The schedule has been stuffed since the All-Star break, so a day like this was inevitable. We only have five games making up this Thursday card. That's mainly due to teams traveling, but it should still be an interesting slate with 10 teams in action. We have one of the best pitchers in baseball toeing the rubber as well, so let's go ahead and start there.
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Pitching
Chris Sale, ATL vs. SD ($10,800)
Sale has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for over a decade. This lefty has a 2.95 career ERA and 1.05 WHIP while possessing one of the best K rates in baseball. His peripherals are even better this season, posting a 2.08 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 18 starts. What's scary about that is that he's been better over the last month, providing a 1.35 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 rate. That sensational stretch should be easy to continue against a subpar lineup like San Diego, with the Padres ranked 27th in runs scored, 29th in OPS and dead-last in wOBA. In his last four matchups with the Padres, Sale is averaging nearly 40 FanDuel points per game.
Taj Bradley, MIN at CLE ($9,900)
Bradley always possessed talent in his time with Tampa Bay, but a move to Minnesota has unlocked something. He's got a 3.85 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 10.4 K/9 rate across 19 starts this season. Bradley is also amid one of the best stretches of his career, scoring at least 40 FD points in three of his last four starts. We're unsure if he can keep that going, but a matchup with Cleveland is one of his best bets. The Guardians rank 29th or 30th in runs scored, OPS and xwOBA, with Bradley dropping a season-high 58 fantasy points in their one matchup a few weeks ago.
Top Targets
Drake Baldwin, ATL (vs. Griffin Canning) $4,100
There's some debate on who the best catcher in baseball right now is, but Baldwin needs to be in the conversation. He's been playing at another level since the All-Star break, with Baldwin tallying a .508 OBP and 1.154 OPS across his last 13 fixtures. He's also scored at least 44 FanDuel points twice over the last week and shouldn't be faded against a guy like Canning. We'll dive into that more in the stacks section, but we also love that Baldwin has a .379 OBP and .870 OPS against right-handers this year.
Alec Burleson, STL (vs. Brandon Pfaadt) $3,400
Burleson has been an underrated bat for the Cardinals all season. This guy bats third for St. Louis every day, sporting a .282 AVG and .809 OPS this year. That's actually close to what we saw last season, but it looks even better since Burleson has a .283 AVG and .845 OPS since June 1. The best part about this is that he has the platoon advantage against Pfaadt. The Arizona righty has a 4.58 ERA and 1.31 WHIP this season while Burleson has a .392 OBP and .938 OPS against righties.
Bargain Bats
Victor Mesa, TB (vs. Shane Bieber) $2,700
The Rays always have these undervalued platoon bats for DFS purposes. Mesa is that guy this season, batting in the heart of their lineup whenever they face a right-hander. It's easy to understand why because Mesa has maintained a .781 OPS against righties. What makes him an enticing option here is that he's scorching right now, homering in three straight games while providing a 1.385 OPS across the last two weeks. Bieber might sound like a scary opposition because of his accolades, but he has a 5.70 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in a nightmarish season for Toronto.
Kerry Carpenter, DET (vs. Randy Dobnak) $2,600
There's no doubt that Carpenter has struggled this season, but seeing him at $2,600 in a spot like this is quite the bargain. While Carp is a platoon player, he's always a threat whenever the Tigers tussle with a righty. We say that because Carpenter has compiled an .847 OPS against righties over the last three years. That doesn't bode well for a pitcher like Dobnak, making his second start this season while posting a 4.60 career ERA and 1.38 WHIP.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta vs. San Diego Padres (Griffin Canning): Baldwin ($4,100), Matt Olson ($4,000), Michael Harris ($3,400), Ozzie Albies ($3,300) and Austin Riley ($3,200)
Atlanta has possessed one of the best lineups over the last few years, but they haven't been the same this season. The good news is that they're starting to find it right now, averaging seven runs per game since the All-Star break. That's really concerning for a pitcher like Canning, who's collected a 6.67 ERA and 1.62 WHIP so far this season.
Baldwin is the best option in this stack, but Olson is right there with him. He's got a .918 OPS against righties this year while providing a .909 OPS across the last three weeks. Harris also has a .310 AVG and .867 OPS since May 18. Albies is one of the league leaders at second base while Riley has three homers across his last five fixtures.
