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MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/29/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

Baseball brings a full night of action Tuesday, leaving a lot of options to choose from 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 5/29/18

Charlie Morton vs. New York Yankees
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $9,900
DraftKings = $12,100

Starting a pitcher on the road against the Yankees powerful lineup isn’t usually a good idea. However, you may want to do just that Tuesday. Morton continues to be a key part of the deepest rotation in baseball, recording a 2.04 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 10 starts. He is likely in line for some regression with his 3.32 FIP and .235 BABIP allowed, but he’s an excellent source for strikeouts with a 10.9 K/9. He has already faced the Yankees once this season, allowing one run to go along with 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings. On a night lacking elite pitching options, Morton may have the highest upside of anyone available.

Luis Castillo vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $8,000

Castillo was horrible out of the gate, allowing 25 runs in 28.2 innings across his first six starts. He’s been a different pitcher since, though, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) in 28.2 innings over his last five starts. The key is after posting a 1.67 WHIP in those first six outings, he’s had a 1.22 WHIP in the last five. Add that with his excellent strikeout upside and he’s returning to the type of pitcher that showed so much promise last year. The Diamondbacks lineup is struggling to produce offense, recording the fewest hits (370) in baseball by a wide margin while also scoring the second-fewest runs (200).

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/29/18

Mitch Moreland vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,100

The Red Sox decided to part ways with Hanley Ramirez and while a lot of that was financially motivated, it’s also because Moreland has been so reliable. Not only would his .317 average be the highest of his career, but he’s hitting for a ton of power as well with a .642 slugging percentage. He’s not likely to keep up this pace, though, with a .349 BABIP that is 61 points higher than his career average. He doesn’t always have success against left-handed pitching, but he is dominating righties with a .454 wOBA against them this season.

Wilson Ramos vs. Daniel Gossett, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,300

Ramos made the All-Star team with the Nationals in 2016 but only played 64 games in his first season with the Rays last year due to injury. He’s already played 41 games this season and has returned to his form with the Nationals, batting .310 with six home runs. He’s currently on an eight-game hitting streak, recording four multi-hit performances over that stretch. At this cheap price, it might be worth taking a chance on him continuing to swing a hot bat Tuesday.

Others to consider: Freddie Freeman (first base) and Joey Votto (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/29/18

Ozzie Albies vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,100

The Braves lineup suffered a big loss with Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee/back) landing on the DL, but they still have another young phenom in Albies. He’s slowed down a bit in the power department, hitting just one home run in his last 13 games. That was to be expected considering the pace he was on, but he’s still a dangerous hitter. He’s someone you normally want to target when facing lefties as well considering he has a .433 wOBA against them in his brief career.

Brian Dozier vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,900

Dozier had made significant improvements with his batting average the last two seasons but is hitting just .243 so far this year. His .271 BABIP is in line with his career mark, but he’s historically been a better hitter in the second half of the season. He’s already starting to show signs of heating up, hitting 9-for-28 in his last seven games. Duffy is really struggling and has been hit hard by righties, making Dozier a viable option for your entry.

Others to consider: Scooter Gennett and Joey Wendle

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/29/18

Matt Carpenter vs. Zach Davies, Milwaukee Brewers
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,800

Carpenter dug himself a huge hole this season, batting .155 through his first 25 games. He was extremely unlucky, though, with just a .190 BABIP. He’s rebounded nicely in May, batting .291 on the strength of his .373 BABIP. Davies allows plenty of baserunners and doesn’t have an overpowering arsenal with only a 6.5 K/9 for his career, so look for Carpenter to keep his hot streak alive.

Kyle Seager vs. Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,500

Seager has never been a great hitter for average, but at only .226 this season, he’s been a major disappointment. He has been unlucky with a .241 BABIP, but it’s not a good sign that his strikeout rate is up while his walk rate is down. He’s been a much better hitter against right-handers in his career and faces an underwhelming one in Bibens-Dirkx, who has spent most of this season in Triple-A. If you want to go cheap at third base, Seager is someone to consider.

Others to consider: Rafael Devers and Miguel Sano

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/29/18

Jurickson Profar vs. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,600
DratfKings = $3,600

Hernandez has been in a downward spiral the last couple of years. He’s hit a new low through 11 starts this season with a 5.58 ERA, 5.08 FIP, and a 1.39 WHIP. His average fastball velocity is down to 90.5 mph this season, significantly below his career average of 93.8 mph. Profar has been a better hitter against lefties, but Hernandez’s lack of overpowering stuff still makes him a viable option for your entry.

Dansby Swanson vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,300

Albies isn’t the only Braves hitter who is better against lefties as Swanson has a .368 wOBA against them this season compared to .293 against righties. Swanson doesn’t hit for a ton of power and his batting average has been on the decline as his BABIP has normalized, but he might be worth taking a chance on in tournament play at this price.

Others to consider: Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/29/18

Andrew Benintendi vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,100

Benintendi only has a .275 wOBA for his career against lefties but has had much more success against righties with a .365 wOBA. He’s been even better against righties this season with a .405 wOBA. His batting average is also 32 points higher at Fenway Park than it is on the road for his career, making him another Red Sox to target against Estrada.

Nomar Mazara vs. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,200

It’s hard to believe that not only is Mazara already in his third season in the majors at only 23 years old, but he also hit exactly 20 home runs in both of his first two seasons. He’s well on his way to that threshold again this year with 12 homers. Stacking Rangers hitters against Hernandez could yield excellent results, Mazara included.

Brandon Nimmo vs. Anibal Sanchez, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,800

Nimmo has done a great job getting on base with a .408 OBP this year, helping him secure the leadoff job for the Mets. He’s provided some pop as well with four doubles, four triples, and five home runs. His 194 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers makes him a great cost-effective option against Sanchez, who is making his first start for the Braves in over a month.

Others to consider: Michael Conforto and Adam Jones

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/25/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

With only one day game Friday, there is a bevy of options to choose from for the main evening slate 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 5/25/18

Max Scherzer vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $12,000
DraftKings = $14,000

Scherzer has won the Cy Young Award in both of the last two seasons and three times overall in his career. With the way he’s been pitching so far, he’s making a strong case to win it once again. He does an excellent job keeping runners off base with a 0.85 WHIP, which would be his fourth-straight season with a WHIP of 0.97 or lower. He also has a staggering 17.2% swinging-strike rate that has led to a career-high 14.3 K/9. What might be just as impressive is that he has only issued 16 walks in 65.2 innings. He’s a great option regardless of who he is facing, but especially against a Marlins team that has scored the fewest runs (167) in baseball.

