Welcome to the MLB Yahoo Cup Hot Corner! This a free-to-enter, single-entry contest consisting of 27 rounds where the top 1,075 overall entries and the top 70 entries per round share $10,000, with $1,000 to first and $50 to first per round. Scoring will be cumulative across all rounds, with your seven lowest scores dropped at the end. You may join this multi-round MLB DFS contest at any point, but enter today to give yourself the best chance to take home the title. Click here to begin the chase!
Let’s focus on three players — one pitcher, one infielder and one outfielder — to be our MLB DFS picks for tonight’s MLB Yahoo Cup contest.
MLB DFS Pitcher: Tyler Mahle — $44
There are a couple solid pitchers to pay up for today, but the preferred cheaper option or second pitcher is Mahle, who is at home facing the Rockies. With Awesemo premium data and tools giving him an 11.6% chance to be a top-two pitcher on this slate, it is surprising to see his projected rostered percentage come in at only 17.3%.
Mahle has had two terrible games where he gave up six and seven runs. However, he has given up two or fewer runs in each of the other 10 starts. So, with a 3.32 ERA and 3.36 FIP, Mahle deserves a bit more respect. However, before that happens, it is worth taking advantage of the savings.
Aside from his impressive individual performance on the mound, the matchup is also sweet. The Rockies rank dead last in the MLB in runs (73), on-base percentage (.274) and OPS (.567) on the road. He is too good of a play for only $44.
MLB DFS Infielder: Anthony Rendon — $13
Rendon hits the road to face off against an Arizona team that gives up more runs than any other team in baseball. On the mound tonight will be Merrill Kelly, which is also a great matchup. Kelly has a 2-6 record this season, giving up a 5.1 ERA, 75 hits, 10 HR and a .391 wOBA on 218 pitches. Over his past two starts, he has surrendered 15 hits and nine earned runs.
Rendon enters this game off of consistent performances. He has hits in six of his last eight games, including four doubles and 11 RBIs. He has hit seven of his eight doubles and 20 of his 25 RBIs this season against right-handed pitchers like Kelly. It should be another solid night for Rendon, and he has the high upside necessary for the given the matchup.
MLB DFS Outfielder: Yordan Alvarez — $18
Alvarez is the top outfielder to pay up for today. To start, look no further than the matchup against Twins righty Matt Shoemaker. It has been a bit more than a struggle for Shoemaker this season, entering today with a 2-7 record and a 7.28 ERA. Shoemaker has given up 59 hits, 11 HR and a .399 wOBA in 176 pitches. During his last start a week ago, he got only one out and gave up six hits and nine runs to the Royals.
Meanwhile, Alvarez has multiple hits in back-to-back games, hitting runs home in both. He has hit five of his home runs against right-handed pitchers. Alvarez has also hit five of his home runs on the road. He is in a good spot today, and an Astros stack is fully in play despite it being a popular one for MLB Yahoo Cup lineups. Awesemo gives the Astros the highest probability (16.7%) to be the top stack of the night.
