MLB DFS: Best/worst plays for Thursday, June 10th

It’s a six-game slate on DraftKings tonight, beginning at 7:05 PM ET. It looks like some there could be some weather impact in the SFG/WAS game, so be sure to check on that before lock with whoever your favorite weatherperson happens to be (it ain’t me, babe). Honestly, I can’t check Twitter behind the ole firewall, so I can’t tell you exactly what my favorite weatehrperson is saying. So...check yours! And hopefully all the pieces mentioned below are still actionable by the time tonight locks.

PITCHING

Max Scherzer vs. San Francisco Giants ($11,400)

The top four hitters for the Giants combined to go 0-for-17 yesterday, failing to do much damage off of Kyle Gibson and the Rangers’ bullpen. That makes Scherzer super-appealing, though you’ll have to scope out the weather for this one. On the year, the Giants actually rank second with a .188 ISO versus righty pitchers, but they strike out at an exceptional 26.8% rate, or the second highest rate in the league against RHP (trailing only the Tigers). Scherzer allowed four runs against Atlanta in his first turn, and had one ugly outing against Toronto (five runs). Aside from those two, thrice he has allowed a pair of runs, and other than that it’s either one run or no runs. He’s not a pitcher to pick on, not even at the ripe old age of 36. So if you’re stacking Giants today, good luck to you.

Anthony DeSclafani at Washington Nationals ($6,300)

If not Scherzer, I’m honestly considering Anthony DeSclafani in the same game. I know, it’s weird. But it’s a small slate and we are allowed to get weird. “Tony Disco” is priced all the way down at $6,300, cheaper than even Chi Chi Gonzalez. That’s weird! DeSclafani still has a 3.51 ERA on the season, as well as a career-high 49.2% ground ball rate, which should give him a umm, floor. He’s keeping the ball in the yard (1.08 HR/9) and not walking tons of hitters (7.4% walk rate). His strikeout rate of 21.4% is right around average, but the Nationals strike out at a 23.0% clip versus righties and have a paltry .132 ISO. It’s not a threatening matchup overall, and the price point on DeSclafani makes him at least somewhat attractive to me—especially given that he shouldn’t be popular.

HITTING

Left-handed Washington bats

If you decide against DeSclafani and/or want a sneakier part of that game not named Scherzer, consider lefty sticks against Tony Disco. On the year, seven of eight homers allowed by DeSclafani have been to lefty bats, who are slashing .261/.302/.445 against him with just a 6.7% soft contact rate (that’s 54.4% medium and 38.9% hard). DeSclafani is low-key dominating right-handed hitters, holding them to a .177/.252/.231 slash with one homer and a mere 24.3% hard contact rate. So at least think twice about right-handed Nats bats.

Looking deeper, Josh Bell actually has a tolerable .240 BA along with his six homers against RHP. So don’t ignore him if you’re auto-clicking on Kyle Schwarber, who has a .216 BA and a team-leading eight homers in the split. Of course there’s Juan Soto (.306 BA, 3 HR) as well, but I’d avoid the lefty Alex Avila (.186 BA, 0 HR). You’d be mixing in right-handers like Trea Turner (.283 BA, 7 HR), Josh Harrison (.250 BA, 2 HR), or Starlin Castro (.217 BA, 2 HR). I’d consider Turner mostly, and call it a day.

The Rockies, Blue Jays, White Sox, and Astros, Yankees, and Athletics all face southpaws today. Of that lot, this team seems the sneakiest...

Oakland Athletics vs. LHP Mike Minor

The A’s boast a .186 ISO (7th) against southpaws, or higher than every team that is named above sans the White Sox (.189 ISO). Oakland also boasts a 9.3% walk rate (10th) and 24.0% K-rate in the split, with that K-rate being a bit better than Chicago’s 24.9% rate. I’m just sayin’, it’s close! But those White Sox are overall a bit trendier, albeit in a tougher matchup against Ryu.

Anyway, the damage against lefties thus far has been done by Mark Canha (.244 BA, 4 HR), Matt Olson (.256 BA, 6 HR), and Matt Chapman (.243, 4 HR). After those three, you can mix and match with Chad Pinder (.296 BA, 2 HR) if he plays, as well as Sean Murphy (.169 BA, 3 HR) or perhaps Jed Lowrie (.310 BA, 0 HR, .080 ISO). Me, I’m inclined to chase homers, so Murphy’s batting average isn’t bugging me that much. I’d take everyone here mentioned and leave off Lowrie if I was choosing.

Miguel Andujar @ LHP J.A. Happ ($2,600)

Andujar is just too cheap right now, and he’s one of the hottest Yankee bats over the last week. He hasn’t fared well against lefties this year, but he has in the past and the sample this year is still small. That, and it’s unlikely that Happ works too deep today. Anyway, I’m down with this cheap bat to save some salary and let me pay up elsewhere.

Who are YOU playing in your MLB DFS matchups tonight, ladies and gents?