Baseball is back! Check back here throughout the day for updated blurbs as teams confirm their lineup. We’ll keep you updated on some of the day’s highest-impact trends by utilizing our Models and Vegas dashboard. Projected and confirmed lineups for every game can be found on our MLB Daily Lineups page.
Pirates (+162) at Indians (-176) — 7:10 PM EST
Indians in: Edwin Encarnacion (bruised left hand)
Edwin Encarnacion is back in the lineup after missing two games with a bruised left hand. He’ll bat cleanup for an Indians team presently implied to score an impressive 5.2 runs. The Tribe are especially in play on FanDuel, where everyone except Encarnacion carries a Bargain Rating of at least 70 percent. Overall, Francisco Lindor, Michael Brantley, Jose Ramirez, and Yonder Alonso form the main slate’s fifth-highest rated four-man stack on FanDuel in the Bales Model. Lindor is the second-highest rated shortstop in the Bales Model and possesses a slate-high 43.6-point Projected Ceiling on FanDuel. The Indians will face off against Joe Musgrove, who has allowed at least five runs in three of his last five starts. Musgrove will have his hands full with an Indians lineup that has combined to post a .337 wOBA vs. right-handed pitchers over the past 12 months – the third-highest mark in Tuesday’s main slate.
Diamondbacks (+147) at Cubs (-160) — 8:05 PM EST
Cubs in: Ian Happ
Cubs out: Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant will receive a routine day off, so the Cubs will bat Jason Heyward and Javier Baez at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in the order, respectively, for their matchup against the Diamondbacks.They’ll face off against lefty Clay Buchholz, who will make his first start since landing on the disabled list due to a strained left oblique. Buchholz was struggling to limit big hits prior to his injury, ranking among the main slate’s bottom-four pitchers in average batted ball distance, exit velocity, and fly-ball rate allowed over the past 12 months. He’ll have his hands full with the majority of the Cubs lineup, as five of the team’s top-six batters in the order have posted positive wOBA and ISO splits vs. right-handed pitchers over the past calendar year. Baez and Kyle Schwarber boast seven and six DraftKings Pro Trends, respectively, and neither has a projected ownership rate above 2-4 percent. The bad news for both offenses is that Wrigley Field presently boasts the fifth-most pitcher-friendly Weather Rating in Tuesday’s main slate.
Nationals (+104) at Brewers (-113) — 8:10 PM EST
Nationals in: Wilmer Difo, Michael Taylor
Nationals out: Trea Turner (disciplinary), Bryce Harper
Trea Turner has been benched for failing to run out a bunt during Monday’s game, and Bryce Harper was scratched for an undisclosed reason. The Nationals will roll with Adam Eaton, Anthony Rendon, and Juan Soto at the top of the order for their matchup against the Brewers. They’re presently implied to score a solid 4.7 runs, although the Nationals have combined to post an underwhelming .314 wOBA vs. right-handed pitchers over the past calendar year. Only Adam Eaton and Spencer Kieboom have posted positive wOBA and ISO splits vs. righties over the past 12 months. Exposure to Eaton should be focused on FanDuel, where his $3,100 price tag comes with a 98 percent Bargain Rating and a low 2-4 percent projected ownership rate. The Nationals will face off against Junior Guerra, who ranks among the main slate’s bottom-five pitchers in average batted ball distance, exit velocity, and hard-hit rate allowed over the past 15 days. Both pitchers will have to deal with estimated wind gusts of seven miles per hour blowing out to center field.
