With 14 games on Tuesday's main MLB DFS slate, you know tonight's pitcher rankings are full of interesting options. There are only a couple bonafide aces, but there are several other options either pitching like aces or with great matchups. DraftKings and FanDuel pricing is tight at the top, but a few value sleepers can be found if you look hard enough.
Both Justin Verlander (vs. White Sox) and Zack Greinke (@ Padres) are in good spots tonight, with Verlander looking like close to a sure thing for a win based on Vegas odds. Obviously, you can never fully count on a W from a pitcher, but there's a reason Verlander is by far the most expensive SP on both sites tonight. He'll be worth the money if you're willing to pay for him.
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If you want to spend down a bit from Verlander, Caleb Smith (@ Tigers) is always a good option, but it's worth noting Detroit's righty-heavy lineup is a little better against southpaws. Smith has been a high-K monster who's yet to have a truly bad start this year, so we're not too worried about the matchup, but the price could be tough for many to stomach. A solid pivot would be to Smith's mound opponent, Spencer Turnbull (vs. Marlins). Turnbull's advanced numbers indicate his 2.40 ERA is a bit of a mirage, but with over a K per inning and the best possible matchup for any pitcher, he's worth his affordable price tag. On DraftKings, where you play two SPs and wins are only worth four points, it's not crazy to use both Smith and Turnbull, at least in cash games.
Chris Archer (vs. Rockies), Julio Teheran (@ Giants), Marcus Stroman (vs. Red Sox), and Gio Gonzalez (vs. Reds) also offer pretty good value, but there figures to be a lot of strikeouts from the more expensive guys tonight, so dipping too far into the value pool, especially on FanDuel, is risky.
As far as matchup-based fades, Matt Strahm (vs. Diamondbacks) and Zach Eflin (@ Cubs) stand out the most. Obviously, both offer value as contrarian picks in big tournaments, but neither looks great in a cash game on a night like this.
Once again, it's unlikely there will be any weather issues tonight, but fit never hurts to check with the Fantasy Alarm Weather Center closer to lineup lock.
MORE TUESDAY MLB: DFS picks | FD lineup | Betting picks
Today's Daily Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Rankings: Tuesday May 21
| Rank | Pitcher | Team | Opponent | Opp. wRC+ vs. LHP (rank) | Opp. wRC+ vs. RHP (rank) | FD | DK |
| 1 | Justin Verlander | Astros | vs. White Sox | N/A | 95 (T-16th) | $12,000 | $11,300 |
| 2 | Zack Greinke | D-backs | @ Padres | N/A | 82 (T-23rd) | $11,000 | $10,200 |
| 3 | Trevor Bauer | Indians | vs. A's | N/A | 92 (19th) | $10,600 | N/A |
| 4 | Caleb Smith | Marlins | @ Tigers | 104 (T-11th) | N/A | $10,100 | $10,400 |
| 5 | Spencer Turnbull | Tigers | vs. Marlins | N/A | 64 (30th) | $8,600 | $7,800 |
| 6 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | @ Rays | 90 (18th) | N/A | $9,800 | $9,800 |
| 7 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Red Sox | @ Blue Jays | 66 (29th) | N/A | $8,900 | $8,900 |
| 8 | Zack Wheeler | Mets | vs. Nationals | N/A | 82 (T-23rd) | $9,200 | $9,000 |
| 9 | Chris Bassitt | A's | @ Indians | N/A | 77 (T-26th) | $10,400 | N/A |
| 10 | Domingo German | Yankees | @ Orioles | N/A | 84 (21st) | $10,000 | $9,900 |
| 11 | German Marquez | Rockies | @ Pirates | N/A | 92 (20th) | $8,200 | $9,200 |
| 12 | Chris Archer | Pirates | vs. Rockies | N/A | 78 (25th) | $7,100 | $8,000 |
| 13 | Julio Teheran | Braves | @ Giants | N/A | 83 (22nd) | $8,400 | $8,500 |
| 14 | Marcus Stroman | Blue Jays | vs. Red Sox | N/A | 105 (T-11th) | $7,400 | $7,300 |
| 15 | Jose Quintana | Cubs | vs. Phillies | 100 (14th) | N/A | $7,700 | $7,900 |
| 16 | Gio Gonzalez | Brewers | vs. Reds | 87 (20th) | N/A | $7,900 | $7,400 |
| 17 | Sonny Gray | Reds | @ Brewers | N/A | 102 (13th) | $6,700 | $6,700 |
| 18 | Matt Strahm | Padres | vs. D-backs | 124 (3rd) | N/A | $8,100 | $8,400 |
| 19 | Zach Eflin | Phillies | @ Cubs | N/A | 114 (7th) | $9,100 | $9,400 |
| 20 | Jalen Beeks (PLR) | Rays | vs. Dodgers | 113 (T-6th) | N/A | N/A | $7,600 |
| 21 | Tommy Milone | Mariners | @ Rangers | 85 (21st) | N/A | N/A | $5,700 |
| 22 | Lance Lynn | Rangers | vs. Mariners | N/A | 115 (6th) | $8,500 | $6,800 |
| 23 | Homer Bailey | Royals | @ Cardinals | N/A | 107 (10th) | $6,500 | $6,300 |
| 24 | Michael Wacha | Cardinals | vs. Royals | N/A | 100 (14th) | $7,500 | $6,600 |
| 25 | Michael Pineda | Twins | @ Angels | N/A | 118 (2nd) | $7,300 | $6,500 |
| 26 | Erick Fedde | Nationals | @ Mets | N/A | 95 (T-16th) | $6,000 | $7,000 |
| 27 | Shaun Anderson | Giants | vs. Braves | N/A | 105 (T-11th) | $6,400 | $6,900 |
| 28 | Trevor Cahill | Angels | vs. Twins | N/A | 116 (T-3rd) | $5,800 | $6,100 |
| 29 | David Hess | Orioles | vs. Yankees | N/A | 109 (9th) | $6,200 | $5,400 |
| 30 | Dylan Covey | White Sox | @ Astros | N/A | 127 (1st) | $5,500 | $5,800 |
| 31 | Hunter Wood | Rays | vs. Dodgers | N/A | 116 (T-3rd) | $5,500 | $4,000 |
wRC+ is defined by Fangraphs as "[measuring] how a player’s wRC compares with league average after controlling for park effects. League average for position players is 100, and every point above 100 is a percentage point above league average. For example, a 125 wRC+ means a player created 25% more runs than a league average hitter would have in the same number of plate appearances. Similarly, every point below 100 is a percentage point below league average, so a 80 wRC+ means a player created 20% fewer runs than league average." For more on the stat, click here .