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DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 23, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 23, 2017

Welcome back for another TGIF edition of my daily fantasy baseball picks. With no afternoon games today, we get a full 15 game slate tonight. This gives us tons of different slates on both sites so be sure to get your subscription to the tools here at LineupLab to help you build better lineups. Let’s jump in and take a look at a couple pitchers to build around and some stacking options for tournaments.

Put your favorite Draftkings / Fanduel MLB Lineup Picks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

Starting Pitchers

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Lineuplab - Chris Archer

Chris Archer
Opponent – vs. BAL
Park -Tropicana Field (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (TB -225)
Vegas Total (9.0)

The Rays are hanging on in the American League East thanks to their sparkling 23-16 home record which is second best in the league. After taking two of three from the Reds earlier in the week the Rays have now won seven of their last 10 home games and open a series with the Orioles tonight with their ace toeing the rubber. Chris Archer has given up some runs this year and sits with a 3.75 ERA but makes up for it in fantasy with his very high floor thanks to an elite 11.2 K/9 rate(4th in the league). The only knock on Archer this season has been the high walk rate(2.84 BB/9) but the good news is he faces an Orioles team that walks less than all but two teams in the league(6.6%) vs. right-handed pitching. Archer has also had some trouble with lefties(.335 wOBA) this season while dominating righties(.249 wOBA) and another bump in the projections is the fact Chris Davis(O’s most powerful LH bat) is out of the lineup. Look for Archer and the Rays to open the series with a dominating performance from their ace. He is safe in all formats.


J.A. Happ
Opponent – @ KC
Park – Kauffman Stadium (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (TOR -125)
Vegas Total (9.5)

His salary is back up in the $8K range on both sites but Happ still brings a lot of value to the table in this matchup. He spent a month and a half on the disabled list in April and May and struggled in his first two starts back but has been much better lately. Over his last two starts, Happ has allowed just three earned runs in 12.2 innings pitched with 17 strikeouts and just one walk while limiting the hard contact to 28%. He appears back in the form we saw last season when he posted a career-high 20 wins and the best part is the increase in strikeouts, even though I don’t think he maintains a rate over 10 per nine. As long as he keeps limiting the free passes (1.7 BB/9), he will give himself a much better shot at getting deeper into games and a shot at more wins. Tonight he gets a park upgrade as the Jays travel to Kauffman Stadium to take on a Royals team that ranks in the bottom third of the league vs. left-handed pitching. The opening line has Happ as a -125 favorite and I wouldn’t be surprised if it got even bigger closer to lineup lock. Happ makes an excellent SP2 on DraftKings or contrarian GPP play on FanDuel.

 

 

Stacks of the Night

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Lineuplab - Francisco Lindor

Cleveland Indians vs. Adalberto Mejia (MIN)

I will be targeting the Indians heavily as my top stack in tournaments and even some smaller two and three-man stacks in cash games. They currently sit as big -170 favorites with the third highest implied run projection tonight as the Twins come to town to open a weekend series. The Indians have been red hot lately winning eight of their last nine games while scoring 68 runs which is an average of 7.5 runs per game. They will be facing rookie start Adalberto Mejia who has struggled in his first attempt as a major league starter. He is walking over 4.5 batters per nine innings and while he has only had one blow up game (8 ER to the Mariners), he will not be able to sustain such a high walk rate. He enters tonight’s matchup with a 5.53 ERA and 5.31 xFIP while also giving up an 18% HR/FB rate. All signs point to the Indians having their way with Mejia tonight. They rank 12th in wOBA and 10th in wRC+ vs. left-handed pitching and have some hitters that can take us to GPP glory tonight.

Top Players to Stack – Edwin Encarnacion, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez

Value Options – Austin Jackson, Yan Gomes

 

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Lineuplab - Corey Seager

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Kyle Freeland (COL)

The Dodgers are down the list a bit when looking at implied run projections and I think this helps with their ownership tonight. Along with the Indians, they are arguably the hottest team in the league winning seven straight and 13 of their last 14 games. They have sustained the winning streak with some timely pitching but most of all from their consistent and powerful offense. During those last 14 games, they have scored a total of 98 runs on their opponents which works out to seven runs per game. Over the last 14 days, they sit with a .400 wOBA and 153 wRC+ as a team and should be able to keep that pace up going up against Kyle Freeland tonight. He is another pitcher who has struggled with his control(3.53 BB/9) but has gotten away with it for the most part. While you would think a pitcher for the Rockies would have splits favoring the road but it is a different story for Freeland who has an ERA close to a half run more on the road while allowing opponents a wOBA of .345 while holding them to a .309 wOBA in Coors. It doesn’t completely make sense over a small sample size but it is something to monitor. He could be in trouble tonight as the Dodgers lineup ranks 5th in wRC+ and 10th in wOBA against left-handed pitching and make a high upside and very affordable stack.

Top Players to Stack – Logan Forsythe, Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Chris Taylor

Value Options – Enrique Hernandez, Yasiel Puig

Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks – June 22, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks – June 22, 2017

Welcome to Lineup Lab’s Best Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks, where we feature our top players for our MLB Lineup Optimizer on Fanduel and Draftkings. Put your favorite stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

Welcome back for another full day of Major League Baseball. The fun begins with a six games in the afternoon and is followed by six more games on the main slate. Let’s jump in and take a look at my top pitcher and stack for each slate.

Jun 16, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (44) throws to a New York Mets batter during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

 

Starting Pitchers

Early Slate

Carlos Martinez
Opponent – @ PHI
Park – Citizens Bank Park (Hitters Park)
Vegas Favorite (STL -135)
Vegas Total (8.5)

With a smaller six-game slate, Martinez comes with a premium price but has the highest upside and best matchup of all 12 pitchers this afternoon. He has been a bit unlucky in the W/L column this season as the runs support just has not been there for the Cards who rank in the bottom five but do not be mistaken, Martinez is an elite option. He has only allowed an opponent to score more than three earned runs once in his last 10 starts and struck out seven or more batters in eight of those starts. He enters this afternoon’s game with a 10.2 K/9 rate, 11.0% swing strike rate with a 2.86 ERA that is backed up by a 3.36 xFIP. What makes the pick even more enticing is the fact he will face a Phillies team that ranks second to last in overall runs scored and 28th in wOBA and 29th in wRC+ vs. right-handed pitching with a 23.7% K rate. Much like yesterday, there should be more than enough value popping up to easily fit CarMart into your lineups in all formats.

