Header Image - PICK LIKE THE PROS
PICK LIKE THE PROSLineup Lab is an advanced MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL daily fantasy lineup optimizer for Fanduel, Draftkings, and Yahoo. Pros use a DFS optimizer, so why don't you? Pick like the pros. Use the worlds most advanced projections and optimization techniques. Join today, and start winning!
start winning

Tag Archives

14 Articles

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/2/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

July special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout

Monday brings a light slate in the majors with only 10 games, nine of which make up the main evening slate in DFS. There may be fewer options to choose from than normal, but there are still some great matchups you can take advantage of. 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 7/2/18

Corey Kluber vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $11,200
DraftKings = $12,500

Kluber’s last start was a disaster as he allowed six runs in only 1.2 innings to the Cardinals. It marked the second time in his last three games that Kluber has allowed at least four earned runs after having allowed three runs or fewer in each of his first 14 outings. Even with his recent brief rough patch, Kluber still has outstanding numbers with a 2.54 ERA, 3.29 FIP, and a 0.86 WHIP. The Royals have scored the fewest runs (288) in baseball, so look for Kluber to get back on track in a major way.

Nathan Eovaldi vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $8,700

Eovaldi has been inconsistent since returning from Tommy John surgery, but his 4.08 ERA, 4.87 FIP and 0.82 WHIP in six starts is certainly respectable since he hadn’t pitched since 2016. The Rays rotation has been hit hard by injuries, leaving Eovaldi as one of the few healthy traditional starters they have left. He doesn’t have significant strikeout potential with a 6.6 K/9 for his career, but this is a great matchup against a Marlins team that has scored the third-fewest runs (311) in baseball.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/2/18

Wilson Ramos vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,900

Chen pitched well in his last start, but he’ll likely be a popular pitcher to stack against Monday with his 6.17 ERA and 1.62 WHIP this season. He doesn’t strike out many hitters with a 6.6 K/9 and has allowed 1.6 HR/9, which is especially damaging considering his WHIP. Ramos is having one of the best seasons of his career and has a .380 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this year, making him a key part of any Rays stack you might consider.

Yonder Alonso vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,800

Junis has allowed at least five runs in three of his last four starts, giving up at least three home runs in all three of those contests as well. He has a 2.1 HR/9 this year and allowed 1.4 HR/9 in 2017, so this isn’t just an isolated bad stretch. Alonso has hit nine of his 12 homers off of righties and has a .355 wOBA against them this season, leaving him as a viable option at a reasonable price on both sites.

Others to consider: Edwin Encarnacion (first base) and Greg Bird (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/2/18

Scooter Gennett vs. James Shields, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $5,000

Shields’ time with the White Sox had largely been a disaster, but he’s shown significant improvement this year with a 4.29 ERA, 4.44 FIP, and a 1.24 WHIP. That being said, he’s still not a dominating pitcher by any stretch of the imagination and will have no easy task against Gennett on Monday. Gennett has a lofty .332 average to go along with 13 homers and a .371 wOBA against right-handers.

Gleyber Torres vs. Anibal Sanchez, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,200

There aren’t a lot of great cheap options at second base Monday, so if you don’t want to add Gennett to your entry, Torres is another option to consider. He went deep again Sunday night and incredibly has 15 home runs already after never hitting more than 11 in a season in the minors. Sanchez has a sparkling 2.68 ERA this year, but he’s been a bit lucky considering his 4.05 FIP and .238 BABIP allowed.

Others to consider: Jason Kipnis and Yoan Moncada

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/2/18

Max Muncy vs. Nick Kingham, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,600

Muncy has played at various positions for the Dodgers as they try to keep his hot bat in the lineup. He was declared the everyday second baseman over the weekend, locking him into a significant role that he has earned by hitting .273 with 17 home runs and a .416 OBP. With his .419 wOBA against righties, don’t hesitate to play him against Kingham.

Matt Duffy vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,000

Duffy doesn’t get much hype, mainly because he has just four home runs this year. He’s played very well for the Rays, though, batting a career-high .321. He was particularly hot in June by hitting .340 with a .394 OBP. Currently on a 10-game hitting streak, he is a great cheaper option if you want to save money at third base, especially on FanDuel.

Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Miguel Andujar

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/2/18

Francisco Lindor vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,400

With Junis’ recent struggles, he’s another great stacking target. Lindor has been not only one of the best hitters on his team, but he’s been one of the best hitters in all of baseball with a .296 average to go along with 21 home runs and 10 steals. He has scored exactly 99 runs in both of the last two seasons but is on pace to blow past that mark with 70 runs already this year. Although he has better numbers against lefties, his .376 wOBA against righties still makes him a great option Monday.

