The main event contests Thursday are comprised of just five games, and the pitching options are cringe worthy to hideous.
PITCHER
Lance McCullers, HOU vs. BAL ($8,600): Baltimore has dried up a touch offensively with a 24th-best 88 runs in May, and they sit in the middle of the pack in wOBA (.319, 16th) and wRC+ (99, 14th) for the month. Making his third start of the season, McCullers should have some rust shaken off, and remember he posted a 1.86 ERA with 65 strikeouts through 63 innings and a 26.6 strikeout percentage over his 10 home starts last season.
Matt Wisler, ATL vs. MIL ($9,100): The blossoming prospect has allowed just three runs through his past two starts with 14 strikeouts and boasts a 12th-best 6.5 HR/FB rate among qualified hurlers. Meanwhile, the Brewers have the highest strikeout percentage (26.5 percent) in the league this month.
CATCHER
Blake Swihart, BOS vs. COL ($3,100): During his rookie season, Swihart posted a respectable .354 wOBA and 121 wRC+ at home against right-handed hurlers, and he posted a solid .148 ISO, .350 wOBA and 118 wRC+ during the second half. Jon Gray has potential, but grabbing a discounted piece from a scorching hot lineup is advised.
FIRST BASE
Freddie Freeman, ATL vs. MIL ($4,100): Dating back to the beginning of last season, opposing-starter Wily Peralta has allowed a .531 slugging percentage and .381 wOBA to left-handed hitters, and Freeman has been flashing pop in May, with five homers and a .230 ISO this month.
SECOND BASE
Daniel Murphy, WAS vs. STL ($4,600): The National League leader in hits (69), batting average (.394) and OPS (1.043), Murphy's success this season has been fueled by his .649 slugging percentage, .252 ISO, .461 wOBA and 193 wRC+ against righties. His salary and matchup (Mike Leake has allowed 1.32 HR/9 to lefty bats since the beginning of last season) aren't prohibitive enough to fade Murphy.
THIRD BASE
Nolan Arenado, COL at BOS ($4,900): While Clay Buchholz has been better against right-handed hitters, this isn't a matchup to fret rolling with Arenado. The third baseman has been elite against righties dating back to the beginning of last season with a .919 OPS, .302 ISO and .385 wOBA.
SHORTSTOP
Carlos Correa, HOU vs. BAL ($4,000): While Correa's underwhelming start might not qualify as a sophomore slump, his numbers don't jump off the page, either. Still, he boasts a .205 ISO, .358 wOBA and 128 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers since entering the league, and opposing-hurler Kevin Gausman has served up a .360 wOBA and 1.85 HR/9 to righty bats since the beginning of last season.
OUTFIELD
Carlos Gonzalez and Gerardo Parra, COL at BOS ($3,900, $3,700): Affordable pieces to sandwich Arenado, Gonzalez and Parra are solid options up against Buchholz. The Boston starter has allowed a .500 slugging percentage, .393 wOBA and 38.6 hard-hit percentage to lefty bats this season.
Gonzalez's salary screams value, as he has mashed right-handed pitchers with a .294 ISO, .403 wOBA and 140 wRC+ since the beginning of last season, though those numbers are inflated by Coors Field. Parra, meanwhile, has a solid .454 slugging percentage and .331 wOBA against righties during the same timeframe.
Ender Inciarte, ATL vs. MIL ($3,500): An against-the-grain lean, Inciarte has a .367 on-base percentage through his past 50 plate appearances, and he appears to have found his form after an early-season hamstring injury. He handled right-handed arms admirably last season with a .359 wOBA and 124 wRC+. And as mentioned, Wily Peralta has resembled a pitching machine against left-handed hitters.
