It’s an unusually large slate for a Saturday. There are a whopping 10 games on the main slate. The large slate provides us tons of pitching options. Only one of the pricey aces is featured below, though, as the middle tier looks tantalizing. The top three stacks for tonight’s slate provide us the core studs and the value plays and punts. They’re great targets for all game types.
Check out today’s MLB Grand Slam contest at FanDuel 
Saturday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
There's no shortage of excellent pitching options tonight. The middle to lower tier is overflowing with options, as is reflected by the inclusion of Logan Gilberts, Luis Castillo, and Patrick Sandoval above. Kevin Gausman is the ace I'm willing to pay for in cash games, though.
It’s an unusually large slate for a Saturday. There are a whopping 10 games on the main slate. The large slate provides us tons of pitching options. Only one of the pricey aces is featured below, though, as the middle tier looks tantalizing. The top three stacks for tonight’s slate provide us the core studs and the value plays and punts. They’re great targets for all game types.
Check out today’s MLB Grand Slam contest at FanDuel
Saturday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
There's no shortage of excellent pitching options tonight. The middle to lower tier is overflowing with options, as is reflected by the inclusion of Logan Gilberts, Luis Castillo, and Patrick Sandoval above. Kevin Gausman is the ace I'm willing to pay for in cash games, though.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Kevin Gausman (SF) vs. PIT
Gausman's been electric since joining the Giants for the 2020 season. He's kicked things up a notch this year. The righty's rocking a fantastic 1.84 ERA, 3.37 SIERA, 0.85 WHIP, 7.3 BB%, 30.5 K%, and 32.1 CSW%, per FanGraphs. FanDuel has the right idea. However, DraftKings pricing him under five figures is laughable.
San Francisco's ace has a plus draw tonight, too. The Pirates rank tied for 23rd in wRC+ (87) against right-handed pitchers this year. So they don't pose much of a challenge to Gausman tonight, providing him a high floor and high ceiling.
Patrick Sandoval (LAA) at MIN
Sandoval is on nearly even footing with the forthcoming Castillo and Gilbert. Having said that, the Twins look far less daunting without Nelson Cruz. This now looks like a plus matchup for a pitcher who's transitioned smoothly to the rotation from the bullpen.
In 10 starts lasting 55.2 innings, Sandoval's recorded a 3.56 ERA, 3.80 SIERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.8 BB%, 26.4 K%, and 31.2 CSW%. He's underpriced at both sites relative to his work as a starter. Facing an opponent that's down a stud hitter in the wake of trading Cruz adds to the appeal of using Sandoval.
GPP Recommendations:
Luis Castillo (CIN) vs. STL
I have a hard time ever trusting Castillo in cash games when pitching at home. Great American Ball Park is an incredibly hitter-friendly venue. Regardless, Castillo's upside since distancing himself from an ugly start to the year puts him in the GPP discussion while his salary lags behind his turnaround.
In his last nine starts lasting 56.1 innings, Castillo's spun a 1.76 ERA, 4.12 SIERA, 1.07 WHIP, 11.1 BB%, 24.8 K%, and 27.8 CSW%. The underlying metrics aren't nearly as glowing as his sterling 1.76 ERA, providing pause for using him in cash games. Regardless, he's a high-upside option for GPPs in a tasty matchup. The Cardinals are tied for 26th in wRC+ (86) against righties in 2021.
Logan Gilbert (SEA) vs. OAK
Gilbert's looking like every bit of his top prospect billing of late. In his last seven starts spanning 37.1 innings, he's recorded a 2.41 ERA, 3.17 SIERA, 0.86 WHIP, 6.2 BB%, 31.5 K%, and 28.1 CSW%. His recently displayed talent level exceeds his salary.
However, the A's are a potentially challenging matchup. They rank tied for 10th in wRC+ (102) against right-handed pitchers this year. Although, Tonight's venue somewhat medicates Gilbert's risk for the AL West showdown. T-Mobile Park in Seattle has the fifth-lowest park for runs (0.915). Gilbert's a fantastic high-upside target in GPPs.
Top Lineup Stacks
The Reds are both a top-10 offense against righties and at home. They rank 10th in wRC+ (102) against righties. Also, they rank tied for eighth in wRC+ (108) at home. Opposing starter Jake Woodford is responsible for an uninspiring 4.06 ERA in 17 relief appearances and one start totaling 31.0 innings. The matchup should be favorable for the host Reds.
The injury-depleted Giants' lineup is filled with fill-ins. Regardless, they're an appealing stacking option in a tantalizing matchup. Opposing starter Wil Crowe has the second-highest ERA (6.03) and highest SIERA (5.03) among tonight's probable starters. So I like the Giants' odds of teeing off on him.
Tampa Bay's lineup received a shot in the arm with the addition of Nelson Cruz. They lit up the scoreboard last night, and they're positioned to do the same tonight in a plus matchup. JC Mejia has the highest ERA (8.80) and fourth-highest SIERA (4.47) among tonight's starters. Further, the Rays rank sixth in wRC+ (106) against righties this year, and that's before adding Nelly to the mix.
View the best player prop bets for today's slate with our MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Brandon Lowe's a beast against righties, recording a .378 OBP, .282 ISO, and 153 wRC+ against them this year.
- Austin Meadows is nipping at his teammate's heels against righties this year, tallying a .352 OBP, .292 ISO, and 145 wRC+.
- Joey Votto's enjoying a resurgent season, making the most of the platoon advantage this year. Facing righties, he's responsible for a .386 OBP, .235 ISO, and 142 wRC+.
- Wilmer Flores is the one player featured in the table above who I love on both sites as a value play. He's thrived in same-handed matchups, amassing a .346 OBP, .224 ISO, and 123 wRC+ against righties this year.
- Joey Wendle is my preferred option at shortstop on FanDuel tonight. I'm not enamored with the position, so punting is appealing. Wendle makes that decision all the more appealing, with a .354 OBP, .206 ISO, and 136 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers.
- Thairo Estrada's my preferred punt on DraftKings at shortstop. He has only 30 plate appearances against righties. Yes, that's a small sample. Nonetheless, he's made the most of his limited chances, posting a .433 OBP, .259 ISO, and 188 wRC+.
Saturday's Hitter Strategy
I'm mixing and matching from my three favorite stacks, the Reds, Giants, and Rays, across all game types. The core studs and value plays/punts are reflective of my infatuation for those three teams. Still, I like other players on all three offenses who aren't included in those tables. Yet, they will be mixed in on my teams. Guys like Jesse Winker and Buster Posey come to mind.
MLB Prop Bets
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
