Daily fantasy baseball cheat sheet for Saturday (2024)

Wow, what an ugly pitching slate. There are some viable arms up top, but there's very little in the middle and lower ranges. Making matters worse is with eight early starts, the main slate consists of just seven games, where it's often better to focus a little more on GPP play using lower-priced arms.

In terms of weather, it looks to be a good day, with the exception of Minnesota, where the early forecast calls for thunderstorms in the Twin Cities.

Please note: The Brewers and Marlins contest will be played in hitter-friendly Miller Park, with Miami serving as the home team.

Aces

Carlos Carrasco ($13,300 DK; $10,600 FD), Cleveland Indians vs. Kansas City Royals: The Indians are due -- they haven't won since Thursday. Carrasco looks to start another winning streak, as the Indians are still battling for the best record in the American League. Carrasco has been stellar lately, with 49 punchouts and a scant three walks over his past 40 2/3 innings. Note, this is an afternoon affair, so Carrasco is available only on the early or all-day slates.

Zack Greinke ($12,800 DK; $9,800 FD), Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants: Greinke squares off with Madison Bumgarner in the marquee game on the ledger. Even though he costs more than his mound foe, Greinke gets the nod as the top dog on the main slate, facing the weaker offense -- and quite frankly, he's pitching better as the season comes to a close.

Also consider: Jacob deGrom

Midpriced pitchers

Zach Davies ($9,200 DK; $8,400 FD), Milwaukee Brewers at Miami Marlins: There's some risk here, as Davies has done most of his damage on the road, and even though this is technically a road game, it will be in Miller Park, where Davies has recorded a 5.67 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. However, on a day when there's little in terms of pitchers with strikeout upside, the goal is for my hurlers to not get beaten up, then hope the bats come through. Despite the above numbers, I'll trust the good pitcher to contain the average offense.

Rich Hill ($9,000 DK; $9,100 FD), Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington Nationals: This is another early or all-day option, as Hill looks to build on the Dodgers' two-game winning streak since ending their recent drought. Hill hasn't been especially sharp lately, but continuing a theme, this is a day I'll rely on track record.

Bargain bin pitching

Ben Lively ($7,500 DK; $6,900 FD), Philadelphia Phillies vs. Oakland Athletics: Here's the one upside play I'm willing to use on the main slate with the strikeout-prone Athletics playing without their designated hitter. Lively isn't dominant, but he misses ample bats to be dangerous, fanning 32 batters over his previous 36 frames.

Stacking options

Looking at the early games, both sides of the Orioles-Yankees tilt in the Bronx are in play in what should be a high-scoring affair. It will be hard to completely fade Coors Field on the abbreviated night slate, though using the Padres instead of the Rockies could yield lower ownership, along with saving some budget to fit in big bats elsewhere. The place I'm looking other than Coors is Angel Stadium, with the righty-heavy Halos facing Cole Hamels.

High-priced bats

Charlie Blackmon ($5,600 DK; $4,800 FD), OF, Colorado Rockies vs. San Diego Padres (Jordan Lyles): This is probably the chalkiest play on the board, but it's hard to ignore with Blackmon enjoying the platoon edge against a righty who has allowed 12 homers in only 56 innings this season.

Mike Trout ($5,400 DK; $4,900 FD), OF, Los Angeles Angels vs. Texas Rangers (Cole Hamels): Trout and teammate Justin Upton are both upper-echelon sticks with the platoon edge on a southpaw who's in a rut, sporting a 6.03 ERA and 1.54 WHIP the last month.

Joey Votto ($5,300 DK; $4,200 FD), 1B, Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (Ivan Nova): Speaking of struggling pitchers, Nova has had a terrible second half, including six homers over his past four outings. If you're playing the early or all-day slate, Votto is the guy you want.

Josh Donaldson ($4,800 DK; $3,500 FD), 3B, Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins (Adalberto Mejia): Donaldson is wrapping up a disappointing season, but he's still dangerous, especially when facing an erratic southpaw.

Midpriced bats

Corey Seager ($4,300 DK; $3,000 FD), SS, Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington Nationals (A.J. Cole): Like the rest of his teammates, Seager's bat is coming out of its slumber. The slump has deflated his salary, giving a great reason to play the early docket, as Seager is facing a weak right-hander.

Yangervis Solarte ($4,100 DK; $3,500 FD), 2B/SS (DK); SS (FD), San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies (Tyler Anderson): He's obviously priced up for Coors, and is coming off a rough night, but Solarte is a nice way to get mile-high exposure at a nice cost, saving budget to pay up at other positions.

Joey Gallo ($3,900 DK; $3,400 FD), 1B/3B (DK); 1B (FD), Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels (Parker Bridwell): Nomar Mazara left Friday night's game with quad tightness, an injury that plagued him earlier in the month. If he's out, Gallo should move up in the order, hitting fourth or fifth. He's in a bit of a homer dry spell but has the power to snap out at any time.

Brandon Phillips ($3,700 DK; $3,400 FD), 2B/3B (DK); 2B (FD), Los Angeles Angels vs. Texas Rangers (Cole Hamels): Phillips isn't hitting for power, but this price seems low, considering he's hitting leadoff with the platoon edge.

Also consider: Ryan Braun, Nicky Delmonico, Domingo Santana, Jonathan Schoop

Low-priced bats

Richard Urena ($3,600 DK; $2,700 FD), SS, Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins (Adalberto Mejia): Urena's price is beginning to creep up, but it's still way too low. As a switch-hitter, he'll start with the platoon edge on Mejia, making his first start since coming off the disabled list, then against the inevitable relievers, since the rookie southpaw isn't likely to work deep into the contest.

Manny Pina ($3,400 DK; $2,500 FD), C, Milwaukee Brewers at Miami Marlins (Adam Conley): The Brewers deploy a strict catcher platoon, with Pina getting the nod versus southpaws.

Teoscar Hernandez ($2,800 DK; $2,500 FD), OF, Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins (Adalberto Mejia): Hernandez hits in the lower third of the order, but at this price, and with the ability to score points with his power and speed, he's a nice GPP punt.

Also consider: C.J. Cron, Jabari Blash