Ace Assessment: Breaking down the week’s top elite pitching options
It’s a dicey time of the season for DFS players looking for value in the pitcher slot.
Between veteran players being shut down for the remainder of the year, young or formerly injured hurlers facing strict innings limits and September call-ups earning late-season starts, navigating the DFS pitching landscape is daunting. Thankfully, these factors don’t impact staff aces who continue to rack up stats even as the calendar winds down.
Here are the strongest high-salary plays for the remainder of the week:
Tuesday: Jacob DeGrom, Mets (vs. Marlins)
Does it get any better than this? Not Tuesday, as DeGrom gets to feast on a Marlins team that sports a dismal .291 wOBA against right-handers this season. And as righties go, DeGrom is one of the best – boasting a 1.57 ERA and a 96:17 K/BB ratio in 13 starts at Citi Field. He’s by far the safest pick among Tuesday’s high-priced pitching options.
Wednesday: David Price, Blue Jays (at Braves)
Price should have little trouble tearing apart a Braves lineup saddled with a .287 wOBA and a 20.4% strikeout rate versus southpaws. Price has been sensational since being traded to Toronto ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline, and with Toronto still playing for the division title – and the Braves running out the string – he’s as good an option as any for Wednesday.
Thursday: Corey Kluber, Indians (vs. Royals)
On a day where few top pitchers will take the hill, Kluber takes top spot by default. The hard-throwing right-hander hasn’t exactly been an ace against the Royals this season (4.34 ERA in four starts), but he does have 27 strikeouts in 29 innings against a Kansas City lineup among the most difficult to whiff. Kluber also sports a 2.80 home ERA in 13 starts, and will have home-field advantage Thursday.
Friday: Madison Bumgarner, Giants (vs. Diamondbacks)
Bumgarner was featured in this spot last week, and promptly limited the San Diego Padres to one hit over nine shutout innings. Don’t expect an identical performance Friday – the Diamondbacks’ lineup is more imposing than the Padres’ – but with incredible numbers at home (9-2, 1.85 ERA, 128 Ks in 107 IP) and decent stats against Arizona in 2015 (2-1, 2.33 ERA), Bumgarner is worth every penny.
Saturday: Zack Greinke, Dodgers (vs. Pirates)
Saturday features no shortage of No. 1 pitching options – but like most days in which Greinke toes the rubber, he stands above the rest. The lanky righty has been one of the best pitchers in the league from April to now, and is 8-1 with a ridiculous 1.41 ERA in 15 home starts. The Pirates strike out at a 20.5% rate against right-handers, so Greinke could touch double-digit Ks, as well.
Sunday: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (vs. Marlins)
No Clayton Kershaw, you say? It isn’t that Kershaw is a bad option against the visiting Pirates, but with a price tag expected to be as high as it has been all season, DFS players can save a significant amount of money by opting for Strasburg. The right-handed fireballer gets a plum home matchup with Miami – and with a sky-high strikeout upside, Strasburg is the more responsible play Sunday.