Also Consider – David Paulino @ OAK

 

 

Jake-Arrieta-DFS-MLB-Lineup-Picks

Main Slate

Jake Arrieta
Opponent – @ MIA
Park – Marlins Park (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (CHI -140)
Vegas Total (9.0)

When look up and see Luis Severino as the top pitcher, over $12K on DraftKings, we know it is going to be a GPP slate. While I can make the case for Severino on FanDuel for just $300 more than Arrieta, I cannot help but take the $3,500 discount on DraftKings. Both have just over a 10.0 K/9 rate on the season and above average swinging strike rates over 10% and while the Trout-less Angels are a better matchup the discount can get you two or three upgraded bats throughout your lineup. The only issue with Arrieta this season has been the increase in fly balls which have resulted in him giving up some long balls but the good news is that he has increased his K rate while reducing the free passes. Arrieta faced the Marlins at the start of June and allowed just two earned runs in six innings with five strikeouts en route to his sixth win of the season. I would be more than happy with a repeat performance but also think he can top that today.

Also Consider – Hyun-Jin Ryu vs. NYM

 

Offensive Stacks

Early Slate

Chicago White Sox vs. Nik Turley(MIN)

The matchup could honestly not get any better if you are looking for a team to stack on Thursday afternoon. The White Sox, while sitting in the bottom third of the league in overall runs scored, lead all teams in wOBA(.356), wRC+(121), and OPS(.827) against left-handed pitching and get a matchup vs. one of the worst pitchers on the slate. Nik Turley was a career minor-leaguer(9 years) before being called up to spot start for the Twins and is somehow getting another opportunity. Through two starts, he has given up 12 earned runs in 8.2 innings striking out seven and walking four while giving up a 42% hard contact rate. Load up on White Sox today.

Top Players to Stack – Jose Abreu, Todd Frazier, Avisail Garcia

Also Consider: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Martin Perez (TEX)

 

Main Slate

New York Yankees vs. Jesse Chavez (LAA)

The Yankees highlight the night slate from a stacking perspective as they lead all of baseball in hitting vs. right-handed pitching with a .359 wOBA, 124 wRC+, and sit second in Isolated Power(.205). They struggled a bit over the last week losing seven in a row but got back on track last night beating the Angels 8-4. Tonight they face somewhat of a gas can in Jesse Chavez who is now with his sixth team in the majors and drastically under performing with a 4.85 ERA and 4.68 xFIP that suggests thing won’t be getting much better. He has dropped his strikeout rate below 6.8 K/9 for the first time since 2010 and is also giving up a career-high hard contact rate of 35% that has led to a 18.9% HR/FB rate. This is great news if you are stacking Yankees as they sit just one home run behind the league-leading Astros and Rays.

Top Players to Stack – Aaron Judge, Starlin Castro, Brett Gardner, Gary Sanchez

Also Consider: Cleveland Indians vs. Wade Miley (BAL)

Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks – June 21, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks – June 21, 2017

Welcome to Lineup Lab’s Best Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks, where we feature our top players for our MLB Lineup Optimizer on Fanduel and Draftkings. Put your favorite stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks - Jose Berrios - Lineup Lab

Starting Pitchers

Jeff Samardzija @ Atlanta Braves
Park – SunTrust Park

We have a big main slate with a whole lot of average pitchers. While we have an ace in Carlos Carrasco, he’s facing the Orioles in Camden Yards and hasn’t been the same pitcher as of late. He’s leaving pitches in the zone and it’s resulting in a higher than ever hard contact rate. Instead, we’re going to move down a bit and take a look at Jeff Samardzija. Samardzija hasn’t been amazing this year, but he’s been as expected. He eats up innings and does a good job of limiting opposing offenses to just 2 or 3 runs at most. He will get his 7 or 8 strikeouts and work his way into plenty of wins. He faces a very poor Braves team, that happens to be without their only ++ hitter, Freddie Freeman. Since Freeman got injured, the Braves have ranked 28th in baseball against righties with a .294 wOBA. There is literally nobody to be afraid of and it just comes down to how well Samardzija can pitch. While cash games are in question as a whole on this slate, this is your best option as a whole.

Jose Berrios Vs Chicago White Sox
Park – Progressive Field

Jose Berrios has been very good. He was one of the top prospects in all of baseball for a few years and has already shown why. He’s acted like a prime number 2 this year, usually going around 7 and allowing 1 or 2 runs. Berrios has been absolutely dominant against both sides of the plate in his 8 starts, sporting a .265 combined wOBA. He’s striking out over 8.5 batters per 9 innings and has posted a very strong 0.8 HR/9. He’s also been extremely consistent, which is rare to see out of a 23-year-old. Berrios has gone at least 6 innings in all but 1 start, in which he went 5 innings. This kid is special and will be a pitcher we target for a long time. He is however very young and he can still implode at any time. Fortunately, he’s facing off with the White Sox. They have been one of the worst teams all year long and hold the 4th lowest wOBA on the road in all of the majors. Berrios has plenty of opportunities here, but it really just comes down to whether he can keep the ball in the zone. Nobody on this White Sox team is going to battle and put up consistent at-bats in Progressive Field.


Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks - Gary Sanchez - Lineup Lab

Offensive Stacks

New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels (Ricky Nolasco)
Park – Yankee Stadium

This offense is pretty easy to love tonight. When initially looking at the slate, they stand out like a sore thumb. When any team holds an implied run total over 6 runs and that team is outside of Coors Field, you must take notice. The Yankees are in that spot tonight and I find myself thinking they may be in that spot somewhat often with how their offense is rolling. They face off with arguably the worst pitcher on the entire slate. So far in 2017, Ricky Nolasco has managed to sport a .386 wOBA against righties and a .357 to lefties. He’s also allowed an insane 21 home runs in less than 21 innings. Yes, you read that correctly. Both Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez are hitting home runs every night and both look like the next Babe Ruth. If you’re stacking the Yankees, you play them both. You can then go a lot of different ways. Matt Holliday deserves a lot of consideration and hits righties extremely well. Starlin Castro and Aaron Hicks are both solid, but should be highly owned and aren’t must plays. Personally, I will have a ton of exposure to the “main stack” in both cash games and tournaments. The Yankees are very safe tonight and if they go down in flames to Ricky Nolasco, I’ll take the loss and move on.