Sean Manaea vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $8,600

Manaea began the season by allowing two runs or fewer in each of his first six starts, highlighted by a no-hitter against the Red Sox. His last four starts haven’t gone nearly as well, allowing 16 runs (15 earned) in 22.2 innings. One of the main reasons for his recent struggles has been a regression in his BABIP allowed, which was .148 in those first six starts and was .301 in the last four outings. However, this might be the matchup he needs to get back on track since the Diamondbacks have scored the second-fewest runs (180) and they sorely miss A.J. Pollock (thumb).

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/25/18

Matt Adams vs. Jose Urena, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,000

The Nationals have been decimated by injuries this season, opening up significant playing time for Adams. He’s come through in a major way, batting .273 with 11 home runs and 28 RBI. He even has those numbers despite his .264 BABIP being 50 percentage points lower than his career mark. He has followed up his .367 wOBA against lefties last year with a .441 wOBA this year, so Urena could have difficulty getting him out Friday.

Salvador Perez vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,000

Minor’s transition back to being a starting pitcher has not gone well, allowing a 5.59 ERA and 1.32 WHIP across nine starts. His FIP has been a little better at 4.41, but he’s already allowed eight home runs in just 48.1 innings. He still gives left-handed hitters a lot of problems, but his .384 wOBA allowed to righties brings Perez into the discussion Friday.

Others to consider: Eric Hosmer (first base) and Edwin Encarnacion (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/25/18

Ozzie Albies vs. Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,300

After hitting nine home runs in his first 27 games, Albies has slowed down a bit with five homers in his last 21 contests. He only hit 16 total home runs during his career in the minors, so it’s no surprise that he’s started to regress in that department. One interesting note is that 12 of his 14 home runs this year have come on the road. He is crushing lefties as well, posting a 232 wRC+ against them this season.

Whit Merrifield vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,300

Stacking righties against Minor could be a path to success Friday. Merrifield broke out of his recent slump with two hits Thursday and is batting .286 this season. Not only has he shown a nice combination of speed and power this year, but he also has a 226 wRC+ against lefties.

Others to consider: Cesar Hernandez and Josh Harrison

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/25/18

Jose Ramirez vs. Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,300

Ramirez is officially over his early-season slump, batting .338 with seven homers and five steals in May. He only had a .241 BABIP heading into the month, so you knew he was bound to improve as the season progressed. Keuchel is certainly a good pitcher, but his wOBA against righties is 50 percentage points higher than it is against lefties in his career. This might not be an obvious matchup to take advantage of, but Ramirez has upside.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa vs, Eric Skoglund, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,500

Skoglund is getting his first chance to be a permanent member of the Royals starting rotation and it’s not going well as he has a 6.15 ERA and 1.32 WHIP across eight starts. He doesn’t carry strikeout upside with a 6.9 K/9 and has allowed a .357 wOBA against right-handed hitters, making Kiner-Falefa a cheap option who could provide value.

Others to consider: Nolan Arenado and Miguel Andujar

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/25/18

Jurickson Profar vs. Eric Skoglund, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,700

With Skoglund and all of his struggles, the Rangers are another team to consider stacking. Profar is finally getting consistent playing time with all of the Rangers injury woes and although he is batting just .237, he is hitting 7-for-22 with a home run, three doubles and 11 RBI in his last six games. He received the day off Thursday and missed out on a prime matchup against Danny Duffy, but facing Skoglund is just as favorable.

Dansby Swanson vs. Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,200

Swanson couldn’t capitalize on his first opportunity to be an everyday player in the majors last year, batting only .232 with six home runs. He’s still not hitting for much power this year, but his .273 batting average is much improved. His .374 BABIP is high, so his average could decline as the season progresses. However, that might not start against Rodriguez since Swanson has traditionally had much more success against lefties.

Others to consider: Manny Machado and Trevor Story

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/25/18

Austin Meadows vs. John Gant, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,800

Meadows has wasted no time making his mark in six games with the Pirates, batting .440 with three home runs and two doubles. He already has four multi-hit games and is creating a hard decision for the Pirates to make when Starling Marte (oblique) returns. Until then, continue to ride his hot streak.

Juan Soto vs. Jose Urena, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $3,400

Another one of the hot young prospects in baseball, Soto is 3-for-10 with a home run since being called up by the Nationals. Down some key outfielders, Soto should at least stay in the majors for the foreseeable future. Urena’s wOBA against lefties is 64 percentage points higher than it is against righties, making Soto another Nationals hitter to target.

Brandon Nimmo vs. Junior Guerra, Milwaukee Brewers
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,600

With Yoenis Cespedes (hip) and Juan Lagares (toe) on the DL, regular playing time has opened up for Nimmo. He hasn’t let the opportunity go to waste, batting .294 with a .450 OBP. His .394 BABIP screams regression, but he did hit .280 with a .388 OBP in his career in the minors. He also has a .476 wOBA against righties this year, so he might be worth taking a chance on against Guerra.

Others to consider: Bryce Harper and Charlie Blackmon

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/24/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

There aren’t a lot of options in DFS with only eight games in the majors Thursday. 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 5/24/18

Charlie Morton vs. Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $10,200
DraftKings = $11,400

Morton has done a tremendous job keeping runners off base this year, posting a 0.93 WHIP. His 3.35 FIP indicates his 1.94 ERA won’t hold, but he’s going to continue to have plenty of success by allowing so few base runners. His 97.2 mph average fastball velocity is the highest of his career and he has a 13.3% swinging-strike rate, which has led to a lofty 11.3 K/9. He had success against the Indians in his last start, allowing one run to go along with eight strikeouts in seven innings. He’s the one elite strikeout pitcher taking the mound Thursday, so it makes a lot of sense to pay up for him.

Luis Castillo vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $7,800

Castillo looked primed for an excellent season after excelling in 15 starts last year, but he has a 5.61 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP so far. A lot of that damage came early on as he allowed at least four runs in four of his first six starts. He’s been much better in his last four outings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) to go along with 26 strikeouts in 22.2 innings. His swinging-strike rate is actually higher this year at 15.2%, so expect his ERA to continue to decrease as the season wears on. His price still hasn’t jumped up yet, leaving him with significant upside.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/24/18

Matt Olson vs. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,800

Despite being only 32 years old, Hernandez has already thrown over 2,500 innings during his career. He’s clearly not the same pitcher that he was in his prime and his 90.5 mph average fastball velocity this season that is the lowest he has ever posted. He’s not fooling many hitters with an 8.0% swinging-strike rate, which has been a major factor in his bloated 5.53 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. Olson has a career .393 wOBA against right-handed pitchers and could give Hernandez plenty of trouble.

Jesus Aguilar vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,100

Eric Thames (thumb) is still on the DL, but Ryan Braun was activated Wednesday. That could cut into Aguilar’s playing time, but the Brewers might be wise to keep him in their lineup Thursday. He’s been swinging the bat well, going 8-for-20 with four home runs and nine RBI in his last five games. He also excels against left-handed pitching with a .355 wOBA against them for his career.

