14 games, weather permitting, makes this Tuesday a very busy one indeed. We are without the Twins and Pirates today, but that leaves us with every imaginable star hitter available.
It is also a night of aces, with Chris Sale, Justin Verlander, and Clayton Kershaw on the mound. So who should you put in your lineups?
We are once again looking at the 7pm ET competitions. With nine games to pick from they pose the greatest challenge. Let's dive in with the starters.
Justin Verlander Vs. Baltimore Orioles: $11,600
With Sale ($12,900) only available in the early bracket of games, the choice comes down to Kershaw and Verlander, and since he is $600 cheaper it makes sense to go with JV.
His first start was a six-inning shutout win over the Rangers, and while there are dangerous bats in the Orioles lineup there isn't enough firepower to scare you away. His opponent, Mike Wright Jr, is the cheapest starter available today, which tells you all you need to know about the run support he can expect to see.
Cole Hamels @ Oakland A's: $8,500
Speaking of lop-sided starting pitcher matchups, Hamels is going against Kendall Graveman, who got shelled for five runs in his first start of the season.
Hamels is not the sure-thing he used to be, and he walked four while allowing two homers against the Astros, but the A's lineup is strikeout happy and he has a beneficial matchup. If you aren't keen to shell out for an elite #2 pitcher, then Hamels is a nice option.
Garrett Richards Vs. Cleveland Indians: $6,500
Richards gave up four runs against the A's in his Opening Day start, but I'm not going to jump off his bandwagon just because of one rough outing.
Richards is too good not to like at this price, and while the Indians are not a great opponent, their starter Josh Tomlin will give up hits and runs as well.
Jose Altuve Vs. Baltimore Orioles: $5,100
It's not a surprise that my premium hitter pick is an Astro today. A great matchup and a hot bat is too tempting not to get in your lineup.
Altuve is hitting .476 so far, with five runs, three RBI, and a steal. He can score points in plenty of ways, and the power is waiting to explode.
Yadier Molina @ Milwaukee Brewers: $3,800
You know who else is hot? Yadi! The veteran catcher has a hit in every game so far and two homers. Keep an eye out for a rest day after three consecutive games behind the plate, but if he is in the lineup he holds good value, especially if you went cheaper on pitching.
Aaron Altherr @ New York Mets: $3,200
Altherr was presumed to be part of a platoon before the season started, but with three starts in three games it would seem that he will be an everyday player. If that is the case then he is good value today, provided Mother Nature doesn't dump more snow on New York.
While he hasn't been hot at the plate, he hit .290 last year with good power. This is an upside play if you have spent your budget elsewhere.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
MLB The Show