Main Stack – Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Starlin Castro, Matt Holliday

Sneaky Stack – Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, Didi Gregorious

St. Louis Cardinals @ Philadelphia Phillies (Nicholas Pivetta)
Park – Citizens Bank Park

The Cardinals are a pretty weird team to target as a stack. it’s always tough to figure out what you do with guys like Yadier Molina, Kolten Wong, and Paul DeJong. Statistically, they can hit home runs. However, they don’t aim for the fences and often find themselves labeled as “boring” or as having “no ceiling”. Instead, I like to look at these guys as under-owned. You can get these lower in the order bats at a much lower ownership and if they happen to drive in some runs, you’re in a splendid spot. The Cardinals are facing off with the Phillies and Nick Pivetta tonight. Pivetta has been atrocious against both sides of the plate, holding a .361 combined wOBA. Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler are obviously your top 2 targets, with Aledmys Diaz and Stephen Piscotty up next. The Cardinals offense isn’t very concentrated, so feel free to take a shot on a guy who sneaks into the lower part of the order.

Main Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Aledmys Diaz, Stephen Piscotty

Sneaky Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Yadier Molina, Jedd Gyorko

MLB Draftkings Picks – June 20, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

MLB Draftkings Picks – June 20, 2017

Welcome to Lineup Lab’s Best MLB Draftkings Picks, where we feature our top players for our MLB Lineup Optimizer on Fanduel and Draftkings. Put your favorite stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

Chris Sale - Boston RedSox - MLB Draftkings Picks - Lineuplab

Starting Pitcher

Chris Sale @ Kansas City Royals
Opposing Pitcher – Matthew Strahm
Park – Kauffman Stadium

Chris Sale is on the slate and he’s in the biggest ballpark in baseball. Kauffman Stadium is death to fly balls and will often throw 2-1 or 3-0 type of games out there. When you move a top 3 pitcher into it against a bad offense, things could get interesting. The Royals rank 23rd in the MLB with a .300 wOBA against lefties and the 2nd lowest ISO in the league.Sale, on the other hand, is the definition of elite. He’s holding a .240 wOBA against both lefties and righties and is striking out over 11 batters per 9 innings. Kershaw is right up there with Kershaw in DFS and you have to love his chances of a big game here. Sale doesn’t really have anyone to be scared of here and he should be able to dice through the lineup relatively easily. With that being said, the Royals do a good job of figuring out ways to put up a couple hits and runs. Sale might not leave with a clean slate, but he’s going to have at least 9 K’s and I doubt he goes less than 7 innings.

Michael Pineda Vs Los Angeles Angels
Opposing Pitcher – Parker Bridwell
Park – Yankee Stadium

We saw Pineda struggle against this same team in just his last start, which will hopefully keep some people off of him. He was on the road and ended up getting extremely unlucky in a few different spots. He heads back home tonight, where he holds a .237 wOBA and an elite 10 K/9. Pineda is close to an elite pitcher at this point and his numbers in Yankee Stadium are undeniable. This LA Angels team is nothing to be scared of in the slightest. They strikeout the 10th most in the majors against righties and don’t have anyone that gives too much fear to opposing pitchers. Pineda will get plenty of run support tonight, with the Yankees projected for almost 6 runs against Parker Bridwell. Pineda is a good savings option from Sale in both cash games and tournaments, though I clearly have Sale as my top option.

Catcher

Gary Sanchez Vs Los Angeles Angels
Opposing Pitcher – Parker Bridwell (R)
Park – Yankee Stadium

Gary Sanchez is usually going to stand far above the rest at the catcher position. You can definitely say that tonight, facing off with a righty in Parker Bridwell that has struggled against righties since being drafted. He’s limped through the minors and has sported a xFIP over 4.00 in 2 straight seasons. There is no reason to think this guy sis going to have nay success in the majors and he’s been worse against righties. We all know by now that Gary Sanchez is also a guy with reverse splits. He’s sported a .417 wOBA over the last 2 seasons against righties and has shown no signs of showing down. If you have the salary and want a legitimate shot at an HR, take a look at Gary Sanchez.

Russell Martin @ Texas Rangers
Opposing Pitcher – Nick Martinez (R)
Park – Globe Life Park

We do have Chris Sale on this slate, so chances are you can’t afford Gary Sanchez at catcher. If you need to pay down a bit and want to get some upside in both cash games and tournaments, Russell Martin has some appeal. He, like Gary Sanchez, has actually been better against righties recently. This hasn’t always been the case with Martin but his change in approach has switched things up for him. The Blue Jays face off with a real gas can in Nick Martinez. He has never been good and I doubt he ever will be. He’s sported a near .400 wOBA against both sides of the plate for years now and I’m truly clueless why he keeps getting starting opportunities. The Blue Jays will put some runs on the board and I could see Martin getting in on the party for cheap on both sites.

Anthony Rizzo - Chicago Cubs - MLB Draftkings Picks - Lineuplab

First Base

Anthony Rizzo Vs San Diego Padres
Opposing Pitcher – Jhoulys Chacin (R)
Park – Wrigley Field

Rizzo has taken over as the leadoff hitter as of late, where we can expect him to be tonight. He’s been very good at getting on base and has been driving the ball to all fields. Rizzo has been great against righties since coming up with the Padres nearly 8 years ago. Over the last 3, he’s sported a .384 wOBA with some of the best peripherals in the game. He stays home in Wrigley Field tonight and faces off with a below average righty in Jhoulys Chacin. He’s allowed a .393 wOBA to lefties so far this season and Wrigley Field is a big downgrade from his home in San Diego, Petco Park. Rizzo is an elite option in all formats and the Cubs are a great team to stack that may go overlooked.

