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MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 3/29/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 3/29/18

The long wait is finally over. Opening Day has arrived! There’s nothing quite like the excitement of the first day of the baseball season. Let’s kick this season off in style with a successful daily fantasy baseball 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.

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Open day special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout.

 

STARTING PITCHERS

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 3/29/18

Chris Sale vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $11,200
DraftKings = $12,200

Sale (hip) started off his Red Sox career in style, posting a 17-8 record and finishing second in the voting for the Cy Young Award last year. He dominated the league, recording a 2.90 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and a career-high 12.9 K/9. His ERA was no fluke either as his FIP was a sparkling 2.45. Sale was hit by a comebacker in his final start this spring, but he should be fine for Opening Day. He gets a great matchup against a rebuilding Rays squad that lost Evan Longoria, Steven Souza Jr. and Corey Dickerson over the winter. Their lineup is lacking power as a result, setting up Sale to have a strong start to the 2018 campaign.

Garrett Richards vs. Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $6,800

Richards showed promise in his first two full seasons as a starting pitcher in 2015 and 2016, going a combined 28-16 in 376 innings. His ERA was 3.65 or lower in both seasons and he had 340 total strikeouts. However, injuries have taken a toll on him the last two seasons, resulting in him throwing only 62.1 innings combined. He pitched well when he was on the mound, allowing only 16 total earned runs during that stretch. He’s healthy now and had a strong spring, recording a 2.84 ERA and 9.9 K/9. Thursday’s opponent in the Athletics has a lot of power, but they also have several players who strike out a lot. If you don’t want to pay up for Sale, Richards could provide value at a much more budget-friendly price.

OFFENSIVE STACKS

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 3/29/18

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Ty Blach (San Francisco Giants)
Stadium – Dodger Stadium

The Giants were hit hard by injuries to their starting rotation before the season even started, losing both Madison Bumgarner (hand) and Jeff Samardzija (pectoral). Because the injury to Bumgarner happened so late in spring training, the Giants did not have enough time to adjust their rotation. That left Blach lined up to start the opener. He did not have a strong season in 2017, finishing 8-12 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. He struggled to get right-handed batters out as they hit .295 against him last year compared to lefties batting only .250. Most teams are throwing out their best starter in the first game of the season, which could lead to some low-scoring games. Take advantage of Blach taking the mound by stacking Dodgers hitters.

Players to consider stacking: Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor, Matt Kemp

Chicago Cubs vs. Jose Urena (Miami Marlins)
Stadium – Marlins Park

The Marlins traded away the vast majority of their good players and are lined up to be one of the worst teams in baseball this season, Their starting rotation is particularly bad, likely leaving them as a good team to stack against most nights. At first glance, Urena’s numbers from 2017 don’t look bad. He finished 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. However, his ERA could have been much worse as his FIP was 5.20. He also only struck out six batters per nine innings. Not having overpowering stuff immediately puts him behind the eight ball pitching against the potent Cubs lineup. On a day full of star pitchers, Urena is another defacto ace you can take advantage of.

Players to consider stacking: Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ

SPLIT KINGS

This season we’ll dive even deeper into the matchups to provide you with some hitters that have favorable splits each day. All areas that will be considered are splits against certain teams, starting pitchers, home and road games, and success against either right-handed or left-handed pitchers. Outside of the favorable offensive stacks already discussed, these hitters could also help you create a winning lineup.

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 3/29/18

Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,400

It’s not hard to find great numbers for Trout. Although he was limited to only 114 games last year due to injury, he still hit .306 with 33 home runs, 72 RBI, 92 runs scored and 22 steals. Trout has owned Athletics starting pitcher Kendall Graveman, hitting .370 with two home runs and four RBI against him in 30 career plate appearances.

Mookie Betts, OF, Boston Red Sox
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,000

This might not seem like an obvious advantage for Betts against a tough starting pitcher in Chris Archer on Thursday. Archer is a big-time strikeout pitcher, posting a K/9 of at least 10.4 in three straight seasons. However, Betts has excelled against him during his career, batting .387 with four home runs, 10 RBI and eight walks in 39 career plate appearances.

Evan Gattis, C, Houston Astros
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,300

Gattis is eligible at catcher, but he figures to see most of his time at designated hitter for the Astros this season. Injuries have limited him to only 212 games in the last two seasons combined, but he still managed to hit 44 home runs during that stretch. He gets to face Cole Hamels on Thursday, who he has hit .360 with three home runs against in 25 career plate appearances.

Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,700

Pujols is a shell of his former self, hitting just .241 last season. He still showed he can hit for power though, slugging 23 home runs and recording 101 RBI. He has hit even better against Graveman than Trout has during his career, batting a loft .433 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 33 plate appearances.

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Starting Pitchers

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Starting Pitchers

With the offensive outburst that was experienced throughout the league in 2017, quality starting pitchers seem harder to come by this year in fantasy baseball. However, that doesn’t mean you still can’t assemble a quality staff for your squad. Let’s not only take a look at the cream of the crop but also at some starting pitchers who are overvalued and undervalued heading into 2018.