Willy Adames vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,700

With Chen on the mound, it might be a good idea to target a couple of cheap hitters on the Rays who can help you fill out the rest of your lineup with high-priced studs. Adames is cheap on both sites and while he hasn’t taken off yet in his first taste of action in the majors, Chen has allowed a .398 wOBA to righties.

Others to consider: Trevor Story and Didi Gregorius

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/2/18

Aaron Judge vs. Anibal Sanchez, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,300

Simply put, Judge loves hitting at Yankee Stadium. He hit .312 with 33 home runs there in last year and is batting .357 with 15 home runs there so far this season. Don’t worry that he doesn’t have the platoon advantage against Sanchez as Judge’s wOBA against righties (.422) is actually much higher than it is against lefties (.367) for his career.

Nick Markakis vs. Jonathan Loaisiga, New York Yankees
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,500

Injuries have forced the Yankees to insert Loaisiga into their starting rotation even though he had never pitched above Double-A. He had an 11.5 K/9 there before being called up and has carried that success over with an 11.6 K/9 through three starts. Two of his three starts came against the Rays and Phillies, so this will be a tougher test against the Braves. Markakis has a .361 wOBA against righties this year, leaving him as a viable option to consider for your lineup.

Lonnie Chisenhall vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,400

Whenever a righty is on the mound, Chisenhall is a cheap option to target for your outfield. He’s only played 29 games this season due to injury, but he’s hit well with a .321 average and a .394 OBP. He still only has one home run, but he has a .368 wOBA against righties.

Others to consider: Joc Pederson and Jesse Winker

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 5/11/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/11/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

After a fairly quiet night on Thursday, baseball is back in full swing Friday and all by one of the games on the schedule will be played at night. 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 5/11/18

Justin Verlander vs. Texas Rangers
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $11,300
DraftKings = $13,000

Verlander was spectacular after being traded to the Astros last year and has been one of the best pitchers in baseball again this season with a 1.17 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9. He is currently on pace to set new career highs by throwing a first-pitch strike to 65.5% of the batters that he has faced and recording a 14.5% swinging strike percentage. Opponents are likely to improve on their .205 BABIP against him, but he has excellent strikeout upside every time he takes the mound. Verlander held the Rangers in check in two previous games against them this season, allowing one run to go along with 16 strikeouts in 14 innings. Expect another productive line Friday.

Marco Gonzales vs. Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $7,000

Gonzales’ 5.19 ERA and 1.44 WHIP don’t make him an obvious play Friday. However, he has a 3.08 FIP and has been incredibly unlucky with opposing hitters recording an unsustainable .400 BABIP. He only has a 1.6 BB/9 and has shown strikeout upside with a 9.9 K/9. The Tigers lineup wasn’t great, to begin with, and is even weaker right now with Miguel Cabrera (hamstring) and Leonys Martin (knee) both on the DL. It’s usually a good idea to lean towards a pitcher with strikeout potential when you are looking for a cheap tournament play and when you combine that for Gonzales with this matchup, it only furthers the case for taking a chance on him.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/11/18

Freddie Freeman vs. Dan Straily, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,300

Freeman kicked off this series against the Marlins in style Thursday, going 5-for-5 with a home run. He continues to be one of the best hitters in baseball and has almost as many walks (23) this year as he does strikeouts (28). He finally has talented hitters in front of him with Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr., so his career high of 109 RBI that he set in 2013 could be in danger. Get him in your lineup against the struggling Straily on Friday, especially considering Freeman’s .416 wOBA against righties this year.

Ryon Healy vs. Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,700

Boyd has completely dominated left-handed hitters this year, holding them to a .153 wOBA. Righties have posted a .294 wOBA though, bringing Healy into the discussion Friday. Healy also excels against lefties with a .369 wOBA against them in his career. Boyd doesn’t have overpowering stuff either with just a 6.5 K/9 this season, so Healy is a cheap tournament play to consider.

Others to consider: Mitch Moreland (first base) and Mike Zunino (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/11/18

Cesar Hernandez vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,000

With all the hype surrounding Scott Kingery, Hernandez continues to be one of the more underrated fantasy assets at second base. He has shown an excellent ability to get on base the last couple of years and currently has a career-high 16.4% BB% this season. He has a nice mix of power and speed as well with four homers and six steals. With a 178 wRC+ against lefties this year, look for another productive game Friday.

Gleyber Torres vs. Kendall Graveman, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,900

As if the Yankees lineup wasn’t already loaded, Torres has been locked in since getting called up from the minors. Not only has he come up with some timely hits, but he’s batting .344 with two home runs. He was batting .347 in Triple-A before the Yankees called him up as well and it looks like he’ll be manning the keystone for a long time in the Bronx. Graveman is expected to be recalled from the minors to start this game after being sent down due to his struggles out of the gate, making the Yankees an excellent stacking opportunity.

