An abbreviated slate means high opportunity cost for our MLB fantasy expert plays.

Stephen Strasburg stands alone as the unquestioned top starter tonight. He’s only $18,100 at DraftDay.

It’s a term we can’t seem to shake, but that’s because it’s so vitally important. The opportunity cost of a few MLB fantasy expert plays is high today, and there is one you simply can’t avoid. Small slates such as tonight (five games), tend to be that way. The nice thing for two of our MLB fantasy expert plays is that although they had monster performances their last time out, the prices have not fully adjusted. This means we have a a couple excellent bargains mixed into our favorite picks this evening. Let’s dive in and take a look at our MLB fantasy expert plays.

Five Guys MLB Fantasy Expert Plays

All salaries listed are for DraftDay player pricing.

Stephen Strasburg $18,100 - The unquestioned top dog among the pitching heap this evening, Strasburg has fanned an otherworldly 11.6 batters per nine innings this season. When you add to that an impressive 2.30 ERA at home, you understand why I’m not giving the Reds much of a chance. Their best righty-mashers, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, are both out with injuries to boot.

Howie Kendrick $8,050 - Kendrick has been a surprisingly solid swatter against left-handed pitching since 2011, posting a .299 batting average, .358 wOBA, and .177 ISO. Dallas Keuchel has looked strong this season, but I’m not buying it. I think an Angels lineup stacked against southpaws will be his demise.

Albert Pujols $9,850 - Speaking of a stacked Angels lineup, Pujols broke out of his mini-slump over the weekend bashing two home runs on Sunday. This is a solid price tag for one of the top overall hitters on the night. His .359 wOBA and .273 ISO this season against lefties should have Dallas Keuchel ducking for cover.

Garrett Richards $14,550 - Richards is blossoming into an ace before our very eyes. Of course, it also helps that tonight’s matchup pits him with an Astros squad that has struck out the second most time in the majors this season. That should fit right into his impressive 9.35 strikeout per nine inning ratio.

Alex Gordon $7,650 - Even if Gordon hadn’t exploded yesterday with the biggest game of his career, I would still be featuring him here. The possible start of a hot streak is just a bonus. The Royals take on the worst starting pitcher of the night in Scott Carroll, and you’ll want exposure to their bats. Gordon’s .292 batting average, .358 wOBA, and .172 ISO versus lefties since 2011 makes him my primary target.

The $5K Knuckleball happens tomorrow night at DraftDay. Enter a qualifier for as low as $3.30 now!