Six games early on DraftKings, which is split into TWO slates on FanDuel today boys and girls. Because they gotta take care of those who miss lock on a weekday of course. The six games that we have to feast on this hump day include:
- Marlins vs Phillies
- White Sox vs Tigers
- Astros vs Rangers
- Reds vs Diamondbacks
- Royals vs Giants
- Twins vs Mariners
WEATHER
It is very hot in the White Sox-Tigers game and all games will play without weather issues.
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There are no pricing decisions to worry about today on DraftKings early slate for picking two guys, nor is there anyone extremely discounted. We do have some pitchers who are going that are not likely to go deep and thus there’s the ole 4k punt play like Daniel Castano for the Marlins and Sean Hjelle for the Giants but neither of them are even worth sniffing.
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LUIS CASTILLO
This series re-match has gone the way of the pitchers but today we have two guys facing off who did not meet last week in Cincinnati. Castillo is pitching well and has no restrictions as the Reds bullpen is very thin and so they’ll use him for 100+ pitches. If he can keep his walks down I can see him getting through 7 innings today which should get him to 6+ strikeouts as well.
He is the easy choice for me today.
ZAC GALLEN
The second option comes down to Gallen, Sonny Gray, and Luis H Garcia. I envision Garcia giving up a couple home runs vs the Rangers and Sonny Gray usually only pitches 85 or so when he is healthy, so coming off the IL For his first start isn’t exactly a comforting feeling.
Let’s just apply the small slate SP game stack theory in a Chase Field get away game as Gallen does have a favorable K%, SLG and Risk rating against the Reds boring offense.
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Other Pitching Nuggets
Gray and Garcia are definite no’s for me and although I can see Marco Gonzales possibly stealing a game vs the Twins I am going to err on the side of what should happen there (him getting hit by a team that hits lefties).
That leaves ole Kyle Gibson in a warm day in Philadelphia as the only option against a team who loves to hit the ball down in the zone. That’ll be a no as well and no we aren’t going to talk about using the hit man Alex Faedo either, so move along.
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Marlins: Soler, Chisholm, Aguilar, Sanchez, Rojas
We’re back on the Fish train in Philadelphia today. Expect either a strike out or a home run from Jorge Soler in each PA vs Kyle Gibson today. That’s exactly what the profile match-up says and historical data supports it as Soler is 2-15 lifetime with 9 strikeouts and 2 HR. Boom or bust play and I would correlate him with the holy trinity of Jesus Aguilar, Jesus Sanchez and Jazz Chisholm.
Yes, Miguel Rojas is a contrarian pick again today. He aint leavin Philly without some damage done.
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Phillies: Castellanos, Hoskins, Gregorius
Last nights game was not just some blip on the radar as I expect neither teams pitching to do well here and the Phillies most certainly are not going to just get shutout by some bullpen game from the Marlins.
The race is officially on boys and girls. Let’s see who can homer first, Teoscar Hernandez, Nicholas Castellanos or Peek-A-Boo Veach who’s birthday is today.
Unfortunately Peek-A-Boo Veach is dead as he passed away back in 1937. But he was born on this day 160 years ago which is about the last time I think either Castellanos or Teoscar homered. Peek-A-Boo played 100 games over 3 seasons from 1884 to 1890 as we can only assume he took off the 1885, 1886, 1888 and 1889 seasons working on his passion to be a master steamfitter. Veach, was a veteran of the Spanish-American war and we don’t know if he hit left or right but we know that between his time as a utility hitter and a pitcher he hit a grand total of 3 home runs and struck out 31 times.
Maybe the ghost of William Walter “Peek-A-Boo” Veach will scare Castellanos into finally doing something today. Or if that’s not enough, maybe the ghost of his son William Walter Veach Jr will do such. Because, I bet you didn’t know that his son switched from a dream of playing Baseball to playing half back for Staley’s Bears which would later help become the Chicago Bears.
So as a happy birthday gift to Peek-A-Boo Veach, lets get that Castellanos Peek-A-Boo homer today, what say you Nick?
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NEXT BEST TEAMS
Tigers, White Sox, Royals
OFFENSIVE FADES
Astros, Twins
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Today’s BOOST+ Players
Rhys Hoskins, Jazz Jazz Jazz, Jesus Sanchez, Brandon Belt, Jesus Aguilar, Ryan Jeffers, Bobby Witt Jr, Luis Gonzalez
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CATCHER
- Tucker Barnhardt
- Ryan Jeffers
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FIRST BASE
Jesus Aguilar homered last night and see’s his price drop down to min price on DraftKings. Hilarious.
- Rhys Hoskins
- Jesus Aguilar
- Jose Abreu
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SECOND BASE
- Jazz Chisholm Jr
- Whit Merrifield
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THIRD BASE
- Harold Castro
- Alex Bregman
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SHORTSTOP
This is the best infield position on this slate. Love Seager vs Garcia as he does his rock a bye baby wind up and then Seager says wind the wind blows the ball will go far. Or something like that.
- Corey Seager
- Bobby Witt Jr
- Miguel Rojas
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OUTFIELD – Mt Rushmore
- Byron Buxton
- Nick Castellanos
- Jorge Soler
- Luis Robert
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OUTFIELD – Value
- Jesus Sanchez
- AJ Pollock
- Luis Gonzalez
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The Dongers Club
- Nick Castellanos – OF – Phillies – Chairman of The Dongers Club
- Corey Seager – SS – Rangers
- Harold Castro – 3B – Tigers
- Luis Robert – OF – White Sox
- Jazz Chisholm – 2B – Marlins
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CORE PICKS
Luis Castillo
Zac Gallen
Jazz Chisholm + Marlins
Nick Castellanos + Phillies
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CORE PICKS
Best Contrarian Game: Royals/Giants
Offense To Fade: Astros
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BETTING PLAYS
Miami/Philly OVER 8.5
Cincy/Arizona UNDER 8.5
KC/San Francisco OVER 8.5
Texas Rangers ML +120
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