Others to consider: DJ LeMahieu and Alen Hanson

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/11/18

Jose Ramirez vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,100

Ramirez got off to a terrible start this year but is batting .333 with three home runs and three steals through eight games in May. He’s hit at least .312 in both of the last two seasons, so expect his current .283 average to continue to rise. With a 161 wRC+ against right-handers this year, Ramirez will look to keep his hot streak alive against the underwhelming Hammel, who only has a 5.0 K/9 this season.

Miguel Andujar vs. Kendall Graveman, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,400

Andujar was getting extra-base hits in bunches earlier this season, but he hasn’t recorded one in any of his last 11 games. He has still logged at least one hit in five of his last seven games and has plenty of opportunities to provide counting stats in the Yankees dangerous lineup. Graveman had an 8.89 ERA and 1.84 WHIP earlier this season before being sent down, leaving Andujar as a cheap option with upside at third base.

Others to consider: Nolan Arenado and Maikel Franco

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/11/18

Francisco Lindor vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,400

Lindor had a massive increase in home runs last year and although his batting average dropped to .273, that was partly because of his abnormally low .275 BABIP, not because he was sacrificing it for power. With a .315 BABIP this year that is right in line with his career mark, Lindor’s batting average sits at .292. He still has 10 home runs and 11 doubles too, leading to what would be a career-high .913 OPS. Like Ramirez, he has excellent potential against Hammel on Friday.

Jedd Gyorko vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,800

If there is a lefty on the mound, Gyorko is a cheap option to target in DFS. He finished with an impressive .402 wOBA against lefties in 2017 and has been even better this season with a .593 wOBA. This will only be Lauer’s fourth start this season and after allowing a 1.93 WHIP through the first three, Gyorko could provide significant value if he plays. Of note, Gyorko is shortstop-eligible on FanDuel but is listed at third base on DraftKings.

Others to consider: Didi Gregorius and Paul DeJong

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/11/18

Aaron Judge vs. Kendall Graveman, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $5,200

Judge has shown no signs of a sophomore slump, batting .311 with none home runs and a 1.018 OPS. His 28.6 K% is still high, but it is slightly down from last season in part because he has only swung at 22.5% of pitches outside the strike zone compared to 24.7% last season. He is batting .351 with eight of his nine home runs this season at Yankee Stadium, so he could really put up some big numbers against Graveman.

Tommy Pham vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,900

Pham recently dealt with a groin injury but returned to the lineup Thursday to go 2-for-4 with a home run. He has followed up his breakout 2017 campaign by batting .330 with a .444 OBP this year. After finishing with a .405 wOBA against left-handed pitchers last year, he’s another Cardinals righty who could provide problems for Lauer.

Franchy Cordero vs. Luke Weaver, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,700

Cordero was one of the rising stars in the Padres organization heading into this season and injuries have opened up regular playing time for him. He’s made the most of the opportunity and is locked into an everyday role moving forward, batting .281 with six home runs and four steals. He’s been deadly when he makes contact, posting a 49.2% hard-hit rate. Weaver isn’t off to a great start and has struggled against lefties, in particular, leaving Cordero as a viable cost-effective option.

Others to consider: Justin Upton and Brett Gardner

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/4/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/4/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

With a full slate of night games in baseball Friday, there are a lot of options to wade through while creating your DFS lineup. 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 5/4/18

Joey Lucchesi vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,300

Lucchesi has burst onto the scene for a Padres team that desperately needs starting pitching, recording a 2.78 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9.7 K/9 this season. His FIP sits at 3.13 and his .280 BABIP allowed isn’t terribly low, so there is a chance he could come close to sustaining this type of production moving forward. He has also shown strikeout upside in the minors with a 10.1 K/9 in 181 career innings. The Dodgers lineup has suffered some key injuries and has the fourth-lowest OPS against left-handed pitchers (.663) in baseball, making Lucchesi a viable option at a reasonable price Friday.

Francisco Liriano vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = 7,000

Liriano has stuck in the rotation for the rebuilding Tigers and has a 3.38 ERA through five starts. His FIP is 4.49 and opponents have just a .215 BABIP against him, so his ERA might not hold up this well for much longer. The good news is he still provides problems for left-handed hitters, holding them to a .286 wOBA in 2017 and a .127 wOBA so far this season. Some of the Royals best hitters are lefties, which could spell bad news for them Friday. This will actually be Liriano’s third start of the season against the Royals and he pitched well in the first two matchups, allowing a total of four earned runs to go along with nine strikeouts in 12 innings. If you are looking to go with a more cost-effective starter for your lineup, there is potential for value here with Liriano.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/4/18

Gary Sanchez vs. Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,900

Sanchez is only batting .204 this season, but he’s made his hits count with eight home runs, eight doubles, and 27 RBI. His .200 BABIP is well below normal for him, so expect his batting average to increase as the season wears on. He has a .378 wOBA against right-handed pitchers in his career, so no worries there facing the righty Tomlin on Friday. Tomlin doesn’t have overpowering stuff and has a 9.16 ERA and 1.93 WHIP this year, so this could be the day to pay up for Sanchez.

