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DraftKings Early MLB Picks September 1: Is Tanaka worth it?

By Mike Marteny

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 27: Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka #19 of the New York Yankees walks off the mound at the end of the fourth inning during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on August 27, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The White Sox defeated the Yankees 6-2. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 27: Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka #19 of the New York Yankees walks off the mound at the end of the fourth inning during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on August 27, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The White Sox defeated the Yankees 6-2. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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DraftKings Early MLB Picks September 1: Is Tanaka worth it?

With College football front and center, MLB only has two afternoon games for the early DraftKings tournament. As you would expect, the pickings are pretty slim. Can we put together a decent lineup here? I don’t know, but we can sure as hell try!

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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. We have plenty of writers on here who give you relevant information no matter which site you play on!

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NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 21: Steven Matz #32 of the New York Mets pitches in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on August 21, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Masahiro Tanaka ($9,700): The Tigers are only hitting .239 in 46 at bats against Tanaka with three homers, but they have eight runs and only 13 strikeouts. That isn’t what we want to see on such a small slate. However, Tanaka is gifted four points since the Tigers are starting Daniel Norris. Does that make you feel better about Tanaka and his price? Yeah, me either.

Middle Tier:

Derek Holland ($7,900): Holland’s career stats against the Mets aren’t particularly flattering, but he did allow just one run to the Mets in five innings in New York earlier this season. Holland has been serviceable for the Giants this year, and that is a ringing endorsement on this slate. He is worth a look against a Mets team that isn’t particularly dangerous anyway, even without the park downgrade.

Steven Matz ($7,500): I usually shy away from Matz, but the Giants are bad and getting worse. The Giants are only hitting .242 in 33 at bats with just one homer and, uh, one run with six strikeouts. There is clear potential here for Matz. There is nothing in this Giants lineup that is scary right now to pitchers of either hand.

Bargain Pitchers:

Daniel Norris ($5,100): I can’t believe that a) I have to mention Norris in an article and b) he is this expensive. Norris is making his first appearance since April 29th…….IN YANKEE STADIUM! As if coming off the freaking DL isn’t hard enough, the Tigers throw him to the wolves, or the Yankees as it would be. There is strikeout upside here, but Norris is a powder keg. There are far more reasons why he wont go five innings than why he will.

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NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 30: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees flips the bat after his third-inning, two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on August 30, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The home run was Stanton’s 300th in the Major Leagues. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

A Yankees stack is obviously the way to go, but how do we afford it and a pitcher not named Daniel Norris? We may be able to sneak Stanton in there, but after that we have to get creative. Read on…I’m not done yet.

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Middle Tier:

A great way to get Yankees exposure with a lefty on the mound is Luke Voit. Voit is hitting very well right now, and is still relatively cheap. Gary Sanchez is supposed to come off the DL today, so he is an option. You can also go with new Yankee Andrew McCutchen, who is supposed to be in the lineup.

Nick Castellanos has taken Tanaka deep twice, but those are his only two hits in 11 at bats.

Evan Longoria has the homer off of Steven Matz. He is the only Giant that I would think about unless you want to take a really cheap flier on….

Bargain Shoppers:

……Gorkys Hernandez. He hits lefties well, and is just $3,300.

Austin Jackson has the only homer off of Derek Holland, but he has only a slightly better chance of hitting it out of AT&T Park than I do. Same with lefty killer Wilmer Flores. He is worth a look, just don’t expect a homer.

Victor Martinez is saying farewell to the Bronx by hitting just about everything. He has a homer off of Tanaka in his career, and he is still only $3,400.

Next. ESPN College Pick Em Picks Week 1. dark

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