Others to consider: Justin Smoak (first base) and Salvador Perez (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/24/18

Whit Merrifield  vs. Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,500

Merrifield is in a mini-slump, failing to a record a hit in four straight games. He’s batting .281 this year and is a .285 hitter for his career, so don’t expect this to last too long. Bibens-Dirkx will be making his first start in the majors this season and hasn’t exactly been dominating Triple-A, posting a 3.72 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 7.4 K/9. He struggled with a 4.67 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 4.9 K/9 in 69.1 innings with the Rangers last year as well, leaving this as a great opportunity for Merrifield to get back into the hit column.

Yangervis Solarte vs. Nick Tropeano, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,500

Solarte might be one of the more underrated players in the league. He’s batting a respectable .265 this season and has hit for plenty of power with 11 home runs and nine doubles. He doesn’t strikeout out much with a career 11.8% strikeout rate and can play multiple positions. His splits are fairly even from both sides of the plate, so there is no need to platoon him either. He has at least two hits in each of his last four games and has hit homers in back-to-back contests as well.

Others to consider: Jed Lowrie and Jonathan Schoop

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/24/18

Mike Moustakas vs. Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,400

Moustakas is in a bit of a power drought, failing to go deep in 14 straight games. He still has 10 home runs on the season overall though after hitting a career-high 38 dingers last year. Bibens-Dirkx allowed 1.8 HR/9 last year and Moustakas has been much better against righties, so this could be the day he breaks his streak.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,300

Duffy has been getting shelled this year, posting a 6.88 ERA and 6.44 FIP. He has a 1.73 WHIP and it’s concerning that his .314 BABIP allowed isn’t that high either. Righties have hit him particularly hard with a .426 wOBA. Kiner-Falefa doesn’t have a lot of power, but he’s hitting .260 and has done a nice job overall filling in for Adrian Beltre (hamstring). He’s priced low enough to be a viable option in tournament play.

Others to consider: Eugenio Suarez and Kyle Seager

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/24/18

Jurickson Profar vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,500

Profar has been a highly thought of prospect coming up through the Rangers system, but he’s yet to have consistent success in the majors. He’s never played more than 90 games in a season and is batting just .231 for his career. Injuries to several players on the Rangers have forced him into regular playing time this year, already appearing in 45 games. He continues to struggle with a .237 average, but he is hitting 7-for-22 with a home run, three doubles and 11 RBI in his last six games. With Duffy on the mound, look for him to continue his hot hitting.

Marcus Semien vs. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,900

With Hernandez taking the mound, the Athletics present a viable stacking opportunity. Semien has hit Fernandez well in his career, going 11-for-33 (.333) with four home runs. His overall numbers this season aren’t flashy, but this is the kind of matchup that is hard to pass up.

Others to consider: Manny Machado and Andrelton Simmons

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/24/18

Mike Trout vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,400

The combination of power and speed that Trout has is certainly impressive, but what stands out to me is that he has 45 walks compared to 41 strikeouts this season. He also has a staggering .444 OBP, which would be his third-straight season with an OBP of at least .441. Estrada is prone to giving up home runs and isn’t a big strikeout pitcher, leaving Trout with a high ceiling one again.

Shohei Ohtani vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,600

In one of the crazier stats of the season, Ohtani has more RBI this season as a hitter (19) than runs he has allowed as a pitcher (15). He is destroying right-handed pitching with a .445 wOBA and all six of his home runs have come against them. Estrada has allowed a .363 wOBA to lefties this year, so stacking both Trout and Ohtani in your outfield could provide a big return.

Scott Schebler vs. Ivan Nova, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,800

When Nova is taking the mound, you want to target left-handed hitters on the opposing team. Not only does Nova have a hard time striking hitters out in general, but he has allowed a wOBA of at least .361 in each of the last three seasons against lefties heading into 2018. This season has been no different with a .376 wOBA allowed to lefties. Schebler has also hit him well in his career, batting .368 (7-for-19) with a home run.

Others to consider: Justin Upton and Adam Jones

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
May special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

There are games spread out throughout the day Wednesday, but let’s focus on the main night slate 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 5/23/18

Jacob deGrom vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $10,400
DraftKings = $13,200

deGrom dealt with a hyperextended elbow recently, but showed no ill effects in his last start, allowing one run to go along with 13 strikeouts in seven innings against the Diamondbacks. He’s been fantastic when healthy this season, posting a 1.75 ERA, 1.81 FIP, and a 1.01 WHIP. He’s always carried significant strikeout upside and has a lofty 12.1 K/9 this season. Although deGrom gave up four runs over six innings in his first start against the Marlins this year, they have scored the fewest runs (165) and hit the fewest home runs (37) in baseball. Look for deGrom to have a much better performance in their rematch.

Alex Cobb vs. Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $5,400

Cobb could not have been much worse in his first three starts this season, allowing 17 earned runs in 11.2 innings. He signed with the Orioles late and didn’t get a full spring training, which may have led to some of his struggles. He’s been much better since then, allowing nine earned runs over 24 innings in his last four starts. That’s even more impressive when you consider that three of those starts came against the Angels, Athletics and Red Sox. He’ll face a much easier opponent in the White Sox on Wednesday, who have scored the second-fewest runs (171) in baseball. At this dirt cheap price, he’s someone to consider in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Anthony Rizzo vs. Adam Plutko, Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,500

Plutko will be making his second start of the season Wednesday and he did pitch well in his first outing, allowing three runs in 7.1 innings against the Blue Jays. He did give up three solo home runs in that contest and had a 1.6 HR/9 at Triple-A last year, which is a bit concerning. He’s not much of a strikeout pitcher either with a career 7.5 K/9 in the minors. Rizzo is off to a bad start this season, but he does have a career .372 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, so this could be just the matchup he needs to have a big game.

Josh Bell vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,000

Whenever Bailey takes the mound, you should be looking to stack hitters against him. He’s off to a terrible start with a 6.11 ERA, 6.04 FIP, and a 1.60 WHIP. His lowly 7% swinging-strike rate has helped result in a 5.4 K/9 and he has already allowed 12 home runs in 53 innings. Bell has yet to break out in the home run department with just three longballs this season, but he could provide excellent value Wednesday.

Others to consider: Mike Zunino (catcher) and Chris Davis (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Gleyber Torres vs. Doug Fister, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,500

In what has been a dream start to his major league career, Torres is batting .330 with seven home runs in 26 games. He’s been hitting ninth, but just about every spot in the loaded Yankees lineup provides plenty of opportunities for counting stats. He’s never hit more than 11 home runs in a season in the minors, so don’t expect him to keep hitting homers at this pace. He does have a career .285 average and .362 OBP in the minors and was rated as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Fister’s 4.72 FIP indicates he hasn’t pitched as well as his 3.43 ERA would lead you to believe and he only has a 6.6 K/9, leaving Torres with another favorable opportunity to produce.