Brandon Belt @ Atlanta Braves
Opposing Pitcher – Julio Teheran (R)
Park – SunTrust Park

The San Francisco Giants certainly disappointed yesterday, getting shut down by R.A. Dickey for 7 innings. They ended up going scoreless and have surely left a sour taste in a lot of people’s mouth. I’m going to jump right back on board and grab Brandon Belt. Belt, who has sported a .371 wOBA against righties, faces off with a righty who struggles mightily against left-handers. Julio Teheran still has a lot working for him, but he has never been able to figure it out against lefties. He’s right back to allowing a .385 wOBA this year and it just looks like its who Teheran is as a pitcher. SunTrust Park has played well for lefties so far this year and I’m going to jump right back on the train tonight. Belt has a great shot at an HR and should be less than 8-10% owned. First base is always very fruitful and the Giants screwed over plenty of pockets last night, including mine. Short term memory is very important in winning with DFS.

Second Base

Robinson Cano Vs Detroit Tigers
Opposing Pitcher – Jordan Zimmerman (R)
Park – Safeco Field

In 2013, Jordan Zimmerman was one of the best pitchers in all of the league. He sported a 3.25 xFIP, walked less than 2 batters per 9 and allowed just 0.80 HR/9. Those numbers? Looooooong gone. For example, 2.02 HR/9 this season. Zimmerman is a completely different pitcher than he was just 3 years ago and this may be his last chance in the league. He’s been horrid against both sides of the plate, holding down a combined .367 wOBA. Robbie Cano is back to the MVP contending elite hitter he used to be. He’ll end up close to a .400 wOBA against righties this year and he’s been terrific in Safeco Field since signing with the Mariners. He’s safe in cash games and I have no reservations to fade in tournaments. The price isn’t crazy and you can make it work with Chris Sale.

Brian Dozier Vs Chicago White Sox
Opposing Pitcher – Derek Holland (L)
Park – Progressive Field

If you want to avoid the gas can in Jordan Zimmerman for some reason, you have a few Moreno options to consider at second. We’ll take a closer look at Brian Dozier, facing off with Derek Holland. Holland, a lefty, has allowed a .378 wOBA to righties so far in 2017. He’s given up a laughable 14 home runs to them in just 61.2 innings. Derek Holland is officially horrible. Brian Dozier on the other hand. Has always been great against lefties. He has posted a .353 combined wOBA since 2014 and hasn’t had a bad year once. He smacked 30 homers in 2016 and always has as much upside as anyone else at the position. Feel free to target Dozier in any format.

Francisco Lindor - Cleveland Indians - MLB Draftkings Picks - Lineuplab

Shortstop

Francisco Lindor @ Baltimore Orioles
Opposing Pitcher – Chris Tillman (R)
Park – Camden Yards

Shortstop isn’t the prettiest position on this slate, so you can definitely get creative and take an off the board player. To start us off, we’re going to take a look at Francisco Lindor. Lindor may end up being the chalk at SS, but it makes sense as to why. The Indians are implied for close to 6 runs tonight and Lindor will be in the middle of it all. As a switch-hitter, Lindor is always able to control the platoon advantage. Lindor has held a .343 wOBA against righties since entering the league and will only get better at 23 years old. The same can’t be said for Chris Tillman. He has been absolutely atrocious this season and that word is no stretch. Against lefties, Tillman has posted a .451 wOBA. While that may not be fully sustainable (at least I hope not), it’s quite clear how bad Tillman is at this point. The Indians come in as one of the top offenses of the night and Lindor is the play at a weaker SS position.

Tim Beckham Vs Cincinnati Reds
Opposing Pitcher – Amir Garrett (L)
Park – Tropicana Field

Tim Beckham has flown under the radar for a couple years but is a guy I always look at against lefties He posted a .342 wOBA against them in 2016 and came through the minors as a lefty specialist. Beckham has been trusted by the Rays and he has been seeing the top of the order against left-handed pitching. The Rays face off with some very interesting competition in Amir Garrett. Garret is going to be a great pitcher one day and he is a pretty good K pitcher even right now. However, he’s been knocked around against righties and can’t seem to keep the ball in the zone. He’s been sent down to the minors, but is back up and getting another chance. The Rays swing it well against lefties and Beckham plays his role. Righties have held a .386 wOBA against Garrett and an astonishing 4.84 BB/9, which should tell you just how troublesome he has been. Beckham is a great savings option at a position without much of an opportunity cost.

Third Base

Miguel Sano Vs Chicago White Sox
Opposing Pitcher – Derek Holland (L)
Park – Progressive Field

Boy, this is close to a dream match-up for Miguel Sano. We touched on Derek Holland when looking at Dozier, but let’s look again at those numbers. He has somehow allowed 14 home runs to right-handers in just 61 innings. He backs it up with a .378 wOBA and 2.04 HR/9. Miguel Sano is one of the most dangerous bats in the sport and against lefties, is an HR waiting to happen. He’s held a 52% hard contact rate this year and is hitting it to all parts of the field. The Twins offense has a ton of upside and Miguel Sano is my top pick for an HR on the slate. Against lefties, Sano has posted a .391 wOBA dating back 2 seasons. Progressive Field is neutral for righties and Sano has been great there for his entire career.

Jake Lamb @ Colorado Rockies
Opposing Pitcher – German Marquez (R)
Park – Coors Field
We are often looking to target Jake Lamb when he is at home and facing a righty. Chase Field is extremely friendly for hitting and he thrives there. Tonight, we’re spoiled. Lamb and the D-Backs find themselves in Coors Field to take on the Rockies and German Marquez. Marquez is a decent young pitcher, but has predictably struggled at home against lefties with a .351 wOBA. Lamb is an elite hitter against righties and I expect him to finish this season with a wOBA well over .400 against them. As for tonight, he is right up there with Miguel Sano as a top play. It all comes down to price.
 

Aaron Judge - New York Yankees - MLB Draftkings Picks - Lineuplab

Outfield

Aaron Judge Vs Los Angeles Angels
Opposing Pitcher – Parker Bridwell (R)
Park – Yankee Stadium

The Yankees as a whole may have lost a few steps on the road, but not Mr. Judge. He belted another 2 homers on the 2-series road trip and came through with 7 base knocks in total. This kid is making a legitimate case for MVP and if things keep up, he’ll have it in his back pocket. I’m not a fan of “on pace for” hypotheticals, but Judge is putting something quite special together for a rookie. He’s already belted a total of 23 homers and 18 of the have come against right-handers. He faces a poor one tonight, in a minor-league caliber arm Parker Bridwell. Bridwell isn’t developed enough for the majors and while he may get around the order once with minimal damage, the Yankees will score some runs tonight. They are my favorite offense of the night and have the ability to put up double digit runs without blinking.

