Matinee baseball is back with a full schedule of mostly afternoon MLB starts. So take a few minutes this morning to get your daily fantasy baseball league lineup set over at Draftstreet. And here are a few good low-cost options for you to keep an eye on.
Best Bet
Ricky Nolasco – $12,111
It’s been the tale of two seasons for Nolasco this year — his first month and second month. He made five starts through the end of April, putting up a 6.67 ERA. He also gave up fewer than five runs just once. But he got an extended layoff between his fifth and sixth starts and that seemed to help. Since the calendar changed to May, he has started three times and has turned in a quality effort in each one, even going the distance once. His strikeout totals have also gone up. Prior to May, Nolasco topped out at four strikeouts in a games. This month, he has managed at least six strikeouts each time, and set a new season high of nine at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Tonight he’ll face the struggling Mariners, who have lost four in a few in a row, and are hitting a very low .236 in the last week.
Double Down
Zack Wheeler – $13,229
The Mets’ potential future ace has had some growing pains this year, but that is to be expected for a soon-to-be 24-year-old. He is 1-3 on the year with a 4.53 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Those aren’t the most encouraging numbers. As of recently, though, Wheeler has shown some flashes of brilliance. In three of his last five starts, he has gone six innings while allowing three runs or fewer and picking up at least six strikeouts. He did hit double digits with 10 K’s in a game against the Marlins late last month. Tonight, he will face the Nationals, who are having trouble offensively. Over the course of the last week, they are hitting only .216 and have scored just 21 runs. Also working for Wheeler is the fact that he already has pitched well against the Nats this season, giving up three runs on seven hits in six innings in his first start of the year on April 3.
Roll the Dice
Jaime Garcia – $13,111
Garcia is actually making his 2014 season debut, one year after undergoing shoulder surgery. He threw 55.1 innings last year before a partially torn labrum ended his season. So now he’s finally back and ready to find a home in your daily fantasy lineup. In his career, which spans mainly from 2010-2013, he is 39-25 with a 3.45 ERA, and 437 strikeouts over 551 innings. And, as a pitcher with an ability to pick up strikeouts, his first game back couldn’t have come against a much better opponent. The Braves have several players who can go down at the plate, and Atlanta’s overall offense hasn’t been any better. They are hitting a dismal .216 in the last week, and have scored just 23 runs. If there is one thing to keep in mind, it is his pitch count. He deserves a spot on your team, but could be kept to around 90 pitchers.
