We have a full Friday slate and the Dodgers/Marlins are playing a series this weekend down in Miami with tonight’s game being omitted from the main slate – thankfully.
We’re also running a Surprise Friendly Dongers Club Appreciation Contest on DraftKings. There are no rules, just enter a lineup tonight, next Tuesday and next Wednesday. Details on a prize to follow.
https://www.draftkings.com/draft/contest/130773915
So many fresh and exciting match-ups tonight, like the Reds/nationals or if that doesn’t get you going then maybe Tigers/Rangers can? Ah, who am I kidding, I am very much in love with this set of games we have tonight. It’s a good 3 lineup type night and there’s a lot of viable spots to consider.
Let the Stars come out and play
WEATHER
Tampa at Boston – Thunderstorms likely delay the start but the game should get in.
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The two highest priced pitchers on DraftKings tonight are from New York (Cole & Bassitt) and they are both facing two horrible offenses in giant pitchers parks and I see no reason either fails.
The Nationals have called up prospect Cade Cavalli to make his debut. He is a former college pitcher so take his immediate minor league success with a grain of salt, but I am optimistic he can pitch decently today. For $5,000 you can definitely do worse, but for about $8,500 and some cheap bats you can probably do much better as well with your second SP.
GERRIT COLE
With nobody in the stands, Cole should be able to finally deliver up to his contract value out in Oakland tonight. After a long rough stretch look for the Yankees to come in and take care of business with a sweep of Oakland and tonight they do it behind Cole’s 7 innings and 0 ER allowed.
CHRIS BASSITT
Another scenario where we have a bulldog pitcher vs a horrible offense tonight. Should be able to get through 6, working around the Ryan McMahon heater and probably strikes out 8 along the way.
JUSTIN STEELE
Good teams make adjustments when they see a pitcher the second time in a week and he dominated them. The Brewers, however, are not a good team.
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MY CONTRARIAN PICK FOR SP1
SHANE BIEBER
Cleveland and Seattle should be a great series all weekend and possibly a playoff preview. We have two great bullpens and tonight two RHP who should both pitch well but it’s Bieber that I trust to go about 7 or 8 strong without an ER allowed.
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OTHER SP THOUGHTS
If you are going anywhere else tonight it’s either in the mid range for high upside plays like Shane Bieber and Spencer Strider, taking the dangerous route of Freddy Peralta against a Cubs team striking out a bunch or going down to the bottom of the barrel
Freddy Peralta – As mentioned, the Cubs are striking out a good amount lately but they usually hit well in Milwaukee so I am passing on Peralta.
Mitch White and Glenn Otto both face teams who also should give them some K boost, but in White’s case the Angels are a DANGEROUS team to pick on tonight IMO and I would run away. For Otto, he could probably get you a 12, but why do we really want to sweat Victor Reyes’ PA for a 12?
Joe Ryan – I really want to pull the trigger here, but will stick with the four I mentioned above. He’s a viable pivot off Steele.
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KEYSTONE STATE
Bryce Harper is back tonight and is going to homer tonight…
Mmmhmm… Everybody knows that.
Well, did you know that KeBryan Hayes is going to start Chairman’s Revenge night tonight for all the non Chairman Homers this week?
I look around the Pirates lineup tonight and I see untapped potential tonight my friends. Kevin Newman, you have potential, Bryan Reynolds, you hav epotential, Josh Van Meter, you have …. oh boy.
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RAYS
Diaz, Margot, Ramirez, Parades
Now serving, The Rays. Next up in the who can come into Fenway Park and have a hits parade are the Tampa Bay Rays. Powered with the return of Manny Margot and Harold Ramirez hitting well this lineup should put the ball in play against Wacha who is looooong overdue for a game where he has 10 combined hits and walks in under 2 innings.
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ASTROS
Bregman, Mancini, Alvarez
That loud bang you hear tonight is not someone eating some really bad Tex-Mex, it’s just Yordan and the boys banging out homers.
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CATCHER
- Francisco Mejia
- Martin Maldanado
- Tucker Barnhardt
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FIRST BASE
- Harold Ramirez
- Jose Abreu
- Harold Castro
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SECOND BASE
- Brandon Lowe
- Kevin Newman
- Rougned Odor
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THIRD BASE
- Nolan Arenado
- KeBryan Hayes
- Alex Bregman
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SHORTSTOP
- Oneil Cruz
- Xander Bogaerts
- Bo Bichette
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OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore
- Harper, Bryce
- Shohei Ohtani
- Oscar Gonzalez
- Yordan Alvarez
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OUTFIELD – Tier 2
- Bryan Reynolds
- Manuel Margot
- Randy Arozarena
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OUTFIELD – Value
- AJ Pollock
- Lane Thomas
- LaMonte Wade Jr
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- Oneil Cruz – SS – Pirates – Chairman of The Dongers Club
- Nolan Arenado – 3B – Cardinals
- Shohei Ohtani – OF – Angels
- Bryce Harper – OF – Angels
- Jose Abreu – 1B – White Sox
- Rougned Odor – 2B – Rangers
- Randy Arozarena – OF – Rays
- Francisco Mejia – C – Rays
- BONUS ………………… KeBryan Hayes – 3B – Pirates
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CORE PLAYS
Harold Ramirez
Oneil Cruz
Bryce Harper
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BETTING PLAYS
Pirates/Phillies OVER 9
Reds ML
Twins ML
Braves/Cardinals OVER 7
Guardians/Mariners UNDER 7