Scooter Gennett vs. Chad Kuhl, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,400

Gennett had a breakout campaign last year, batting .295 with 27 home runs and 97 RBI. He’s doing his best to prove that was no fluke, batting .324 with eight home runs and 33 RBI so far this season. He had a .388 wOBA against right-handers last year and has followed it up with a .395 wOBA against them so far this year, leaving him with significant upside against Kuhl.

Others to consider: Javier Baez and Jonathan Schoop

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Colin Moran vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,700

The Pirates really try to keep Moran away from lefties, resulting in him logging only 10 plate appearances against them this season. Wednesday won’t present that problem though against Bailey and Moran is hitting righties well with a .370 wOBA. He went deep in Tuesday’s game against Matt Harvey and should be a part of any Pirates stack you plan to deploy versus Bailey.

Pedro Alvarez vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,700

The Orioles against Covey presents another excellent stacking opportunity. He was horrible in 18 games (12 starts) for the White Sox last season, recording a 7.71 ERA, 7.20 FIP and 1.67 WHIP. He had almost as many walks (34) as he had strikeouts (41) and allowed a staggering 20 home runs in 70 innings. Despite his struggles in the batting average department, Alvarez still has eight home runs this season and has much better career numbers against righties, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play.

Others to consider: Matt Chapman and Kyle Seager

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Manny Machado vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,500

Machado has been one of the best hitters in baseball this season, batting .335 with 15 home runs and 43 RBI. He’s been one of the few bright spots in what has otherwise been a struggling Orioles lineup that is in the bottom-third of baseball in runs scored. His walk rate is up and his strikeout rate is down, which is good news for him to be able to sustain this type of production moving forward. With Covey’s poor performance already detailed, the time might be right to pay up for Machado.

Jean Segura vs. Daniel Gossett, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,500

The Mariners lineup was expected to be their strength heading into this season, but they are seriously depleted right now without Robinson Cano (suspension) and Dee Gordon (toe). To make matters worse, Nelson Cruz has also missed the last two games with an elbow injury and may not be able to play Wednesday either. Segura is one of the best hitters they have left as he is batting .315 with 11 stolen bases this season. Gossett has a 6.48 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in 20 career starts, so Segura is someone to target if you don’t want to pay up for Machado.

Others to consider: Chris Taylor and Marcus Semien

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/18

Mike Trout vs. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,300

Trout’s .289 batting average this season is nothing special by his standards, which could be due to his .304 BABIP being almost 50 percentage points lower than his career mark. He is still hitting for a ton of power and has more walks (42) than strikeouts (41). Aaron Sanchez has allowed way too many baserunners this year with a 1.53 WHIP and doesn’t have overpowering stuff with a 7.2 K/9, so expect him to have a lot of trouble trying to get Trout out.

Austin Meadows vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,100

Meadows is living up to his lofty prospect status through four games, hitting 6-for-15 with two home runs. The scary part is that the Pirates outfield is so deep, he might be sent back down once Starling Marte (oblique) comes off the DL. With Bailey allowing a .400 wOBA against left-handed hitters this season, Meadows is someone to target for your entry.

Mark Canha vs. Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,500

Gonzales’ 4.66 ERA isn’t great, but his 3.37 FIP would suggest he’s not off to that bad of a start. If he’s going to lower his ERA though, he’ll need to improve his 1.47 WHIP significantly. Righties have given him problems throughout his career, resulting in a .380 wOBA against them. Canha has thrived on lefties this year with a 195 wRC+, making him a viable cost-effective option with upside.

Others to consider: Kyle Schwarber and Adam Jones

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/22/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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STARTING PITCHERS

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/22/18

Gerrit Cole vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $11,800
DraftKings = $12,900

It’s hard to argue against starting Cole regardless of who he is facing. To illustrate how great of a season he is having, his worst outing of the year came in his last start against the Angels. He didn’t exactly get hammered either, giving up three runs and recording seven strikeouts in five innings. Cole’s 1.75 ERA has been backed by a 1.95 FIP and he is getting a ton of strikeouts with a 13.6 K/9. He gets a great matchup Tuesday against the Giants, who have struck out the fourth-most times (455) in baseball this season.

Kevin Gausman vs. Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $7,600

The Orioles always seem to be searching for reliable starting pitchers, but Gausman has been a bright spot for their rotation. His 3.88 ERA and 4.56 FIP aren’t great, but a lot of the damage against him came over two starts where he allowed a total of 12 runs. Outside of those two bad performances, he has allowed two runs or fewer in six of seven outings. The White Sox lineup still leaves a lot to be desired, scoring the second-fewest runs (168) in baseball. Gausman doesn’t have a ton of strikeout upside, but the price might be right to take a chance on him in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/22/18

Mark Reynolds vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $3,700

The Nationals lost their regular first baseman in Ryan Zimmerman (back), but they luckily still have great options at the position with Reynolds and Matt Adams. Reynolds has only played six games this season, but he’s made an immediate impact with four home runs. He’ll likely get the start against left-hander Eric Lauer, who has been terrible this year with an 8.14 ERA and 2.10 WHIP.

Matt Olson vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,800

Olson continues to strike out way too much with a 29.5% strikeout rate. His power numbers are down too, but the good news is that he has a 50% hard-hit rate. He’s shown signs of coming out of his early slump as well, hitting 8-for-27 with three home runs and two doubles in his last seven games. He also has a .394 career wOBA against right-handers, leaving him as a cost-effective option with upside against Leake.

Others to consider: Josh Bell (first base) and John Hicks (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/22/18

Jed Lowrie vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,200

Lowrie has slowed down a bit after his hot start as he hasn’t hit a home run in his last nine games. He’s still hitting .288 in May with his BABIP at a more reasonable .327, which is good news for his value moving forward. Leake presents a prime stacking opportunity with his 6.00 ERA and 1.53 WHIP this season. Lowrie also excels against right-handers, following up his .353 wOBA against them last year with a .424 wOBA this season.

Starlin Castro vs. Zack Wheeler, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,300

The Marlins rebuilding efforts have considerably weakened their lineup, resulting in them scoring the fewest runs in baseball so far. Castro has been one of their few bright spots, batting .296 in the early going. His power numbers are way down with only two home runs and he doesn’t get a lot of chances to drive in runs, which has resulted in only 20 RBI. He’s still someone to consider playing against Wheeler though, who has struggled to keep runners off base with a 1.55 WHIP through seven starts.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Dee Gordon

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/22/18

Anthony Rendon vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,900

With Lauer taking the mound for the Padres, filling your lineup with Nationals’ hitters could pay off. Rendon has been limited to 27 games due to injury this season and has yet to get into a groove with only a .248 average. He’s been a bit unlucky with a .259 BABIP and he still isn’t striking out much, so expect him to turn things around soon. With a 186 wRC+ against lefties last year, he could be in line for a breakout performance Tuesday.

