Someway, somehow we are already in May. The Major League Baseball season is continuing to heat up after an exciting first month. So get in on the excitement on this May Day at Draftstreet, and keep an eye on these pitchers who will hopefully bring you some points.
Best Bet
Henderson Alvarez – $10,883
Alvarez is on a pretty good run, with three quality starts in a row. The crown jewel of that stretch was a complete game, two-hit shutout against the Mariners on April 19. That was bookended by two six-inning outings. In one, he allowed three runs and, in the other, two. Even in his first start of the season, which was his worst, he gave up six runs in three innings, but only three of them were earned. His ERA on the season is 2.73. He has a favorable matchup tonight against the Braves. They are on the verge of being swept by the Marlins in their three-game series, and they have scored only four total runs in their last three games.
Double Down
Kris Johnson – $9,393
Johnson gets the nod tonight thanks to his Twins’ doubleheader. Minnesota needed to promote a spot starter from the minors and Johnson got the call. He has not yet pitched at the Major League level this year, but has performed well everywhere he’s pitched. In spring training, he appeared in five games, and threw seven total innings. He allowed just five hits and no runs over the course of the month. When the regular season started, he was with Triple-A Rochester, where he pitched well enough to earn his way to the Bigs. He posted a 2.86 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in four starts and had 20 strikeouts in 22 innings. Hitters also managed just a .217 average against him. Add into the fact that he’s facing a bottom-third offense in the Dodgers, Johnson becomes an intriguing play at this price.
Roll the Dice
Roenis Elias – $7,874
Elias has been very good at times this season, allowing three earned runs or fewer in four of five starts. So he’s not having a problem getting outs, though he does have an issue going too deep into a game. He has only made it into the sixth inning once. Otherwise, he’s been pulled either in or after the fifth. Part of that has to do with his walks. He gives up one every two innings, and that causes his pitch count to go up. Still, for the price, Elias is not a bad play tonight, especially against the Yankees. They’ve scored 10 runs in three games, and their offense is surprisingly stagnant at home. Only Seattle and Baltimore in the American League have scored fewer runs in their home parks than New York. So for this cost, Elias may just be worth the gamble.
