This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have an 11-game slate featured on DraftKings Saturday. At first glance, the pitching pool seems wide open with some solid mid-range choices available that should allow the ability to roster bats in Coors Field with the Dodgers in a primetime spot facing Rockies pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez. You'll still need a value bat or two to make it all work, but hopefully we can identify a couple options to jumpstart your lineup building process.
Pitching
Trevor Bauer, CIN vs. CWS ($10,800): Coming in as the most expensive pitcher on the slate, Bauer has been tremendous this season. He's averaged eight strikeouts per game and faces a White Sox team that can showcase elite power at times but also strikeout at a high clip with 10.33 per over their last three and 9.33 on the season. Bauer is holding right-handed batters to a paltry .122 batting average with no home runs and should face six to seven righties here, which should set him up for success despite being in a hitter-friendly ballpark. He may also come in at lower coverage due to his high salary that makes it difficult to pay up for bats at Coors.
Corbin Burnes, MIL vs. KC ($8,000): Burnes has been quite a surprise so far this season and has posted four straight 20+ fantasy point outings with a 41.2 gem against the Tigers two starts ago. He faces a Royals' team middle of the road with 8.86 strikeouts per game for the season but have racked up an average of 10 over their last three. Burnes has flashed double digit strikeout upside on multiple occasions and has held opposing righties to a sparkling .105 batting average while giving up only one homer in 10 starts. He makes for a nice alternative to Bauer with nearly the same ceiling at a massive $2,800 discount.
Top Targets
Nick Castellanos, CIN vs. CWS ($4,400): In 16 at-bats versus Dallas Keuchel, Castellanos has six hits that includes a home run and four RBI. He gets the platoon advantage here with Keuchel struggling against righties and returning from a back injury. And it remains to be seen how effective Keuchel will be or how long they'll keep him out there. Castellanos has been in solid form for most of the season, banging in 30 runs with a .825 OPS and enjoys the ballpark advantage in Cincinnati.
Christian Vazquez, BOS vs. NYY ($4,000): In another strong BvP matchup, Vasquez faces Yankees pitcher J.A. Happ against whom he's produced six hits, two home runs and four RBI in 21 at-bats. He also fills a catcher spot if he cracks the lineup and can swipe the occasional base as showcased in his previous game against Jordan Montgomery.
Key Values
DJ Stewart, BAL vs. TB ($2,400): It boggles my mind how much of a bargain Stewart is. After a stretch that saw him send six balls over the fence in five games, he has since cooled off slightly but still possesses the raw power to go deep in any matchup. At this low salary, the platoon advantage against Charlie Morton and high spot in the batting order make Stewart one of the best point-per-dollar options on the slate.
Leody Taveras, TEX at LAA ($2,100): Taveras makes for another nice salary saver at his near minimum valuation. He gets a tough matchup against Andrew Heaney, but normally leads off for the Rangers. And if he's able to get on base, he offers the ability to steal a base with four on the season. You'll need these types of one-off plays if you want to make pitching and exposure to Coors Field work, and Taveras definitely checks those boxes despite Texas as a team looking mediocre this year.
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers vs. Chi Chi Gonzalez: Max Muncy ($5,500), Corey Seager ($5,300), Gavin Lux ($4,400)
The Dodgers are in Coors facing Chi Chi Gonzalez. I could really end it there, but the numbers can also easily back up this stack. Gonzalez has allowed a .476 batting average to left handed batters this season. Muncy and Seager both smash right-handers, with the latter posting a ridiculous 1.023 OPS percentage and .328 batting average with 10 home runs. Lux rounds out the stack with his sub-5k salary. Despite not having a great season, he gets the platoon advantage and boasts the raw power we want when rostering bats in Coors as he displayed last night going deep with a two-run shot.
Yankees vs. Chris Mazza: DJ LeMahieu ($5,600), Luke Voit ($5,400), Clint Frazier ($4,500)
After a torrid three-game stretch that saw the Yankees hang 43 runs, they came back to Earth Friday night in Fenway. They face Chris Mazza today, who is normally a pitcher that works out of the bullpen but will get the nod due to the Red Sox dealing with many injuries to their starting group. Mazza has mostly been split-neutral in his career, allowing over .300 to both sides of the plate since 2018. Despite not earning the platoon advantage here, the trio listed has been solid against righties this season with LeMahieu and Voit combining for 20 home runs and Frazier batting .296 with a .976 OPS.
