This week’s daily fantasy baseball must-start pitchers
Covers.com
Here are the top daily fantasy starting pitchers of the week:
Tuesday - LHP Dallas Keuchel, Astros (at Indians)
Los Angeles Dodgers stud Clayton Kershaw will be a major chalk play here, and with good reason - but if you're looking to save some money and still land a starter with high upside, Keuchel is the option for you. The 2015 Cy Young Award winner is on fire to open the campaign, boasting a 3-0 record with a 0.96 ERA through his first four starts. Opponents are hitting a paltry .168 against him, and that bodes poorly for a Cleveland lineup that is still looking to get untracked. Roll with him in all formats.
Wednesday - LHP James Paxton, Mariners (at Tigers)
Paxton has seen his salary climb steadily from $7,700 at the start of the season to $9,000 for his previous start, when he was tagged for five runs over 4 1/3 innings - the first runs he had allowed all year. Paxton has been mostly sensational so far, limiting foes to eight hits over his first three starts while averaging a strikeout per inning overall. The Detroit lineup is far less dangerous with Miguel Cabrera on the sidelines, making Paxton the top play on a slate full of decent starting pitcher options.
Thursday - RHP Corey Kluber, Indians (vs. Astros)
Kluber saw his price depressed slightly after getting off to a rocky start, but that discount is all but certain to disappear after he went the distance on a three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts last time out against the Chicago White Sox. Houston boasts a much more impressive lineup than the White Sox, and have been surprisingly difficult to strike out this season. But Kluber is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball when he's on, and had a 2.81 home ERA from 2014-16. You can trust him.
Friday - RHP Ian Kennedy, Royals (vs. Twins)
Kennedy is one of the riskier options you'll find in this write-up. He's one of the most homer-prone pitchers in baseball, and has already been on the wrong end of a one-sided loss to the Twins this season (5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 BB). But Kennedy has allowed just three earned runs in three starts since that clunker, with 17 strikeouts in that span and only two home runs allowed. He carries double-digit K upside, and can be had for considerably less than many of the slate's other high-strikeout plays.
Saturday - RHP Max Scherzer, Nationals (vs. Mets)
Only Kershaw carries a higher average price tag - and like Kershaw, you would need a fairly compelling reason to fade Max Scherzer on a given day. There really isn't one for Saturday, where Scherzer will host a Mets team he kept in check in their previous meeting Sunday (8 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 9 K). Scherzer already has 33 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings, making it a whole lot easier to accept the bounty of home runs he allows. Trust him here in all formats no matter how high his salary is.
Sunday - RHP Chris Archer, Rays (at Blue Jays)
There was a time when choosing a starter against the Jays in Toronto was foolhardy - but this isn't the Jays lineup of old, with Josh Donaldson on the DL, Edwin Encarnacion out of town and Jose Bautista struggling mightily. Archer limited Toronto to a pair of runs on five hits over 7 2/3 innings in their previous meeting earlier this month, fanning eight in a no-decision. He carries some risk, but his K upside paired with Toronto's less impressive lineup makes him a solid choice Sunday.