Washington Nationals All-Star Max Scherzer headlines the list of starting pitchers taking the hill across MLB Tuesday night. Is his exorbitant salary a worthwhile investment for DraftKings daily fantasy players? With 15 games on the docket, there of plenty of other possibilities to choose from as well.
Here are five of the top pitching options in a variety of price ranges for July 7.
Max Scherzer ($14,200) vs. Cincinnati Reds
Scherzer's $14,200 price tag is $3,000 more than any other pitcher available, but he's earned it. His 0.78 WHIP and .181 batting average against are easily the best in baseball, while his 1.82 ERA is second only to Zack Greinke's 1.48.
The Washington Nationals ace has uncharacteristically allowed a pair of earned runs in each of his last two outings, yet still posted at least 29 fantasy points both times. For the season, Scherzer is averaging a spectacular 30.8 fantasy points per game. Over his last four starts, that number jumps to an absurd 43.8. In that stretch he's thrown complete games in three of four appearances, while pitching 34.1 out of a possible 35 innings. Scherzer also has 42 strikeouts and just one walk in that time.
On Tuesday, he'll face a Reds team batting .249 on the season, 11th in the National League. Combined with the fact that Scherzer actually costs $300 less than he did his last time out, it's worth dropping the enormous chunk of change it'll take to get him in your lineup.
Sonny Gray ($9,600) at New York Yankees
With an average of 22.3 fantasy points per game, Sonny Gray is outscoring Francisco Liriano and Johnny Cueto, despite costing $700 and $500 less, respectively. Gray's 2.09 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and .205 batting average against all rank among the top 10 in MLB.
On Monday, Gray expressed his gratitude for being chosen to play in his first All-Star Game, something that should give him a little extra incentive when he steps onto the mound Tuesday:
In his only previous start against the Yankees this season, Gray earned a victory while surrendering just four hits and two earned runs in eight innings. Gray's opponent, Nathan Eovaldi, is 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA in three career starts versus the Oakland A's.
Taijuan Walker ($8,200) vs. Detroit Tigers
Taijuan Walker's 4.34 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 2015 suggest he's not a pitcher who should cost upward of $8,000. However, Walker is red-hot at the moment after busting out of an early-season slump.
He's gone 5-0 in his last five starts and scored over 20 fantasy points in seven straight outings. Ironically, Walker hasn't walked a batter in four starts while striking out 30 in 26.1 innings.
The 22-year-old has tossed six or more innings in his last seven games while lowering his season ERA from 7.33 to 4.34.
Yovani Gallardo ($7,200) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Yovani Gallardo last allowed a run on June 10, more than four starts ago. As noted by Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Gallardo is in the midst of one of the most impressive scoreless streaks in franchise history:
Since the month of May, Gallardo has given up a total of two earned runs. Dating back to his last loss on May 19, the veteran is 4-0 with an ERA of 0.70 spanning eight outings.
In addition to the great run he's currently on, Gallardo also boasts stellar numbers for his career against the Diamondbacks—a 7-1 record and a 2.12 ERA in 11 starts.
Manny Banuelos ($5,900) at Milwaukee Brewers
If you're looking for a pitcher with the potential to provide quality stats at a bargain price, Manny Banuelos is your guy. Banuelos has just a single major league start under his belt, but the results were exceptional. The rookie allowed only two hits in 5.2 shutout innings while striking out seven batters.
Shortly after his early departure from the game, the Atlanta Braves announced it was for medical reasons:
Banuelos should be properly hydrated and ready to go for his second big league appearance Tuesday.
It's not much to go on, but the Braves are 4-1 against the Brewers this year. Banuelos is obviously a shot in the dark, which is really all that can be expected from a pitcher priced below $6,000.
All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Statistics via MLB.com unless otherwise noted. Mark Vandeusen is an MLB Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @LucidSportsFan.
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