DFS Hitting Stacks for 5/8 – Brews and Miller Time

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Researchingfor your DFS entries could be a daunting task with all 30 teams in actiontoday. Let us help ease your mind with two teams to stack for the early action andthree for the main slate.  

Early Slate

Milwaukee Brewers

By just about any measure that exists, the Nationals’ Jeremy Hellickson is having a difficult season. The Washington starter has a 5.33 ERA as well as a 4.86 SIERA. He also has a below league average 18.3% K%. So, stacking with the Brewers at home makes plenty of sense here. As a team, Milwaukee owns a .214 ISO, while hitting 42 home runs in their home ballpark.

You will want to build your stack around the lefties in the Brewers’ lineup. Hellickson has allowed 2.7 HR/9 and a .427 wOBA to left-handed batters, while accumulating a 6.01 xFIP against them in 2019. This plays to Milwaukee’s strengths, as they have 30 home runs, most in MLB, in lefty versus righty matchups. The Brewers also own a .861 OPS (third-highest) and a .240 ISO (third-highest) in such situation.

Of course, the Brewers’ stack will start with Christian Yelich (FanDuel: $5,000, DraftKings: $5,800). The reigning MVP has a .450 ISO and a .511 wOBA versus right-handed pitching this season. Mike Moustakas has a .300 ISO and a .392 wOBA against righties, so he is a great option to pair with Yelich, especially on FanDuel where he is priced at just $3,400. Eric Thames is also in play on FanDuel with a .217 ISO against righties and a cheap $2,800 price tag. If you are looking to dig deep, although they are right-handed bats, Ryan Braun and Lorenzo Cain are both options for Wednesday. Both outfielders are 5 for 14 against Hellickson in his career.  Braun is especially appealing at his reduced-price tag of $3,000 on FanDuel.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh offense is not one that usually is stackable but today they get the call, as they face the Rangers’ Shelby Miller. The Texas starter is the worst pitcher on the slate today and it’s not even close. He has a 7.99 ERA, 7.14 SIERA and a 7.59 xFIP. Miller also has a slate low 10.8% K Rate and is allowing a 47.1% hard contact rate. To make this an even easier call, Miller is throwing a fastball on 72% of his pitches this season.

When constructing your Pittsburgh stack, focus on Josh Bell (FanDuel: $3,900, DraftKings: $5,000). The first baseman has a .383 ISO and a 168 wRC+ versus right-handed pitching. If going for a two-man stack, Bryan Reynolds should be the next man up. Not only is Reynolds cheap, $2,700 on FanDuel and $3,700 on DraftKings, but he also has a .375 batting average and a 1.048 OPS against right-handed pitching and a .267 ISO against the fastball in 2019.

If looking to go three or four deep on your Pirates’ stack, Melky Cabrera (.464 batting average), Gregory Polanco (.400 batting average) and Colin Moran (.222 ISO) all have been successful against the fastball this season.

Main Slate

Colorado Rockies

Every timethe Giants send Derek Holland out to the mound, the DFS community should belooking to stack against him. The southpaw is basically everything you shouldlook for when searching for a pitcher to target against. Holland is a flyballpitcher with a 44.4% flyball rate. He is also getting hit hard with a 41.6%hard contact rate. The flyballs and hard contact have led to home runs as theSan Francisco starter is allowing 1.97 HR/9.

And now weget him in Coors Field, so of course, we want to get some Rockies in our DFSlineups for Wednesday. Holland has struggled in his time in the thin Coloradoair. In his career he is allowing a .385/.442/.667 slash line at Coors.

The Rockies’stack needs to start with Nolan Arenado. He is expensive at $5,500 onDraftKings and $4,900 on FanDuel but he’s worth every bit of the price. Thethird baseman has a .270 ISO versus left-handed-handed pitching in 2019. Itcertainly doesn’t hurt Arenado’s chances that Holland is also allowing 2.42HR/9 to righty bats in 2019. The Colorado slugger also has a pretty goodhistory against Holland. Arenado has four hits, two of which were home runs, in10 at-bats as well as five walks against Holland in his career.

AfterArenado, your next best Rockies’ bat is Trevor Story. Not only does Story crushlefties with a .234 ISO, he also enjoys facing flyball pitchers. He has a.364/.453/.750 slash line against such pitchers in 2019. Story is also 6-for-13in his career versus Holland.

But wait, there is more. Raimel Tapia, David Dahl, Charlie Blackmon and Daniel Murphy all have .200+ ISOs against left-handed pitching this season. So, look to cram in as many Rockies’ bats in your DFS lineup as you possible can.

Boston Red Sox

The Orioles’Andrew Cashner is another prime candidate for stacking against. His 4.93 SIERAis fourth-highest on the slate and is backed by his 4.94 xFIP on the season.Casher also is allowing a 46.1% hard contact rate in 2019.

As you look to stack Boston’s bat, look to start with the right-handed hitters. While Cashner has struggled against batters from both sides of the plate, he is worst against righties. He is allowing a .382wOBA and 2.7 HR/9 to right-handed batters.

So,naturally you will want to build your Red Sox’s stack around Mookie Betts(FanDuel: $4,300, DraftKings: $5,400). The Boston outfielder has a 1.040 OPSand a .434 wOBA versus right-handed pitching. He also has a .348 battingaverage against groundball pitchers, which Andrew Cashner is. Another rightystick to pair with Betts would Michael Chavis. The infielder has a .341 battingaverage and 196 wRC+ against righties this season. He also has a 1.455 OPSversus groundball pitchers.

Mitch Moreland(.357 ISO vs. R), Andrew Benintendi (1.108 OPS vs. groundball pitchers) and J.D.Martinez (.360 batting average vs. groundball pitchers) are all fine stackingoptions as well.

Houston Astros

With theRoyals throwing a right-handed pitcher, the Astros stack has to get a look.Houston has excelled against righties all season long. They have 49 home runs(third most), .273 average (second highest), .214 ISO (third highest), .352wOBA (second highest) and a 125 wRC+ (most) versus righties this season.

You can build your stack from either side of the plate. Kansas City’s Jorge Lopez has allowed a .407 wOBA and 2.76 HR/9 to lefties this season. Michael Brantley (FanDuel: $4,100, DraftKings: $5,100) and Josh Reddick (FanDuel: $3,000, DraftKings: $4,000) are great building blocks as both have wOBA over .360 against right-handed pitching.

If youprefer the Houston righties, no one will blame you. Lopez is allowing a 41.4%hard contact rate to right-handed bats this season. Feel free to load up onAlex Bregman, George Springer, and Carlos Correa. All three Houston stars haveISO’s above .282 against right-handed pitching. If you want to get a bitdifferent, consider Robinson Chirinos. Not only is he cheaper than the otherAstros right-handed bats (FanDuel: $3,100, DraftKings: $4,200) but he also ownsa .273 ISO against righties in 2019.

Good luckand happy stacking!