The Top Five

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Starting Pitchers

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Kershaw is the elite of the elite when it comes to starting pitchers. Outside of his rookie season in 2008, Kershaw has never finished the season with an ERA above 2.91. His career ERA of 2.36 is off the charts and is in no ways a fluke considering his career FIP is 2.60. He does an excellent job keeping men off base, posting a WHIP of 0.95 or lower in each of the last five seasons. That’s a big reason why he posted a 2.31 ERA last year despite posting a career-high 1.2 HR/9. To top off his stellar numbers, he has a K/9 of at least 10.4 in four straight seasons. Injuries have limited him to 175 innings or fewer in back-to-back seasons, but his numbers are so outstanding when he is on the mound that he is the clear choice for the top starting pitcher in fantasy baseball.

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

Scherzer was a very good starting pitcher as a member of the Detroit Tigers, but he’s taken his game to the next level since joining the Nationals. In three seasons in Washington, Scherzer has never had an ERA above 2.96 or a WHIP above 0.97. His batting average against has decreased each year with the Nationals with opponents hitting a mere .178 against him in 2017. He’s also a strikeout machine, posting a K/9 of at least 10.1 in each of the last six seasons, topping out at a career-high 12.0 last year. Throw in the fact that he has logged at least 214.1 innings in five straight seasons and not only is he the second-best starting pitcher in fantasy baseball, but he is well worth a first-round pick.

Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox

Sale had arguably the best season of his career in 2017, finishing 17-8 with a 2.90 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and an insane 308 strikeouts in 214.1 innings. He is one of the most dominating strikeout pitchers in the game, posting a K/9 of at least 10.8 in three of the last four seasons. If not for a few rough starts in August and September and a stellar finish by Corey Kluber, Sale could have won his first Cy Young Award last year. Like Scherzer, Sale has been very reliable, throwing at least 208.2 innings in four of the last five seasons. The only reason he comes in third on this list behind Scherzer is that he had an ERA of 3.05 or higher in four of five seasons entering 2017. It’s a matter of splitting hairs though, so it could also cost you a first-round pick to get Sale on your team this year depending on the size of your league.

Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians

Kluber closed out 2017 strong, going 11-1 with a 1.79 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in the second half of the season. Overall, he set or tied career highs last year in wins (18), ERA (2.25), WHIP (0.87) and K/9 (11.7) on his way to winning the American League Cy Young Award. His FIP was also 2.50, marking the third time in the last four seasons that he recorded a FIP of 2.97 or lower. With a career K/9 of 9.9, Kluber was able to make big strides in that category last year by posting a swinging strike percentage of 24.2%, significantly higher than his career mark of 20.3%. He may be in for a slight regression in the strikeout department this year, but he is still going to finish with great numbers overall. If you want him on your team, you’ll likely have to spend at least a second-round pick to get him.

Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

Strasburg provided fantasy owners with a ton of value last year despite only logging 175.1 innings, finishing 15-4 with a 2.52 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 204 strikeouts. His FIP was just 2.72, marking the fourth straight season he had a FIP of 2.94 or lower. Like the other starters on this list, he is a dominant strikeout pitcher, recording a K/9 of at least 10.1 in each of the last four seasons. There is no doubt that when Strasburg is healthy, he is one of the top pitchers in the league. However, health has been a concern with Strasburg logging at least 200 innings only once in his career. He had actually thrown less than 150 innings in back-to-back seasons entering 2017. That’s the reason he comes in fifth on this list, but he is still worthy of being a fantasy staff ace.

Overvalued Players

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Starting Pitchers

Gerrit Cole, Houston Astros

Cole’s best season was in 2015 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates when he finished 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 208 innings. However, his numbers have declined in the two years since, finishing last year 12-12 with a 4.26 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 203 innings. His main problem in 2017 was a massive increase in home runs allowed. He only allowed 29 home runs from 2014 through 2016 but gave up 31 in 2017 alone. When you add in the fact that he also issued a career-high 55 walks, you get the big jump in ERA. There is a reason for optimism this year though as his ground ball to flyball ratio was 0.85 last year, which is almost right on pace with his career mark. His home run to flyball percentage jumped all the way up to 11.3%, almost double his previous career high. With some regression to the norm this season, Cole could get his ERA back down under 4.00. The problem is his ADP in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) is 81.79, ahead of players including Masahiro Tanaka (99.84) and Jose Berrios (106.66). Cole appears to be trending upward, but his ADP is too high right now to provide enough value for your squad.

Marcus Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays

Stroman is a fine starting pitcher, winning 13 games and posting a 3.09 ERA for the Blue Jays last season. He doesn’t provide much in the way of strikeouts though with a career K/9 of 7.3. Considering he has posted a 1.29 WHIP or higher in back-to-back seasons, that can be a bit of a scary proposition. If you are going to select a starting pitcher who doesn’t strike out a lot of hitters, he needs to help you in both ERA and WHIP, not just ERA. Stroman’s current ADP is 134.78, which is too high considering his limitations.

Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals

Gonzalez had a surprisingly good season in 2017, finishing 15-9 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. It marked the first time he had an ERA under three and a WHIP under 1.20 since 2012. His 8.4 K/9 was on par with his career numbers, but he was somewhat lucky with opposing hitter having a .261 BABIP against him. For his career, that mark is .296. He also had a FIP of 3.93 last year, so some regression in 2018 seems likely. With a current ADP of 153.70, it might be wise to avoid him during your draft.

Undervalued Players

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Starting Pitchers

Lance McCullers, Houston Astros

After recording an ERA of 3.22 in both of his first two seasons in the majors, McCullers finished with an ERA of 4.25 in 2017. However, his WHIP (1.30), HR/9 (0.6) and FIP (3.10) indicate he was a bit unlucky last year in terms of his ERA. He posted an excellent 10.0 K/9, which was actually down from 11.8 in 2016. Considering his ERA should improve this season, he records a lot of strikeouts and he should get a lot of opportunities for wins on a great team, McCullers ADP of 145.15 is a bargain. He’ll have a better K/9 than Cole and could finish with a similar ERA and WHIP, so I’d much rather take him several rounds later.

Jacob Faria, Tampa Bay Rays

Faria faired well in his first taste of the big leagues last year, posting a 3.43 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 8.7 K/9. In his 24 career starts at Triple-A, Faria posted similar numbers with a 3.42 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, but his K/9 was significantly higher at 10.5. He had a 10.7 K/9 in 27 career starts at Double-A as well, so he could see an uptick in that department this season. Faria is just 24 years old heading into 2018 and is already an important part of the Rays rotation. His current ADP is just 233.29, which is far too low considering his upside. Don’t be surprised if his numbers are better than Stroman’s at the end of the season.

Tyler Chatwood, Chicago Cubs

Chatwood did not have a good season for the Colorado Rockies last year, finishing 8-15 with a 4.69 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 7.3 K/9. He was destroyed when he pitched in Coors Field, posting a 6.01 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 70.1 innings. He was a much better pitcher on the road though with a 3.49 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 77.1 innings. The move to the Cubs should do wonders for his value since his career ERA at Coors was an unsightly 5.17. With an ADP 269.64, he’s someone to consider targeting late in your drafts to add depth to your rotation, just don’t count on him for a lot of strikeouts.

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Shortstop

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner – @rotomikebarner*

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Shortstop

There have been some elite fantasy options at shortstop in the last decade, but the position hasn’t always had great depth. That’s not an issue in 2018 as there are plenty of valuable options available. Let’s not only take a look at the cream of the crop but also at some shortstops who are overvalued and undervalued heading into 2018.

The Top Three

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Shortstop

Trea Turner, Washington Nationals

Turner is a stolen base machine. Despite playing only 98 games due to injury last year, he still stole 46 bases. He has only played 198 career games in the majors but already has 81 steals. He also hit .284 last year and should be an asset in batting average again for 2018. Unlike some of the other elite base stealers though, Turner won’t kill you in the power department. In his last 171 games, he has 24 home runs. He’s going to hit at the top of one of the best lineups in baseball, further increasing his already lofty value. Not only is he the best fantasy shortstop, but he should finish in the top-five of fantasy in general if he can stay healthy.

Carlos Correa, Houston Astros

Correa took a big leap forward in the power department in 2017, hitting 24 home runs with a .550 slugging percentage. He posted a 39.5% hard hit percentage, helping to lead to a career-high .315 batting average. There really aren’t any negative things you can say about Correa’s game. He only had a 19.1% strikeout percentage compared to an 11% walk percentage and 40.7% of the balls he put in play were hit to center field. He did only steal two bases in 109 games, but you shouldn’t be expecting significant steals from him anyways as he only had 13 in 2016. You will likely have to use a second-round pick to get him depending on the size of your league, but he will be worth it.

Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians

Lindor thrived in his first full season in the majors in 2016, hitting .301 with 15 home runs, 78 RBI, 19 steals and 99 runs scored. Not profiled to be a big power hitter, Lindor was just that in 2017, slugging 33 round trippers. He also had 44 doubles, resulting in a .505 slugging percentage. His batting average did drop to .273, but he still stole 15 bases. His strikeout and walk percentages were the same in both 2016 and 2017, but he posted by far his best hard hit percentage in 2017 at 35.2%. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a slight decrease in home runs this year, but 25 home runs, 15 steals, and a .280 average are all reasonable expectations. If you miss out on Turner or Correa, Lindor is an excellent consolation prize.

Overvalued Players

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Shortstop

Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers

Seager has quickly become an excellent player for the Dodgers, recording at least 22 home runs and 77 RBI in both of his first two full seasons in the majors. He hit .295 with a .375 OBP last year, showing he can provide fantasy owners with both power numbers and batting average. With a career 42.1% hard hit percentage, he should be able to consistently hit for a high average as well. There isn’t really anything negative to say about Seager other than he doesn’t steal bases. However, his current ADP in the NFBC is 38.75. Players that are being selected well after Seager include Nelson Cruz (55.87), Christian Yelich (59.33) and Daniel Murphy (69.44). Shortstop is not a shallow position, so don’t feel forced to draft Seager so early.

Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers

After never hitting more than eight home runs in a season during the first eight years of his career, Andrus broke out with 20 homers in 2017. He also had 44 doubles, leading to a career-high .471 slugging percentage. He batted .297 with 88 RBI, 100 runs scored and 25 steals as well, providing one of the better all-around campaigns in the league.  The increased power numbers were likely because of a change in his approach at the plate. He had a career-low 5.5% walk percentage and pulled a career-high 44.8% of the balls he put in play. For comparison, his pull percentage for his career is 37.2%. He should still be able to provide plenty of value in batting average and stolen bases, but even with his changed approach at the plate, 20 homers will be tough to duplicate. His current ADP is 58.36, which is clearly banking on him to do just that. I’d pass on him at that price.

 

Undervalued Players

2018 MLB Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Shortstop

Orlando Arcia, Milwaukee Brewers

Arcia struggled in his brief appearance in the majors in 2016, batting only .219 with four home runs in 55 games. He settled in nicely in 2017 though, batting .277 with 15 home runs, 53 RBI, and 14 steals. He had a career .282 average in the minor leagues, so his performance last year is closer to what you should expect from him moving forward. His OBP has never been particularly high and he swung at 38.7% of the pitches he saw outside the strike zone last year, which is an area where he’ll need to improve. However, it’s not unreasonable to expect him to hit .270 with 15 home runs and 15 steals this season. With a current ADP of 186.36, that type of production would be a bargain.

Addison Russell, Chicago Cubs

Russell had big expectations heading into last year after providing 21 home runs and 95 RBI in 2016. He couldn’t live up to the hype though, with injuries limiting him to just 110 games. He also dealt with an off-the-field issue which could have impacted his performance. The end result was only 12 home runs, 43 RBI, and a .239 average. Don’t forget, Russell is still only 24 years old. He still has excellent potential and while he might not hit for a high average, his power numbers could return with a healthy season. The once hot fantasy commodity now has an ADP of 259.37. I wouldn’t be afraid to take a chance on him that low in your draft.

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner – @rotomikebarner*

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

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

The Top Three

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

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

Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

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

Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins

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

Overvalued Players

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

Dee Gordon, Seattle Mariners

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

Chris Taylor, Los Angeles Dodgers

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

Undervalued Players

Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base

Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs

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

Ian Kinsler, Los Angeles Angels

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

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner – @rotomikebarner*

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

It might hard to believe it if you live in the NorthEast, but baseball season is just around the corner. With only about a month left before pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, the time is now to start preparing for your fantasy baseball draft. In the first of our season preview series, we’ll take a look at some familiar players who have joined new teams and discuss the impact it will have on their fantasy value.

Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

The Yankees rebuild certainly didn’t take long. After trading away several veterans in the middle of the 2016 season, the Yankees progressed faster than expected in 2017, losing in the American League Championship Series to the Houston Astros. One of the big reasons for their success was the strength of their offense, which finished second in runs scored and first in home runs in all of baseball.

So how did they improve their team for this year? By bringing in another power hitter of course. The Yankees took advantage of the Marlins need to slash payroll, trading for the reigning NL MVP in Stanton with Starlin Castro being the only player of significance to the major league roster that they gave up.

Entering the 2017 season, Stanton had played 123 games or less in four of the previous five seasons. He managed to stay healthy though, missing only three games all year. He cashed in the added at-bats, setting career-highs in home runs (59), RBI (132) and runs scored (123). Unlike many of the games elite home run hitters, he still managed to hit .281 and finished with a career-low 23.6% strikeout percentage.

Stanton will now team up with Aaron Judge to form one of the elite power-hitting combinations in the league. It will be hard for Stanton to play 159 games again this year, but the good news is that he will get some time at designated hitter, which should help keep him fresh. He’s going to be part of a potent overall lineup and should again finish with excellent counting stats. From a batting average perspective, he might not experience significant regression either as his .288 BABIP was actually the lowest of his career. Expect him to have another valuable campaign and be a borderline first-round pick in fantasy.

Dee Gordon, Seattle Mariners

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

Another member of the Marlins fire sale was Gordon, who was shipped to the Mariners and will now play center field. Gordon led the majors with 60 stolen bases last year, marking the third time in the last four seasons that he has stolen at least 58 bases. The only time he didn’t was when he was limited to 79 games in 2016 due to a suspension, finishing with 30 steals.

While most known for his ability to steal bases, Gordon’s fantasy value is much more than just that one category. He hit at least .308 in two of the last three seasons and scored 114 runs last year. He only has a 15.1% strikeout percentage for his career, which allows him to leg out some extra hits due to his speed.

Luckily for this season, he will still be eligible at second base and will eventually get you the added value of dual-position eligibility. He will be part of a powerful lineup that features Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano, and Kyle Seager hitting behind him, so he should have plenty of opportunities to score runs again this year. Even without much power, he should still finish as one of the more valuable second base eligible players in fantasy, especially when you consider the scarcity of stolen bases.

