The following Spotlight Stacks were selected by Awesemo.com writer Jake Hari. For more analysis on the slate, check out the MLB Strategy Video and Night Shift Podcast.
CHC (vs. SFG)
The Cubs have one of the highest totals on the night at 5.7, but they may not even be one of the 2 highest-owned stacks of the night with Rockies and Yankees also having monster totals. Giants pitcher Chris Stratton has been allowing some of the most hard-hits in the MLB this year specifically against right-handed bats, where he’s is allowing 50% hard-contact and a 92.5 MPH Average Exit Velocity. Lefties aren’t teeing off on him at quite the same rate, but he is still allowing near 40% hard-contact and has a 5.17 xFIP against them with only a 13.7% K-rate. Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras are my favorite Cubs bats here, but the full stack is certainly in play when you can fill it in with guys like Anthony Rizzo, Javy Baez, and Kyle Schwarber in 80 degree weather in Chicago.
COL (vs. CIN)
The Rockies at home will always get some attention, and it’s hard to leave them out of the top-3 stacks tonight against Tyler Mahle. Mahle throws nearly 70% fastballs which is always a risky proposition in Coors Field, and his fastball velocity has been on a steady decline since May 10, dropping almost 2 MPH in each of his last 2 starts. He’s been getting blasted by lefties this year to the tune of a 93 MPH Average Exit Velocity. Now you add in the possibility of him to pitching through an injury in the best hitting environment in the MLB, and the Rockies instantly become a great stack. They’ll be chalky because of the modest prices for Dahl, Parra, and Desmond on DK, but I love any combination of 1-6.
LAA (@NYY)
Despite a solid start in his last outing against the Royals, Sonny Gray still has some alarming numbers that make me want to stack against him. Gray hasn’t been able to strike out righties (16.5% K-rate), posting a 1.61 WHIP and 4.2 BB/9 with 91.7 MPH Average Exit Velocity against RHH on the year. The Angels are righty-heavy and strike out under 20% of the time against RHP with the 4th-highest wRC+ against them this season. Gray will likely get some ownership in GPPs because of his deflated price tag, but I’ll gladly take the Angels righty bats (Trout, Ohtani, Upton, Simmons, Kinsler) at low ownership against a pitcher who has had a tough time against either handedness this season.
