This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
PITCHER
Mike Leake, STL vs. ARI ($6,700): Leake has come around over his last two starts, during which he's toppled the Dodgers and Angels while giving up only two earned runs over 14 innings. Next up are the D-Backs, who have struck out 355 times, sixth-most in the majors, and are a lot less daunting away from Chase Field. While his discounted price comes with some risk, the pitching pool is loaded with questions below the top tier no matter where you look.
Felix Hernandez, SEA at CIN ($11,000): Cincinnati sports a .288 wOBA against right-handed pitching that ranks third-lowest in the majors, while their 23.3 percent strikeout rate against that handedness is the eighth-highest. They also sport a collective .235 team batting average and have struck out 309 times this year. While Hernandez's respective 4.22 xFIP and 4.36 SIERA figures imply that he hasn't been as effective as his 2.47 ERA would indicate, he still brings 20-30 fantasy-point upside in any given start, and he figures to have enough to overpower a Reds lineup that has struggled to put it together consistently this season.
CATCHER
Salvador Perez, KC at CWS ($3,700): Perez has tallied a .321 wOBA and 33.7 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching this season, along with four of his six homers. He's also slashed .364/.364/.636 against White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez over 11 career at-bats, with a homer and two RBI. Gonzalez has given up a .353 wOBA and 47.6 percent fly-ball rate to right-handed hitters, providing Perez, who is tallying a career-high 52.4 percent fly-ball rate on his batted balls, an opportunity to knock one out.
FIRST BASE
Mark Reynolds, COL at PIT ($3,300): Reynolds is enjoying a stellar first season in a Rockies uniform, now slashing .328/.392/.466 after a three-hit outing Friday. He's also battered Pirates starter Jonathan Niese over his career, compiling a .556 average (10-for-18), including a double, two homers and two RBI. He's been scorching hot against southpaws all season, tallying a .382 wOBA and 32 percent hard contact rate over 43 plate appearances. Those aren't just Coors Field-enhanced numbers either, as his wOBA on the road versus lefties is .360. The veteran slugger also has a .350 wOBA and .221 ISO over his career against left-handed pitching, while Niese has given up a .391 wOBA and nine of his 11 homers on the year to right-handed bats.
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve, HOU vs. TEX ($5,500): Rangers starter Cesar Ramos is sporting a massive 4.32 BB/9 rate over his first 16.2 innings this season and has a 3.62 mark over 10-plus professional campaigns. Jose Altuve is highly proficient at drawing free passes and stealing bases, making for a very solid combination. The All-Star second baseman has also battered southpaws to the tune of a .522 wOBA and 37.5 percent hard contact rate this season, with a HR/FB rate of 33.3 percent. Ramos has given up a .402 wOBA to right-handed hitters over a 57-batter sample, and with his control issues and Altuve's plate discipline, the Astros' dynamo may have plenty of opportunities to wreak havoc on the base paths.
THIRD BASE
Adrian Beltre, TEX at HOU ($3,500): Beltre is on the flip side of the Astros-Rangers matchup and draws a favorable matchup himself. The veteran slugger has done well in his brief history against Astros starter Mike Fiers, collecting two hits, including a homer, in three career plate appearances. Beltre also has a .320 wOBA and 35.2 percent hard contact rate versus righties, while Fiers has continued his career-long trend of being a reverse-splits pitcher. He's surrendered a .372 wOBA and five of his eight homers on the season to right-handed bats, along with a 43.5 percent hard contact rate and 26.3 percent HR/FB rate. He's been even more susceptible at Minute Maid Park, where he's given up four of those five homers, along with a 33.3 percent HR/FB rate.
SHORTSTOP
Aledmys Diaz, STL vs. ARI ($3,300): After another two-hit outing Friday, Diaz has now reached base safely in eight straight games and 13 of his last 16. He's slashing .373/.403/.634 this year and is still punishing southpaws to the tune of a .401 wOBA and 37.8 percent hard contact rate. D-Backs starter Robbie Ray has allowed a .370 wOBA, 40.7 percent hard contact rate and four of the five homers to right-handed hitters this season. The control-challenged lefty hasn't helped his cause by issuing 18 of his 20 free passes on the season to right-handed hitters, and his wOBA figures notably have ranged from .353 to a massive .600 when he's been behind in the count this season.
OUTFIELD
Nelson Cruz, SEA at CIN ($5,300): Taking Cruz against a mediocre left-handed arm is never a bad idea for fantasy purposes, and his matchup against John Lamb certainly fits the bill. The Mariners slugger has continued his career-long success against lefties, tallying a .434 wOBA, .413 ISO, 36.8 percent hard contact rate and 27.8 percent HR/FB rate this year. Lamb is a match made in heaven, as he's surrendered a .414 wOBA and 40.5 percent hard contact rate to righty bats. Factoring in the fact that the game will unfold at Great American Ballpark, Cruz looks like an especially appealing play.
Michael Conforto, NYM vs. MIL ($3,400): Conforto took advantage of a favorable matchup against Willy Peralta on Friday, smashing his seventh homer of the season. Things aren't looking too shabby against Zach Davies on Saturday either, as the Brewers' righty has given up a .447 wOBA and 35.7 percent hard contact rate to left-handed hitters this season. Conforto boasts a .416 wOBA and .298 ISO against righty arms, along with an impressive 52.0 percent hard contact rate.
J.D. Martinez, DET vs. TB ($4,100): Martinez was blanked in five at-bats Friday but came into the game with a four-game streak of multi-hit efforts. The pop has encouragingly returned to his bat this month, as he has five homers since May 1. He's also posted a .402 wOBA and 46.2 percent hard contact rate against southpaws this season, and opposing starter Drew Smyly has always yielded far more homers to right-handed batters, including four of the seven he's surrendered this season.