Andrew McCutchen, San Francisco Giants

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

The Giants desperately needed to find offense this winter, especially in their outfield. They decided to swing a deal with the Pirates for McCutchen, providing a significant boost to their lineup. While his stats don’t jump off the page, McCutchen has hit at least 21 home runs and recorded at least 79 RBI in each of the last seven seasons. He also does an excellent job of getting on base, posting an OBP of at least .363 in all but one season during his career.

While McCutchen can still provide value, it’s important to note that he doesn’t really excel in any one category. He used to provide value on the base paths, stealing at least 20 bases in each of the first five seasons of his career. However, he has stolen 11 bases or less in each of the last three seasons. He batted a respectable .279 last year, but that’s not going to be a difference maker in your league. He’s still someone to consider on draft day, but make sure you are drafting him based on his current production, not his high-profile name. If you are drafting based on the latter, you will likely overpay for him on draft day.

Evan Longoria, San Francisco Giants

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

The Giants were serious about making major additions to their lineup, also acquiring Longoria from the Rays. Longoria had spent his entire 10-year career with the Rays, becoming the face of the franchise. He’s had some excellent run-producing seasons, hitting at least 30 home runs four times and driving in at least 100 runs five times in his career. He’s also been extremely reliable, playing at least 160 games in each of the last four years.

Longoria is still a fine player, but he’s not nearly as valuable in fantasy as he once was. Besides an outlier season where he hit 36 home runs in 2016, he has hit 22 home runs or less in three of the last four seasons. He doesn’t do a great job of getting on base either, posting an OBP of .328 or lower in each of the last four years. Third base is a deep position in fantasy, which could leave Longoria outside the top-15 at the position.

Wade Davis, Colorado Rockies

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

The Rockies were the beneficiaries of one of the better surprises at closer last year, getting 41 saves from Greg Holland. The majority of Holland’s success came over the first half of the season when he recorded 28 of his saves and a sparkling 1.62 ERA. The second half was much more of a struggle, finishing with a 6.38 ERA in 24 innings. The Rockies decided not to bring him back for 2018, instead signing Davis to a hefty three-year contract.

Davis had 32 saves for the Cubs last year and a 2.30 ERA, which was actually the first time he finished with an ERA above 2.00 since 2013. He also posted a 12.1 K/9, which was the second highest of his career. When a pitcher moves to Coors Field, there is always a concern that their stats could regress pitching in such a hitter-friendly environment. Davis did give up six home runs last year, which were three more than the previous three seasons combined. However, his ground ball to flyball ratio was 0.70, which is very close to his career ratio of 0.67.

The big increase was in his home run to flyball percentage, which was 9.1%. That’s significantly up from his career mark of 6.5%. While I don’t think he’ll come close to replicating the excellent three-year stretch he had with the Royals prior to last season, he should still finish the season as a top-10 closer.

Carlos Santana, Philadelphia Phillies

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

The rebuilding Phillies added a significant bat to their lineup, signing Santana to a three-year contract early on in free agency. He’ll take over as their everyday first baseman after spending the first eight years of his career with Cleveland.

Santana had spectacular power season in 2016, hitting 34 home runs and slugging .498. Other than that season, he’s never hit more than 27 home runs or slugged above .457 in any of his full seasons in the majors. He hasn’t been a significant run producer either, recording 87 RBI or less in each season of his career.

The positives for Santana is that he gets on base, posting an OBP of at least .363 in five of the last six years. He’s also done a nice job cutting down on his strikeouts, with his strikeout percentage decreasing in each of the last three seasons. However, based on his low batting average and limited ceiling, he’s a borderline top-20 first baseman.

Marcell Ozuna, St. Louis Cardinals

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

Ozuna established himself as one of the top outfielders in the league last year, finishing the season batting .312 with 37 home runs, 124 RBI, and 93 runs scored. He showed an improved eye at the plate, setting a career best with a 9.4% walk percentage, which was more than two percent higher than any of his previous four seasons.

Like Stanton and Gordon, he too was a part of the fire sale in Miami and will now roam the outfield for the Cardinals. His power will be a welcomed addition as the Cardinals finished in the bottom half of the league in home runs last season.

The Marlins were certainly a flawed team, but they had a potent lineup with Ozuna, Stanton, Gordon, Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto and Justin Bour. The Cardinals have some talented hitters, but their lineup doesn’t project to be as deep as the Marlins was last year. Ozuna will still likely be a top 15-to-20 outfielder, but he could experience some regression in counting stats.

Gerrit Cole, Houston Astros

MLB Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and Off-Season Signings

The defending World Seris champs aren’t resting on their laurels this winter, making a big trade with the Pirates to add Cole to their starting rotation. The Astros already have one of the best lineups in baseball, but now boast a solid starting trio of Dallas Keuchel, Justin Verlander, and Cole.