Colin Moran vs. Matt Harvey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,500

Moran doesn’t hit for a lot of power, but he is batting .286 and only has 15.8% strikeout rate. He does a great job getting on base in general as well with a .381 OBP. Not only does he have a .359 wOBA against righties this year, but he gets a great matchup against a struggling one in Harvey. If you don’t want to pay up for Rendon, Moran is an excellent budget-friendly option.

Others to consider: Mike Moustakas and Travis Shaw

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/22/18

Trea Turner vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,800

Lauer has held lefties to a .260 wOBA in his brief time in the majors this season, but righties have had a ton of success with a .472 wOBA. As we continue to look for righties to stack against him, Turner leads the way as one of the best options available at shortstop. He is only hitting .246 in May, but a lot of that has to do with his abnormally low .234 BABIP. He does have five home runs this month, so don’t hesitate to add him to your entry.

Marcus Semien vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,000

Semien has been one of the Athletics most consistent hitters of late, recording at least two hits in six of his last 10 games. He’s not just slapping singles either, recording two home runs and two doubles during that same stretch. He doesn’t get the lefty/righty advantage against Leake, but Leake hasn’t exactly been lights out against righties this year, allowing a .387 wOBA.

Others to consider: Xander Bogaerts and Jean Segura

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/22/18

Mookie Betts vs. Jake Faria, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $6,000

Unless Betts is facing one of the truly elite pitchers in baseball, you can pretty much make a case for playing him every day. There are a ton of crazy stats showing that he is off to one of the best starts we have seen in a long time, including his .365 average, 15 home runs and 48 runs scored in 43 games. Just as impressive is that he has almost as many walks (20) as he does strikeouts (21). Don’t expect Faria to be able to slow him down.

Corey Dickerson vs. Matt Harvey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $3,900

After moving on from franchise player Andrew McCutchen, Dickerson has proven to be a prudent addition for the Pirates. He made his first All-Star team last year and is off to a great start, batting .307 with five home runs and 29 RBI. He has hit at least 33 doubles in back-to-back seasons and is on pace to reach that feat again this year with 14 doubles already. Harvey allowed a .426 wOBA against lefties last year and hasn’t been much better by allowing a .397 wOBA to them this season.

Austin Meadows vs. Matt Harvey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,100

Rounding out our trio of Pirates’ lefties to play against Harvey, the up-and-coming Meadows checks in as a viable cheap option, especially on FanDuel. He went 5-for-11 with a home run in his first three games against the Padres after posting a .294 average in Triple-A. With a career .292 average during his time in the minor leagues, his future is certainly bright. It’s unclear if he’s going to stick around once Starling Marte (oblique) returns, but that’s of no concern Tuesday.

Others to consider: Mike Trout and Joey Gallo

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/18/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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STARTING PITCHERS

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/18/18

Charlie Morton vs. Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $9,700
DraftKings = $12,200

If it wasn’t for the potential for rain, Max Scherzer facing the Dodgers would be the top choice for the evening. However, that game looks to be very much in doubt, leaving Morton as one of the best alternatives. He continues to be a strikeout machine since joining the Astros, posting an 11.5 K/9 this season. His average fastball velocity sits at 97.2 mph, which would be the highest mark of his career. His 13.8% swinging strike rate is also over five percentage points higher than his career average. The Indians offense has some potent bats, but Morton has enough strikeout upside to still make him an excellent option.

Jake Arrieta vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $7,700

Arrieta is off to an odd start. His 2.59 ERA is great and although his FIP is higher at 3.48, it’s still very good. He has a 1.06 WHIP and has allowed only two home runs in 41.2 innings. On the negative side, his 5.8 K/9 is well below his career 8.2 K/9. His velocity has been consistent with last season, but his 6.3% swinging strike rate is a bit alarming. The good news is that he has allowed three runs or fewer in all but one start this season and will face a Cardinals squad that is in the bottom third of baseball in runs scored. The price is right on both sites to take a chance on him in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/18/18

Anthony Rizzo vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,000

Rizzo is batting an ugly .195, but that’s in large part due to an absurdly low .186 BABIP. His walk rate is down, but his strikeout rate is also below his career mark to go along with a 34% hard-hit rate. It’s only a matter of time before his batting average is on the rise and that might begin Friday since he is 9-for-22 (.409) with two home runs and three doubles against Bailey in his career.

Matt Olson vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,500

Stacking Athletics turned out to be a wise move against Aaron Sanchez on Thursday and is looking like something to do again Friday versus Estrada. Estrada has not only had a problem keeping runners off base with a 1.43 WHIP this season, but he has also allowed 10 home runs in 44 innings. The homers are not a new trend for Estrada either since he finished with a 1.5 HR/9 last year. Olson is showing signs of coming out of his slump as well, batting 5-for-14 with three home runs in his last four games.

Others to consider: Wilson Contreras (catcher) and Jose Abreu (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/18/18

Whit Merrifield vs. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,300

Sabathia’s 2.23 ERA looks nice, but he’s been a bit lucky considering his 3.61 FIP and .255 BABIP allowed. He’s not an overpowering pitcher by any means with just a 6.9 K/9 and needs to pitch ahead in counts if he’s going to have success. Merrifield has followed up his 2017 breakout campaign with a .289 average this season and four home runs to go along with nine steals. He also excels against left-handed pitchers, posting a .383 wOBA against them in his career.

Jed Lowrie vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,400

Lowrie came through with another valuable stat line in Thursday’s offensive explosion by the Athletics, going 1-for-4 with a double, one RBI, two runs scored and two walks. He’s on pace for by far the best season of his career and should have plenty of opportunities to provide counting stats in Oakland’s potent lineup. He has followed up his 123 wRC+ against righties last year with a 172 wRC+ this season, so it might be a good idea to go to the well again with him Friday.

Others to consider: Javier Baez and Jonathan Schoop

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/18/18

Kris Bryant vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,600

Bailey has really struggled this season with a 5.59 ERA, 6.16 FIP, and 1.45 WHIP. He’s not striking out many hitters with a 5.4 K/9 and has already allowed a staggering 12 home runs. He’s someone to target whenever he takes the mound, so stacking Cubs could be an excellent move. Bryant has at least two hits in five of his last nine games and has a 1.024 OPS out of the gate, so don’t be afraid to pay up to get him into your entry.

