Yesterday’s slate was all over the map, but we were satisfied with the results. Like most Sundays, we have every team in action, with only a handful missing from the main card. That means we have many teams to talk about, so let’s go ahead and get into it!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
| PLAYER | DK SALARY | FD SALARY | VALUE | RISK |
| Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs. MIN | $11,400 | $11,400 | Low | Low |
| Bryce Elder (ATL) vs. WAS | $9,600 | $10,400 | Medium | Low |
| Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs. OAK | $8,800 | $10,200 | Medium | Medium |
| Lucas Giolito (CWS) vs. MIA | $9,400 | $9,900 | Medium | High |
Yesterday’s slate was all over the map, but we were satisfied with the results. Like most Sundays, we have every team in action, with only a handful missing from the main card. That means we have many teams to talk about, so let’s go ahead and get into it!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
| PLAYER | DK SALARY | FD SALARY | VALUE | RISK |
| Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs. MIN | $11,400 | $11,400 | Low | Low |
| Bryce Elder (ATL) vs. WAS | $9,600 | $10,400 | Medium | Low |
| Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs. OAK | $8,800 | $10,200 | Medium | Medium |
| Lucas Giolito (CWS) vs. MIA | $9,400 | $9,900 | Medium | High |
Starting Pitcher Strategy
After a nightmarish slate yesterday, we have some good pitchers to pick from today. It was difficult to find four players we wanted to write up yesterday, but there were some great options that missed the cut on this Sunday slate. Our favorite option is one of the leading candidates for an AL Cy Young, so let’s start there!
Cash Game Recommendations:
Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs. MIN
Not enough people talk about Gausman because this guy has truly developed into an ace. The right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 of 13 starts, generating a 2.63 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 12.4 K/9 rate on the year. He’s also had two shellings in that span against two of the best offenses in baseball but scored at least 43 FanDuel points in all but one other outing. He’s got a 1.65 ERA and 0.87 WHIP at home this season and should be a -225 favorite in this spot.
Bryce Elder (ATL) vs. WAS
Injuries have bombarded this Braves rotation, but Elder has helped people forget those inadequacies. The Atlanta slinger has a 2.47 ERA and 1.17 WHIP this year, scoring at least 34 FD points in eight of 12 starts. That’s why he’s a -260 favorite in this game, facing a Washington team that ranks 24th in runs scored and 28th in xwOBA.
GPP Recommendations:
Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs. OAK
Peralta has been inconsistent this season, but it’s tough to overlook some of his gems. The young righty has an ugly 4.55 ERA, but we expect him to regress closer to his 3.92 career ERA and 1.16 WHIP. We say that because he’s still got a 9.7 K/9 rate and has scored at least 31 fantasy points seven times this year. A matchup with Oakland is an excellent way to get him back on track, with the A’s ranked last in runs scored, OBP, and wOBA since the start of last year. That has Peralta entering this matchup as a -200 favorite.
Lucas Giolito (CWS) vs. MIA
We know that Gio has the stuff to be a Cy Young candidate, which was on full display when he threw six no-hit innings in Yankee Stadium earlier in the week. A line like that is challenging to overlook, with Giolito posting a 3.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 9.3 K.9 rate since his second start of the season. We’re not worried about him facing Miami, who ranks 26th in runs scored and 25th in K rate.
Top Lineup Stacks
Atlanta Braves (vs. Trevor Williams)
- Home (Truist Park)
- Value: Medium
- Risk: Low
- Game Type: Both
- Game Total/Moneyline: 9.5 Runs/ATL -260
We had the Braves in here yesterday, and they will be featured in this article almost every day. They rank top-5 in nearly every offensive metric and have dangerous bats across their whole lineup. That’d made them enticing against anyone, but Trevor Williams is a gas can. The Nats righty has a 4.66 ERA and 1.40 WHIP since 2019.
Cincinnati Reds (vs. Adam Wainwright)
- Road (Busch Stadium)
- Value: High
- Risk: Medium
- Game Type: Both
- Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/STL -130
Adam Wainwright has been one of the best pitchers over the last decade, but he doesn’t have it anymore. The Cards veteran has a 5.97 ERA and 1.74 WHIP this year. That’s scary against a blossoming offense because Cincy seems to be getting better daily with all the elite prospects they continue to call up. They were fifth in OBP before that and should have their way with Waino. Not to mention, many of their bats are way too cheap!
