It’s actually crazy how spread out all the games are for this Saturday slate. We don’t have more than four games starting at one particular time, with games between 1ET and 8 ET. That should make for an exciting slate, and we’ll try to include some recommendations from all those different cards. It’s tough even to gauge where the main slate will be because there are so many games starting at different times. There’s obviously a ton to discuss, so let’s get into it!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
| PLAYER |
DK SALARY |
FD SALARY |
VALUE |
RISK |
| Zac Gallen (ARI) vs. SF |
$10,500 |
$11,500 |
Low |
Low |
| Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. CIN |
$9,000 |
$10,300 |
Low |
Medium |
| Bryce Miller (SEA) at DET |
$8,100 |
$9,500 |
Medium |
Medium |
| Jon Gray (TEX) at OAK |
$6,800 |
$9,300 |
High |
Medium |
It’s actually crazy how spread out all the games are for this Saturday slate. We don’t have more than four games starting at one particular time, with games between 1ET and 8 ET. That should make for an exciting slate, and we’ll try to include some recommendations from all those different cards. It’s tough even to gauge where the main slate will be because there are so many games starting at different times. There’s obviously a ton to discuss, so let’s get into it!
Starting Pitcher Rankings
| PLAYER |
DK SALARY |
FD SALARY |
VALUE |
RISK |
| Zac Gallen (ARI) vs. SF |
$10,500 |
$11,500 |
Low |
Low |
| Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. CIN |
$9,000 |
$10,300 |
Low |
Medium |
| Bryce Miller (SEA) at DET |
$8,100 |
$9,500 |
Medium |
Medium |
| Jon Gray (TEX) at OAK |
$6,800 |
$9,300 |
High |
Medium |
Starting Pitcher Strategy
This will be a fun slate from a pitching perspective. We have two of the best arms in baseball in fantastic spots, and it will be tough to fade those top-notch aces. There are two cheaper guys we love too, and mixing and matching these four guys should be easy. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s kick things off with the hottest pitcher in baseball.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Zac Gallen (ARI) vs. SF
Gallen is one of the best pitchers that not enough people know about. Pitching in Arizona will do that but let’s look into these absurd averages. Gallen has only allowed four runs over the last month, tallying a 0.92 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, and 12.5 K/9 rate across his last six starts. That would make him a worthy play against anyone, but San Fran’s subpar lineup makes him even more enticing. That’s why they’re only projected to score three runs. In their most recent matchup, ZC had 68 FanDuel points!
Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. CIN
It’s been a down year for Sandy after earning an NL Cy Young last year, but the righty is starting to get it going. Alcantara has allowed three runs or fewer in four straight starts, amassing a 3.60 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 10.4 K/9 rate in that span. The K rate excites us the most because the peripherals will come around for this stud. He’s also been ridiculous at home over the last three years, posting a 2.11 ERA and 0.91 WHIP at Marlins Park. Not to mention, Cincy has the worst xwOBA in MLB.
GPP Recommendations:
Bryce Miller (SEA) at DET
There are always a few rookies that look brilliant, and Miller is one of them. Bryce has made just two starts this year, accruing a 0.75 ERA and 0.42 WHIP. He also threw six scoreless innings against Houston in his most recent outing, and that lineup towers over the Tigers. Detroit ranks 29th or 30th in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA, and xwOBA.
Jon Gray (TEX) at OAK
Gray has been a much better pitcher since leaving Coors Field, and his Rangers revival should continue in Oakland. The A’s sit bottom-three in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA, and xwOBA. In their final meeting of last season, Gray allowed just one hit across seven sparkling innings. That’s why the A’s are projected to score just 3.5 runs, which is awesome since Gray dropped 52 FanDuel points in his most recent start.
Top Lineup Stacks
Steven Matz has been bad ever since he left the Mets. The subpar southpaw has a 5.70 ERA and 1.60 WHIP this year. He’s also got a 5.01 ERA and 1.40 WHIP over his last four years, which won’t bode well in a hitter’s haven like Fenway Park. The Red Sox offense has been sneaky all season, too, ranked Top-5 in OBP and runs scored.
The Brew Crew have always been a dangerous offense at home, and they should do well against an aging pitcher like Greinke. The Royals righty used to be one of the best pitchers in baseball, but he can’t even reach 90 MPH anymore. That’s led to him posting a 5.18 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. We’ve seen that for a few years now, and he’ll have difficulty navigating this talented lineup.
