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MLB DFS Pitching Primer: Wednesday, July 3 – Buehler Bounces Back

By Dan Palyo

DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 27: Starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 27, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 27: Starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 27, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy pitches in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/TNS via Getty Images)
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy pitches in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/TNS via Getty Images) /

MLB DFS Pitching Primer: Cheap Arm/SP2

Danny Duffy (7k FD, 7.1k DK) vs. Cleveland

I’m jumping all the way down to the mid-tier for my next three picks, and if you’re not paying up for Sale or Buehler, then you’re probably going to want to land here since there aren’t very many attractive cheap options on this slate.

Danny Duffy has been…a good pitcher this season? Even as I type those words my brain doesn’t fully believe what I am telling my fingers to type. The reality here is Duffy has been a serviceable pitcher for Kansas City (there, that word feels better) and better than most people probably thought he would be at this point in his career.

I wouldn’t say he’s reinvented himself, but he has definitely learned how to get the most of what velocity he has left by throwing more off speed pitches and working the corners with his fastball. We’ve seen a number of guys be successful this year by doing this (Mike Minor comes to mind first) and Duffy fits that mold to a lesser extent.

The match-up is really what I am targeting here as the Indians have been pretty bad against left-handed pitching this season. They rank 22nd in ISO and 25th in wOBA this season against lefties and this is a spot I’ve been successful in attacking before. We aren’t looking for anything more than 6 innings and 5-6 strikeouts here from Duffy and chance at a quality start and a win.