This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
While most teams remain on the All-Star break, the Yankees will host the Red Sox in a stand-alone game Thursday. That also leaves us with an opportunity to play the DraftKings Showdown contest, so let's discuss some players to consider for your entries.
Pitchers
Starting for the Red Sox will be Eduardo Rodriguez ($10,800), who finished the first half with a disappointing 5.52 ERA. However, his FIP is much better at 3.64 and he does have a 27.0 percent strikeout rate. He's faced the Yankees twice this season, allowing five runs and recording 15 strikeouts across 11.1 innings. With how the Yankees have underwhelmed on the offensive side of things, and Rodriguez's improved strikeout numbers, he could start off the second half with a valuable stat line.
Expected to take the mound for the Yankees is Jordan Montgomery ($10,400), who has allowed three or fewer runs in eight of his last nine starts. That includes an outing against the Red Sox at Fenway Park in which he allowed three runs and recorded five strikeouts over six innings. He's a riskier option than Rodriguez, though, given that the Red Sox have the fourth-highest OPS in baseball.
Top Targets
Aaron Judge ($9,800) is one of the more appealing options for this contest. Judge has dominated left-handed pitching, posting a .281 ISO and a .412 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers for his career. Also, he's a force to be reckoned with at Yankee Stadium, recording a .319 ISO and a .435 wOBA there during his career.
Another appealing Yankee is Gary Sanchez ($8,800), who has turned things around after a dismal start to the season. Over his last 36 games, he has a .562 slugging percentage thanks to his 10 home runs and seven doubles. He's brought plenty of power to the plate at Yankee Stadium, posting a .271 ISO there for his career.
Shifting over to the Red Sox, both Xander Bogaerts ($9,600) and J.D. Martinez ($9,400) could have productive evenings with Montgomery on the mound. For their careers, they have .375 and .401 wOBAs, respectively, versus left-handed pitchers.
Bargain Bats
One of the more consistent hitters on the Yankees has been Gio Urshela ($6,800) with his .275 batting average and 11 home runs. His 24.8 percent strikeout rate is a bit of a concern, especially when it's combined with his 5.4 percent walk rate that is nearly half the mark that he had last season. The good news is that he was hot heading into the break, logging at least one hit in 10 of his last 11 games.
Hunter Renfroe ($6,200) has cut down his strikeout rate to 21.5 percent, which is more than five percentage points lower than his career mark. It hasn't come at the expense of too much power, either, given his .196 ISO. Add in his career .381 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers and he has the potential to be a bargain.