Matt Davidson vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,900

The Rangers had to scratch Cole Hamels from his start Thursday due to a stiff neck, which will result in Moore moving up a day to start Friday. His return to the American League has not gone well, posting a 7.82 ERA and 5.38 FIP. He’s allowing way too many base runners with a 2.00 WHIP and only has a 6.6 K/9. Davidson has fared better against lefties in his career and has a .407 wOBA against them so far this year, making him a cost-effective option with upside.

Others to consider: Danny Valencia and Matt Chapman

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/18/18

Manny Machado vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,500

Machado came through with a home run in the ninth inning off of David Price on Thursday, continuing his dominance over left-handed pitchers. He finished with a .345 wOBA against them despite his struggles last year and has a .409 wOBA so far this season. Pomeranz has been unlucky with opponents posting a .343 BABIP against him, but he’s not doing himself any favors with a 4.7 BB/9 and 1.8 HR/9. This is shaping up to be another big performance for Machado.

Marcus Semien vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,800

Semien enters Friday on a seven-game hitting streak that has seen him hit 11-for-34. His .274 average has been boosted by a .336 BABIP that is well above his career mark, but he has also swung at only 23.7% of pitches he has seen outside the strike zone, the lowest of his career. Considering Estrada’s struggles, keeping stacking Oakland hitters with Semien.

Others to consider: Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/18/18

Mookie Betts vs. Alex Cobb, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $5,800

What can’t Betts do at this point? Not only does he have an outstanding .734 slugging percentage, but he stole three bases Thursday to bring his total to 11 for the season. You could go on for days talking about his excellent stats, including his minuscule 11.2% strikeout rate. Cobb has looked better since being torched in his first three starts with the Orioles, but he still presents a great matchup for Betts.

Nomar Mazara vs. Carson Fulmer, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,200

Fulmer is a prime target to take advantage of Friday as he enters this game with a 6.23 ERA, 6.97 FIP, and 1.75 WHIP. He’s not fooling many hitters with a 6.7% swinging strike rate and his reasonable .289 BABIP allowed doesn’t really indicate he is in line for any positive regression. Mazara hits righties well with a .363 wOBA against them this season, making him an excellent option at this reasonable price.

Travis Jankowski vs. Ivan Nova, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,800

The Padres have several outfield options, but Jankowski is making a case for regular playing time. He is batting .364 in May, logging at least two hits in five of his last nine starts. His .455 BABIP this month is not sustainable, but there is still an opportunity here to take advantage of his hot streak. He is a much better hitter against righties in his career with a .317 wOBA against them compared to .203 against lefties. Nova does not have an overpowering pitch arsenal either, making Jankowski a viable option in tournament play.

Others to consider: Kyle Schwarber and Matt Joyce

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

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STARTING PITCHERS

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

Tyler Skaggs vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $10,400

Skaggs is on pace for the best season of his career, posting a 3.07 ERA and 3.19 FIP through eight starts. He had finished with a WHIP of at least 1.39 in back-to-back seasons but has been able to cut that down to 1.21 this year. He’s allowed a .300 BABIP and a 37.1% hard-hit rate, which are both either at or higher than his career marks, so he’s not exactly getting lucky either. His 9.4 K/9 this season has been aided by the fact that he has thrown a first-pitch strike to 65.8% of the batters that he has faced and a career-best 10.4% swinging strike rate. His price is climbing, but he’s certainly one of the best options Thursday.

Chad Bettis vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $7,400

Bettis’ 3.12 ERA looks nice, but he’s been lucky with a 4.35 FIP and a .257 BABIP allowed that is over 50 percentage points lower than his career mark. He doesn’t have an overpowering arsenal either with just a 6.6 K/9 for his career. Like many pitchers, Bettis struggles in Coors field with a 5.37 ERA there for his career compared to a 4.29 ERA on the road. Those splits have been even more drastic this year with a 6.89 ERA in three home starts and a 1.35 ERA in five games on the road. Although his strikeout upside isn’t great, Bettis could be worth the risk in tournament play based on his price.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

Eric Hosmer vs. Chad Kuhl, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $3,800

After recording only two home runs and four RBI in his first 26 games, Hosmer has picked up his production with four home runs and 12 RBI in his last 14 contests. He’s only batted .231 over that 14-game stretch, but that’s mostly because of his abnormally low .205 BABIP. Hosmer has followed up his stellar .400 wOBA against right-handed pitchers in 2017 with a .377 mark this season, making him a great option against Kuhl, who really struggles against lefties.

Matt Olson vs. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,600

Olson’s power numbers are way down, following up his .652 slugging percentage in 2017 with only a .404 mark this year. His strikeout rate sits at 30.4%, which certainly isn’t helping his cause any. He is only batting .238, which is a bit scary when you consider he has a favorable .323 BABIP. Despite all his struggles, he still has a .359 wOBA against righties this year and won’t face an overpowering one in Sanchez on Thursday, so he could provide upside considering his price.

Others to consider: Justin Smoak (first base) and James McCann (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

Jed Lowrie vs. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,100

Lowrie has cooled off some after his torrid start, but he’s still batting .296 in May. His power numbers are on the decline with one double and three home runs this month, but that was to be expected considering his career .414 slugging percentage.  He hit righties well last year with a .353 wOBA and has been even better with a .423 wOBA this season, making him another Athletics’ hitter who could provide value against Sanchez.

Rougned Odor vs. James Shields, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,100

Odor batted only .204 last year, but he provided plenty of power with 30 home runs. Injuries have limited him to just 16 games this season, but he’s still looking for his first homer. Shields doesn’t exactly have electric stuff anymore with a 5.44 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 5.3 K/9 this season and Odor does have more success against righties, so he may have some upside.

Others to consider: Ozzie Albies and Sean Rodriguez

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

Nolan Arenado vs. Jeff Samardzija, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,100

Samardzija is struggling, to say the least, recording a 6.94 ERA, 6.27 FIP and 1.71 WHIP across his first five starts. He’s had major control issues with a 5.8 BB/9 and has already allowed five home runs in just 23.1 innings. Things could get ugly for him again Thursday, especially against Arenado since he is 12-for-29 (.414) against him in his career.

Danny Valencia vs. David Price, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,800

Price hasn’t pitched well since leaving his start against the Yankees April 11 with an injury, watching his ERA increase from 2.40 to 4.89 since. He’s pitched more than 5.2 innings only after that game and could be risky moving forward due to his battle with carpal tunnel syndrome. Valencia hits lefties well and is 13-for-22 (.591) against Price in his career.

Others to consider: Josh Donaldson and Matt Chapman

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

Manny Machado vs. David Price, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $5,600

Machado is a good player to target most nights unless he’s facing one of the true elite aces in the league. Not only is he batting a robust .342, but he also has 13 home runs and 11 doubles. He has hit Price well in his career too, going 11-for-37 (.297) with four home runs.

