Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: MLB DraftKings Studs and Duds for June 8

Eight games is more than enough to foster Monday's daily fantasy baseball slate. Many DraftKings users will think alike on an evening headlined by a streaking ace and two noteworthy stacking opportunities.

Tournament players will face a conundrum of whether to follow the chalk or find a less beaten path. While a consensus will form for good reason, riding it limits the reward of those players panning out. 

In 50-50 lineups, gamers should choose the obvious pitching stud, even if everyone else is on board. By far the best choice on the table, participants can't afford to be left out when he sizzles.

Pitchers

Stud: Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox ($11,400) vs. Houston 

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Combine a soaring ace with a lack of alternatives, and Chris Sale is an essential play for cash contests. Since allowing 13 combined runs through two starts, the ace has caught fire. Comcast SportsNet Chicago's Christopher Kamka assessed the carnage:

The lefty lasted at least seven innings each time, recording double-digit strikeouts in all but one of those bouts. Just like that, his 2.72 fielding independent pitching (FIP) offers no evidence of his slow start.

Despite producing solid numbers against left-handed pitching, the Houston Astros still strike out with regularity. Build your lineup around Sale. 

Stud: Mike Bolsinger, Los Angeles Dodgers ($7,000) vs. Arizona 

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

A.J. Burnett is the next-best choice after Sale, but he's also the third-costliest at $9,500. Combining the duo will force a frugal offense, which isn't ideal with the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals offering tantalizing stacks.

A week ago, everyone would have jumped for Mike Bolsinger at $7,000 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team he quietly netted a 3.31 xFIP and 8.25 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate for last season. Then he took a trip to Coors Field, where his dominance expectantly ended with four runs through five frames.

While the Diamondbacks are no easy adversary, it sure beats pitching in Coors. Bolsinger's 1.98 ERA is daring the baseball gods, but his 3.37 FIP and 55.1 ground-ball percentage don't foreshadow a doomsday-level regression.

Stud: A.J. Burnett, Pittsburgh Pirates ($9,500) vs. Milwaukee

But hey, if no expense is too big for pitchers, Burnett justifies the cost. There's something about Pittsburgh he loves, as he owns a 2.20 ERA and 2.87 FIP a year after looking toast with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Milwaukee Brewers are weak enough on the offensive end, and their impatience will prevent Burnett from showcasing his wilder side. He's best used for a contrarian tournament lineup secluding Sale.

Dud: Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins ($7,200) vs. Kansas City

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

It's time to throw in the towel on Phil Hughes. His command remains spotless, issuing seven walks through 69 innings, but it doesn't matter when he also allows 86 hits and 39 runs, giving the 2015 breakout candidate a 4.96 ERA and 1.35 WHIP.

The main reason not to keep waiting for better days ahead: His K/9 rate has plummeted to 5.87, backed by a 89.7 contact percentage and 5.5 swinging-strike percentage. He's not missing bats, and the Kansas City Royals strike out less than any other team against righties. 

Hughes hasn't recorded more than four strikeouts in a single outing since April 24. That dubious trend is likely to continue through Monday.

Hitting Studs

Stack Choice No. 1: St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado (RHP David Hale)

DraftKings gave all of St. Louis' hitters the Coors bump, yet they're still an intriguing stack going against right-hander David Hale, an unproven starter who surrendered seven runs through two home starts.

Elite middle infielders wherever they play, Kolten Wong ($4,800) and Jhonny Peralta ($4,900) are high-shelf options. Hitting .321/.381/.524 on the season, Peralta especially could have justified admittance into the $5,000 club.

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

For those looking to supplement Sale and Burnett with cheaper options, Mark Reynolds at Coors manifests high upside for $3,300. While he hasn't slugged above .400 since 2012, DraftKings doesn't punish for outs. It only takes one shot to make him worth the minimal investment.

Slugging .558 against righties, Randal Grichuk ($3,900) is another high-reward power play if given the start. Those desiring a better outfield should target Matt Holliday ($4,600) over the struggling Jason Heyward ($5,100).

