There are three slates to play Tuesday, the earliest of which kicks off at 6:35 pm EDT and includes four matchups. That's followed by an 11-game slate at 7:05 pm, and then a final set of contests for the late games at 9:38 pm (six games). We'll focus on the 7:05 pm contests in this article, but there are plenty of opportunities on DK on Tuesday night.
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Pitchers
It's an interesting day for pitching, with a lot of value options available for those willing to take on risk based on DK's pricing. Shane Bieber ($10,300) hasn't had great results relative to his price, but his 32.3 percent strikeout rate and 29.2 K-BB% suggest he deserves better. A matchup against Houston isn't daunting, as the Astros rank 27th in team wOBA in the last 30 days. The primary case against Bieber is that there are players who have produced comparably, and better, well below him in price range. Rostering him would be betting on his skills coming through.
There are several interesting options in the $9k range, but the matchup helps point to Emmet Sheehan ($9,000). He draws the Rockies on the road, has at least six strikeouts in each of his last four starts and should have a strong chance for a win.
How to handle Zac Gallen ($8,400) is one of the bigger choices of the day. He was disastrous for long stretches of the season, but he has at least 22 DK points in each of his last three starts and has maintained an impressive 20:5 K:BB in that span. The Giants have been a surprisingly tough matchup (.336 wOBA in the last 30 days) but are strikeout-prone. Gallen has the potential to be the best value pitcher of the day. Cade Horton ($8,200) is an honorable mention in the same price range as he takes on Atlanta.
Jack Leiter ($7,500) and Chad Patrick ($7,000) are options a bit further down in the pitcher pool and also happen to face each other. I'd be inclined to lean toward Patrick due to having the more favorable matchup, but Leiter has impressively topped 21 DK points in each of his last three starts.
Top Hitters
Zack Littell has been akin to a batting tee for opposing hitters lately, serving up seven home runs across his last 14.1 innings of work. He has excellent control and is generally decent at limiting baserunners, so the Padres aren't necessarily a team to stack. Getting some of their power hitters in lineups is a good idea, however. Manny Machado ($5,100) is the obvious name to target, but both Gavin Sheets ($3,700) and Ryan O'Hearn ($3,900) should be options and come at a more palatable price.
Kyle Hendricks has admittedly had decent results in his recent outings, but his lack of strikeouts always puts opposing hitters on the radar. Luke Keaschall ($4,800) is heating back up, and Byron Buxton ($6,000) is a strong option if he can return from a knee injury.
Value Bats
Nate Eaton ($2,400) and Romy Gonzalez ($4,500) have been the Red Sox's primary leadoff hitters against lefties, and their position in the lineup should be solidified with Roman Anthony sidelined. Gonzalez isn't much of a value, but Eaton is a good option in a good-hitting environment in Sacramento—particularly if he leads off.
Victor Robles ($3,300) is back from suspension and is getting on base fairly consistently. He's buried in the Mariners' lineup, which is a negative, but he's priced too cheaply for a player capable of putting up DK points in a variety of ways.
Stacks to Consider
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies (German Marquez): Freddie Freeman ($5,200), Mookie Betts ($4,700), Max Muncy ($4,000)
The Dodgers would typically be chalk in this situation, but they are a more interesting conversation Tuesday night. They've been a mediocre lineup for much of the second half, and this game isn't at Coors Field. That combination could keep roster rates reasonable for one of the top possible matchups against Marquez. His numbers are worse at Coors, but everything is relative as he also has a 5.95 ERA and 1.68 WHIP across 12 starts on the road.
A's vs. Boston Red Sox (Connelly Early): Nick Kurtz ($5,700), Shea Langeliers ($5,300), Brent Rooker ($4,700)
The A's-Red Sox game has the distinction of being played in the most hitter-friendly ballpark of the day, and it would be worth getting exposure to both lineups. The Red Sox were expected to start Dustin May, but he will now land on the injured list with Early instead making the start. The southpaw has impressive results in the minors, but this is a tough lineup and park to face in a big-league debut. The A's rank top-10 in both wOBA and ISO at home this season, so they should be capable of putting up some runs early in this contest.
