MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/22/2019

We have plenty of options to wade through Monday with all 10 games in the majors being played at night. Let’s not waste any time and get right down to business by examing some players who stand out as having the potential to be productive. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our MLB Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

STARTING PITCHERS

Zack Godley vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,900

Despite his struggles, Chris Sale has the chance to put up a juicy stat line Monday for his favorable matchup against a bad Tigers lineup. However, rain could be a factor in that game, so let’s focus on a couple of cheaper options to consider. Like Sale, Godley isn’t exactly off to a great start with a 5.06 xFIP and a 1.39 WHIP. However, he’ll be facing a decimated Pirates lineup that has scored the fourth-fewest runs (68) in the league. There is plenty of upside here.

Yonny Chirinos vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $7,400

Chirinos has been used as both a starter and a reliever for the Rays, but he normally throws multiple innings in either role. He’s thrown at least 67 pitchers in three of his four appearances, so he should be able to go deep enough into this game Monday to be able to qualify for a win. He’s only allowed one run to go along with 11 strikeouts across 12 innings in his two starts and has a great opportunity to provide value against a Royals team that hasn’t been as effective on the road (.687 OPS) as they have been at home (.780) this season. They had the same problem last year with a .671 OPS on the road and a .723 OPS at home.

CATCHER

Austin Romine vs. Matt Harvey, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $2,100
DraftKings = $3,400

Among the litany of injuries for the Yankees is Gary Sanchez (calf), although there is some encouraging news that he could return to the lineup Wednesday. While the Yankees will be relieved to eventually get his powerful bat back in the lineup, they’ll likely lean on Romine behind the plate again Monday. He came through with a couple of clutch hits Sunday and is 7-for-20 with five RBI and three runs scored since Sanchez went down. At his cheap price on both sites, he makes a ton of sense for this favorable matchup against the struggling Harvey.

Others to consider: Wellington Castillo

FIRST BASE

Yonder Alonso vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $4,300

At first glance, it looks like Alonso is having a terrible season with his .188 batting average. However, his advanced stats don’t indicate he is struggling this much. His strikeout rate is down considerably, his walk rate has increased significantly and his line drive rate is right in line with his career numbers. The problem is, he’s been unlucky with a .185 BABIP. Hess has allowed a career .362 wOBA to left-handed hitters, so with a little luck, this could be a breakout game for Alonso.

Others to consider: Jose Abreu and Mike Ford

SECOND BASE

Jonathan Villar vs. Manny Banuelos, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,500

They might not have a lot of big names in their lineup, but this is a great opportunity to stack Orioles against Banuelos. He’s never been able to live up to lofty expectations in the minor leagues and finds himself with his fourth organization in the last four years. He hasn’t pitched that well at Triple-A, finishing with an xFIP of at least 4.09 in each of the last four seasons. With his combination of speed and power, Villar could be in line for a productive evening.

Others to consider: Jose Altuve and D.J. LeMahieu

THIRD BASE

Renato Nunez vs. Manny Banuelos, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,600

As we continue to look at attacking Banuelos, Nunez makes for an excellent option. He’s been on fire of late, hitting 16-for-49 (.327) with four home runs and two doubles across his last 12 games. While the Orioles offense might not stand out as being overly productive, he also had 11 RBI and 10 runs scored during that stretch. Of note, he is only eligible at third base on FanDuel as he is listed at first base on DraftKings.

Others to consider: Yoan Moncada and Matt Chapman

SHORTSTOP

Trevor Story vs. Jeremy Hellickson, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings =$5,100

Whenever Story is playing at Coors Field, it’s important to take notice. His career .321 wOBA on the road isn’t all that impressive, but he has a career .401 wOBA at Coors Field. Don’t be scared away by Hellickson’s 2.63 ERA through his first three appearances. He has a 5.91 xFIP and a 10.3 percent strikeout rate.

Others to consider: Tim Anderson and Gleyber Torres

OUTFIELD

Christian Yelich vs. Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $5,700

There are a lot of viable cheap options available for such a busy slate, so this could be a great night to fit Yelich into your entry. He’s off to a tremendous start with a 225 wRC+ and he even has more walks (16) than strikeouts (15). Flaherty has certainly had his problems with the Brewers this year, allowing nine runs across seven innings. Yelich went 4-for-8 with two home runs in those contests.

Trey Mancini vs. Manny Banuelos, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,900

Mancini might not receive a lot of press playing for such a bad team, but he’s off to a great start with a 172 wRC+. While his .385 BABIP is not sustainable, it’s encouraging to see his strikeout rate decrease from 24.1 percent last year to 20.6 percent this season. With his power, he could cause plenty of problems for Banuelos.

Jose Martinez vs. Adrian Houser, Milwaukee Brewers
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,200

The Cardinals outfield is thin right now with Harrison Bader (hamstring) and Tyler O’Neill (arm) both on the IL. That’s forced Martinez into an everyday role, which he has thrived in by hitting 9-for-21 over his last five games. His bat has never been the question, it’s been his ability to play in the field. Houser will be making his first start after recording a 4.74 xFIP last year at Triple-A, leaving Martinez with a favorable chance of keeping his hot streak alive.

Others to consider: Charlie Blackmon and Mike Tauchman