Top Tier
Sean Manaea, SP OAK - Manaea has been hit a bit in his last two starts but has a good shot to get back on track here this afternoon as he faces a Rangers lineup that ranks last in wOBA and second to last in batting average against LHP this season.
Sonny Gray, SP CIN - We get Gray on the road today which is where he has an ERA of 3.05 on the season. The matchup against the Phillies is a tough one, especially with how hot Bryce Harper is right now but I am a believer in the split stats and we know Gray, when rolling, can really shut down an offense. GPP only play.
Mid Tier
Drew Smyly, SP ATL - Smyly is coming off a strong outing and has pitched well in three starts against the Nationals this season, posting a 2.76 ERA while striking out 18 over 16.1 innings. The Nats lineup looks much different now than it did then and the Braves are big favorites this afternoon to win. Smyly is my top mid-tier option.
Eric Lauer, SP MIL - The worst thing about Lauer is the pitch count. The Brewers have been limiting him anywhere between 80 and 90 pitches and therefore he has struggled to get into the sixth inning at times. That said, he has been very effective of late and has really pitched well against the Pirates this season, allowing just two runs over 14 innings.
Elieser Hernandez, SP MIA - Hernandez is being activated off the IL to make the start today after striking out 10 in his final rehab start. He has made just two appearances this season but the last one saw him toss five innings of one run baseball while striking out six. The Cubs lineup is not what it once was and Hernandez gets to pitch in his home park which is favorable towards the pitchers.
Value Tier
Nestor Cortes, SP NYY - If looking for a value play today I think Cortes is as good a bet as any of the bunch. He pitched really well out of the Yankees bullpen this season and his two starts since moving into the rotation have also been relatively decent. He gets a White Sox team that has some guys that hit left-handed pitching well but as a team they also boast the ninth highest strikeout rate against lefties this season. There is always risk when it comes to value plays so lets chase the strikeout upside here.