Jose Iglesias vs. Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,000

If you can make Machado work in your budget, he’s the option I prefer at shortstop. However, if you need to save some money at the position, Iglesias is someone to have on your radar. He has really struggled against righties with a .282 wOBA against them for his career but has a .328 wOBA against lefties. Gonzales has had troubles keeping runners off base with a 1.64 WHIP for his career, so Iglesias may be able to find his way on base a couple of times in this game.

Others to consider: Jean Segura and Marcus Semien

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/17/18

Mookie Betts vs. Kevin Gausman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $5,800

I’ve already discussed a couple of Orioles’ hitters with favorable matchups in this game, but now it’s time to move to the other dugout with Betts. He’s been one of the elite hitters in all of baseball this year and even though Gausman is off to an encouraging start, Betts is 12-for-29 (.414) with three home runs against him in his career. Betts actually has more walks (four) than strikeouts (three) against Gausman.

Joey Gallo vs. James Shields, Chicago White Sox
Stadium = Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,300

When you play Gallo, it’s for his home run upside since he is only batting .201 for his career. This year has been no different with a .200 average and a 34.3% strikeout rate. The power is still there though and Shields has a HR/9 of at least 2.0 in back-to-back seasons, so Gallo could be worth the risk at this price.

Gerardo Parra vs. Jeff Samardzija, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,300

Parra really struggles against lefties, but his wOBA for his career is almost 50 percentage points higher against righties. He’s not off to a great start this season with a .674 OPS, but facing Samardzija might be just what he needs since he is 12-for-20 (.400) with two home runs against him in his career.

Others to consider: Nomar Mazara and Franchy Cordero

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/16/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/16/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

As is the case most Wednesday’s, we’ve got game spread out between the day and evening slates for DFS today. 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 5/16/18

Walker Buehler vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $9,500
DraftKings = $8,500

Regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball, Buehler has continued to shine in the majors. He’s making a case to stick in the Dodgers’ rotation even when they get healthy, posting a 1.64 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 11.0 K/9 through four starts. His FIP stands at 1.64 and he’s allowed a .288 BABIP, so his supporting numbers further highlight his strong start. His first start of the year came against these same Marlins, holding them scoreless over five innings while recording five strikeouts. Since they have scored the fewest runs (142) and hit the fewest home runs (31) in baseball, Buehler could again be in line for a valuable performance.

J.A. Happ vs. New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $9,400

Happ’s 4.80 ERA doesn’t instill confidence, but it is a bit inflated after he allowed seven runs in 3.1 innings in his last start against the Mariners. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in five of his eight outings and has a career-high 11.2 K/9, led by an 11.7% swinging strike rate. The Mets have one of the worst offenses in the league, scoring the sixth-fewest runs (165). They also have the worst OPS against left-handed pitchers (.593) by a wide margin, leaving Happ as a viable option in tournament play if you are playing the early slate.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/16/18

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

Santana has finally woken up 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 outings. Santana has hit right-handers well in his career and has a .337 wOBA against them this year despite all his struggles, so don’t sleep on him Wednesday.

Jose Osuna vs. Hector Santiago, Chicago White Sox
Stadium = PNC Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,000

Santiago has made 11 appearances for the White Sox this season, but Wednesday will mark only his third start. He hasn’t pitched well, posting a 5.60 ERA, 5.67 FIP, and 1.68 WHIP. He started 14 of his 15 games last season and wasn’t any better, finishing with a 5.63 ERA, 6.02 FIP, and 1.44 WHIP. Osuna is batting cleanup in this game and already has two home runs in 10 plate appearances against lefties this year, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play. Of note, he is only first base eligible on DraftKings as he is listed as an outfielder on FanDuel.

Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo (first base) and Wilson Contreras (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/16/18

Javier Baez vs, Brandon McCarthy, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – SunTrust Field
FanDuel = $4,500
DratfKings = $4,500

McCarthy got off to a hot start by allowing three runs or fewer in each of his first four starts but he has allowed at least five runs in three of his last four. His last two outings were particularly concerning since he gave up 14 runs to the Giants and Marlins, neither of which have a great lineup. The Cubs present an excellent stacking opportunity Wednesday, Baez included.

Howie Kendrick vs. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,300

Sabathia’s 2.23 ERA and 1.02 WHIP look great, but he’s been a bit lucky with opponents posting just a .255 BABIP. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff anymore with a 6.9 K/9 this year, but he’s helped make up for it with a career-low 1.2 BB/9. Kendrick recorded a .385 wOBA against lefties last year, leaving him with a favorable chance to provide value.

Others to consider: Cesar Hernandez and Joey Wendle

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/16/18

Jose Ramirez vs. Ryan Carpenter, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,100

Ramirez is rolling right now, hitting 8-for-20 with three home runs and three doubles in his last five games. The lefty Carpenter did make one start for the Tigers earlier this year, allowing three runs in three innings against the Pirates. He wasn’t exactly pitching well in Triple-A this season either with a 5.01 ERA and 1.43 WHIP across seven starts. Ramirez finished with a .395 wOBA against lefties last year and has been even better with a .419 mark this season. He is one of several Indians hitters who could excel in this game.

Justin Turner vs. Caleb Smith, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,700

Turner played in his first game Tuesday after missing the start of the season with a wrist injury. The Dodgers badly need his bat in their lineup with the loss of Corey Seager (elbow), so he is certainly a welcomed addition. He mashed left-handers for a 206 wRC+ last year, so don’t hesitate to add him to your entry even though it’s only his second game back.

Others to consider: Eugenio Suarez and Daniel Descalso

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/16/18

Francisco Lindor vs. Ryan Carpenter, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,500

Lindor’s 15-game hitting streak was snapped Tuesday, but that’s mostly because he didn’t get a chance to do much damage, drawing a walk in four of his five plate appearances. He’s one of the hottest hitters in the league right now and already has eight home runs in May, making him yet another Indians’ hitter you want to try and squeeze into your entry.

Brandon Crawford vs. Matt Harvey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,300

Speaking of shortstops on a hot streak, Crawford is batting .412 with 1.017 OPS in May. Harvey pitched well in his first start with the Reds, but he still only had two strikeouts in four innings. After he allowed a .426 wOBA to left-handed hitters last year, Crawford could have a good chance of keeping his hot streak alive for at least one more game.

Others to consider: Trea Turner and Chris Taylor

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/16/18

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

Herrera has been hot out of the gate, 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 to target against Cashner.

Nomar Mazara vs. Christian Bergman, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,200

Bergman will be making his first start in the majors Wednesday, although he hasn’t exactly dominated in the minors this year with a 3.40 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. He’s had trouble keeping runners off base in his previous appearances in the majors, posting a 1.50 WHIP for his career. Mazara only has a .272 wOBA in his career against lefties but has been much better against righties with a .340 wOBA.

