It's a light Monday of baseball action, with just nine games on the schedule. All of the matchups are on the main MLB DFS slate, though, so there are plenty of SP options -- both of the stud and sleeper variety. Today's starting pitcher rankings feature a four-way battle for the top spot that many in FanDuel contests will be studying closely, but there are still some solid options for your No. 2 in DraftKings contests further down the list.
Justin Verlander (@ Twins) and Patrick Corbin (vs. Cardinals) are the two highest priced pitchers on both FD and DK. Corbin has the better matchup on paper, but Verlander has a higher ceiling. On FanDuel, where there's a $1,600 difference between the two, it wouldn't be a shock to see more owners opt for the cheaper Corbin. Zack Wheeler (vs. Reds), who dominated in his last outing (seven shutout innings, 11 Ks vs. Philadelphia) and Kenta Maeda (@ Giants) both have fantastic matchups and will likely be highly owned, too.
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Mike Soroka (vs. Padres) has pitched well in his first two starts this season, striking out 13 without giving up a homer. His BB-rate is a little high, but he's still in a good spot tonight even if he can't make it through six innings. Yonny Chirinos (@ Royals) is also an interesting option on DraftKings. He's not slated to start, but he'll likely enter the game in the second inning and could throw six-plus frames. Unfortunately, you don't get a huge discount, but he still might be underowned because he's not technically starting.
A few other pitchers have good standard stats but subpar advanced numbers. Zach Davies (vs. Rockies) and Manny Banuelos (vs. Orioles) fall into this categories. Both are priced down, though, so they're not bad options as your second pitcher on DK. Be careful on FD, where they carry more risk.
The top fade of the day looks like Jeff Samardzija (vs. Dodgers), who's pitched well this year but has a horrible matchup. We know he's prone to blowups, so consider him a tournament-only option.
Based on early forecasts, no games are in danger of delayys, but as always, feel free to check the Fantasy Alarm Weather Center closer to lineup lock for the latest.
Today's Starting Pitcher Rankings: Monday, April 29
(O) = Opener
(LR) = Long reliever
Rank | Pitcher | Team | Opponent | Opp. wRC+ vs. LHP (rank) | Opp. wRC+ vs. RHP (rank) | FD | DK |
1 | Patrick Corbin | Nationals | vs. Cardinals | 83 (19th) | N/A | $9,700 | $10,200 |
2 | Justin Verlander | Astros | @ Twins | N/A | 120 (T-3rd) | $11,300 | $10,800 |
3 | Zack Wheeler | Mets | vs. Reds | N/A | 66 (29th) | $8,600 | $9,300 |
4 | Kenta Maeda | Dodgers | @ Giants | N/A | 65 (30th) | $8,900 | $9,700 |
5 | Michael Wacha | Cardinals | @ Nationals | N/A | 98 (18th) | $8,000 | $8,100 |
6 | Mike Soroka | Braves | vs. Padres | N/A | 78 (24th) | $9,200 | $8,600 |
7 | Frankie Montas | A's | @ Red Sox | N/A | 86 (T-20th) | $8,300 | $8,300 |
8 | Yonny Chirinos (LR) | Rays | @ Royals | N/A | 105 (13th) | N/A | $7,900 |
9 | Zach Davies | Brewers | vs. Rockies | N/A | 71 (26th) | $6,400 | $6,800 |
10 | Manny Banuelos | White Sox | vs. Orioles | 80 (20th) | N/A | $5,800 | $7,500 |
11 | Tanner Roark | Reds | @ Mets | N/A | 100 (16th) | $7,400 | $7,300 |
12 | John Means | Orioles | @ White Sox | 90 (17th) | N/A | $7,000 | $7,000 |
13 | Kyle Freeland | Rockies | @ Brewers | 107 (10th) | N/A | $8,400 | $7,700 |
14 | Jeff Samardzija | Giants | vs. Dodgers | N/A | 124 (1st) | $6,800 | $8,000 |
15 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Red Sox | vs. A's | 121 (7th) | N/A | $8,500 | $9,100 |
16 | Nick Margevicius | Padres | @ Braves | 144 (3rd) | N/A | $6,800 | $7,600 |
17 | Brad Keller | Royals | vs. Rays | N/A | 114 (T-7th) | $8,200 | $7,800 |
18 | Jake Odorizzi | Twins | vs. Astros | N/A | 116 (5th) | $7,200 | $7,100 |
19 | Ryne Stanek (O) | Rays | @ Royals | N/A | 105 (13th) | $5,500 | N/A |
wRC+ is defined by Fangraphs as "[measuring] how a player’s wRC compares with league average after controlling for park effects. League average for position players is 100, and every point above 100 is a percentage point above league average. For example, a 125 wRC+ means a player created 25% more runs than a league average hitter would have in the same number of plate appearances. Similarly, every point below 100 is a percentage point below league average, so a 80 wRC+ means a player created 20% fewer runs than league average." For more on the stat, click here.