Philadelphia Phillies (vs. Ryan Feltner)
Using teams in Coors Field has worked for years. This has always been the highest-scoring park in baseball, and it has the Phillies as the highest-projected lineup on this slate. They’re projected to score six runs in this game, facing a pitcher with a 5.08 ERA and 1.60 WHIP. It’s also one of the worst bullpens, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Philly score 20-plus runs in this three-game set.
Core Studs
| POS |
PLAYER |
DK SALARY |
FD SALARY |
| 1B |
Matt Olson (ATL) |
$5,600 |
$4,300 |
| DH |
Bryce Harper (PHI) |
$5,700 |
$4,100 |
| OF |
Masataka Yoshida (BOS) |
$5,400 |
$3,800 |
| 1B |
Cj Cron (COL) |
$4,800 |
$3,200 |
| 1B |
Rowdy Tellez (MIL) |
$4,300 |
$3,100 |
- It’s funny that we’re stacking against Jose Berrios, but this once highly-touted pitcher has been horrible over the last two years. The righty has a 4.91 ERA this year, which is sadly better than his 5.23 ERA and 1.42 WHIP from last season. That’s scary since Olson dominates from the left side, homering in five of his last 13 games.
- The Phillies are going to go wild this weekend, and it should be the thing to spark Harper’s season. The perennial MVP candidate is always sitting around a .400 OBP and 1.000 OPS, no matter where he plays. Getting to face a weak righty at Coors Field makes him one of the best plays on the slate.
- Yoshi really struggled in his first few weeks with Boston, but he’s been rolling recently. Over his last 18 games, Yoshida has a .384 AVG and 1.083 OPS. That has him hitting in the heart of the Red Sox lineup every day, and we love that he has the platoon advantage against a struggling Matz.
- Cron has been terrible so far this season, but this guy always goes off against lefties in Coors Field. Since joining the Rockies, Cron has an OPS approaching 1.100 when he faces a southpaw at home. Ranger Suarez has been solid, but anyone making their season debut in Coors Field is a major risk.
- Tellez has been mashing in the heart of this Brewers lineup since the beginning of last year and is tough to fade against a weak righty. The mashing first baseman is one of the league leaders with 10 bombs, generating a .576 SLG and .905 OPS against righties this year. He’s also got his SLG above .600 over his last 29 games and should be in the heart of this Milwaukee stack.
Value Plays/Punts
| POS |
PLAYER |
DK SALARY |
FD SALARY |
| OF |
Randal Grichuk (COL) |
$4,000 |
$3,600 |
| 3B/SS |
Gunnar Henderson (BAL) |
$3,400 |
$2,700 |
| 2B/SS |
Bryson Stott (PHI) |
$4,600 |
$3,200 |
| OF |
Jesse Winker (MIL) |
$2,800 |
$2,500 |
| OF |
Leody Taveras (TEX) |
$2,400 |
$2,900 |
- The Rockies are one of the worst teams in baseball, but Grichuk has been a pleasant surprise since his return. The outfielder has a .425 OBP and .953 OPS through the first nine games of the year. That’s huge since he faces a lefty at Coors, which is a recipe to add to those amazing averages.
- Henderson was a favorite in season-long drafts, but he’s let many of those fantasy managers down. In any case, this is one of the most talented youngsters in the league, posting a .346 career OBP. He’s also got at least 12 FanDuel points in four of his last nine games, which could continue here since he faces a righty with a 1.55 WHIP.
- Stott sat on Friday but should regain his role as the leadoff hitter here. Any leadoff hitter in Coors Field is a huge asset, especially when they’re this cheap. The shortstop is hitting .276 this season and has a power-speed combo that can’t be matched by many players in this price range.
- Winker has always done well against righties, registering a .378 OBP and .830 OPS against them over the last three years. That should have him in the heart of this Brewers lineup, which is incredible since he faces an old geezer like Greinke.
- Tavares has been a sneaky fantasy option over the last two years, and it’s hard to understand why he’s so cheap. The outfielder has been scorching over the last two weeks, totaling a .529 OBP and 1.163 OPS across his previous nine outings. He also gets the platoon advantage against JP Sears and should have a prominent spot in this lineup with so much in his favor.
Hitter Strategy
I was actually shocked to see how cheap some of these value bats were. Winker and Tavares are my favorite per-dollar plays of the day, and using those two should allow you to do whatever you want with the rest of your lineup. We love pairing those guys with Phillies, Brewers, Rangers, Red Sox, and Braves. Mixing and matching all of those teams should be a breeze, and we love pairing them with aces like Gallen and Alcantara.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
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.
