With a light schedule to accommodate the draft Monday, baseball picks back up with 15 games Tuesday.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/29/2019
With several early start times Wednesday, it leaves us with nine games to choose from for the main evening slate in DFS. Included is another hitter-friendly game at Coors Field and a few aces set up to thrive.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/21/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Tuesday brings a packed slate in the majors with all 15 games included in the main contests for 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
Blake Snell vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $9,600
DraftKings = $11,500
The Rays have brought Snell back slowly since being activated from the DL. He’s been on a pitch count, but he threw 76 pitchers in his last start against the Yankees, so he should be close to full-go Tuesday. He’s having a spectacular season with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP across 23 starts. Luck has been somewhat on his side with opponents posting just a .233 BABIP against him, but his 13.5% swinging-strike rate has led to a career-high 10.1 K/9. The Royals have scored the fewest runs (459) in baseball, potentially setting up Snell for another dominant outing.
Tyler Anderson vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,900
Anderson hasn’t been pitching at his best lately, allowing 21 runs over 20.1 innings in his last four starts. It’s no coincidence that three of those outings came on the road. Anderson has thrived pitching at Coors Field, posting a 3.47 ERA there compared to a 5.37 ERA on the road. He had similar splits last year with a 5.44 ERA on the road and a 4.14 ERA at home. The Padres struggle to score runs and have the second-most strikeouts (1,190) in the league, leaving Anderson with upside in tournament play.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Jesus Aguilar vs. Sal Romano, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,200
Aguilar had his worst month of the season in July, batting only .202 for the month. He’s righted the ship in August, batting .308 with a .446 OBP across 17 games. He’s finally received everyday playing time this year and he’s taken full advantage of his opportunity, batting .283 with 29 home runs. Romano has allowed 1.5 HR/9 this season, so Aguilar is a threat to go deep again in this contest.
Ji-Man Choi vs. Glenn Sparkman, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,800
Choi went 1-for-2 with two walks Monday to extend his current hitting streak to eight games. He’s shown some power over that stretch, as well, with two home runs and three doubles. Choi also has a .358 wOBA against right-handed pitchers overall, making him a viable option at this cheap price against Sparkman and his 1.55 WHIP.
Others to consider: Matt Olson (first base) and Buster Posey (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Travis Shaw vs. Sal Romano, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,600
Shaw cashed in a prime matchup against Homer Bailey on Monday, finishing the game 1-for-3 with a home run. Shaw’s only batting .247 this season, but he now has 25 homers and is well on his way to hitting at least 30 for the second straight season. With his .376 wOBA against righties, he’s another Brewer to target for your lineup.
Jonathan Villar vs. Sam Gaviglio, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,800
When the Brewers loaded up in their infield to make a run at the playoffs, Villar was jettisoned to the Orioles. The Orioles found themselves extremely thin in their infield after trading away Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop, leaving Villar with a clear path to an everyday role. He hasn’t exactly excelled, but he is hitting .269 with a .347 OBP since joining the Orioles. He has plenty of speed and swiped two bases on Monday. Gaviglio allows a lot of baserunners with his 1.46 WHIP and Blue Jays’ catcher Danny Jansen has allowed nine stolen bases in six games since being called up from the minors, leaving Villar as an intriguing option.
Others to consider: Jeff McNeil and Joey Wendle
THIRD BASE
Nolan Arenado vs. Robbie Erlin, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,700
Erlin has pitched mostly out of the bullpen this season, but he’s started in each of his last three outings. He has a 3.33 ERA and a 3.12 FIP overall this year, but he doesn’t have an overpowering arsenal with just a 6.7 K/9 for his career. Arenado has a staggering 231 wRC+ against lefties this year, so don’t hesitate to pay up for his services.
Evan Longoria vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,500
Longoria’s been limited to 90 games due to injuries in his first season with the Giants and he hasn’t played well when healthy, posting a .282 OBP and a .699 OPS. Most of his struggles have come against righties, who he has a .268 wOBA against. He’s had much more success versus lefties, though, with a .359 wOBA.
Others to consider: Mike Moustakas and Matt Chapman
SHORTSTOP
Trevor Story vs. Robbie Erlin, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,800
Story hasn’t exactly struggled on the road this season with a .275 average and a .780 OPS. However, he’s been out of this world hitting in Coors Field with a .316 average and a 1.048 OPS. Considering he also has a .431 wOBA against left-handed pitchers and both he and Arenado could do plenty of damage Tuesday.
Marcus Semien vs. Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,200
Jurado’s first taste of action in the majors has not gone well. He’s only made five starts, but he has a 6.41 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Just as concerning is that he only has 11 strikeouts across 26.2 innings. He only had a 5.1 K/9 at Double-A this season before being recalled, so don’t expect him to suddenly start striking out a lot of hitters. Semien could provide value at this cheap price, especially since he is hitting .405 with three home runs and three doubles over his last nine games.
Others to consider: Xander Bogaerts and Amed Rosario
OUTFIELD
Khris Davis vs. Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $5,100
Here we go again. Davis went deep Monday after hitting two home runs Sunday. When he’s hot, he can hit home runs in bunches. He’s slugged 37 homers this season and while his excellent power numbers are nothing new, his .261 batting average would be his highest mark in any season where he played at least 100 games.