Justin Bour vs. Sal Romano, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,500

Bour is one of the best hitters left in the Marlins lineup, but he is off to a slow start with a .244 average. His BABIP is low at .266 and he does still have five home runs, so he has value moving forward. He hit righties very well last year with a .384 wOBA and despite his struggles, he has a .362 wOBA against them this season as well. If you’re looking for a cheaper option at first base, Bour might be worth the risk in tournament play.

Others to consider: Edwin Encarnacion (first base) and Yuli Gurriel (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/4/18

Jed Lowrie vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,500

Lowrie continues to swing a hot bat, going 5-for-12 with two home runs in his last three games. The Athletics finally return home after a lengthy road trip, which is great news for Lowrie since he batted .287 at home last year and is hitting .333 there so far this year. He has a crazy 200 wRC+ against right-handers in the early going and makes a great option in DFS again Friday.

Gleyber Torres vs. Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,500

Torres may not be off to the flashy start that fellow star prospect Ronald Acuna Jr. is with the Braves, but he’s played well, batting .317 with five RBI and a steal in 12 games. He’s still looking for his first home run, but he has chipped in three doubles. He has shown he can hit for a high average in the minors and is locked in as the Yankees’ everyday second baseman. Considering Tomlin’s struggles this year, Torres could provide value at this price.

Others to consider: Jose Altuve and Asdrubal Cabrera

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/4/18

Jose Ramirez vs. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,700

Ramirez was really struggling out of the gate, but he’s on fire right now. In his last five games, he is 10-for-23 with a home run, five doubles, and seven RBI. He’s hit at least .312 in back-to-back seasons, so it was only a matter of time before he got back on track. A switch-hitter, he particularly thrived against lefties last year with a .395 wOBA. Sabathia’s 1.71 ERA this season looks nice, but his 4.25 FIP indicates he has not pitched nearly that well. Ramirez looks to be in a prime spot to keep things rolling Friday.

Josh Donaldson vs. Andrew Kittredge, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $5,000

Donaldson returned from the DL in style Thursday, going 4-for-11 with two home runs and two doubles in a doubleheader against the Indians. It’s encouraging that the Blue Jays played him in both games on his first day back, which is a good sign for his value moving forward. Kittredge is starting for the Rays, but this will be another one of their bullpen days, so it might be a good idea to take advantage with Donaldson, especially with his cheap price on FanDuel.

Others to consider: Yangervis Solarte and Miguel Andujar

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/4/18

Didi Gregorius vs. Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,000

Gregorius loves hitting at home, posting a .418 average and hitting nine of his 10 home runs there so far this season. He has become an excellent hitter, especially against righties after recording a .354 wOBA against them in 2017. He’s been even better with a lofty .475 wOBA against them this season, making him one of the best options at shortstop Friday.

Andrelton Simmons vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,700

Simmons continues to show he’s much more than just an excellent defensive shortstop as he is currently on a seven-game hitting streak. He’s shown power over that stretch as well, slugging two home runs to go along with four doubles. He is batting .389 with a home run in 18 career plate appearances against Leake, so he’s someone worth considering for your entry.

Others to consider: Carlos Correa and Eduardo Escobar

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/4/18

Mike Trout vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,700

Simply put, Trout is insane. You could go on for days about his excellent numbers. He hits for a high average, a ton of power, steals bases and has an OBP of at least .402 in three straight seasons entering 2018. He’s usually a good player to target regardless of matchup but could have an especially big performance against the underwhelming Leake on Friday.

Justin Upton vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,300

Upton seems to have come out of his prolonged slump, hitting 6-for-17 with a home run and six RBI in his last four games. He has owned Mike Leake, batting .450 with a home run against him in 21 career plate appearances. An Angels stack could provide plenty of production Friday, Upton included.

Josh Reddick vs. Kris Medlen, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,000

With Robbie Ray (oblique) on the DL, the Diamondbacks will call on Medlen to make his first appearance in the majors since 2016. A once promising young pitcher for the Braves, having Tommy John surgery for the second time in 2014 has derailed his career. He wasn’t exactly pitching well in Triple-A this season, recording a 6.00 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in four starts. Reddick has posted a wOBA of at least .356 against righties in each of the last four years and is a great option at a reasonable price against Medlen.

Others to consider: George Springer and Corey Dickerson