaling 27.0 innings, Gallen has had a 0.00 ERA, 1.16 xFIP, 0.44 WHIP, 1.1 BB% and 44.6 K%.
Gallen should stay hot tonight. Yet, again, he has a more challenging matchup than Cole. The Rangers are third in wRC+ (120) against righties this year. Fortunately, they're a less terrifying matchup when looking at a larger sample against right-handed pitchers for Texas's hitters. Finally, the Diamondbacks are -130, and the game's total is 7.5 runs. So, Gallen is an elite tournament selection.
Mason Miller (OAK) vs. SEA
Since reaching the majors, Miller hasn't walked on water or turned it into wine. Nevertheless, the hard-throwing righty's stuff and underlying stats were eye-catching. In fact, Miller has the highest Stuff+ grade among pitchers on tonight's slate.
In two starts, he's struck out 11 batters in 8.1 innings. But, of course, the 8.1 innings were underwhelming. Furthermore, Miller's thrown 81 and 86 pitches in his two turns. It was encouraging the A's had cut him loose for five more pitches in his second start, but Miller's unlikely to be fully unleashed.
The driving forces behind Miller's inclusion as a GPP recommendation are his strikeout ability, matchup and salary. The Mariners are 19th in wRC+ (97) against righties this year. Yet, their sky-high 26.3 K% is the most exciting stat that enhances the appeal of using Miller in tournaments.
Top Lineup Stacks
The Cardinals kill lefties. They're sixth in wRC+ (125) against southpaws this year. In addition, seven of their projected starters have had at least a 129 wRC+ against lefties since 2021. The matchup also might be better than meets the eye. Patrick Sandoval's 3.16 ERA in five starts this year has greatly exceeded his 4.21 xERA and 4.70 xFIP. Thus, the Red Birds can begin the regression process for Sandoval's ERA tonight.
- Road (Busch Stadium)
- Value: Low
- Risk: Low
- Game Type: GPP
- Game Total/Moneyline: 9.0 Runs/LAA +105
The Angels can also produce fireworks in St. Louis tonight. First, Steven Matz is pitching toward removal from St. Louis's rotation. In five starts totaling 26.0 innings this season, he's had a 6.23 ERA, 5.36 xERA, 1.73 WHIP, 11.0 BB% and allowed 1.73 HR/9. Second, the Angels are fifth in wRC+ (126) against lefties this year. Moreover, seven of their projected starters have had at least a 114 wRC+ against lefties since 2021 or debuting in the majors. So, they have depth and high-end talent.
- Paul Goldschmidt is unreal against lefties. In 297 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers since 2021, he's had a .456 OBP, .328 ISO and 217 wRC+. Goldy is also raking this year, sporting a .405 OBP, .204 ISO and 154 wRC+.
- Brandon Drury's an outstanding power source against lefties. He's had a .314 ISO and 151 wRC+ against lefties in 221 plate appearances since 2021.
- Dylan Carlson has had a .381 OBP and 144 wRC+ against lefties since 2021, making him a stellar punt.
- Zach Neto crushed lefties in his limited minor-league career and has hit at nearly a league-average level since reaching the majors. He's a less desirable punt if the Angels drop him back toward the bottom of the order. However, Neto hit leadoff in the Angels' last two games.
- Ian Happ's a relative bargain at FD, and an upcoming teammate is a sweet value at DK. In 1,000 plate appearances against righties since 2021, Happ has had a .346 OBP, .202 ISO and 121 wRC+.
- Cody Bellinger has recaptured his elite bat this year. He's had seven homers, five stolen bases, a .373 OBP, .295 ISO and 155 wRC+ in 110 plate appearances. Additionally, since last season, Trevor Williams has coughed up a .513 slugging and .372 wOBA to lefties.
Tuesday's Hitter Strategy
The Cardinals and Angels are my favorite offensive sources tonight. They have a desirable blend of high-salaried studs and bargains. Happ and Bellinger are also nifty picks at FD and DK, respectively.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
