DraftKings Main MLB Picks June 2: Can Caleb Smith keep this up?

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 05: The 2012 Championship Banner flies next to the American Flag before the San Francisco Giants home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park on April 5, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Main MLB Picks June 2: Can Caleb Smith keep this up?

Our Saturday is split very evenly this week with seven early and eight late games. We will stick to the eight late games here. For the early ones, go here. The pitching is stronger on this slate, so in the all day tournaments you should be able to find better values late, especially in the middle tier. Which ones are worth using? Let’s check some stats!

More from DFS

The only rain chance of the evening is in New York, but those look to be rolling in very late in the game or after the game is done.

The only wind is a 15 mph wind blowing out to right in San Francisco. That’s good news for all of the Philly right handed power.

We will provide you with several options to build your lineup here. Want to spend all your money on pitchers and play bargain bats? We will highlight who is worth the money. Want to punt arms and pay up for the big boppers? We can help you with that as well, and everything in between!

These tips are based mostly on past performance. This is a nice tool for building a lineup, but should not be the only pieces of information you use. Stacking against a bad pitcher is always a good idea!

For you first time players, if you would like a free $10 showdown ticket for MLB or the NBA, use this link for the referral bonus with your first deposit of $5 or more! Then continue reading for tips on how to turn those DraftKings dollars into more!

Next: DraftKings Pitcher Plays

ATLANTA, GA. – MAY 28: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets throws a first inning pitch during game one of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Field on May 28, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. MLB players across the league are wearing special uniforms to commemorate Memorial Day. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Jacob deGrom ($11,500): There is risk against the Cubs, but they are only hitting .212 against deGrom in 66 at bats, but they do have four homers. The 18 strikeouts mitigate the damage. As much as I like Verlander, I think this could be a game where he struggles. deGrom is the best top option by default. That’s not to say he wont put up good numbers. Just don’t expect a 40 point outburst. 25 is more likely.

Zack Greinke ($10,700): Greinke’s price is overinflated here because the Marlins have not lied down against him. The Fish are hitting .310 with three homers and eight runs in just 58 at bats against Greinke. So why use him? His staggering splits, that’s why. Greinke’s poor season numbers are skewed by his awful 6.14 road ERA. Greinke’s home mark is 1.69 in six starts. There is serious potential even thought the Marlins have hit him well in the past.

Vince Velasquez ($9,400): Pivetta was a DFS darling last night until the game started. The Giants did well against him. Velasquez has held the Giants to a .206 average in 34 at bats with one homer, three runs, and 13 strikeouts. I still think that the Giants’ offense is weak, but the price on Velasquez is off-putting. After all, the guy has has a below average 4.08 ERA, but it does shrink to 3.06 on the road. I have a feeling that Pivetta’s performance last night is going to keep ownership down on Velasquez, but maybe it shouldn’t.

Middle Tier:

Caleb Smith ($9,000): Smith’s elite strikeout numbers keep his price up there, but the fact remains that only the Dodgers and Yankees have score more than three runs off of him. His offense doesn’t do much to help him, but with Smith’s strikeout potential, he is always worth a look. Arizona’s offense is waking up, but they aren’t as good against lefties at you would think. Both Lamb and Peralta are essentially neutered with a lefty on the mound. My only pause is that Smith doesn’t really go deep into games. That limits his upside some.

Chris Archer ($8,500): Archer is a bit of an enigma here. His 4.29 ERA on the season belies the talent that is here. The strikeout totals remain high for Archer, so you have to think that Archer will get his numbers down. He does own a 3.38 ERA in two career starts at Safeco. The Mariners are hitting just .212 against Archer with a homer and four runs in 66 at bats with a staggering 23 strikeouts. Archer may go overlooked, but this matchup looks right tonight.

Garrett Richards ($7,100): I’ll be happy to roll with Richards so long as he promises to walk Beltre every time. If you take Beltre’s stats out, the Rangers are just 12-68 with one homer, six RBI, and 19 strikeouts. There is solid potential for Richards here, but he needs to limit the walks to really get us bang for our buck.

Bargain Pitchers:

Walker Buehler ($6,400): There is risk using Buehler in his first career Coors Field start, but Buehler dominated the Rockies at sea level ten days ago. There is solid potential here for a low price. Coors is unkind to pitchers, but Buehler is talented enough to buck that trend a bit. He isn’t going to pitch a shutout, but I do expect a quality start out of Buehler tonight despite the venue.

