DFS Picks:
Nathan Karns (SP-TB) - Nathan Karns is an extremely cheap DFS pickup for Sunday. Karns comes in at a low price due to his inexperience at the major league level, and his poor performance on Tuesday. He may seem like a dangerous pick, but a few things stand out about his Sunday matchup against Miami. Five games into the season, the Marlins have only averaged 2.6 runs per game. Additionally, Karns' 10.31 K/9 in the minors suggests that he'll have no problem striking batters out. Lastly, Karns will benefit from pitching in the massive Marlin Park. He tends to be a groundball pitcher, but if he makes a mistake it probably won't leave the yard. Value Pick DraftKings Salary: $5700
Kevin Kiermaier (RF-TB) - Facing Henderson Alvarez is a challenge for any hitter, but I trust Kevin Kiermaier. In 2014, his rookie season, Kiermaier hit .280 against righties. This may not seem like much, but 31 of his 72 hits were for extra bases. Any guy with a 0.43 XBH/H ratio is dangerous. Another thing I like about Kiermaier is his speed. In the minor leagues, Kiermaier stole 20 or more bases twice in five seasons. Each of the seasons he failed to reach 20 stolen bases, he played in fewer than 100 games. On Friday night, Kiermaier led off and swatted his second home run of the season. If he continues to bat leadoff, not only will he be a DFS must have, but he'll also be a valuable commodity in conventional fantasy leagues. DraftKings Salary: $4400
Studs of the Day:
Chris Archer (SP-TB) - Chris Archer put up an All-Star performance against the Marlins on Saturday. His one hit, no runs and one walk over seven innings lowered his ERA to 2.13 on the season. Dating back to 2014, Archer was unstoppable on the road. His 2.78 ERA and 1.20 WHIP were accompanied by 93 Ks in 107 innings. I'm slightly concerned about his 4.76 ERA at home last season, but after this outing, who knows what Archer is capable of.
Ubaldo Jimenez (SP-BAL) - The true star of the Orioles game Saturday night was Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez earned a win after throwing seven shut out innings with eight strikeouts. Like Chris Archer, Jimenez only allowed one hit and one walk. This was probably his best start as an Oriole. Coming off a 2014 campaign where his ERA was 4.81 and his BB/9 was 5.53, Jimenez will have a lot to prove. Since his ERA at Camden Yards over the last three seasons is 5.32, I'm not sure if Jimenez was lucky on Saturday, or if something clicked. Regardless, Orioles fans finally had something to cheer about.
Dud of the Day:
Aaron Sanchez (SP-TOR) - Aaron Sanchez's first major league start was one to forget. Two of the first three hitters Sanchez faced hit home runs. After a scoreless second inning, I thought Sanchez might settle down, but I was wrong. He finished with a pitching line of 3.1IP 7H 3ER 2BB and 1K. Things could've been much worse, but in the end I think this was a sign that Sanchez belongs in the bullpen. Sanchez's ERA as a starter in spring training was 5.16 in 22.2 innings. Comparatively, Sanchez's ERA out of the bullpen last year was 1.09. With the Blue Jays clearly struggling to hold it together in the bullpen, Sanchez could be a great solution. However, if he remains a starter, Sanchez has little to no fantasy value.
Must Add:
Mark Canha (1B/LF-OAK) → Mark Canha is a big bat that needs to be on your team. Production is hard to come by in Oakland, but Canha might have the pop to spark the offense. In Canha's first major league game, he missed a grand slam by inches. Instead, he had to settle for a three run double. Canha's six home runs and 13 RBIs in spring training highlighted his ability to hit for power. This was over the course of 74 at bats. Already, Canha has six RBIs through 20 at bats. His knack with the bat has kept him in lineup despite heavy competition for a spot in the outfield. In the upcoming weeks Canha won't have any problem staying in the order, so grab him now or you'll lose a big bat.
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Time Frame: Season
