MLB

FanDuel Pitching Primer: Monday 9/21/20

Monday's main slate has some tip-top options for us. Who should be our primary targets?

In daily fantasy baseball, success starts with nailing the starting pitcher spot in your lineup.

When compared to hitters, pitching performance tends to be much more predictable and stable throughout the course of the season. You know what you're getting from a top-level ace when you roster him: probably a dominant effort with only one or two implosions per season. In contrast, even the game's best hitters have days at the plate when they go 0-for-4.

As a result, lineup construction should begin with the starting pitcher. Which pitchers should you consider on today's main slate?

High-Salaried Option

Jacob deGrom, New York Mets

Vs. Tampa Bay Rays

FanDuel Salary: $11,500

In what may be his last start of this wacky 2020 baseball season, ace Jacob deGrom takes the pill tonight for the New York Mets, and boy, do we have a juicy matchup on our hands.

There's no reason diving into the superlatives of the righty -- he's gunning for his third Cy Young award -- but what makes tonight even extra special is his matchup. The Tampa Bay Rays are absolutely dreadful at the dish, owning a 34.0% hard-hit rate and 25.6% strikeout rate against righties this season.

Want more reasons to slam in deGrom? In the last 30 days, Tampa clocks in with a .312 wOBA and an even more putrid 27.2% strikeout rate.

Fade deGrom at your own peril.

Mid-Salaried Play

Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners

Vs. Houston Astros

FanDuel Salary: $8,500

With the Seattle Mariners hanging on to playoff hopes by the slightest of threads, Marco Gonzales takes the ball, and he's been brilliant in 2020.

Gonzales has posted 46 or more FanDuel points in each of his last three outings, and his 3.49 ERA pairs nicely with a 23.7% strikeout rate. The Astros also owns some ugly numbers this season against southpaws, posting a 33.4% hard-hit rate and .313 wOBA.

This Astros team has struggled all year -- in the last month, they are fifth-worst with a .294 wOBA, so consider Gonzales.

Low-Salaried Play

JT Brubaker, Pittsburgh Pirates

Vs. Chicago Cubs

FanDuel Salary: $6,800

There's no chance the Pittsburgh Pirates can slide into a playoff spot, but one bright spot has been the play of rookie righty JT Brubaker.

Despite being one of the lowest-salaries pitchers night in and night out, he's often returned at least 4X his investment cost, posting 24 or more FanDuel points in three of his last four turns.

And while the Chicago Cubs, Brubaker's opponent, are trying to get into playoff form, they are still whiffing at a 25.4% clip with a .177 wOBA against righties in 2020.

If you're looking for someone on the cheap, peep Brubaker.


Matt Kupferle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matt Kupferle also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username MKupferle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.