Arizona
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After an offensive battle last night, Arizona checks in with the highest projected run total of the slate once again tonight. The D-Backs have scored 13 runs in back to back games now, and face Dillon Peters tonight, another left handed pitcher, but has only four starts under his belt as a September call up. Peters started strong with quality starts in two of his first three, but was rocked for eight runs over 3.2 innings to the Brewers in his last start. Diamondbacks hitters have an OPS of .839 at home this season (Rank: 2nd of 30 in MLB). While Peters has allowed just one long ball over his first 21.2 innings, Arizona has hit eight home runs over their last two games. With pitching wide open after Strasburg tonight, paying up the the Arizona bats is possible tonight. As seen over the week, there are plenty of cheap hitting options from the expanded rosters that can support your Arizona stack. Plus, on FD, Iannetta remains a bargain.
Top Options: J.D. Martinez, Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock, Chris Iannetta.
Bonus Stack: Dodgers
While Washington won’t roll with their “B” team again tonight, the Dodgers amy take that roll tonight. They clinched the division last night, and should provide a rest day for their starters. Yes, they face Bumgarner, but they could work for a cheap value option or two in order to stack the D-Backs.
Atlanta
The Braves face Henderson Alvarez from the Phillies tonight, who made his first start and appearance in over two years. He allowed two homers, and four earned runs over five innings vs Oakland. The long balls aren’t always there for the Braves, but they do have a .364 OBP with RISP, second best in baseball. The Braves also provide cheap price tags tonight. Freddie Freeman is the only Brave player over the $4K mark on DK, which will really help you if looking to pay up for pitching, as well as some other large bats. As a bonus, I’m not against the low ownership idea of full stacking this game, as the Phillies don’t have high price tags either facing Julio Teheran, who is 1-2, with a 7.71 ERA over three starts vs them this season.
Top Options: Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Tyler Flowers or Kurt Suzuki, Nick Markakis.
Player News
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.
José Soriano allowed three runs over five innings while not factoring in the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays.
Soriano left with a 4-3 lead, but it was erased quickly after his departure. The 26-year-old was not exactly dominant in his outing with eight hits allowed and four free passes, but he did strike out six to help balance things out a smidgen. Soriano takes an even ERA of 4.00 into a scheduled start against the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. There should be better options for that one.