MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/18

MLB Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on May 15, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

With only one day game Tuesday, we’ve got plenty of options to choose from in DFS for the evening slate. 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

Gerrit Cole vs. Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $11,800
DraftKings = $13,900

There has been no slowing down Cole, who has a 1.43 ERA and 1.54 FIP through eight starts. His .257 BABIP allowed is low, but he largely has seen his numbers improve because of his lofty 13.7 K/9. He has recorded at least eight strikeouts in all but one of his starts this season and has only allowed three total home runs. Even though he’ll be facing a tough Angels lineup that is in the top-five in baseball in runs scored, his strikeout upside still makes him a great option Tuesday.

Jack Flaherty vs. Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $7,300

Flaherty is one of the bright young prospects in the Cardinals system, posting a 2.73 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 9.1 K/9 during his career in the minors. He has kept hitters in the park as well with a 0.5 HR/9. This will be his third Major League start this season and his first two brought mixed results. He allowed one earned run and recorded nine strikeouts over five innings in his first start against the Brewers, but then he allowed three runs while recording only two strikeouts across five innings against the Pirates. Considering his cheap price and the fact that the Twins have scored the fourth-fewest runs (158) in baseball, he could be worth the risk in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/18

Carlos Santana vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,900
DratfKings = $4,400

Santana has broken out after a slow start, batting .289 with five home runs in May. He still only has a .216 BABIP this month, leaving him with even more room for improvement. Cashner is off to a bad start as well with a 5.74 FIP and 1.50 WHIP through eight starts. Santana has hit right-handers well in his career and has a .337 wOBA against them this year despite all his struggles, making him an excellent option to consider Tuesday.

Nick Goodrum vs. Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,100

Tomlin immediately comes to mind as someone you want to stack against since he has an 8.06 ERA and 1.79 WHIP. He’s never been a big strikeout pitcher either with a 6.1 K/9 for his career. The problem is the Tigers are depleted by injuries with Miguel Cabrera (hamstring), Jeimer Candelario (wrist) and Leonys Martin (hamstring) all on the DL. Goodrum is playing every day as a result, hitting 8-for-17 with three home runs and two doubles in his last four games. At this price, he could be well worth the risk in tournament play.

Others to consider: Salvador Perez (catcher) and John Hicks (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/18

Asdrubal Cabrera vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $3,900

The Mets will be facing the lefty Garcia, which is not good news since they have the lowest OPS against lefties (.568) in baseball. Cabrera is one player who does hit them well, posting a .407 wOBA against them last year and .364 wOBA this season. Garica has struggled to keep runners off base with a 1.57 WHIP, so Cabrera might be the one Mets’ hitter you want to use in this matchup.

Whit Merrifield vs. Anthony Banda, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,300

Merrifield has followed up his .288 average and .784 OPS from 2017 with a .287 average and .783 OPS this year. His power numbers are slightly down, but he’s also shown a better eye at the plate with a 9.0% walk rate. The Rays will start the lefty Banda, who is making his first appearance in the majors this year. Merrifield has a .384 wOBA against lefties for his career, making him a nice option for your entry, especially considering his price on FanDuel.

Others to consider: Cesar Hernandez and Jonathan Schoop

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/18

Eugenio Suarez vs. Ty Blach, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,400

Suarez’s .297 BABIP is actually below his .314 career mark, but he is still batting a career-high .286. He has cut down on his strikeouts and has a superb 50% hard-hit rate, which has helped him get off to a hot start. After finishing with a 135 wRC+ against left-handers last year, he is mashing them for a 278 wRC+ in 2018.

Miguel Andujar vs. Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,300

Andujar took over as the everyday third baseman for the Yankees when Brandon Drury (impaired vision) went on the DL. The Yankees actually activated Drury on Monday but optioned him to Triple-A to continue his rehab. There has been no rush to bring him back with how well Andujar has played and he may not get the job back even when he is deemed fully healthy. Andujar is currently on a six-game hitting streak and although he hasn’t recorded an extra-base hit during that stretch, he is a viable option if you want to save money at third base.

Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Rafael Devers

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/18

Francisco Lindor vs. Francisco Liriano, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,200

Lindor only had a .288 BABIP heading into May, leading to a .245 average. He’s been on a heater since the new month began, batting .450 with a .442 BABIP and eight home runs. He is striking out more this year, but he also has a 43.1% hard-hit rate that is by far the highest of his career. With a career .365 wOBA against lefties, Lindor could provide significant production against Liriano.

Chris Taylor vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,000

Chen has allowed 13 runs in his last two starts, resulting in a 10.22 ERA and 1.95 WHIP through three outings. He was never a big strikeout pitcher, but he has only a 4.4 K/9 during that stretch. He’s had control issues as well with a 5.8 BB/9. The Dodgers lineup hasn’t been great this season, but Taylor, with a .355 wOBA against lefties last year, could provide value if you don’t want to pay up for Lindor.

Others to consider: Manny Machado and Jean Segura

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/18

Odubel Herrera vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,400

Herrera couldn’t be off to a much better start, batting .360 with a .992 OPS. He likely won’t be able to sustain that average considering his .400 BABIP, but it is encouraging that his walk rate is up while his strikeout rate is down. His .436 wOBA against righties this year makes him another Phillies’ hitter who could provide value.

Nomar Mazara vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,100

The Rangers lineup suffered another tough blow over the weekend with Adrian Beltre reaggravating a hamstring injury that has already cost him one stint on the DL this season. He’ll likely be placed back on it Tuesday, joining Elvis Andrus (elbow) as two key pieces that they will sorely miss. They’ll still get a great matchup against Leake on Tuesday though, who has a 5.72 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. Mazara has a .380 wOBA against righties this year and isn’t overly expensive, making him someone to strongly consider.

Shin-Soo Choo vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,400

Choo is a cheap option who should come to mind against right-handed pitchers since he has a .382 wOBA against them in his career. His .245 average this season isn’t great, but he’s still striking the ball well with a 42.4% hard-hit rate. He also has hit Leake well, going 6-for-17 with two home runs and two doubles against him in his career. Using both Mazara and Choo in your entry could be a nice mini-stack to take advantage of.

Others to consider: Jorge Soler and Joey Gallo

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

MLB Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on May 10, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

Thursday brings a limited slate of games, but there are still plenty of great options both on the mound and in the batter’s box to take advantage of 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

Walker Buehler vs. Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $10,500

With the Dodgers dealing with injuries to their starting rotation, Buehler is here to stay. He’s made an immediate impact in his first three starts, posting a 1.13 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 10.7 K/9. He dominated with a 12.4 K/9 during his career in the minors, so his strikeout upside is legitimate. The only real negative you can say about his first three starts is that they came against the Marlins, Giants, and Padres, who are three of the worst offensive teams in baseball. The Reds haven’t been much better though and have the fifth-worst OPS against right-handed pitchers (.671) in baseball, so Buehler may be able to keep his hot streak alive for at least one more start.

Miles Mikolas vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $10,200

Mikolas has been impressive in his first action in the majors since 2014 and clearly made significant improvements during his time in Japan. Through six starts this season, he has a 2.70 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. His 7.0 K/9 isn’t great, but he’s shown impeccable control with 0.5 BB/9. He’s pitching deep into games as well, logging at least 6.1 innings in all but one of his outings. The Padres have the third-lowest OPS against righties (.648) and have had trouble scoring runs in general, leaving Mikolas with the potential to provide value again Thursday.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

Cody Bellinger vs. Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,200

After bursting onto the scene last year with a .933 OPS, Bellinger hasn’t hit for much power yet this season, resulting in a .794 OPS. He’s still hitting for a high average and has a 39% hard-hit rate, so he should start slugging more long balls sooner rather than later. He finished with a 140 wRC+ against righties last and has a 142 mark against them so far this season, so facing Mahle could lead to a breakout game.

Justin Bour vs. Mike Foltynewicz, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,400

Foltynewicz has made improvements this season, but his 1.35 WHIP is still too high. Left-handed hitters have given him troubles in his career, including Bour, who is 8-for-14 with two home runs against him. Bour is off to a slow start this season, but he still has a .367 wOBA against righties, making him a cost-effective option to consider.

