MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/6/18
Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/6/18
Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout
This will be an usually quiet Friday in the majors with only nine games on the schedule, which particularly hurts in terms of options at starting pitcher in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Lance McCullers Jr. vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $12,300
McCullers’ overall numbers don’t look great on the surface, finishing with a 4.25 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 2017. However, his FIP was 3.10 and he was a bit unlucky with opposing batters posting a .333 BABIP. He had a 10 K/9 and a 0.6 HR/9, making him a candidate for significant improvement in 2018. McCullers had a brief scare when he was hit by a comebacker in his first start of the season against the Rangers, but stayed in the game, finishing with 10 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. The Padres lineup isn’t great, to begin with, but it’s even thinner right now with Wil Myers (elbow) on the DL. McCullers could be in line for another strong performance Friday as a result.
Luis Castillo vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $8,700
Castillo had a great start to his career during his brief time in the majors last year, posting a 3.12 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 9.9 K/9 in 89 1/3 innings. He showed excellent control for a young power pitcher, allowing just 1.8 BB/9. He induced a lot of grounders as well with a 58.8% ground-ball rate. Castillo had to face the Nationals in his first start of the season, who have one of the best lineups in the league. He allowed six earned runs in five innings, but he did still record six strikeouts. Friday brings an easier opponent in the Pirates, leaving Castillo as a tournament play option at this price.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Freddie Freeman vs. German Marquez, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,700
Freeman has started off about as well as anyone so far this season, batting .421 with two home runs and nine RBI. He has a crazy .621 OBP and has only struck out three times. He’ll face the righty Marquez on Friday, which should benefit him greatly since he had a ridiculous .422 wOBA against righties in 2017.
Kendrys Morales vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $2,900
Morales is only 2-for-14 to start the season and has yet to record an extra-base hit. Friday might be the day his fortunes change though against Moore and the Rangers. A switch-hitter, Morales is much better from the right side of the plate, posting a 165 wRC+ in 2017 compared to a 77 wRC+ from the left side. Moore struggled with a 1.53 WHIP last year and doesn’t have overpowering stuff, making Morales an option to consider at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Justin Smoak (first base) and Brian McCann (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Scooter Gennett vs. Trevor Williams, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,500
Gennett had the best season of his career in 2017, hitting .295 with 27 home runs and 97 RBI. His previous career-highs were 14 home runs and 56 RBI, so the leap that he made was significant, to say the least. He’s not off to a hot start with his counting stats this year, but he is batting .429 in the early goings. Right-handed pitching provided little troubles for Gennett as he posting a .388 wOBA against them last year compared to just .296 against lefties. Based on those extreme splits, he might be worth taking a chance on in tournament play Friday.
Kike Hernandez vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,500
The injury to Justin Turner (wrist) has opened up some playing time for Hernandez, but he is only hitting .188 so far this season. He has dominated left-handed pitching though, posting a .390 wOBA against them in 2017. He’ll face the lefty Holland for the second time of the season on Friday after going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in their first matchup. Of note, Hernandez is only listed at second base on FanDuel as he is listed as an outfielder on DraftKings.
Others to consider: Joe Panik and Jed Lowrie
THIRD BASE
Josh Donaldson vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $4,800
Donaldson has battled through a dead arm to start the season, but it has really only limited him in the field. He has two home runs and a double so far to go along with a .400 OBP. He owned lefties last year, finishing with a 171 wRC+. In limited plate appearances against Moore in his career, Donaldson is also 3-for-8 with a home run, one double and one walk. Expect him to give Moore troubles again Friday.
Luis Valbuena vs. Daniel Gossett, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,000
Valbuena is off to a terrible start this season, hitting .167 with just two extra-base hits. The good news is that he is getting plenty of playing time with Ian Kinsler (groin) on the DL, which moved Zack Cozart from third to second base. Gossett struggled with a 6.11 ERA and 1.61 WHIP last year while also recording just 7.1 K/9. Valbuena is a much better hitter against righties, posting a .324 wOBA against them in 2017 compared to just .194 against lefties.
Others to consider: Nolan Arenado and Ryan Flaherty
SHORTSTOP
Carlos Correa vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,000
Correa suffered a minor toe injury and sat out Wednesday, but he should return Friday after receiving two days of rest. He was hot before the injury, batting .474 with two home runs and eight RBI. Although he hits lefties extremely well, righties don’t really give him problems either, finishing with a .380 wOBA against them in 2017. The right-hander Perdomo had a WHIP of at least 1.51 in both of the last two seasons and his K/9 did not exceed 6.5 in either year, which doesn’t exactly make him an imposing force for Correa to face.
Manny Machado vs. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,200
Machado has yet to drive in a run and is hitting only .222 this season, so he doesn’t exactly come into Friday swinging the bat well. He’s had good numbers against Sabathia in his career though, batting .316 with three home runs and six doubles in 57 career at-bats. Sabathia is still a serviceable starting pitcher, but he’s not nearly as overpowering as he was earlier in his career. This might be just the matchup that Machado needs to get going.
Others to consider: Addison Russell Andrelton Simmons
OUTFIELD
Charlie Blackmon vs. Brandon McCarthy, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $5,800
Blackmon has yet to play a single game in the friendly confines of Coors Field, yet he is still batting .345 with four home runs. He finally returns home Friday, a place where he batted .391 and hit 24 of his 37 home runs last season. He also destroyed righties last year with a 145 wRC+, so don’t hesitate to pay up to get him into your lineup against McCarthy on Friday.
Josh Reddick vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,000
Reddick was hitless in his first two games of 2018 but has gone 6-for-10 with two home runs in three games since. The Astros lineup is loaded with excellent right-handed hitters and Reddick provides an important compliment from the left-hand side, posting a wOBA of at least .356 against righties in each of the last four seasons. He has an excellent chance to extend his recent hot streak Friday.
Nomar Mazara vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,400
Mazara is swinging a hot bat right now, recording at least two hits in four of his last six games. He batted a disappointing .253 in 2017, but a lot of that was because he hit only .228 against lefties. Most of his power came against right-handers as well, hitting 19 of his 20 home runs against them. At this cheap price, he’s worth taking a chance on in tournament play against a righty in Estrada who doesn’t have overpowering stuff.
Others to consider: Mike Trout and Preston Tucker