Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: Best MLB Pitcher Stats, Picks for July 2
Welcome back to another weekly look at some of the best pitchers to target on DraftKings. Thursday offers a seven-game slate, so options are limited for owners. While there isn't much in the way of quantity, there is some quality to the Thursday hurlers toeing the rubber.
Some owners might be looking for ways to couple Max Scherzer with a bargain-bin starter. Others simply want two consistent pitchers at reasonable prices to fill out a strong lineup offensively. Before setting your roster, here's a look at options for both with the best MLB pitchers for July 2.
Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals ($14,500)
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Look at that price! Then again, with the stats Scherzer recently posted and his matchup Thursday, he looks like a sure thing for a great start.
The Washington Nationals ace is averaging over 49 fantasy points per start over his last three outings. Those numbers are due in large part to his 33 strikeouts and two earned runs over 26 innings pitched in those games.
Thursday will be his first start against the Atlanta Braves with the Nats, and it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Freddie Freeman is out of the lineup with a wrist injury, and A.J. Pierzynski, who bats .333 against Scherzer, is struggling mightily this season. Even at his astronomical price, Scherzer paired with a low-salary player looks like a smart choice.
Tyson Ross, San Diego Padres ($9,700)
Looking for a pitcher putting up solid results who, you know, isn't more than $14,000? Tyson Ross might be just a little more forgiving on the salary cap for DraftKings owners. While the matchup isn't great, Ross has been better on the road than at Petco Park.
Ross has tallied over 20 fantasy points in three of his last five starts and recently put up nearly 40 on the road against Arizona. St. Louis isn't Arizona, but his strikeouts should stay up even if he doesn't come away with a win.
Scott Kazmir, Oakland Athletics ($9,200)
Unlike Ross, Scott Kazmir has not excelled away from home. Luckily, he'll be in Oakland against the Seattle Mariners, making him a solid start for Thursday night.
In eight home starts this season, Kazmir has averaged 21.3 fantasy points, well above his 17.8 average. Top that off with the fact that Kazmir has six strikeouts in four straight outings and has lasted seven innings in three of them. Facing an up-and-down Mariners lineup, look for Kazmir to have another great outing.
Chris Young, Kansas City Royals ($5,500)
Here's the part where we look for pitchers to balance out the potential hit of picking Scherzer. For just $5,500, DraftKings owners get a veteran hurler with consistent numbers and a favorable matchup.
The Minnesota Twins have been a surprise story this year, but their lineup has been largely inconsistent. Minnesota ranks 13th in runs scored this season but doesn't have as much pop with just 64 homers—23rd in the MLB.
Chris Young comes in on the heels of an outing in which he scored 20-plus fantasy points against Oakland, and he has 19 or more points in three of his last four starts. He might be an inconsistent start, but paired with Scherzer, he can add some value and help fill out the rest of the roster.
Matt Boyd, Toronto Blue Jays ($4,400)
From a price-to-production standpoint, Matt Boyd has a chance to be the best value Thursday. It's just his second start, but Boyd has the stuff to keep the whiffs coming and a lineup he can limit at home.
Despite giving up three homers in his first start, Boyd came away with 15.6 fantasy points in 6.2 innings. Against the Boston Red Sox, who are averaging just 2.6 runs over their last five games, Boyd should have an even better outing.
He also drops the average spent on a pitcher to $9,450 if you buy in on Scherzer. For that reason alone, Boyd deserves to be a spot start in multiple lineups against Boston.
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