Cole’s best season with the Pirates came in 2015 when he finished 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 208 innings. However, his numbers have declined in the two years since, finishing last year 12-12 with a 4.26 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 203 innings. His main problem in 2017 was a massive increase in home runs allowed. He only allowed 29 home runs from 2014 through 2016 but gave up a whopping 31 in 2017 alone. When you add in the fact that he also issued a career-high 55 walks, you get the big jump in ERA.

There is a reason for optimism this year though as his ground ball to flyball ratio was 0.85 last year, which is almost right on pace with his career mark. His home run to flyball percentage jumped all the way up to 11.3%, almost double his previous career high. With some regression to the norm this season, Cole should get his ERA back down under 4.00. He’s a reliable source for strikeouts and should have plenty of chances to rack up wins on a great team, making him a top-25 starting pitcher with upside.

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Playoffs – Tuesday, October 17, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Playoffs – Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Put your favorite MLB daily fantasy baseball lineup stacks from the article below in our MLB 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.

Lineuplab.com - NFL Daily Fantasy Sports - We have the tools to help you win DRAFTKINGS & FANDUEL

Houston Astros @ New York Yankees
Match-Up – Brad Peacock Vs Sonny Gray
Park – Yankee Stadium
Vegas – N/A

Pitchers

Lance McCullers Jr.

Brad Peacock was the projected starter here for a few days, but it looks like the Astros will make a last-second pivot to Lance McCullers. While McCullers is a much better pitcher at the peak of his game, we have no idea if he will be there. He’s been injured and up and down all year long, but did hold a 2.67 xFIP and 11+ K/9 when he was on the mound. The Yankees took a game back last night and will look to even it up. They have the bombers in Judge/Sanchez, but the strikeouts make them well worth it. All in all, these 4 pitchers are in a somewhat comparable spot. None are safe and you have to look more at which offense you dislike. The Yankees are explosive as anyone, but their statistically the worst offense by a good margin on this slate. McCullers is a fine play in all formats that comes with the inherent playoff risk.

Sonny Gray

I would like to think I can admit when wrong, but maybe not. I made it a point a couple years back to bask Sonny Gray. It had more to do with an average pitcher like himself getting lucky in Oakland and being looked at as an ace. He then fell back to Earth for 2 years, so everything in the world was right. This year, however, he’s returned with some fire. He’s been effective against both sides of the plate with a .281 wOBA. He’s striking out nearly 9 batters per 9 innings and walking just over 2. He’s a good pitcher by all means and that young guy from Oakland striking out 6 and BABIP’ing teams to death is gone. The big problem comes in the form of the Astros offense. They are swinging a hot stick right now and have one of the more overall lethal lineups in the game. Gray is a stay away for me, but I get the K appeal and low ownership.

Hitters

Lance McCullers and Sonny Gray are 2 excellent pitchers. There’s no getting around that. The problem is these offenses are nearly as good. On the Yankees side, I don’t have much interest. As we’ve already touched on, Sanchez and Judge have immense upside and can put 2 in the seats on any given night. THe rest of the order is pretty volatile with a lot of strikeouts, but I could see getting into Didi Gregorious. He has hit righties to a .372 wOBA on the season and has transferred that to the playoffs quite well. Guys like Brett Gardner, Todd Frazier, and Greg Bird are fine, but they aren’t guys you should be seeking out. I have a bit more interest in the Astros side. While Sony Gray is fine, this lineup is disgusting. Altuve and Correa are looking like the best duo in the league and both ae excellent cash game options with just 2 games. Josh Reddick and George Springer nail righties as well, so don’t leave them off. I will likely be stacking the Astros tonight, so here’s to hoping they get Sonny Gray.

Los Angeles Dodgers @ Chicago Cubs
Match-up – Yu Darvish Vs Kyle Hendricks
Park – Wrigley Field
Vegas – N/A

Pitchers

Yu Darvish

In my opinion, all 4 of these pitchers are very close together. On a set of games like this, any team can go off for no rhyme or reason. One bad pitch. One bad call. All it takes is 1 very volatile event to change the direction of the entire slate. It’s the reason I haven’t played cash games in the playoffs. It will often come down to a 1v1 or 2v2 matchup, which lowers any edge you may have had. On to Yu Darvish, I don’t like him. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a top 10 pitcher in baseball. I just don’t think the Cubs lie on their side and go down 3-0 at home. The lineup is obviously very capable and at home, ranked 3rd with a .332 wOBA against righties. Darvish is an excellent pitcher and if your stance is anti-Cubs, play him. He’s in no more of a drastic spot than any of the other guys. He may end up being the most highly owned, too.

Kyle Hendricks

Kyle Hendricks is quietly one of the best pitchers in baseball. He doesn’t strike many guys out and he doesn’t get past 92, so nobody really pays attention. What he does do, however, is consistently shut down batters from both sides of the plate. He also has one of the best pickoff moves in baseball, which hinders the run a lot better than the other Cubs arms. Hendricks has allowed a .291 wOBA over the year while giving up just a putrid 24% hard contact rate. Now with that being said, this Dodgers lineup is just as lethal as the Cubs. They’re swinging the bat well and I do like them h2h against Hendricks. Personally, McCullers and Hendricks are the 2 guys I will have exposure to. It’s the 2 teams I think to get a W, so it wasn’t tough to pull apart. All in all, every pitcher on this slate is very risky and every offense on this slate is very risky. Welcome, once again, to playoff baseball.

