Saturday’s main slate features 10 games starting at 7:05 pm ET.
Pitchers
The four pitchers projected to score the most fantasy points today are:
Gerrit Cole (R)
Brandon Woodruff (R)
Lucas Giolito (R)
Walker Buehler (R)
A top-four rated pitcher on Bales Model for both DraftKings and FanDuel today is Gerrit Cole from the New York Yankees. Coming off a masterful performance against the Houston Astros where he allowed only three hits in nine innings, striking out 12 opposing batters, Cole will be pitching against the Boston Red Sox tonight. Last start was his best fantasy output this year, and he will be looking to build off this momentum in his first start after the MLB All-Star break. The Red Sox are currently leading the AL East Division by a game and a half, however, they are projected for the second lowest implied runs total on the slate today (3.8 runs).
The highest priced pitcher on the slate for both DraftKings and FanDuel is Brandon Woodruff from the Milwaukee Brewers. For starting pitchers, Woodruff has a team-leading 2.06 ERA and a 4.5 WAR (Wins Above Replacement). Through 113.1 innings pitched, he has struck out 129 opposing batters while only walking 25. Not only is he priced the highest, but also Bales Model considers Woodruff the best pitching option on the slate. The Brewers will be taking on the Cincinnati Reds tonight following an 11-6 win in yesterday’s game.
Lucas Giolito from the Chicago White Sox has an impressive 125 strikeouts this season in only 104 innings pitched. Although his strikeout numbers are respectable, his 4.15 ERA is a different story. In his last seven outings, Giolito has allowed at least two or more runs which is a bit concerning for a pitcher that is priced highly. Tonight, Giolito and the White Sox will be taking on the Houston Astros in a battle of two division leading teams.
A pitcher with a noteworthy 9-1 record from the Los Angeles Dodgers is Walker Buehler. Buehler has been electric through the first half of the MLB season. In 114.1 innings pitched, he has struck out 114 batters, has a .92 WHIP, and 2.36 ERA. If you are looking for a reason to possibly fade the Dodgers righty, you’ve come to the right spot. Buehler and the Dodgers will be on the road taking on the Colorado Rockies tonight in the second game of a three-game series. Although the Rockies have struggled on the road (9-34), they have played much better in front of their home fans (31-18).
Value
The pitcher that is considered the highest bargain play on the slate for FanDuel is Tylor Megill from the New York Mets. Megill has only pitched in four games this season, however, he has been dominant. In 18 innings pitched, he has struck out 26 opposing batters and tonight will be on the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates. A concern with Megill is that he has allowed three home runs in only four games. I would consider this only a minor concern as the Pirates have the lowest team home run total in MLB (76). The Pirates are projected to have the fourth lowest implied runs total on the slate of 4.
If you are playing DraftKings and looking to save on salary, a pitcher worth considering is Kwang Hyun Kim from the St. Louis Cardinals. Kim struggled to start his 2021 campaign, however, he began hitting his marks before the MLB All-Star break. In his last three starts, Kim allowed 11 hits in 18 innings, struck out 14 opposing batters, and gave up only one earned run. Pretty impressive stats for a $6,500 pitcher on DK.
Hitters
Notable Stack
Today’s top projected points stack comes to you from the -247 Los Angeles Dodgers:
- Mookie Betts (R)
- Max Muncy (L)
- Justin Turner (R)
- Cody Bellinger (L)
The Dodgers have the highest projected implied runs total on the slate (7.2 runs) and are hoping to benefit from playing at Coors Field. The Dodgers won easy yesterday, and they currently own the best run differential in MLB (+148 runs). Kyle Freeland will be on the hill for the Rockies today. Last outing against the San Diego Padres, Freeland allowed three earned runs in five innings while walking two batters. On FanDuel, this stack will cost you $16.8k in salary and is projected for a combined 61.2 fantasy points.
Other Hitters
If you are looking to avoid the high projected ownership of the Colorado Rockies hitters, I recommend looking at the New York Mets. The Mets have the third highest projected implied runs total on the slate (5.1 runs), and there are quite a few players that are highly rated on Bales Model.
Another team of strong batter’s worth considering is the Milwaukee Brewers. Bales Model projects Omar Narvaez as the highest point/salary hitter on the slate for FanDuel. Another name that stands out is Willy Adams who is projected to bat third in the lineup.
Value
Finally, here is a handful of batters to consider while completing your lineups today that are projected for a high fantasy points/salary:
- Cal Raleigh
- Josh Harrison
- Chris Gittens
- Adam Eaton
- Austin Hays
