This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Prices are soaring as the temperatures around the country and offensive production have heated up.
Mike Trout is $6,300(!) with a road matchup against Jon Gray at the Rockies on Tuesday night.
Corey Kluber checks in at $13,600 in an Interleague road matchup against the Brewers, and it actually looks like it's worth paying up to get him if the afternoon lineups leave us a few cheap surprises to offset the cost.
The Yankees and Red Sox are beginning a series in the Bronx, while the presence of Luis Severino creates some interesting strategy wrinkles, and his opponent, Drew Pomeranz, tempts those fading Coors to consider loading up with Yankees bats.
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Pitcher
Cash: Aaron Nola, PHI vs. SF ($10,100) -- In terms of wRC+, the Giants' offense is only a tick below average against right-handed pitching (98), but they've carried a 24.6% K% this season, boosting up Nola's floor in a nice home matchup Tuesday. Nola, whose pitched six or more innings in each of his last five starts, is among the most heavily-favored arms on the board in Vegas as the Phillies are -210 over Derek Holland and the Giants.
Also in play among the pricey starters: Corey Kluber, CLE at MIL ($13,600)
Tournaments Only: Luis Severino, NYY vs. BOS ($10,000) -- If there were any doubts about his skills, Severino has erased them to begin 2018. The Red Sox have been one of the league's elite offenses against right-handed pitching this season, boasting a 124 wRC+, and bumping Severino from cash considerations to tournament-only status on this slate.
Cheap 2nd SP Consideration: Dylan Bundy, BAL vs. KC ($7,800) -- Bundy's body of work over the past calendar year still includes a large portion of his disappointing first half from 2017. He's continued to find success missing more bats with the increased use of his slider, and while there is always some risk in starting an arm at Camden Yards given the hitter-friendly lean of the park, the Royals' offense is top-heavy, and strikes out enough (23.4%) to roll with Bundy at this price.
Catcher
Yan Gomes, CLE at MIL ($3,500) -- The Brewers are sending Wade Miley to the mound for the second time this season, and while the results against the Reds last week were encouraging, the Indians' lineup figures to present a much more difficult challenge for the veteran left-hander. Gomes has strong splits against lefties, including a .250/.342/.493 line since the start of last season. Additionally, the Indians have Corey Kluber on the mound, which lessens the likelihood of the Cleveland bats having to face the Brewers' top-bullpen arms throughout the late innings. Consider Gomes as an ideal tournament pivot if you're looking to steer away from a highly-owned Chris Iannetta at the same price with a good righty-lefty matchup in Colorado.
First Base
Anthony Rizzo, CHC vs. MIA ($4,600) -- Budget-permitting, Rizzo against Jose Urena at a fairly high price is one of my favorite plays on the board. Urena was knocked around by the Cubs on Opening Day, but more importantly, he's struggled against lefties to the tune of an 11.1% K% (worst on the slate) and .337 wOBA against left-handed hitters. Once the Cubs chase Urena from the game, they'll matchup against one of the league's worst bullpens, as the Marlins are one of only four teams with a bullpen ERA north of 5.00 this season.
Second Base
Daniel Robertson, TAM vs. ATL ($3,400) -- There are a few viable pivots, including DJ LeMahieu against Andrew Heaney at $4,400 and Jonathan Schoop against Danny Duffy at $3,500 if Schoop and LeMahieu come off the DL as expected. Robertson made significant adjustments to his swing this offseason, and the results include a .295/.439/.487 line with better results on fly balls and an elevated line-drive rate. Especially against lefties, Robertson should have an opportunity to move up to a more prominent place in the Rays' lineup, as he's hit first, second or fifth in each of the last six matchups against a left-handed starter entering Tuesday's game. Robertson should be considered mostly as a tournament play against Atlanta lefty Sean Newcomb.
Third Base
Anthony Rendon, WAS at SD ($3,700) -- Rendon had his best game since returning from the DL over the weekend (18 DraftKings points) in Monday's 8-5 win over the Padres. He'll draw lefty Clayton Richard on Tuesday, whose extreme splits against righties (13.7% K%, 9.1% BB%, 1.32 HR/9, .372 wOBA) continues to make him vulnerable against lineups with quality bats from the right side. The over/under total for Tuesday's game at Petco sits at 8.0, but nearly five of those runs are projected to come from the Nats, making them one of the higher-scoring teams on the slate behind many of the usual suspects (Colorado, Texas, Baltimore and Cincinnati at home).
Shortstop
Francisco Lindor, CLE vs. MIL ($5,100) -- Having Lindor and Anthony Rizzo in the same lineup might be extremely difficult, especially if you're looking to work Colorado bats into your lineup. Other than high ownership rates in tournaments, there isn't a very good argument against Trevor Story at $4,300. As noted above with Yan Gomes, Lindor gets Wade Miley to start, and has a good chance of avoiding the Brewers' top-end relievers with Corey Kluber taking the ball for Cleveland. The cheap punt option appears to be Nick Ahmed, who is just $3,000 with a righty-lefty matchup against Rich Hill in Hill's start back from the DL.
Outfield
Aaron Altherr, PHI vs. SF ($3,700) -- Altherr is a frequent consideration for me when savings in the outfield are needed. He'll draw Derek Holland at home Tuesday night, whose struggles against righties include a 1.87 HR/9 and .376 wOBA. Altherr has hit cleanup for the Phillies in each of his last five starts, and he hasn't sat out against a left-handed starter since early April. Throw in the park boost that Altherr gets from his home park, and he shapes up to be one of the better mid-tier values in the outfield Tuesday.
Michael Conforto, NYM at CIN ($3,500) -- A homer Monday against the Reds was his first since he went yard against Stephen Strasburg in his first game back from the DL in April. It's fair to wonder if he's still at something less than 100 percent health following shoulder surgery, but he makes sense as a tournament play Tuesday. The lefty-righty matchup against Luis Castillo isn't necessarily a cake walk, but the possibility of getting multiple plate appearances against the league's worst bullpen is enough to give him the nod in GPPs. Jay Bruce is a safer play at $3,600, and he's arguably viable in cash games and tournaments.
Nicky Delmonico, CHW vs. PIT ($3,100) -- Tournaments only. Delmonico continues to maintain a sub-20 percent strikeout rate with a double-digit walk rate. The power has been sparse to begin 2018 (he hasn't homered since April 9), but the winter hangnail has been clipped in the midwest, and the ball should be flying at Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday night. A left-handed hitter, Delmonico matches up favorably with Pirates starter Ivan Nova, whose 1.58 HR/9, .359 wOBA and 12.5% K% make him a liability against left-handed hitters.
