Some things are easy to pinpoint when it comes to DFS. Overall, chalk plays tend to annoy me. More often than not, they don’t pan out the way they should. With that said, Nelson Cruz is chalk on Tuesday and he’s going to be in all of my lineups. Cruz is a lefty killer and faces off against Jon Niese and the Pittsburgh Pirates. On the season, Cruz has 19 homers, 10 of which have come against left-handed pitching. When you set your lineup, start with Cruz and build from there; you will not regret your decision….we interrupt this broadcast for a special announcement. *Makes the static-like noise knowing full well you can’t hear them*. Hey you. Yes you. What other you it would it be? You’re the one reading…anyhoo, if you’re just used to cruising by the italics, you might not want to today and moving forward. If you’ve reading these like a wallflower at the dance, now’s the time to sign up. For the rest of the year, you can get a free subscription to the DFSBot if you sign up through us through DraftKings. ‘But how do I do that’, you ask timidly, tears welling in your eyes all while clutching your Adventure Time lunch box. First off, you gotta be of age so either you’re kinda weird or you’re kinda not gonna be able to do this. Secondly, we’re ok with kinda weird; it’s our brand, after all. A, B, C’edly, you can click on the link in the italics below here to sign up which will give you access to one of the best projection tools in the entire industry. Anyways, the clicky-pops are just below here so don’t miss out on this great offer. And just so it’s clear as mud, here’s some legalese on how to make things go right from the Razzball Subscriptions page: Make a first-time deposit of at least $5 at DraftKings and open a free Cointent account (click here) with the same e-mail address to activate your subscription. This will provide access to the DFS Premium Package which is all the tools EXCEPT the lineup optimizers which will require a $50/season upgrade. This is the DFS Premium package. Please allow for up to 24 hours of activation of your account. This is the editor’s note signing off!
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Jon Lester, SP: $11,700 – This should be a walk in the park for Lester. The veteran lefty has struck out at least seven batters in each of his last six starts and the Reds will most likely make it seven in a row. Lester should pick up a win assuming the Cubs’ bats show up. He’s the top option on the board.
Jose Quintana, SP: $10,400 – The Twins are terrible against LHP pitching and Quintana is one of the more consistent pitchers in the major leagues. He doesn’t have monster upside, but he’s about as safe as it gets.
Julio Urias, SP: $7,400 – About 1/8th inch above here, you would’ve read about Lance McCullers but apparently he’s a Beatles fan. Instead, we’ll get straight to Julio. You know, Fetty Wap’s cousin is due for a strong game. Julio “679” Urias has sky-high potential and it’s only a matter of time before he takes over and dominates. Struggles will continue without question, but he’s past due for a true breakout game. It’s coming soon and I like the prospects of it happening against the lowly Brewers.
James McCann, C: $3,200 – Split alert! McCann is batting .264 against LHP compared to .172 against righties. He’s also hit four of his five homers against lefties. He faces off against Adam Conley on Tuesday night.
Nick Hundley, C: $3,100 – Using Hundley is a great way to get Coors exposure without breaking the bank. Hundley is batting .294 against LHP this season and Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ is sure to get knocked around.
Brandon Belt, 1B: $4,600 – With many first basemen having juicy matchups on Tuesday, Belt makes for a fine pivot against Kendall Graveman. While Belt doesn’t have the power upside of many other first basemen, he is a safe play–especially against a righty that has trouble striking anyone out.
Hanley Ramirez, 1B: $3,700 – HanRam has three home runs over his last six games and seems locked in. He faces off against a guy that deserves his mug on a milk carton in Chris Archer, who looks like a BP pitcher at this point.
Jonathan Schoop, 2B: $4,700 – Second base is not cheap on Tuesday night, so there’s a good chance you’ll have to pay up. Of all the options in the $4,200-$5,000 range, I like Schoop the most. He’s batting .414 over the last seven days and is batting .292 against RHP this year. This game is in San Diego, but that doesn’t scare me at all.
Christian Adames, 2B/SS: $2,200 – If DJ LeMahieu is out of the lineup, Adames makes for a great punt play with Coors Field exposure.
Kris Bryant, 3B/OF: $5,000 – Bryant spazzed out on Monday night, so let’s go right back to that well tonight. He crushes lefties and righties about equally.
Nolan Arenado, 3B: $4,900 – Arenado is under $5K at home against a lefty. He will be the chalk play at third base.
Corey Seager, SS: $4,700 – I recommended Seager last week and he was somewhat of a disappointment. This week he has an even better matchup and he’s hitting in homer-friendly Miller Park against fly ball righty Chase Anderson.
Didi Gregorius, SS: $2,900 – Wouldn’t you know it? I recommended Gregorius in this very spot last week as well. Unlike Seager, Gregorius put up a cool 17 points on DraftKings. He faces a tough lefty in Cole Hamels, but he’s batting .375 against southpaws this season. He is excellent salary relief.
Khris Davis, OF: $4,000 – Long known as a lefty killer, Davis has evened things out this year. He is always low owned and Tuesday won’t be any different.
Andrew McCutchen, OF: $3,900 – It’s been a rough season for Cutch, but he’s finally showing signs of life. He faces off against Hisashi Iwakuma, who has a knack for giving up the long ball–and he’s cheap.
Ryan Raburn, OF: $3,600 – This is a Coors exposure play that won’t break the bank. Think of Raburn as a (very) poor man’s Nelson Cruz.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
There is a serious chance of rain in Washington, but otherwise, it looks clear on Tuesday.
Doing Lines In Vegas
Jon Lester and the Cubs are -260 favorites on the road against Cincinnati. The best stacking options outside of Colorado and Toronto include Miami, Baltimore, and Seattle. If you’re looking for something off the cuff, try the Dodgers or Giants.
