Drafting a relief pitcher can have its advantages but drafting three starting pitchers is almost always the preferred way to go when building a DraftStreet lineup. The only way to do that without destroying your bankroll is to select value pitchers that are likely to outperform their cost.
Let’s take a look at a few pitchers that have a good shot to do just that for Monday’s DraftStreet slate.
Dallas Keuchel vs SEA ($11,920): Keuchel has looked solid over his last two starts, giving up just three runs over 13 innings while striking out 11 and walking just three. Last season against the Mariners, Keuchel posted a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts to four walks over 15 innings. Seattle may look different this year but they still rank 23rd in the Majors in runs scored so this is a good matchup all around.
Mike Leake vs PIT ($13,964): Leake has gone into the seventh inning in each of his first three starts and has posted a 1.84 ERA and 11 strikeouts to two walks over his last two games. Leake allowed just three runs, six baserunners, and struck out eight in his first start against the Bucs this season. Last season, he allowed just four runs over 18.2 innings over his last three starts against the Pirates who largely look the same this season. This should be a strong game for Leake.
Jenrry Mejia vs STL ($15,093): Mejia has looked strong thus far, posting a 2.81 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 16 innings. That’s no surprise since he posted a similar 2.30 ERA with 27 strikeouts over five starts last season. Mejia can be a fantasy phenom if he can just stay healthy, luckily daily fantasy baseball players don’t have to worry about his long-term health the way full-season players do.
11 AM Special: Clay Buchholz vs BAL ($16,883): The Sox and the Orioles are playing at 11 am today, after playing the night game on Sunday. That itself gives Buchholz an advantage over the hitters since he will be the freshest player on the field. Buchholz has given up just four earned runs while striking out 12 batters over his last 12 innings and posted a 1.93 ERA with 12 strikeouts in two starts against the Orioles last season. If you’re playing the 11 am slate on DraftStreet, don’t miss out on Buchholz against the 21st ranked offense in the Majors in any of your lineups.