Cole Hamels ($6,200): Ownership on Hamels is going to be very low considering the opponent and the fact that the Royals thumped him last week. That said, Hamels has a 2.54 ERA in five road starts this year. The long ball continues to plague Hamels, but mostly at home. The Angels are only hitting .235 off of Hamels, but they have nine homers and 27 runs in 277 at bats. It’s tough to use a lefty against the Angels, but Hamels sill has pretty solid potential for the price. He could also ruin your lineup by himself.

Marco Gonzales ($6,000): I’m not sure why Gonzales is still this cheap. Gonzales is on a roll right now, picking up 51.6 DraftKings points in his last two starts. There is a load of potential against this anemic Rays offense in a pitcher’s park. Gonzales is one of my favorite per dollar picks on this slate.

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 25: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Justin Turner #10 and Chris Taylor #3 after Kemp hit a 3-run home run in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on May 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

New York Mets vs. Mike Montgomery:

Montgomery has been a disaster in whatever role the Cubs have carved out for him this year. Brandon Nimmo is on fire. Any stack should start with him. Wilmer Flores and Amed Rosario provide great options on the cheap. Mesoraco and Asdrubal Cabrera round out my Mets stack.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. German Marquez:

Marquez is a disaster at home. The Dodgers went off on this staff last night. There are tons of reasons to love this stack, but number one is Matt Kemp. Kemp is hitting everything right now. Max Muncy, Puig, and Justin Turner have all homered off of Marquez so far. Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger would fit nicely in this stack as well. The Dodgers are expensive, but likely worth it.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Eric Lauer:

The Reds offense is firing right now, and Lauer has been a disaster. Suarez and Adam Duvall are the top plays here against the lefty Lauer. Peraza and Billy Hamilton are worth a look as well. You can even roll Gennett and Joey Votto out there since I doubt Lauer lasts five innings. There is potential for all of the Reds tonight.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Andrew Suarez:

This is not a great hitter’s park, but with a lefty on the mound and the wind blowing out to right, you can’t ignore the potential here. Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez have the most potential. I do like Alfaro and Carlos Santana as well. Rookie Dylan Cozens doesn’t hold the platoon advantage, but the Phillies are going to put him out there and Cozens should get at least one at bat off the bullpen.

Next: Other Notes for 6-2

HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 01: Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros hits a home run in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park on June 1, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

David Price will get plenty of strikeouts, but I can’t trust him against this offense with the way he has pitched this year. Springer, the red-hot Carlos Correa, and Jake Marisnick have all homered against Price. Jose Altuve is 7-19 against Price, but has no counting stats.

I was hoping to get a bit of a discount on Kris Bryant opposing deGrom, but Bryant is 3-7 with two homers and three RBI off of deGrom. Addison Russell and Anthony Rizzo have the other homers against deGrom.

Paul Goldschmidt is about the only Arizona player that I trust enough to roll out there against Caleb Smith. John Ryan Murphy is worth a look if he starts again as well.

Both Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra have homered against Walker Buehler.

More from FanSided

Middle Tier:

Common sense would say that a 35 year old Justin Verlander can’t keep up a 1.11 ERA. Some correction is coming, and it could happen against a Boston team that has done pretty well against him. Mitch Moreland is 10-29(.345) will six RBI against Verlander, but I wouldn’t trust anyone else enough to use them.

There is plenty to like and dislike about Matt Harvey, so my answer is to avoid the situation. Well, kind of. I still think Eric Hosmer is too cheap and I really like Pirela leading off.

Nelson Cruz is the only Mariner to homer off of Chris Archer. I don’t like the stack potential here, but Cruz is worth a look.

Justin Upton has three solo homers off of Cole Hamels. Pujols is only 11-48(.229) against Hamels, but he has three homers and 11 RBI. Kinsler, Jefry Marte, and Chris Young have homered off of Hamels as well with Kinsler being the favorite of those three. Young is intriguing for just $2,400.

Bargain Shoppers:

Adrian Beltre is 14-45(.311) with three homers and nine RBI against Garrett Richards so far. Joey Gallo is the only other one to homer off of Richards to date.

If you don’t trust Greinke, the Marlins are cheap and have hit him well. Starlin Castro, Justin Bour, and Cameron Maybin have all homered off of Greinke before, and this is a hitter’s park.

Next: Early DraftKings MLB Picks

We promised some big news in June for Fantasy CPR, right? Well here it is! We are now looking for PAID writers to join our team to write about fantasy sports. Seasonal or DFS, any sport you want – get your voice heard and get paid for talking fantasy sports. Apply today HERE!