There are 15 games on the MLB schedule Tuesday night, allowing DraftKings daily fantasy players a full array of possibilities when it comes to setting a lineup.
Is Zack Greinke worth $12,000 after getting roughed up in his previous start? How about Matt Harvey, or an under-the-radar rookie instead?
While star power always helps, the key to outscoring the competition lies in finding value from lesser-used names. A red-hot outfielder and a pair of veterans hitting their stride round out these five ideal lineup choices for August 11.
SP Matt Harvey, New York Mets ($10,900) vs. Colorado Rockies
Above are highlights of Harvey's most recent outing, in which he allowed only two hits and no walks while striking out six in seven shutout innings. It was the latest in a string of excellent appearances for Harvey, who hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of his last nine starts.
In that time, Harvey has posted a 1.64 ERA over 60.1 innings since June 10. He's also held opposing hitters to a .195 batting average during the stretch. In addition, the 26-year-old righty has gone 20.2 innings without walking a batter.
Harvey faces a Rockies team that owns just a .288 on-base percentage away from Coors Field, the second-lowest road OBP in baseball.
SP Taylor Jungmann, Milwaukee Brewers ($8,700) at Chicago Cubs
Taylor Jungmann will make only his 12th major league start, but at this point, there's a large enough sample size to start taking his outstanding numbers seriously.
Through 71.2 big league innings, Jungmann has a 2.26 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 61 strikeouts. In 10 of his 11 outings, Jungmann has yielded two earned runs or fewer, with the lone exception being a four-run showing at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
As Brewers' play-by-play man Joe Block noted, Jungmann is putting together one of the most impressive debut seasons ever for a Milwaukee pitcher:
Jungmann's average of 20.4 fantasy points per game is the fourth-highest of any established starter taking the mound on Tuesday, but his $8,700 salary is less than seven other pitchers. DraftKings players should take advantage of the low price that is still a reflection of Jungmann's inexperience.
OF Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners ($5,200) vs. Baltimore Orioles
No hitter in MLB can match what Nelson Cruz has done for the past three weeks. The 35-year-old outfielder is in the midst of a 20-game hitting streak, which is tied for the second-longest in the majors this year. During the streak, Cruz has launched an astounding 12 home runs while raising his batting average from .300 to .324.
Cruz is just 1-for-9 in his career against Baltimore starter Chris Tillman, but that one hit was a home run.
Before Monday's three-point effort, Cruz had totaled at least 12 fantasy points in nine straight games, averaging 18.3 per day.
2B Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners ($4,000) vs. Baltimore Orioles
Unlike Cruz, Robinson Cano has a long history of success when opposing Tillman. Dating back to 2009, Cano has reached base 15 times in 32 plate appearances versus the Orioles righty:
Following a slow start to 2015, Cano is coming on strong of late. He hit just .238 through the first three months of the season but then batted .337 in July and is hitting at a .303 clip so far in August. Cano has 12 homers on the season, but he's hit 10 since June 22.
In his last 20 games, Cano has six homers and 20 RBI.
1B Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers ($3,400) at Kansas City Royals
Five days ago, Victor Martinez clubbed two home runs in three at-bats off the Royals' Yordano Ventura. ESPN Stats & Info pointed out how rare an occasion that was for Martinez:
For his career, Martinez is 4-for-8 against Ventura with two homers, three runs, five RBI and a walk—all of which occurred in 2014 and 2015.
Over his last seven games, the 36-year-old has three home runs and 10 RBI. There are more than 20 first basemen with higher price tags than Martinez's on Tuesday, but don't be surprised if he finishes among the leading scorers at the position.
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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