Hitters

At first glance, I think the Dodgers get a lot of attention in Wrigley tonight. Kyle Hendricks has a somewhat bad perception and the Dodgers are killing the baseball. As someone who will own a lot of Kyle Hendricks, I can’t necessarily jump on board. However, I get it. Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger are no fun for righties and I assume Hendricks will have some trouble with both. The rest of the order is filled with guys who can do damage but will more often just piss off the pitcher with 8 pitch at-bats. Hendricks will be on a short leash and the Cubs bullpen is average, so take that into consideration as well. On the Cubs side, I like the usual suspects. Rizzo and Bryant are excessive but have the upside to take you to the promise land. I do think the Cubs get the victory here, so I’ll be waiting for that lineup to come out and picking my spots. Good luck tonight and good luck in opening night NBA!






MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 20, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Put your favorite MLB daily fantasy baseball lineup stacks from the article below in our MLB 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.

 

Lineuplab.com - NFL Daily Fantasy Sports - We have the tools to help you win DRAFTKINGS & FANDUEL

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Chris Sale - Lineup Lab

Chris Sale @ Boston Orioles
Park – Camden Yards
Opp implied total – 3.42

I’m not exactly sure how the general public will react to this standoff between Chris Sale and Robbie Ray at the top. I do suspect Sale will be higher owned, but I’m not sure by how much. I think it’s a lot closer than some may have it, but still have Sale just a bit higher. The Red Sox are just 3 games ahead of the Yankees and they will allow Sale to go 110 if he’s sailing. The Orioles are an explosive offense, but extremely weak past the surface. They strikeout close to 26% of the time and have held just a .321 wOBA since the break. We know Sale has had a few rough starts this season, but they’re bound to happen with how he throws. You can’t use them to dissuade yourself from exposure tonight. He’s striking out close to 12 batters per 9 and has been the black plague to lefties at the plate. I’m not saying Chris Sale is a must by any stretch, but I do think this will be the first time his ownership under 30% in quite a long time. It just might be something to think about in tournaments. I may end up with 100% in hopes of a crazy game that boosts me way above the field.

Brad Peacock Vs Chicago White Sox
Park – Minute Maid Park
Vegas O/U – 3.30

There’s also the strategy of paying down, which is just as solid on this slate. We have a few different offenses to pay up for and going down to Peacock could very well let you fit 1 or 2 more elite bats. It doesn’t seem like much, but topping off a stack or getting an HR is nothing to scoff at. Peacock has also just been really good. He has demolished righties to a .238 wOBA and lefties a .322. He’s striking out close to 12 batters per 9 and allowing a hard contact rate of just 32%. The White Sox are one of the worst offenses in the league and them also K nearly 26% of the time. Vegas has them expected for just 3.30 runs, which is the lowest on the entire slate. Peacock is a solid value play across the board and a guy you shouldn’t ignore.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Lineuplab.com - Jose Altuve - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks

Houston Astros Vs James Shields (White Sox)
Park – Minute Maid Park
Implied Total – 6.20

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. When James Shields is on the mound, I stack the opposing hitters. A whopping 6.20 implied total on the Astros tells you all you need to know. Him being on the road in Houston is just an utter joke. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong and throw a gem, but we all know how likely that is. The reality of the situation is that he’s given up a .394 wOBA to lefties and a .356 to righties. He’s one of the worst arms in the entire league and struggles to make it 6 innings on a regular basis. I highly doubt he gets out of the 4th tonight, facing such a lethal set of bats. Altuve and Reddick are my 2 favorites and I wouldn’t make a stack without either. After that, any mix of Springer, Bregman, Correa, Gonzalez, and McCann works. The Astros are going to put up runs and you’ll need exposure to get anything done.

Main Stack – Jose Altuve, Josh Reddick, Marwin Gonzalez, George Springer
Sneaky Stack – Jose Altuve, Josh Reddick, Carlos Correa, Brian McCann

St. Louis Cardinals @ William “Rookie” Davis (Reds)
Park – Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 5.28

Believe it or not, we may have a pitcher worse than James Shields on the slate. While William “Rookie” Davis is very young and still likely to improve, it’s not often you can find numbers this bad. Against righties, a .438 wOBA. Lefties, a .436. He has only pitched a few games, so I wouldn’t say it’s completely fair. However, he wasn’t great in the minors and this is no surprise. The Cardinals offense is dangerous in this ballpark and they can hit righties well. Matt Carpenter should be back in there tonight and is the top guy you want. Paul DeJong and Dexter Fowler are close behind. After those 3, I think you can go anywhere. Wait for the lineup to come out and grab someone who’s seen a shift in the lineup. The Cardinals are rarely projected for over 5 runs and we should probably take advantage of this situation. I’m hoping for a repeat of that run-fest last night in Cincy.

