On a relatively quiet baseball Thursday, there’s a fascinating 3-game Early player pool to handicap (by 1:05 Eastern) and 7-game contests that close at 7:05. DraftKings also offers Late action (10:10; 2 games) but we’re focused primarily on the full evening slate.
All three home pitchers are favored this afternoon. Yordano Ventura $8200 had to leave starts early with a nerve issue and spent time on the DL; he might be on a short leash. Masahiro Tanaka $10600 is pitching despite a damaged elbow and while surprisingly good, is no longer a dominant force. Jeff Samardzija $10300 is the safest play, even against the potent Toronto lineup. Going with either Nathan Karns $8400 or Jesse Chavez $7300 for the upset might pay off.
A tougher task in DFS matinees is finding hitters, other than stacking five or six of the White Sox against R.A. Dickey $7100 — the knuckleballer is 0-6 on the road with an ERA of 6.04 and .337 opponents’ AVG.
DK matches your first deposit 100% (up to $600) with bonus funds that convert to cash. You also get a FREE entry into the Early $40K Moonshot, with 3,236 guaranteed prizes — $3,000 for first — and a maximum of 15,332 teams. It closes at 1:05, so don’t get shut out.
The pitching stars come out at night, with four aces. Zack Greinke $11200 is at home against the lowly Phillies. Felix Hernandez $11000 has a slightly tougher assignment, as the Angels have been scoring runs in bunches all week. David Price $10800 is in good form as the Tigers open a critical series in Minnesota. Expect continued improvement from Jose Fernandez $9800 as he returns from Tommy John surgery.
Carlos Martinez $9400 as the fifth-best SP further indicates the depth, and the best value might be Cody Anderson $6300, making his fourth career start after three terrific outings. Using the big Indians righty allows you to play one of the Cy Young types and have enough to spend on respectable bats.
Yasmani Grandal $4300 is the top-salaried C, with more affordable candidates like Yadier Molina $3300 and a pair of Tigers to consider. Alex Avila $3300 has been playing mostly 1B, as James McCann $3300 works behind the plate.
Injuries have thinned the first base ranks considerably. Victor Martinez $4700 and Adrian Gonzalez $4700 are the most expensive healthy options. 1B/3B Mark Reynolds $2900 is a cheap power threat against LHP.
It’s been a while since 2B Dee Gordon $4800 had a huge game; the matchup is encouraging. Robinson Cano $4000 is showing signs of life in a dismal season and we still like 2B/3B D.J. LeMahieu $3600 at that price.
Nolan Arenado $4500 at Coors vs. a lefty is the standout at 3B, with Matt Carpenter $4000 also playable. 3B/OF Kelly Johnson $3600 is playing against all RH starters and homered from the cleanup spot on Wednesday.
Troy Tulowitzki $4500 is also overdue for a monster game. Rookie Carlos Correa $4700 deserves to be the top-salaried SS but the pickings are slim. 3B/SS Mike Aviles $2800 almost always starts somewhere when the Tribe face a southpaw.
J.D. Martinez $5600 is the #1 OF if you can afford him. Mike Trout $4800 blasted two more homers last night at Coors Field but drops $1800 in salary because he’s facing King Felix in a pitchers’ park. That’s a very tempting deal on a hot bat. Christian Yelich $4500 and Michael Brantley $4500 are reasonably priced. If you’re looking for bargains, consider Gregory Polanco $3200, Johnson (if you don’t use him at third) or platoon specialists like Ryan Raburn $2600 and Drew Stubbs $2900.
| Pos | Premium | Bargain |
| SP1 | Zack Greinke $11200 | Carlos Martinez $9400 |
| SP2 | David Price $10800 | Cody Anderson $6300 |
| C | Yasmani Grandal $4300 | Alex Avila $3300 |
| 1B | Victor Martinez $4700 | Mark Reynolds $2900 |
| 2B | Dee Gordon $4800 | D.J. LeMahieu $3600 |
| 3B | Nolan Arenado $4500 | Kelly Johnson $3600 |
| SS | Troy Tulowitzki $4500 | Mike Aviles $2800 |
| OF1 | J.D. Martinez $5600 | Drew Stubbs $2900 |
| OF2 | Mike Trout $4800 | Ryan Raburn $2600 |
| OF3 | Christian Yelich $4500 | Gregory Polanco $3200 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season and we’re turning out attention to baseball for the summer. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.