Tuesday's Starting Pitcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's starting pitcher value rankings for Tuesday, June 21 (all stats exclude Monday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jose Fernandez (MIA) | vs. ATL | 10 |
| Noah Syndergaard (NYM) | vs. KC | 9 |
| Johnny Cueto (SF) | at PIT | 8 |
Exposing your lineup around Fernandez will be essential if you want to have cash-game success Tuesday night. He will carve up a Braves lineup that ranks last in almost every offensive category and lacks fire power, other than 1B Freddie Freeman, who leads the team with 12 long balls. The rest of the team has 20 home runs combined.
Syndergaard and Cueto are, on most DFS sites, the next most expensive after the sizzling right arm of Fernandez. Syndergaard has held opposing batters to a .223 average and is fresh off a season-high 11 strikeouts. He owns a sparkling 11.22 K/9 and should be in your cash-game lineups against a watered down Royals lineup. He's worth every penny.
Cueto is sporting a 10-1 record with a fantastic 2.10 ERA, the best it's been since his season debut against the Brewers. Playing at the pitcher friendly PNC Park is part of the reason his cost is so high, though another reason is his ground ball percentage is beginning to normalize, sitting at 51.3 percent. He offers a bit of budget relief with high cash-game upside.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Verlander (DET) | vs. SEA | 7 |
| Chris Sale (CWS) | at BOS | 7 |
| Ian Kennedy (KC) | at NYM | 7 |
| Marco Estrada (TOR) | vs. ARI | 6 |
| Corey Kluber (CLE) | vs. TB | 6 |
| Jason Hammel (CHC) | vs. STL | 6 |
| Bud Norris (ATL) | at MIA | 6 |
| Aaron Nola (PHI) | at MIN | 6 |
| Colby Lewis (TEX) | vs. CIN | 6 |
| Hector Santiago (LAA) | at HOU | 6 |
| Patrick Corbin (ARI) | at TOR | 5 |
| James Paxton (SEA) | at DET | 5 |
| Tanner Roark (WAS) | at LAD | 5 |
| Collin McHugh (HOU) | vs. LAA | 5 |
| Sonny Gray (OAK) | vs. MIL | 5 |
| Tyler Wilson (BAL) | vs. SD | 5 |
Verlander has issued 25 free passes this season and in nine of his last 10 contests he has gave up at least one or more walks. Nevertheless, Verlander's K:BB ratio sits at 94:24 and he's holding opposing left-handed batters to a respectable .196 average. He's a solid matchup play against the left-heavy Mariners lineup.
Though he hasn't been that impressive over his last two starts, allowing 12 earned runs in 19 1/3 innings, Sale still boasts an incredibly high floor and strikeout ceiling. Despite giving up an alarming four long balls his last two starts, he still picked up a win in each game and sits at 11-2 on the season. With a discounted price, use him as a contrarian.
Estrada is quickly becoming the Blue Jays' staff ace, sporting a cool 2.58 ERA and lasting more than six innings in six consecutive starts. As a result, his DFS cost has skyrocketed. He doesn't have the elite strikeout upside of the other aces on this slate, but an AL-leading 0.99 WHIP is impressive in itself.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Nelson (MIL) | at OAK | 4 |
| Blake Snell (TB) | at CLE | 4 |
| Adam Wainwright (STL) | at CHC | 4 |
| Anthony DeSclafani (CIN) | at TEX | 3 |
| Scott Kazmir (LAD) | vs. WAS | 3 |
| Clay Buchholz (BOS) | vs. CWS | 3 |
| Tyler Duffey (MIN) | vs. PHI | 3 |
| Wilfredo Boscan (PIT) | vs. SF | 3 |
| Ivan Nova (NYY) | vs. COL | 2 |
| Chad Bettis (COL) | at NYY | 2 |
| Luis Perdomo (SD) | at BAL | 2 |
With plenty of aces on this slate, it's simply not worth investing in the pitchers listed above. Nelson owns a dreadful 6.30 ERA and should be left untouched while Snell has plenty of upside as a young starter, he has yet to go further than six innings in a game.