Giancarlo Stanton & Marcell Ozuna Vs Washington Nationals
Opposing Pitcher – Gio Gonzalez (L)
Park – Marlins Park

We have a nice little duo here with Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna, who are both much stronger against left-handed pitching. A lot of people know how great Stanton is against lefties, but they don’t know how close Ozuna is to him. Ozuna held a .384 wOBA against lefties in 2016 and it looks like that may be going up by the time this season is over. They face off with Gio Gonzalez, who is far from a bad pitcher. He does, however, have some issues with righties. He’s allowed 11 homers in 66 innings and holds a moderate .321 wOBA. Ozuna and Stanton are never really safe, but both hold elevated chances of hitting one out of the park and will be relatively low owned. Take a shot on either or both of these guys in a tournament.

Chris Young @ Kansas City Royals
Opposing Pitcher – Matthew Strahm (L)
Park – Kauffman Stadium

There were a lot of more expensive guys I could of went with here, but wanted to fit in some price savings. Chris Young is a known lefty masher and faces one with a whole lot of uncertainty. When any team is projected to score 5 runs in Kauffman Stadium, they’re facing a BAD pitcher. Matthew Strahm has allowed 3 homers in just 19 innings against righties in Kauffman Stadium. While a small sample size, it’s not easy to do. Young posted a .422 wOBA against lefties in 2016, which isn’t all that crazy for him. He is an elite hitter against southpaws and will draw a spot in the top 6 because of it. With his teammate Chris Sale drawing so much of the salary at pitcher, Young will help you save and give you as much upside as most at the position.

MLB Draftkings Picks – June 19, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

MLB Draftkings Picks – June 19, 2017

Welcome to Lineup Lab’s Best MLB Draftkings Picks, where we feature our top players for our MLB Lineup Optimizer on Fanduel and Draftkings. Put your favorite stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

mlb draftkings picks - Johnny Cueto - lineuplab

Starting Pitchers

Clayton Kershaw Vs New York Mets
Park – Dodgers Field

There is nothing you can say bad about this guy. Sure, he’ll have his 2 or 3 starts where he struggles each year. You can’t really predict the match-up they come in, but they do usually occur on the road. He faces off with the Mets at home in Dodgers Field, favored by -250 in a game with a 7.5 over/under. The Mets hold by far the lowest implied run total on the entire slate and it’s for obvious good reason. Dodgers Field is definitely better for pitchers and the Mets are seeing a slight downgrade from Citi Field. The Mets are horrible against lefties, ranking 26th in the league with a .294 wOBA. They’re even worse on the road, ranking 29th and struggling to do much of anything. You can expect all the lefties to either sit or just strike out 2-3 times because Kershaw rarely even gives up singles to lefties. Good luck to the long swingers like Lucas Duda and whichever OF draws the unlucky start. Cespedes is really the only guy to be worried about, but he strikes out a ton and hasn’t been great since returning. You gotta love Kershaw. As always, it comes down to whether or not you can afford him. We do have a ton of offense sin good spots, so you should be able to find enough savings to make it work. With that being said, he is expensive and there is a case for paying down. Let’s take a look at a guy with some upside at a lower price tag.

Johnny Cueto Vs Atlanta Braves
Park – SunTrust Park

There are a few guys in this price range worthy of consideration, like Jon Lester and Corey Kluber. You then get Johnny Cueto, who’s 2a with Lester for me. Cueto is on the road and facing the Braves, who are still missing Freddie Freeman. Cueto has been extremely unlucky in his last few starts and his peripherals have been unchanged. This is a guy who completely takes way the running games and against a team without power, it doesn’t leave much for run production. I really don’t expect a clean slate out of Cueto here, but a solid 7 innings and 8 strikeouts with 1 or 2 runs are perfectly fine at his price. Cueto is still a workhorse for this team and Bochy is willing to push him around 110 pitches if things are going well. This lineup is extremely weak and has the potential to strike out a lot against the slider. The Giants will get plenty of runs for Cueto and the win shouldn’t be at all tough to get. He makes sense in all formats, but does still have a lot more risk than Kershaw. Cueto and Lester will be similarly owned and as of now, I’m split. Both are in solid spots and if you need to pay down a bit, you can go either way in either format.

mlb draftkings picks - buster posey - lineuplab

Offensive Stacks

San Francisco Giants Vs Atlanta Braves (R.A. Dickey)
Park – SunTrust Park

We’ll stay in Atlanta and take a look at the San Fran offense, facing off with the aged R.A. Dickey. Unlike wine, pitchers get far worse with age. Dickey erupted at the age of 37 and is now just about done. This is likely his last season in the majors and I doubt he even lasts the full season. He’s allowing close to a .380 wOBA against both sides of the plate and it doesn’t even look flukey.He’s been horrible in Suntrust Park and Vegas thinks he will once again struggle. The Giants are projected to hit over 5 runs and you have to love an offense with such concentration and run expectancy. While the Giants have struggled a ton this season, they hit in the spacious AT&T Park, which kills a lot of offense. Suntrust is much better for hitting and they will be able to drive the ball over the wall there. Brandon Belt is the best hitter in the lineup against righties and ha sported a .383 wOBA over the last 2 seasons. You then run into Buster Posey, who has been battling a sprained ankle and may not be in the lineup. Hunter Pence, Joe Panik, and Denard Span all work there way into the mix after that and can be paired in any which way. After that, you’re taking a longshot in hope of a homer. With the Giants struggling this season, I doubt the stack is too highly owned.

Buster Posey belongs in the stack if he makes the lineup.

