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Today’s already short Thursday slate is further shortened by postponements. Plus, the pitching pickings are a little slim. You may need to pick your poison today on FanDuel: spend big on pitching, or punt pitching and concentrate on hitting. If you fancy the former option, I like (and will thus be starting) Yu Darvish ($9,600) for the match-up versus the Brewers. $9,600 is not a bad price for Streamonator’s current top pitching pick. He was great last time out versus the Royals, going 7.0 innings with only 1 earned run. Today he takes the mound in Milwaukee versus the Brewers, who are 23rd in MLB in batting average.  If you want to focus on hitting today, there are some nice stackable options as the Phillies look to beat up on Tom Eshelman at home.

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The 6 games are strung out throughout the day, from 1:10 to 9:40 ET. The suggestions below are for the All-Day slates on FanDuel.

Stacks of stacks: Some of your more pitcher-unfriendly parks today would be Boston, Philly and Cincinnati, so those are where we’ll look to pick up our hitters. Just bear in mind that FanDuel won’t allow you to have more than 4 players from the same team…! (As I was just reminded, while trying to build my line-up.)

Austin Voth, SP: $7,300 – This is your taking-a-bit-of-a-gamble play. He’s cheap. In his 2 starts this season (10.0 innings each time), he’s come out with an ERA of 1.8. Today he’s facing the Mets in favourable Citi Field, with a good offense behind him. And now, your caveats: he may not get a win, and he may be on a pitch count. But I’m eyeing him because of the price and he lets us stack the big bats, if that’s the way you want to roll.

Rhys Hoskins, 1B: $3,000 – I’m struggling with first base, TBH. Hittertron likes the Phillies’ Rhys Hoskins the very best of all at 1B, and his price is decent, and Baltimore’s Tom Eshelman is not likely to blow anyone out of the water (3.68 ERA, 0.955 WHIP, 1 BB and 3 Ks over 7.1 innings in his last outing versus the Nationals), but Rhys has been cool. So… other 1B options? Maybe Anthony Rizzo ($4,000) as he starts to heat up a little? Rizzo doesn’t love lefties but Brett Anderson is probably going to be no kind of match-up for him. (Man, this paragraph can be described as “lukewarm” at best, right?)

Jason Kipnis, 2B: $3,100 – At this price, Kipnis is worth a look; he’s heating up nicely for the Cubs (.368, 2 HR, 1.349 OPS) and could be worth a go if he plays tonight—if! Bloody platoon players!—for the match-up versus LHP Brett Anderson and his 5.4 ERA.

Michael Brosseau, 2B: $2,600 – Tampa’s 2B makes the top of the Hittertron charts for this position today. He’s another a “grab him if he plays” option—platoons! <shakes fist>—but he’s got impressive numbers against lefties (hello, Kyle Hart of the Red Sox): .400 so far in 2020, .300 in 2019. So there’s a good chance he’ll make it into the lineup tonight.

Jean Segura, 3B: $2,800 – In an eerie echo of 1B, I’m lukewarm about 3B today. There’s Rafael Devers ($3,400), Hittertron’s top 3B of the day, followed by Kris Bryant ($3,800)—who did hit a home run last night but whose numbers are otherwise… meh. Admittedly, Bryant loves lefties like Brett Anderson and would definitely be worth a look if you’re happy to spend in this position. But I think I’d rather save some cash and go for good ol’ Johnny Safe, who’s heating up well, and is another nice option at home in Philly.

Yandy Diaz, 3B: $2,600 – Here’s an alternative for 3B. Hittertron’s #3 of the day is nice and cheap, he gets on base (.371 OBP), and in 2019, he hit .311 versus lefties (why are you mentioning this, VictoriaB, you may ask? I mention this because today he’s facing LHP Kyle Hart).

Didi Gregorius, SS: $3,300 – I was expecting The Gregorius D.I.D.I. to be more expensive than this, to be honest, and I wonder if it’s because there was a little bit of Tom-Tom confusion in FanDuel: Tommy Milone was initially listed instead of Tom Eshelman. But given that the dust has now settled and Tom Eshelman has emerged victorious, and also given Didi’s power against RHP, I’d say “thanks, FanDuel” and run with Didi at this price. Javier Baez ($3,600) could also be an option for his lefty-righty matchup with Brett Anderson. And then there’s Fernando Tatis versus lefty Julio Urias…but at $4,500.

Bryce Harper, OF: $4,300 – This is your luxury play, but likely worth it. He’s so hot lately (well, always… <wipes brow>): .341 AVG, homers in back-to-back games earlier in the week, 1100 OPS. He just may tee off RHP Tom Eshelman.

Jay Bruce, OF: $2,900 – Bruce could make for another cheap layer in your Philly stack, if he plays, versus RHP Eshelman. Alternatively, or additionally, try the even cheaper Andrew McCutchen: $2,400 (!) and Hittertron’s #5 OF for today. Less cheap, but in case you’re running out of room with too many Phillies: you could look to Tampa’s Hunter Renfroe, at $3,600 (fun fact: I just discovered there’s a football player called Hunter Renfrow. Do not try to add him to your FanDuel lineup). This is another lefty-righty matchup in the fine ol’ hitting park that is Fenway.

Shogo Akiyama, OF: $2,400 – A final cheapy for you to round out your OFs (or UTIL). He’s not massively exciting, but I fancy this lefty’s chances against RHP Trevor Williams, at home.

I’m Only Happy When It Rains

…Ah, summer on the east coast. There’s a chance of “possible light” rain for WAS @ NYM and BAL @ PHI. As always, check yer lineups for rain delays, postponements, and God knows what else 2020 is going to throw our way.

Doing Lines In Vegas

Vegas likes Yu Darvish to take the Cubs to a win over the Brewers (-170), and is of the considered opinion that Anthony DeSclafani will beat Trevor Williams (-149).