Joey Gallo vs. Christian Bergman, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,000

It’s all or nothing when it comes to Gallo, who has 12 home runs despite batting .199 and striking out in one-third of his plate appearances. Not only has Bergman struggled to keep runners off base, but he also has a 1.6 HR/9 for his career to go along with only a 5.5 K/9. This is the type of matchup that Gallo thrives off of.

Others to consider: Kyle Schwarber and Denard Span

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/10/18

by Mike Barner 0 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

We’ve got a good mix of day and night games in baseball Wednesday, so let’s take a look at some options to consider for both slates. 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 5/9/18

Gerrit Cole vs. Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $12,000
DraftKings = $13,400

Cole has been dominant for the Astros and has helped them to have one of the best, if not the best, starting rotation in baseball. Through seven starts with his new squad, he has a 1.42 ERA, 1.55 FIP, and 0.69 WHIP. After allowing 1.4 HR/9 last season, which was almost double his career mark, he has corrected that issue by allowing only three home runs in 50.2 innings. The biggest difference for Cole has been a massive increase in strikeouts with a 13.7 K/9. His ERA is unlikely to stay this low over the course of the entire season, especially considering his opponents only have a .247 BABIP. However, he is still going to provide a ton of strikeouts and is the best starting pitcher available if you are playing the afternoon slate.

Chris Stratton vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $5,900

Stratton didn’t have spectacular numbers in the minor leagues, recording a 4.07 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 7.9 K/9 in 623.2 innings. He only pitched 58.2 innings for the Giants last year and while he finished with a respectable 3.68 ERA, his 1.48 WHIP and 4.3 BB/9 were reasons for concern. One area that Stratton has excelled in during his brief Major League career is keeping batters in the ballpark, allowing 0.8 HR/9. He’s done a better job limiting baserunners this season with a 1.23 WHIP. His 3.99 ERA isn’t great, but a lot of that is because he gave up six earned runs in just 1.1 innings in one start against the Dodgers. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his other six outings. His strikeout upside isn’t great, but he’s someone to consider if you’re looking for a cheap starter for the night slate.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/18

Brandon Belt vs. Nick Pivetta, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,000

Injuries limited Belt to 104 games last year, but he’s healthy now and putting up big numbers, batting .297 with six home runs and a .951 OPS. His .365 BABIP would seem to be very high, but with a career BABIP of .335, he might not actually be in line for that much of a regression over the course of the season. He had a wOBA of at least .362 against right-handers in each of the last three seasons and has a lofty .446 wOBA against them this year, making him a great option against Pivetta.

Ryon Healy vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,800

Healy doesn’t walk much, drawing only 23 free passes last year in 605 plate appearances. Although he only has two walks so far this year, he’s batting a respectable .262 with five home runs. He showed he can hit for power in the minors and followed that up with 25 homers in his first full season in the majors last year. He recorded a .369 wOBA against left-handed pitchers in 2017, so he could provide value against the underwhelming Garcia.

Others to consider: Joey Votto (first base) and Wilson Contreras (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/18

Alen Hanson vs. Nick Pivetta, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,000

Hanson has taken over at second base with Joe Panik (thumb) on the DL and the Giants really couldn’t have asked for much more from him so far. Not only is he batting .286, but he’s hit for power with a .571 slugging percentage. He didn’t show that kind of power upside in the minors, but he did hit .284 over eight seasons. He has a .400 wOBA against righties in limited action this season, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play.

Jonathan Schoop vs. Eric Skoglund, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,500

Schoop made his return from the DL on Tuesday, going 1-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. He wasn’t hitting well before injuring his oblique, some of which can be attributed to just a 21.3 percent hard-hit rate. Despite his struggles, he still has a .324 wOBA against left-handers this year after posting a .397 wOBA against them in 2017. Skoglund hasn’t pitched well with a 6.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP across five starts, making Schoop someone to consider at this cheap price.

Others to consider: Ozzie Albies and Whit Merrifield

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/18

Kris Bryant vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,200

Bryant is batting .284 this season despite his .313 BABIP that is 31 points lower than his career mark. He’s hitting the ball hard with a 42 percent hard-hit rate and continues to draw plenty of walks, helping lead him to a .415 OBP. He’s finished with a wRC+ of at least 150 against lefties in back-to-back seasons and if off to an even better start this season with a 258 wRC+ against them. You’ll have to pay up to get him into your lineup, but he also carries significant upside.

Adrian Beltre vs. Francisco Liriano, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,400

Beltre wasted no time in his first game back from the DL on Tuesday, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. He has batted at least .300 in five of the last six seasons and is showing no signs of slowing down this year with a .330 average. He has fared very well against Liriano during his career, batting .314 with a home run and four doubles in 42 plate appearances.

Others to consider: Mike Moustakas and Colin Moran

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/18

Manny Machado vs. Eric Skoglund, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $4,900

Machado is in the midst of a power drought, homerless in nine straight games. He has just two doubles over that stretch as well. He only went hitless in two of those games though, so it’s not like he is in the middle of a prolonged slump in general. Facing Skoglund could be just what he needs to get his power swing back on track as he has a 1.4 HR/9 and has allowed a 50.6 percent hard-hit rate this season.

Jean Segura vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,000

Segura has a prime spot in the Mariners lineup, hitting behind Dee Gordon with Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz providing protection after him. It’s helped him score 23 runs and record 24 RBI in only 34 games. He’s only scored at least 100 runs in a season once in his career and has never had more than 64 RBI, so he could be on his to a special season. With Garcia allowing a .383 wOBA to righties this season, Segura is another Mariner to consider putting into your lineup.

Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Andrelton Simmons

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/18

Justin Upton vs. Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,800

Upton wasted no time in hitter-friendly Coors Field, hitting a home run in the first game of this series Tuesday. Upton demolished left-handers last year with a .472 wOBA. Considering Anderson allowed a .358 wOBA to righties last year, Upton could be in for another productive performance Wednesday.

Nelson Cruz vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,200

If you are panicking because the normally reliable Cruz is batting only .255, you shouldn’t be. His BABIP sits at .254, which is over 50 percentage points lower than his career mark. He’s still hitting the ball well with a 43.6% hard-hit rate and his K% is actually down. With Garcia’s struggles against righties already detailed, Cruz isn’t someone to sleep on Wednesday.

Alex Gordon vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,400

Just when you thought Gordon’s days of being a viable fantasy option were well behind him, he’s batting .321 so far this season. He’s not walking much, but he does have a career-low 15.7% K%. His .355 BABIP probably won’t hold up, so don’t run out and grab him off waivers if you play in a season-long league. However, Cashner allows a lot of base runners and struggles against left-handed hitters, so you may be able to take advantage of Gordon’s hot start in DFS.

Others to consider: Mike Trout and Jorge Soler