MLB Pitching Pulse 8-18-17

By: Jason Guilbault, Updated August 18, 2017

Each day of the MLB season will bring us some major price differences among starting pitchers on all sites. These price discrepancies and the site's roster differences can alter the way we use pitchers on each site, as well as how the field of opponents will use them. Listed below are five of today's top pitchers, each with their salary listed as well as the cafe value that takes into account both the total salary cap on the site and points-per-dollar. We've also provided some betting info for you reference. The higher the cafe value, the better the points-per-dollar play is.

Max Scherzer

It is Friday and we are loaded up with pitching on tonight's 14-game slate. Pitching comes in bunches these days, after having Nola, Samardzija, and Severino yesterday. Tomorrow is Sale, Greinke, and Strasburg. That means early next week we will be back to having nothing on the hill. So cherish it, soak in the beauty of having options on this beautiful Friday slate. Max Scherzer gets a dream matchup against San Diego, a team he struck out 13 against back in May. He was an out away from a complete game as well. The only issue is the price tag. He is super expensive, but deserves to be. He has a 35.7% strikeout rate and 15.9% swinging strike rate, both rank second to Corey Kluber on the slate. You will find Scherzer top five in most pitching statistics this season, and you will find the Padres bottom five in most hitting statistics. I won't lie and say they have been bad of late, because they've actually been better than most offenses over the last few weeks, but that doesn't change anything. They have the second highest K% against right-handed pitching (25.3%), and have the third lowest hard-contact rate (29.8%). Scherzer is a top tier option, even at his outrageous price tags. With the other options at a discount, you can certainly make the case for fading. He isn't a must play, but Scherzer brings the highest floor and ceiling to the table.