DFS Picks:
Kris Bryant (3B-CHC) - Kris Bryant didn't hit any home runs on Saturday, but he did reach base five times. Bryant displayed veteran level maturity by walking three times in six plate appearances. In each of those at bats, Bryant fell behind in the count before working a walk. His best at bat came in the first inning. Immediately after chasing two sliders and falling behind 0-2, Bryant made the proper adjustments and laid off two more identical slides. Eventually, he drew a walk. From that point on, he didn't chase a single Tyson Ross slider. Bryant went on to tally two hits, including an RBI single for his first major league hit. Now that he's done facing the Padre aces, Bryant is a top DFS pick for Sunday. FanDuel Price: $3,500
Andrew Cashner (SP-SDP) - Andrew Cashner is off to a slow start, but his matchup against the Cubs could lead to a big fantasy day. Despite being in second place, the Cubs only have a .222 team batting average. Meanwhile, Andrew Cashner has a 12.27 K/9. To get a win on Sunday, Cashner will have to beat the slumping, yet dangerous Jon Lester. From a DFS perspective, even if Cashner loses, his performance should be sufficient. Regardless, I would only pick him on Fanduel. His 1.73 WHIP is harmless on Fanduel, but could be troublesome on DraftKings. FanDuel Price $8,400
Gerrit Cole (SP-PIT) - Gerit Cole looks like he could take on anyone after beating the undefeated Tigers on Monday. Cole held the fifth highest scoring team in the MLB to one earned run on three hits. His eight K's were an added plus. On Sunday, Cole will be taking on Milwaukee. In his career against the Brewers, Cole has a 3.27 ERA in 33 innings. His .293 BAA is high, but shouldn't be a problem since the Brewers have a team batting average of .225. Cole is a synch to get a win against the scuffling Matt Garza. He may be a little pricy is DFS leagues, but sometimes it's good to spend the extra cash to get the sure thing. FanDuel Price: $9,000
Waive Wire Pick Ups:
Kyle Hendricks (SP-CHC) - Kyle Hendricks getting a no decision for his start against the Padres was just plain unfair. After serving up a two run home run to Matt Kemp in the first inning, Hendricks went on to throw 5.2 scoreless innings of one hit baseball. In the six innings he pitched, Hendricks walked zero and struck out eight on 81 pitches. He made hitters look absolutely foolish. I've never seen so many check swings at an 88 MPH fastball. Despite his fastball velocity, Hendricks is the real deal. Don't be fooled by his 6.10 ERA; Hendricks had the misfortune of making his first start of the season against the surging Rockies in Colorado. Moving forward, Hendricks has the potential to be a terrific DFS starter, and an even better waiver wire pick up.
Carlos Martinez - (SP-STL) - Carlos Martinez beat the Reds to record his first win of the season. After allowing only one earned run in six innings, Martinez's ERA is down to 2.08. It appears as if he is finally starting to put things together. Last season, he failed to exceed six innings in each of his seven starts. If he can keep his pitch count down, he'll break this streak very soon. The main problem for Martinez is his lack of control. In 13 innings he's allowed six walks, which makes his 0.92 WHIP hard to believe. However, he's also only allowed seven hits all season. Talent clearly isn't the issue in Martinez's case. If he can keep throw strikes and keep his walk total down, he'll definitely be an asset to your fantasy team.
A.J. Pierzynski (C-ATL) - A.J. Pierzynski hit his third home run in 20 at bats on Saturday. Normally, Pierzynski is the back up to Christian Bethancourt, but his recent hot streak should get him in the lineup more often. Pierzynski now has three home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored on the season. His batting average sits at .300 and he has a 0.50 BB:K ratio. Catchers who can consistently hit well are in short supply these days, making Pierzynski a must have.
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Time Frame: Season