Lorenzo Cain vs. Sal Romano, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,600
Cain doesn’t have much home run upside, but he enters Tuesday with a .304 average and a .396 OBP. He’s already swiped 24 bases, three of which have come across his last four games. Not only does Romano have a hard time keeping hitters inside the park, but he’s had difficulty keeping men off base, in general, with a 1.45 WHIP.
Stephen Piscotty vs. Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $2,100
DraftKings = $3,500
Piscotty is starting to heat up again as he is 10-for-33 (.303) with a home run and five doubles over his last eight games. His .255 batting average this season doesn’t jump off the page, but he’s provided power with 16 homers and 34 doubles. He has almost even splits versus lefties and righties this year, so he might be worth the risk at this very cheap price even though he doesn’t have the platoon advantage facing Jurado.
Others to consider: A.J. Pollock and Christian Yelich
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 3/30/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 3/30/18
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The thrill of Opening Day has come and gone, but there is still plenty of excitement for Friday’s slate of MLB games 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
Max Scherzer vs. Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $11,100
DraftKings = $12,700
The first game of this series was scheduled for Thursday but was pushed back a day due to rain. This leaves a unique opportunity to use one of the elite pitchers in all of baseball on the second day of the season. Scherzer was terrific on his way to winning the Cy Young Award in 2017, finishing with a 2.51 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 12 K/9. He’s one of the most dominant strikeout pitchers in all of baseball, recording a K/9 of at least 10.1 in six straight seasons. The Reds have one of the best hitters in baseball in Joey Votto, but their overall lineup is not overly impressive. Look for Scherzer to start off the season on the right foot with another excellent outing Friday.
Blake Snell vs. Red Sox
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $6,800
Snell has had control problems in his brief major league career, but he showed signs of improvement over the second half of the season, walking just 25 batters in 77.1 innings. His numbers improved, as a result, recording a 3.49 ERA and 1.13 WHIP during that stretch. Snell has also been a much better pitcher at home, posting a 3.20 ERA and 9.7 K/9 at Tropicana Field in his career. The Red Sox lineup is no cake walk, but Snell has strikeout upside and might be worth taking a chance on at this cheap price in tournament play.
OFFENSIVE STACKS
Chicago Cubs vs. Caleb Smith (Miami Marlins)
Stadium – Marlins Park
The sad state of affairs for the Marlins starting rotation leads Smith to start their second game of the season. He’s pitched only 18.2 innings in the majors during his career, posting a 7.71 ERA and 1.66 WHIP. At 26 years old, Smith is not a hot rising prospect either. He’s not a big strikeout pitcher, recording an 8.5 K/9 during his minor league career. The Cubs already mashed the Marlins for eight runs on Opening Day, so don’t be surprised if they have another offensive explosion Friday.
Players to consider stacking: Kris Bryant, Wilson Contreras, Addison Russell
Houston Astros vs. Doug Fister (Texas Rangers)
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
Fister has had a fine career, but he’s not much more than a journeyman starter at this point. He appeared in 18 games for the Red Sox last year, finishing with a 4.88 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. He had an 8.3 K/9, but don’t expect that to hold up this year as his career K/9 is only 6.2. The Astros have one of the most potent lineups in the league, which could spell disaster for Fister on Friday. Make sure to take advantage for your entry.
Players to consider stacking: Carlos Correa, George Springer, Brian McCann
SPLIT KINGS
This season we’ll dive even deeper into the matchups to provide you with some hitters that have favorable splits each day. All areas that will be considered are splits against certain teams, starting pitchers, home and road games, and success against either right-handed or left-handed pitchers. Outside of the favorable offensive stacks already discussed, these hitters could also help you create a winning lineup.
Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,500
Freeman wasted no time getting off to a hot start this season, going 1-for-2 with a home run, two RBI, three runs and three walks Thursday. Friday brings a matchup against right-handed starter Nick Pivetta, who had a 6.02 ERA and 1.51 WHIP last season. Freeman also mashes right-handed pitching, batting .303 with a .531 slugging percentage against them in his career.
Khris Davis, OF, Oakland Athletics
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,100
Davis also started off the 2018 season in style, going 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBI Thursday. He’s an elite power bat, hitting at least 42 homers in back-to-back seasons. He’s had success against Friday’s starter Tyler Skaggs, posting four hits, one home run, three RBI and one walk in eight career plate appearances against him. Skaggs also gave up 13 home runs in just 85 innings last year, which could be troublesome against Davis.
Zack Cozart, 3B, Los Angeles Angels
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,000
Cozart made a good first impression with his new team Thursday, going 3-for-6 with a home run and a double. He is coming off the best season of his career in 2017 when he hit .297, but that was partly inflated by his abnormally high .312 BABIP. He crushed left-handed pitching last season, batting .337 with a .633 slugging percentage. He gets to face Athletics’ lefty Sean Manaea on Friday.
Corey Dickerson, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $4,000
Dickerson had an excellent season in 2017, batting .282 with 27 home runs and 62 RBI as he made his first All-Star team. The Rays moved on from several key pieces of their offense in the offseason, ultimately landing Dickerson with the Pirates. He gets to face Jordan Zimmermann on Friday, who posted an unsightly 6.08 ERA and 1.55 WHIP last season. He’s not a strikeout pitcher either with a career 5.8 K/9. Dickerson hits right-handed pitchers particularly well, with 24 of his 27 home runs coming against them last year.