Saturday’s main slate features nine games starting at 7:05 pm ET. We will be using Bales Model to highlight some of the top options to consider.
Pitchers
The four pitchers projected to score the most fantasy points today are:
- Corbin Burnes (R)
- Clayton Kershaw (L)
- Lance Lynn (R)
- Zac Gallen (R)
Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers has been outstanding throughout his 2021 campaign. In 158 innings, Burnes has a 2.34 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 221 strikeouts and a 10-4 record. Burnes has reached double-digit strikeouts in two straight outings and over his last 14 innings, he has allowed only six hits while striking out 25.
Burnes is facing the New York Mets, who are projected for the lowest implied runs total on the slate (3.1 runs). The Brewers’ stud is not only the highest-rated pitcher on Bales Model, but also the highest-priced pitcher on the slate. A projected double-digit wind blowing out to left field will favor hitters. In his only game against the Mets this year, Burnes allowed six baserunners while striking out eight. Expect another dominant performance for the Cy Young candidate.
Clayton Kershaw from the Los Angeles Dodgers is considered a much more valuable option on DraftKings when taking price into account. Coming off a performance in which he allowed only three hits over five innings, Kershaw will look to keep batters guessing as he takes on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Although he has been effective on the hill, Kershaw’s low recent pitch count is a bit concerning as he builds his way back up from injury. If he is allowed a longer leash, I expect Kershaw to make the most of his opportunity against an inferior opponent. The Diamondbacks are projected for the second-lowest implied runs total on the slate (3.4 runs).
In 146 innings, Lance Lynn has a 2.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 166 strikeouts and 10-5 record. Although his K/9 of 10.17 is respectable, it is only good for fourth-best on the slate. In four of his last five starts, Lynn has allowed only one run or fewer. If you’re looking to go in a different direction from Burnes and Kershaw, Lynn is a great option to consider.
Rounding out the top four is Zac Gallen from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gallen is 2-10 with a 4.53 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. He has a tough task on the mound today against the Los Angeles Dodgers, however, he did have an impressive outing against the visitors earlier this season. In six innings, Gallen allowed five hits, two earned runs and struck out eight. Another reason to back Gallen is that he has thrown more than 100 pitches in four of his last five starts. Although pitches thrown does not always correlate to fantasy points, it does present the opportunity to score a large sum of points. In what could be a pitcher’s duel, Gallen does offer decent value at his moderately low price.
Value
Huascar Ynoa from the Atlanta Braves is projected for a high points/salary on the Bales Model. Ynoa is coming off a poor performance last start, but he has been fairly effective when on the mound for the Braves. In 81 1/3 innings, he has 88 strikeouts, a 3.43 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. A concern I do have about Ynoa is that he has allowed two or more earned runs in each of his last six starts. Ynoa will be pitching against the San Diego Padres who were shut out in Friday’s game. The Padres have lost six of their last seven games.
Hitters
Notable Stack
Today’s top projected points stack comes to you from the +133 Colorado Rockies:
- Raimel Tapia (L)
- Charlie Blackmon (L)
- Trevor Story (R)
- C.J. Cron (R)
The Rockies are projected for the third-highest implied runs total on the slate today (5.3 runs). On FanDuel, this stack will cost you $14K and is projected for a combined 51.3 fantasy points. Playing at Coors Field is always an advantage for batters, and even more so today as there is a projected wind blowing out to left-center field. Another reason to back the Rockies batter is their high team value rating (80).
Other Hitters
The highest-rated batters on Bales Model for both DraftKings and FanDuel today is Tommy La Stella from the San Francisco Giants. The Giants are in Coors Field and have scored seven runs in each of their last two games. The projected leadoff man, La Stella, has been on fire recently. In Friday’s game he collected three hits in five at bats, including a home run.
Value
Lastly, here is a handful of batters to consider while completing your lineups today that are projected for a high fantasy points/salary:
- Max Schrock
- Jahmai Jones
- Nate Lowe
- Brandon Marsh
- Ryan Jeffers
After this piece is published, FantasyLabs is likely to provide news updates on a number of players. Be sure to stay ahead of your competition with our industry-leading DFS-focused news blurbs.
Photo Credit: Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Pictured: Corbin Burnes