Stack Choice No. 2: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Miami (LHP Brad Hand)

Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

The most prolific offense against lefties by a mile, the Blue Jays face an unassuming southpaw in Brad Hand. Although Hand allowed two runs through a pair of starts, the converted reliever also generated four strikeouts, even with one matchup against the Chicago Cubs.

Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Russell Martin and Jose Reyes are all in play, but gamers will have company on those stars. Bautista homered twice on Sunday, Martin offered one blast and Reyes swiped five bags over the weekend, so they all have attractive hot hands.

Searching for his first homer of June, Donaldson wields a 1.256 OPS in 47 plate appearances against lefties. Before crying small sample size, his .980 career OPS off southpaws is also pretty good. Because of those stark splits, he'll cost a pretty penny at $5,300.

2B/3B Justin Turner ($3,300) and OF Andre Ethier ($3,400), Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona

It's time to play another round of "Who will Don Mattingly start tonight?" Check to see whom the Los Angeles Dodgers play at third base and left field before completing Monday's lineup, as some cheap righty-killers make for great bargains when given the go.

Entering Sunday night's game, Justin Turner boasted a .999 OPS against right-handed pitchers. This is a different Turner from the one who rode the New York Mets' bench as a utility man. A much more dangerous bat, he sports a career-high 28.3 line-drive percentage while making a concerted effort to generate more pop with a 38.8 pull percentage. 

Michael Thomas/Getty Images

Ethier, meanwhile, posts a measly .916 OPS and seven homers against righties during a bounce-back campaign. Rubby De La Rosa is better than his 5.04 ERA suggests, but only enough to chase the Dodgers' discounts rather than pay full price for Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig.

If Alex Guerrero gets the go instead of one of them, he's also worth a spin at $3,100. The Cuban slugger has crushed 10 homers, eight off righties, in 114 plate appearances. 

1B Eric Hosmer ($3,900) and 3B Mike Moustakas ($3,300), Kansas City Royals at Minnesota

For readers who didn't retain the Hughes section, a contact pitcher getting torched against a strong contact offense figures to procure hits galore.

Although Eric Hosmer is hitting .302/.376/.490 this season, DraftKings has grown tired of his 19-game homer drought. The same goes for Mike Moustakas, who hasn't cleared the fences since May 27. Both, however, have excelled against righties this season:

Player	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR
Hosmer	143	.328	.399	.547	5
Moustakas	138	.339	.384	.488	3

They aren't the most exciting plays, but Hosmer and Moustakas won't draw sky-high usage rates like Toronto and St. Louis stars. 

Hitting Duds

OF Jason Heyward ($5,100), St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado

Heyward is a lefty playing at Coors against a subpar righty. As a result, he's priced as a superstar. Take a look at the evening's most expensive plays and figure out who doesn't belong:

Player	DK Price
OF Giancarlo Stanton	$5,600
1B Paul Goldschmidt	$5,500
OF Jose Bautista	$5,400
3B Matt Carpenter	$5,400
3B Josh Donaldson	$5,300
1B Jose Abreu	$5,200
OF Andrew McCutchen	$5,100
OF Jason Heyward	$5,100

It'd be one thing if Heyward harbored his usual splits, but he has a .368 slugging percentage against righties this season. Pegged as a future superstar, his bat continues to regress. Coors Field aside, $5,100 is too much for someone who hasn't registered an extra-base hit in June.

2B/3B Martin Prado ($4,200), Miami Marlins at Toronto

Rob Foldy/Getty Images

Getting three Coors games, Martin Prado went 3-for-13 with a walk and triple. Now the man with a .371 slugging percentage costs $4,200, the byproduct of facing the homer-prone Marco Estrada at the Rogers Centre.

Prado simply doesn't produce enough power or speed to warrant such a high price. Either upgrade to a top-tier second baseman (Wong) or third baseman (Donaldson, Matt Carpenter, Nolan Arenado) or save cash with Turner and/or Moustakas. 

All advanced statistics are courtesy of FanGraphs.

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