Main Stack – Brandon Belt, Joe Panik, Hunter Pence, Denard Span

Sneaky Stack – Brandon Belt, Joe Panik, Brandon Crawford, Nick Hundley

Seattle Mariners Vs Detroit Tigers (Anibal Sanchez)
Park – Safeco Field

Anibal Sanchez has found a way to be worse than R.A. Dickey. Sanchez is a full 10 years younger at 33 and has been the absolute worst pitcher in baseball so far this season. While we can’t use these as fact due to sample size, they’re still very telling. He’s allowing a .507 wOBA against righties and a .400 against lefties. Yes, you read that right. While the right split is a bit unrealistic, his numbers against lefties last season weren’t much better than a .400. I haven’t even listed the craziest stat of all. In just 20 innings of work, Sanchez has allowed an astonishing 9 home runs. The Mariners have a very concentrated offense and I’m not getting off of the big 3 (Cano, Cruz, Seager) in any of my Mariners stacks. They have been hitting well at Safeco Field and are projected to score over 4.5 runs. After the big 3, you can go plenty of ways. Ben Gamel will likely leadoff and he makes for a great choice. Haniger is also a great hitter and has the ability to match the production of the stars. Either way, this is a safe offense to target and they shouldn’t be very highly owned.

Main Stack – Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, Ben Gamel, Nelson Cruz

Sneaky Stack – Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, Mitch Haniger, Nelson Cruz 

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 06/18/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Sunday, June 18

Let’s finish the week off strong and put some money in your pocket Sunday. Put your favorite daily fantasy baseball stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

**STARTING PITCHERS**

Robbie Ray vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Park – Citizens Bank Park

Ray had a rough 2016 campaign, finishing 8-15 with a 4.90 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. However, he showed potential as he recorded 218 strikeouts in 174.1 innings. He has put it all together in 2017 as he enters Sunday 7-3 with a 2.62 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 107 strikeouts in 82.1 innings. While those numbers are fantastic, he has been even better of late as he has allowed one earned run over his last five game combined and recorded at least 10 strikeouts in three straight starts. This is a mismatch against the Phillies dismal offense, making Ray an excellent play.

Jacob Faria vs. Detroit Tigers
Park – Comerica Park

Faria has been excellent in his first two starts with the Rays as he allowed two runs to go along with 13 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. He was fantastic in Triple-A before being called up as he had a 3.07 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 84 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. His career numbers in the minor leagues are great as well as he struck out 626 batters in 599 innings. If you want to save money at starting pitcher Sunday, Faria is your guy.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Bronson Arroyo (Cincinnati Reds)
Park – Great American Ball Park

Coming into this season, Bronson Arroyo had not pitched in the majors since 2014. His return has not been a successful one as he entered Sunday with a 7.01 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. He is not a strikeout pitcher either as he only has 47 strikeouts in 86 innings. His last start came against the anemic San Diego Padres offense, but he still managed to give up nine runs on 13 hits. Arroyo is only in the Reds rotation because they have so few quality options, so expect the Dodgers to put up plenty of offense in this game.

Players to consider stacking: Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager and Chris Taylor

Oakland Athletics vs. Luis Cessa (New York Yankees)
Park – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Cessa will be making his first start of the season for the Yankees in place of the injured C.C. Sabathia. Cessa started nine games for the Yankees in 2016 and posted a 4.01 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. However, he only recorded 35 strikeouts in 51.2 innings. His numbers at Triple-A were not great this year as he posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and only 47 strikeouts in 65 innings. He doesn’t have the kind of stuff to slow down a hot Oakland offense, so take advantage of him in this game.

Players to consider stacking: Ryon Healy, Yonder Alonso and Jed Lowrie

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 06/17/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Saturday, June 17

Saturday’s schedule is filled with bad starting pitchers, so get ready for some big offensive performances. Put your favorite daily fantasy baseball stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

**STARTING PITCHERS**

Stephen Strasburg vs. New York Mets
Park – Citi Field

Strasburg was roughed up for six runs over five innings in his last start against the Atlanta Braves, but he still managed to record 10 strikeouts in the outing. He has been an excellent source of strikeouts as he has piled up at least 10 strikeouts in three of his last five games. Strasburg has been impressive on the road this season as he is 5-1 with a 2.53 ERA away from Nationals Park. The Mets are dealing with injuries to their offense, evident by their lineup Friday where their fourth through sixth hitters were Wilmer Flores, Lucas Duda and T.J Rivera, respectively. Expect a big outing from Strasburg Saturday.

Chase Anderson vs. San Diego Padres
Park – Miller Park

Anderson is on an impressive hot streak where he has allowed only one earned run over his last four starts combined. Two of those four starts came against the potent Arizona Diamondbacks offense as well. His overall numbers for the season are now impressive as he has a 2.83 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 76.1 innings. Saturday he gets to face a Padres offense that struggles to score and strikes out a ton. This has the makings off another strong performance from Anderson.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

Colorado Rockies vs. Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants)
Park – Coors Field

Well, this is an epic mismatch. Cain has been terrible this season as he has a 5.22 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and only 43 strikeouts in 69 innings. Over his last two starts, he has allowed 10 runs and only recorded four strikeouts. His road stats (8.40 ERA and 2.03 WHIP) as well as his stats in day games (8.53 ERA and 1.95 WHIP) are atrocious this season. As if that’s not bad enough, he will be facing one of the best offenses in baseball. Load up your lineup with Rockies and enjoy the show.

Players to consider stacking: Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Mike Pelfrey (Chicago White Sox)
Park – Rogers Centre

Pelfrey has struggled to give the White Sox length all season as he has only pitched 48.2 innings over 10 starts. His numbers aren’t terrible as he has a 3.81 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, but his stuff is not overpowering as he only has 30 strikeouts. Most of his success has been at home as he has a 4.50 ERA on the road. The Blue Jays are a better team at home than on the road, so don’t be surprised if they rough up Pelfrey Saturday.

Players to consider stacking: Josh Donaldson, Justin Smoak and Jose Bautista

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 16, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 16, 2017

Welcome back for another Friday in daily fantasy baseball. We have a full 15-game slate on our hands tonight with some top pitching options to choose from as well as another game in Coors Field with a very high run line. The good news is there are a few other games with high totals that will make some nice pivots off Coors in tournaments. Let’s dig in and start to navigate the DFS landscape and look at some of the top picks for tonight.

