This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
The MLB schedule spans most of the day, with DraftKings offering up a number of different slates. Those of you who are interested in the MIN/BAL game may want to watch the skies, as there is rain in the forecast, while the HOU/NYY game has been postponed.
Pitcher
Madison Bumgarner, SF at MIL ($9,200): Round 2 of Opening Day presents us with studs and duds without a whole lot in between, so I am happy to take Bumgarner below $10K. While selecting a pitcher at Miller Park can be scary, it is worth noting the Brewers were tied for the the fifth-worst mark in the league against southpaws last season according to wOBA (.292) while striking out against them at a 22 percent clip. Bumgarner could really get us going in a spot like this, as he posted a career-best 27 percent strikeout rate last season.
Catcher
Matt Wieters, BAL vs. MIN ($3,900): Twins starter Ervin Santana had a rough time against lefties away from the spacious confines of Target Field in 2015, as he allowed a .532 slugging percentage and carried an xFIP over 5.00 in 32.2 innings. Wieters has unquestionably been a disappointment up to this point in his career, but he consistently plays well in his home ballpark, having logged a .901 OPS there last year.
First Base
Paul Goldschmidt, ARI vs. COL ($5,500): Players will need to pay up for Goldy, but he may prove to be worth every penny. The main draw is the favorable handedness matchup against Jorge De La Rosa, though Goldschmidt may hold another significant advantage: the most used pitch in De La Rosa's arsenal last season was his changeup, which he threw 37 percent of the time, and Goldschmidt was among the top 10 in runs above average against the pitch in 2015, clocking in at 3.06.
Second Base
Daniel Murphy, WAS at ATL ($3,400):Julio Teheran sported a drastic platoon split in 2015, as he allowed a .386 wOBA to lefties as opposed to just .257 against righties. Murphy has always had a knack for contact, but it may surprise some to learn that he actually sported an ISO close to .200 against righties last year.
Third Base
Kris Bryant, CHC at LAA ($4,500): Bryant's matchup against Garrett Richards gives me a good opportunity to discuss how we can exploit pitchers based on their profiles. Research has shown that ground ball pitchers struggle against fly ball hitters, while faring better against those who hit the ball on the ground. Richards' 55 percent ground ball rate last year was the sixth-highest mark among qualified hurlers, while Bryant clocked in with the sixth-highest fly ball rate among hitters at 45 percent.
Shortstop
Troy Tulowitzki, TOR at TB ($3,600): A shaky second half last year likely had a hand in keeping his price depressed, but Tulowitzki still put together a combined .940 OPS against lefties over 100 at-bats. Drew Smyly had a very nice season last year, but he took a bit of a beating against right-handed hitters, who tagged him to the tune of a 1.9 HR/9 rate over 51.2 innings
Outfield
Jose Bautista, TOR at TB ($4,200): Bautista didn't have quite the year one might expect against lefties in 2015, but he still packed in plenty of power, finishing with a .221 ISO in 61 games. The bevy of right-handed sluggers that comprise the Toronto lineup could make this game an attractive stack option to capitalize on Smyly's deficiencies.
Jay Bruce, CIN vs. PHI ($4,100): Bruce is a notorious boom-or-bust option who just might explode against new Phillies pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, as he held a 5.23 ERA away from his home park last season. He will now step into a stadium that carried a 112 home run factor to lefties in 2015, good for the third-highest mark in baseball. Bruce is always a threat to leave the yard against right-handed pitchers, as evidenced by his .232 ISO against righty pitching last season.
Bryce Harper, WAS at ATL ($4,500): There are (somehow) eight outfielders more expensive than Harper as he embarks on his first game of the season, so why not take advantage? Tehran's struggles against lefties will be on full display in this matchup, as Harper slugged an unbelievable .689 against right-handers during his MVP campaign.
Other options: Jason Heyward, CHC at LAA ($4,200) Chris Davis, BAL vs. MIN ($5,100) George Springer, HOU at NYY ($4,100) Chris Colabello, TOR at TB ($2,700)
