This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
PITCHER
Chris Archer, TB at TOR ($10,500): Archer lives and dies by his slider, having thrown it a whopping 45 percent of the time this season. This reliance makes him a nice play against the Blue Jays, as they have logged the third-lowest RAA against the pitch. Additionally, Toronto sports just a .279 wOBA against right-handed pitching, while also keeping a strikeout rate of 23 percent.
Jesse Hahn, OAK at HOU ($6,500): Hahn intrigues me as a cheap scarcity play, as he has registered a 26 percent hard contact rate over 26 innings, and has seen a spike in his swinging strike rate, which currently sits at 9.2 percent. The Astros are a top-5 team when it comes to hitting ground balls, and hold a bottom-10 RAA against the curveball, which should allow Hahn to navigate his way through the lineup fairly comfortably.
CATCHER
Tyler Flowers, ATL at MIL ($3,400): Flowers hasn't hit for power in 2017, but he has a .424 wOBA against right-handed pitchers. Matt Garza finished 2016 allowing a 33 percent hard contact rate to righties, and tallied a 4:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his season debut against the Reds, which may indicate that he is still shaking off the rust after returning from a groin injury.
FIRST BASE
Eric Thames, MIL vs. ATL ($5,100):Mike Foltynewicz has relied heavily on his slider this season, throwing it more than 26 percent of the time over four games (three starts). Thames' success against the pitch has contributed to his dominance in April, as his 4.5 RAA represents the best mark in baseball over that span.
SECOND BASE
Brian Dozier, MIN at KC ($4,800):Jason Hammel has pumped in strikes for most of his career, but he has shown a bizarre lack of command in April, compiling an 11 percent walk rate over 18.2 innings. Dozier hasn't gotten off to the start many had hoped for after a huge 2016 season, but he is still hitting the ball with authority, having notched a 33 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitchers.
THIRD BASE
Kyle Seager, SEA at CLE ($4,900):Josh Tomlin isn't as bad as his 9.33 ERA suggests, but he gets barreled up with ease against lefties, as they hold a 42 percent hard contact rate over 8.1 innings. Tomlin has kept the ball on the ground at a 52 percent clip this year, while Seager maintains a fly-ball rate of 44 percent.
SHORTSTOP
Didi Gregorius, NYY vs. BAL ($3,600): It's not often that I set my sights on a lefty-versus-lefty matchup, but Gregorius seems to have a profile for success against Wade Miley. Gregorius finished last season with a 7.5 RAA against the slider, a pitch Miley throws 20 percent of the time. He also performed well against same-handed pitchers, notching a .359 wOBA over 148 at-bats. The 27-year-old didn't make his season debut until Friday due to a shoulder strain, but he doesn't appear to have missed a beat, as he has gone 4-for-9 with two doubles over his first two games.
OUTFIELD
Christian Yelich, MIA vs. PIT ($4,500):Chad Kuhl has performed reasonably well against righties, but he has been blasted for a .750 slugging percentage in 7.1 innings against lefties. Meanwhile, Yelich has kept a 35 percent hard contact rate against his opposite hand, notching a .171 ISO over 70 at-bats.
Avisail Garcia, CWS at DET ($3,200):Jordan Zimmermann looks completely broken. He has struck out just 11 percent of the batters he has faced, while allowing a 48 percent hard contact rate. The bulk of the actual damage is being done by righties, who have tattooed the 30-year-old for a .675 slugging percentage over 8.2 innings.
Michael Brantley, CLE vs. SEA ($5,000):Chase De Jong has put up some skinny ERAs in the minor leagues, but he hasn't been able to consistently post above average strikeout rates. He has been greeted rudely in his first taste of the big leagues, having surrendered three runs and three walks in just 4.2 innings out of the bullpen. Brantley has tallied a .255 ISO and a tremendous 51 percent hard contact rate against righties over 51 at-bats.