Put your favorite Draftkings / Fanduel MLB Lineup Picks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

Starting Pitchers

Max Scherzer @ New York Mets
Park – Citi Field (Pitcher Positive)
Vegas Favorite (WSH -160)
Vegas Total (7.5)

The night starts off with Mad Max who is not only the top pitcher on the slate, but one of the best in the game. Since giving up five earned runs to these Mets back at the end of April he has been absolutely dominant. He has made eight starts since holding opponents to under three earned runs in all of them and comes into tonight having struck out 10+ in four straight and in six of those eight starts. He trails only Chris Sale among qualified starters in K/9 rate(12.2) and Swinging Strike rate(15.6%) and sits with a sparkling 2.36 ERA that is backed up by his 3.05 xFIP. While his salary started to come back down DraftKings, it has reached a season high on FanDuel which leaves you with a choice to make in cash games. A case can definitely be made for some other options but none come with the upside that Scherzer brings to the table. With a huge 15 game slate there should be no problem finding enough value to feel comfortable with Scherzer in all formats.

James Paxton - LineupLab

James Paxton @ TEX
Park – Globe life Park in Arlington(Hitter Positive)
Vegas Favorite (SEA -140)
Vegas Total (10.0)

This pick is more of a GPP play tonight as the Mariners leave the pitcher-friendly confines of Safeco Field and head to Arlington where the balls have been know to fly out of the park. I believe it is fully worth the risk today as Paxton has the ability to shut down almost anyone and provides us with some big upside with his 10.1 K/9 rate and 12.9% swinging strike rate. He has struggled a bit coming into this game having given up seven earned runs in his last two starts but has held opponents to one earned run or less in six of his nine starts this season giving him an elite 2.25 ERA. The good news is that the Rangers have been struggling offensively with a .304 wOBA, 85 wRC+, and 32% K rate over the last seven days and looking at the splits they have really struggled vs. left-handed pitching overall, ranking 28th in wOBA, last in wRC+ and strikeout rate.

Stacks of the Night

Once again we start with the Coors Field game which comes with highest Vegas Total(11) on the slate. If it’s anything like last night, we could be in for more fireworks as both teams put up runs with the Rockies eventually taking the game 10-9 in the bottom of the ninth. Samardzija has a better profile than Moore so there’s definitely more risk tonight in rostering Rockies but like Moore, the Shark has really struggled with the Rockies this season giving up 11 earned runs in back to back starts vs. them back in April. The thing with him will be trying to keep the ball down and not letting the Rockies have their way for a third time. I don’t see this happening whatsoever as the Rockie bats are red-hot at home right now scoring 29 runs in three home games in June. Target Charlie Blackmon, DJ Lemahieu, Carlos Gonzalez, Nolan Arenado to start with and even Mark Reynolds and Ian Desmond as secondary options.

After the Rockies l will be turning to the Milwaukee Brewers bats tonight. They are pretty big home favorites in a game with the second highest run line and face a pitcher making just his second career start. He started the season out of the bullpen making 21 appearances and struggled mightily. The biggest issue for Diaz has been the control as he is walking over five batters per nine while failing to miss bats with a 6.5 K/9 rate. In 26 innings pitched he has also given up five home runs(15.6%) and now faces one of the most potent power teams in the league. Chances are he won’t be going more than two or three innings and when this is the case I always like to take a peek at that team’s bullpen. Great news for Brewers stackers today as the Padres have one of the worst bullpens in the league with a 4.90 ERA and 15% HR/FB rate. If Eric Sogard is back at the top of the order I like starting my stack with him and following it up with Eric Thames, Domingo Santana and Travis Shaw.

 

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 15, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 15, 2017

Welcome back to another day of daily fantasy baseball. Tonight we have a mid-sized seven-game slate including the start of another series in Coors Field as Matt Moore and the San Francisco Giants come to town. The interesting part about this slate is that for pitching we have Chris Sale at the top with a big gap down to the next tier. This will make the decisions very interesting for tournaments as there is no way to fit them all.

Put your favorite Draftkings / Fanduel MLB Lineup Picks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Jordan Montgomery - Lineuplab

Like I mentioned above, Chris Sale is the elite arm on the slate and while his price has stayed consistent on FanDuel all season, it has reached a season high $14,100 on DraftKings. It makes sense as he is arguably the best pitcher in the game at the moment. Sale leads the league in strikeouts rate(12.5 K/9), swinging strike rate (16%), and xFIP (2.57). He is an elite play in all formats vs. the Phillies. If you are looking to pivot off Sale tonight, I like what Jordan Montgomery brings to the table. He has an above average strikeout rate (8.7 K/9) and has held opponents under three earned runs in four straight starts. He gets a park upgrade in Oakland facing an A’s team that ranks near the bottom in hitting vs. lefties and strikes out over 25% of the time. If you are looking to pay down at the position, especially on DraftKings to pair with Sale, I suggest Michael Wacha tonight. The Cardinals are currently -145 favorites at home where Wacha can really only be considered in fantasy right now with a 2.95 ERA vs. 7.52 on the road. There is a definite risk of a blowup as he has given up six earned runs twice in his last four starts but the upside and price are in the right spots for consideration in all formats.

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Nolan Arenado - Lineuplab

Hitting

Whenever there is a game in Coors Field it takes center stage from a fantasy perspective. That holds even truer today as Matt Moore and Jeff Hoffman go head to head. Hoffman has shown upside with 7+ strikeouts in four straight starts but the last three have been on the road. The side I like best tonight is obviously the Rockies who get to face one of the worst pitchers on the slate. Moore comes in with a 5.24 xFIP, average K rate(7.0 K/9) and has given up 49% hard contact on the year. This will also be the third time he will face the Rockies this season and the first two didn’t go so well as he gave up 11 earned runs(4 HR) in 9.2 innings pitched. Nolan Arenado, DJ Lemahieu, and Charlie Blackmon are my top choices but Mark Reynolds, Ian Desmond are also in play tonight.

After the Rockies, I like pivoting to the Tigers hitters vs. Alex Cobb who has struggled on the road this season with a 5.01 ERA and .357 wOBA against. I will lean on their leaders in hitting vs. right-handed pitching with Alex Avila, Miguel Cabrera, JD Martinez, and Justin Upton. All of them have a wOBA greater than .330 and outside of Miggy, who has dropped some power this season, all have an ISO over .260 for the year vs. righties.