Others to consider: Gary Sanchez (catcher) and Lucas Duda (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

Whit Merrifield vs. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,300

Merrifield is batting only .261 this season, but that won’t last for long if he keeps up his 42.6% hard-hit rate. His K% is right in line with his career mark and he’s drawing more walks as well. With Tillman taking the mound, this is going to be a great opportunity to stack Royals in DFS since he has allowed at least four earned runs in all but one of his starts this season.

Jonathan Schoop vs. Ian Kennedy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKinfs = $3,500

In two games since coming off the DL, Schoop is 3-for-9 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored. His slow start and stint on the DL have helped lower his price after a breakout campaign helped plenty of people win money in DFS last year. He doesn’t have the righty/lefty advantage in this matchup, but he’s still priced low enough to potentially use in tournament play.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Eduardo Nunez

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

Mike Moustakas vs. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,500

Moustakas had the best power season of his career in 2017 with 38 home runs and he hasn’t slowed down this year, slugging 10 homers in 36 games. He’s batting .292 as well and while that seems unsustainable, his .278 BABIP is actually not high. This is a prime opportunity to play him against Tillman, who allowed a .429 wOBA to lefties last year.

Yangervis Solarte vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,900

Solarte has cashed in everyday playing time to bat .271 with nine homers this year. Solarte does a great job limiting his strikeouts, posting an 11.8 K% for his career. He has a .374 wOBA against right-handers this year and Leake has allowed a .366 wOBA to lefties, so Solarte could be an option if you need to save money at third base.

Others to consider: Travis Shaw and Matt Carpenter

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

Paul DeJong vs. Jordan Lyles, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,000

Lyles has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen this season, logging 19.2 innings across 13 appearances. He did pitch three innings in one appearance earlier this year, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll have built up enough arm strength to pitch deep into this game. He struggled in five starts for the Padres last year, recording a 9.39 ERA and 1.96 WHIP. This could end up being a bullpen day for the Padres, so with several of the top shortstops dealing with difficult matchups Thursday, DeJong becomes a viable option with homer upside.

Chris Taylor vs. Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $3,800

Taylor seemed like a regression candidate heading into this season as his .288 average in 2017 was largely aided by a .361 BABIP. He’s had a bigger drop off than expected this year though, batting .235 with a .284 BABIP. He’ll probably end the season somewhere in the middle and is an important player on a Dodgers team that is now missing their star shortstop in Corey Seager (elbow). Mahle has a 4.92 FIP through seven starts and has been prone to giving up the long ball, leaving Taylor as another shortstop worth considering.

Others to consider: Eduardo Escobar and Jean Segura

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

Giancarlo Stanton vs. Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $5,100

Stanton normally hits lefties well, posting a .430 wOBA against them for his career. This year has been no different with an incredible .621 wOBA against them so far. He already has six home runs in only 34 plate appearance against lefties as well. He’s stepped up in the first two games of this series against the Red Sox and will look for another big performance against Rodriguez as the Yankees go for the sweep.

Jorge Soler vs. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,200

Continuing our stack of Royals’ hitters against Tillman, Soler is another great option. He’s on fire right now, recording at least two hits in five of his last 10 games while also hitting three home runs in that same stretch. Even though Soler has much better numbers this season against lefties than righties, he’s not exactly struggling against righties with a .362 wOBA.

Alex Gordon vs. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,800

Let’s go to the well against Tillman one more time with Gordon, who is batting .313 in the early going. He is still having troubles against left-handed pitching, but righties have not proven to be nearly as difficult, resulting in a .412 wOBA. Since he will help with your budget as well, it makes a lot of sense to try riding Gordon’s hot streak in this game.

Others to consider: Charlie Blackmon and Christian Yelich

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

MLB Fantasy Baseball Strategy

by Mike Barner on February 20, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner – @rotomikebarner*

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

Second base provides a unique opportunity because you can go in any number of directions with the position. There are big power hitters, speedsters, and players that hit for high average littered throughout the position. Let’s not only take a look at the cream of the crop but also at some second basemen who are overvalued and undervalued heading into 2018.

The Top Three

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

This is an easy one. Not only is Altuve the best second baseman, but I’d rank him second overall behind Angels outfielder Mike Trout. Altuve won the AL-MVP last year, batting .346 with 24 home runs, 81 RBI, 112 runs scored and 32 stolen bases. He had a career-high OPS+ of 164 and played in at least 147 games for the sixth straight season. His speed and ability to hit for a high average gave him significant value early in his career, but he’s moved into elite fantasy status by clubbing at least 24 home runs in back-t0-back seasons. He’s heading into the prime of his career at just 27 years old, so don’t expect him to slow down this season.

Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

Ramirez made his mark on fantasy baseball in 2016, hitting .312 with 11 home runs, 76 RBI, and 22 steals. He also had 46 doubles, showing signs that a big power season might soon be on the horizon. That season came last year, finishing with 29 home runs. But wait, he also hit a league-leading 56 doubles. The result was a spectacular .583 slugging percentage, putting him inside the top-10 in the league. His power did not come at the expense of his batting average either as he still hit .318. His hard hit percentage has increased each season, topping out at 34% last year. He doesn’t have as much upside as Altuve, but his ability to contribute across the board makes him the clear second best option at the keystone position.

Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins

Dozier is a masher at second base, slugging at least 28 home runs in three straight seasons. It was going to be tough for him to match the 42 home runs that he hit in 2016, but he still hit 34 homers last year. He’s more than just a slugger though, scoring at least 100 runs and stealing at least 12 bases in four straight seasons. He hindered fantasy owners with his batting average early in his career but has hit at least .268 in back-to-back seasons. He had a hard hit percentage of at least 34.1% in both of those seasons, which was a big reason why his average improved. If you miss out on Altuve or Ramirez, draft Dozier with confidence.

Overvalued Players

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

Dee Gordon, Seattle Mariners

Steals are not easy to come by, but Gordon is one of the elite base stealers in all of baseball. He has led the league in steals three of the last four seasons, finishing with at least 58 steals all three times. The one year he didn’t lead the league was when he played just 79 games in 2016 due to a suspension. Amazingly, he still finished with 30 steals that year. Gordon is not just about steals though as he has a .293 career batting average and scored 114 runs last year. He’s going to play center field for the Mariners this year, but will still carry over second base eligibility. The Mariners have a potent lineup, which should leave Gordon with plenty of opportunities to score runs. The problem is, he has never hit more than four home runs or recorded more than 46 RBI in a single season. If your league counts OBP, his career mark of .329 is not impressive either. His current ADP in the NFBC is too high at 28.47, which is actually ahead of Dozier (37.87). Let someone else take him at that price.

Chris Taylor, Los Angeles Dodgers

Taylor was one of the biggest surprises in fantasy baseball last year. He played in only 120 total games the previous three seasons but played 140 games in 2017. He made the most of his opportunity, hitting .288 with 21 home runs, 72 RBI, 85 runs scored and 17 steals. One area of concern is his drastic splits though, batting .237 with a .306 BABIP at home compared to .336 with a .412 BABIP on the road. His overall numbers are valuable, but his current ADP of 90.83 is ninth-highest among second basemen. Marwin Gonzalez’s current ADP is 114.25 and he could provide very similar numbers outside of stolen bases, although he did steal eight bases last year. It might be wise to pass on Taylor if forced to select him so early.

Undervalued Players

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs have one of the most flexible rosters in the league, but Happ should still get plenty of at-bats. He played in just 115 games last year, but still managed hit 24 home runs to go along with 68 RBI, 62 runs scored and eight steals. He batted only .253 though and struck out 31.2% of the time. The high strikeouts may have just been him getting adjusted to major league pitching as he never struck out more than 23.6% of the time during any of his stops in the minors. His current ADP is 137.46, which is a bargain considering his potential. Don’t be surprised if he finishes with a more productive season than Taylor.

Ian Kinsler, Los Angeles Angels

Today’s craze in baseball is young talent. There seems to more elite young players across the league now than in recent years, which can often make you forget about productive veterans in terms of fantasy. A lot of people might be down on Kinsler after a rough 2017 campaign that saw him hit a career-low .236. His numbers indicate he could rebound this season as last year he had only a .244 BABIP, well below his career mark of .286. Another possible indicator for improvement this year is that he also had a 37% hard hit percentage last year, which was the highest of his career. Yes, he’s getting older, but the numbers indicate he had few bounces go his way last year. Not only should his average improve this year, but he is also a threat to hit 20 home runs and steal 15 bases. His current ADP is only 189.25, making him someone to target late in your draft.

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