Los Angeles Dodgers (vs. Taijuan Walker)
- Road (Citizens Bank Ballpark)
- Value: Medium
- Risk: Medium
- Game Type: Both
- Game Total/Moneyline: 9.5 Runs/LAD -140
The Dodgers have been a regular in this section since I started writing these articles three years ago. This powerhouse organization always has one of the most potent lineups in baseball, ranked seventh in OBP and third in runs scored. That’s terrifying in a hitter’s haven like CBP, particularly against a pitcher with a 5.04 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.
Core Studs
| POS | PLAYER | DK SALARY | FD SALARY |
| OF | Ronald Acuna (ATL) | $6,500 | $4,600 |
| 3B | Jose Ramirez (CLE) | $4,900 | $3,700 |
| 2B/OF | Mookie Betts (LAD) | $6,400 | $4,200 |
| 1B/OF | LaMonte Wade (SF) | $4,600 | $3,100 |
- We had Acuna in here yesterday, and we’re going right back to him after another monster night. This guy leads all eligible hitters with 12.2 DK points per game, establishing himself as a true five-tool player. We can’t fade him if we want to stack against Williams because he will lead off for this bludgeoning Braves lineup.
- J-Ram got off to a slow start this season, but he’s rolling right now. The perennial All-Star has four homers, six runs scored, and seven RBI over the last three games. This has been a top-3 player in DFS numerous times over the last decade and is tough to fade since he faces a righty with a 1.51 WHIP.
- Mookie has been one of the best players in baseball for a decade, and he’s always a top-notch DFS option atop this Dodgers lineup. He’s seventh in fantasy points among all hitters and hasn’t even gotten completely going yet. He’s showing signs of a flurry, posting a .371 OBP, .613 SLG, and .985 OPS across his last 37 outings. In 15 at-bats against Walker, Mookie has maintained a .533 OBP and 1.072 OPS against him.
- Not enough people are talking about how good Wade has been as the leadoff hitter for the Giants. This guy has an OBP north of .400 over the last two months, generating a .467 OBP and 1.038 OPS across his last 10 outings. He also gets the platoon advantage against Hayden Wesneski, who’s got a 4.72 ERA.
Value Plays/Punts
| POS | PLAYER | DK SALARY | FD SALARY |
| 3B/SS | Elly De La Cruz (CIN) | $4,300 | $3,800 |
| 2B/3B | Max Muncy (LAD) | $5,000 | $3,900 |
| 1B | Brandon Belt (TOR) | $2,300 | $2,700 |
| OF | Anthony Santander (BAL) | $4,500 | $3,300 |
| OF | Michael Harris (ATL) | $3,200 | $2,800 |
- This kid is going to be incredible. He’s only played a week, but he’s leading the league with nearly 13 DraftKings points per game. He’s got one of the best power-speed combos of any player in baseball, totaling historic numbers in the minors. This kid will be $1,000 more on DK in the coming weeks and should have success against a struggling Waino.
- Anybody with a .200 AVG will be in the GPP section, especially when they provide power like Muncy. Despite the .198 AVG, Muncy has a .326 OBP and .490 SLG. That has him as one of the league leaders in homers in the heart of this Dodgers lineup, and he’s always been much better against right-handers.
- It’s hard to understand why Belt remains so affordable. This guy typically bats cleanup against righties, registering a .390 OBP and .872 OPS against them this year. He’s also scorching recently, amassing a .463 OBP and .998 OPS across his last 28 outings. We love that against a rookie who allowed seven runs in his most recent start.
- The Orioles have developed into one of the scariest teams in baseball, and the resurgence of Santander is a primary reason why. Their three-hole hitter has a .363 OBP, .543 SLG, and .906 OPS across his last 37 outings. It looks like Kansas City is going with a bullpen game here, and that’s bad news with how poor this pen has looked at times.
- Harris was a breakout last season, but he was nearly demoted after the opening two months of this year. A recent surge has earned him some time, though, accruing a 1.455 OPS across his last three games. It’s a small sample size, but this guy was one of the league leaders in fantasy points last season and would be a nice wrap-around stack with Acuna if we want to stack the Braves.
Hitter Strategy
This is an interesting slate to build lineups. We already discussed the Braves, Reds, and Dodgers, but those aren’t the only offenses we want to stack. The other teams we like include the Rockies, Padres, Orioles, Cardinals, Phillies, and Guardians. That’s plenty of lineups to pick from, and it should allow us to construct the lineups however we please. My favorite strategy is to use two expensive pitchers mentioned above and a wrap-around stack with Acuna and Harris. Not many people like using a nine-hole hitter and leadoff hitter, but it’s no different than a cleanup and three-hole hitter stack!
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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.
Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
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