If you are looking for a value stack to make it easier to roster Sale, consider the Angels in one of the two late games. They have been mid-pack in hitting over the last seven days and specifically vs. left-handed pitching this season. Tonight they face a young pitcher in Matt Strahm who will be making his first major league start on a pitch count. In 20 appearances out of the pen this season, Strahm has shown upside with a 10.6 K/9 rate but the walks have been a problem(7.4 BB/9) and so has the long ball (21.1% HR/FB rate). Even if they don’t fully get to Strahm they should get a healthy sample of the Royals bullpen that sits in the bottom third of the league. Target C.J. Cron who leads the team in hitting vs. southpaws with a .499 wOBA and 225 wRC+ and combine him with leadoff hitter Cameron Maybin, cleanup hitter Yunel Escobar and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.

Best MLB Draftkings Lineup Tonight – June 14, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

Best MLB Draftkings Lineup Tonight – June 14, 2017

Welcome to Lineup Lab’s Best MLB Draftkings lineup tonight, where we feature our top players for our MLB Lineup Optimizer on Fanduel and Draftkings. Put your favorite stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

Best MLB Draftkings Lineup Tonight - Michael Pineda - Lineuplab

Starting Pitchers

Corey Kluber vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Park – Progressive Field

We have a pretty solid all-day slate on our hands, with some very interesting pitching options. There is definitely 1 guy that stands out above the rest and Corey Kluber is that guy. He is finally the true ace he was in 2015 and is dominating lineups start in and start out. Kluber has sported a .315 wOBA and backs it up with a .335 BABIP. He’s striking out over 10 batters per 9 innings and is holding opposing batters to a 19% line drive rate. When you look a little further in depth, everything is working smooth. He’s sporting a 61% Z-Swing% and a career high 13.9% SwgStk rate. Kluber is the real deal and a workhorse every single time he takes the mound. His opponent, the Dodgers, are a very average team against righties. They rank 14th in the league with a .308 wOBA and strike out almost 23% of the time. Of course, you have guys like Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger that rightfully incite some fear. The hit righties well and have the potential to do some damage, even against an elite arm like Kluber. However, after those guys, this lineup is a barren wasteland. Sure, you know the names of Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig. It doesn’t mean they are good. The rest of these guys either strikeout 24+% of the time or have 0 power potential. Kluber is a safe cash game option and a guy I will make sure to have in all of my lineups.

Michael Pineda vs. Los Angeles Angels
Park – Angels Stadium

Even though there are some pitching options on the slate with upside, there isn’t much safety to be had here. In the past, we ould never use the words Pineda and safety in the same sentence. He was truly one of the most inconsistent arms in the league and would constantly go from elite to atrocious. This year, that has all changed. Pineda is pitching effectively on a weekly basis and finding a way out of the innings that used to send him to the bench. He’s striking out over a batter per inning and holding hitters to a 21% line drive rate. Pineda has been even better than Kluber when you look at wOBA, sitting at a crazy .296. He is seeing a bit more luck than Kluber and his wOBA should rise to around .320. The Angels aren’t at all good against righties, ranking 26th in baseball with a .301 wOBA. They strikeout a ton and often get shut down for innings on end. Albert Pujols is the only guy that can really do much damage on his lonesome, but he strikes out almost 30% of the time and isn’t nearly as effective against righties. When you remove Mike Trout, good luck. They have nobody to rely on for consistent production and it will come back to bite them. Pineda has as much upside as Kluber and is a bit cheaper, giving him plenty of appeal.

Best MLB Draftkings Lineup Tonight - George Springer - Lineuplab

Offensive Stacks

Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers (Andrew Cashner)
Park -Minute Maid Park

The Astros are undoubtedly a top 5 offense in the league and one of the 3 best DFS offenses to target. They have power from tons of different spots and have the ability to string runs together without the longball. Most teams rely on one or the other. This gives them the ability to hit groundball and flyball pitchers, changing their approach based on the pitcher’s intentions. The Rangers will move into Minute Maid Park and bring Andrew Cashner with them. Cashner is a pretty interesting character, as it seems like he’s been a different level of pitcher every year. Coming up with the Cubs, he had a lot of potential. He then moved to San Diego and became one of the worst pitchers in baseball. He’s now somewhere between those two spots, though slightly leaning towards the bad side. He’s giving up more than 4 runs in a ton of his starts and often gets booted before the 6th inning. The Astros are the toughest match-up Cashner will face all season long and there are plenty of guys that can do damage. Altuve is obviously the heartbeat of it all and a must in cash games. After that, 7 of these guys can hit a homer and 6 of them have a good chance of producing. Take your pick.

Main Stack – Jose Altuve, George Springer, Josh Reddick, Carlos Correa

Sneaky Stack – Jose Altuve, George Springer, Brian McCann, Marwin Gonzalez

 

Minnesota Twins vs. Seattle Mariners (Sam Gaviglio)
Park – Target Field

When the Minnesota Twins hold an implied team total of 5.67 in Target Field, you must take notice. Sam Gaviglio is not a good pitcher and I think everyone finally realizes that. He’s currently 27 years old and is just seeing his first major league action. While not extremely old, Gaviglio is by no means a coveted prospect. He’s struggled in the minors and only struck out 7 batters per 9 in AA. He held a 4.86 xFIP and struggled to get an AAA call-up. He is now seeing a shot at the starting role, for whatever reason. Gaviglio has been slightly worse against righties, but you can target anyone against him with comfort. Miguel Sano is one of the more electric fantasy players on the slate and draws close to an ideal match-up. Brian Dozier is the other expensive option that has legitimate upside and safety. You then work with a bunch of fringe players who hold a ton of potential. The Twins should be a lot lower owned than some of these other stacks and have an implied team total that exceeds most of them. Sano and Dozier are some of the best options on this slate and a full team stack is a great move in tournaments.

Main Stack – Miguel Sano, Brian Dozier, Robbie Grossman, Max Kepler

Sneaky Stack –  Miguel Sano, Brian Dozier, Kennys Vargas, Jason Castro