Main Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Paul Dejong, Jose Martinez
Sneaky Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Paul Dejong, Yadier Molina






DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 10, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 10, 2017

With just two afternoon games today, I will be concentrating on the 10-game main slate tonight and providing my top pitchers and stacks. Let’s dig in and take a look.

Starting Pitchers
 James Paxton - LineupLab - DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks

James Paxton
Opponent – vs. LAA
Park – Safeco Field (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (SEA -180)
Vegas Total (7.5)

There are five pitchers over $10K tonight on DraftKings and all of them display some sort of upside. This should help neutralize the ownership and allow us to choose our favorite option. For me, it’s James Paxton who has been nothing short of dominant in the second half. He has won all five of his starts, posted a 1.41 ERA/1.95 xFIP and is walking just over a half batter per nine with an elite 11.53 K/9 rate and 13% swinging strike rate. The matchup could be a bit better as the Angels strike out a tick less than league average but overall they rank 29th in wOBA and 27th in wRC+ vs. left-handed pitching.

Lance Lynn
Opponent – vs. KC
Park – Busch Stadium (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (STL -140)
Vegas Total (8.5)

The options at the second starting pitcher position for DraftKings are limited tonight if you are looking in the mid tier. For the most part, this will have me paying up for two high-end options but in the lineups I want to upgrade bats, I will be looking to roster Lynn. He doesn’t provide a ton of upside(7.7 K/9 rate) but has been extremely consistent all season. He has held opponents to two or less earned runs in seven straight starts and in 17 of his 23 starts this season. He also gets a very good matchup vs. the Royals who rank in the bottom third of the league when looking at runs and also when looking at wOBA, wRC+ and ISO vs. right-handed pitching.

Top Stacks

Jose Altuve - draftkings fanduel mlb lineup picks - Houston Astros - LineupLab

Stacking is a little bit tougher tonight as there are currently no teams projected over 5.5 runs and no game with a double-digit run total. On the high-end I like the Astros and Dodgers going up against southpaws and both teams sit inside the Top 3 when looking at most metrics vs. left-handed pitching. The Astros get the best matchup going up against Carlos Rodon who does have some k upside but the ugly walk rate (4.6 BB/9) and long ball potential(22.9% HR/FB rate) more than makeup for the risk. The Dodgers get a big park upgrade in Chase Field and face Anthony Banda who is just two starts into his major league career after posting a 5.13 ERA/4.67 xFIP in 19 starts in AAA earlier this season. Target the Dodger right handed bats (Taylor, Hernandez, Turner, Puig).

On the value end of things, I like going with the Mets left-handed bats (Conforto, Cabrera, Granderson, Walker) and even Cespedes vs. Vince Velasquez. He has given up a .373 wOBA to lefties this season and has walked over five per nine. I will also have exposure to the Athletics who face Wade Miley tonight. The Oakland Coliseum has actually been an above average hitters park this season and Miley gives up a ton of home runs(19.6% HR). I am mainly looking at Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie, Khris Davis, and Ryan Healy.

 

 

 

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 8, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 8, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Chris Sale - Boston Redsox - Lineuplab - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks

Chris Sale @ Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Tropicana Field
Vegas O/U – 7.5

We have a plethora of expensive pitchers on this slate, with no 1 arm standing out. Our favorite of the bunch is Chris Sale, who faces off with the Tampa Bay Rays in pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field. Sale is having arguably his best season ever, sporting a combined .245 wOBA and striking out over 12 batters per 9 innings. This is also a prime match-up for Sale. Against righties, they hold the 20th ranked wOBA at just .309. They also strikeout 25.5% of the time, which leads the league. Tropicana Field is a huge bump from Fenway Park and Vegas expect the Rays to be shut down. They hold an implied run total under 3 and should be in trouble from the get go. I think Sale and Kluber are pretty close and I don’t know which one ends up more popular, but Sale is my guy.

Dallas Keuchel @ Chicago White Sox
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Vegas O/U – 10

If you want to get a little bit cheaper, but remain in the upper-tier for upside, Dallas Keuchel is your guy. Keuchel has struggled in each of his last 2 starts and it’s resulted in him seeing a price decrease. He’s still the same pitchers he’s been all year and we should be looking at him no differently. This White Sox team is horrible and we’ve been streaming pitchers against them all year long. Keuchel has been utterly dominant against lefties with an. .129 wOBA and 12 K/9. You can wish those guys good luck. As for the righties, a .268 isn’t much better. Jose Abreu is really the only bat I’m scared of in this lineup and he’s far better against southpaws. Keuchel is a bit cheaper than he should be and makes for an excellent play in all formats.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Jose Altuve - Houston Astros - lineup lab

Houston Astros @ Derek Holland (White Sox)
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Implied Total – 6.34

When first glancing at this slate, there was 1 team who stood out as my favorite and it wasn’t too close. That hasn’t changed and I don’t think it will. The Houston Astros are facing off with Derek Holland in what is the top stack of the night. Depending on what bats make it into the Astros order, you can play them all. Holland has been absolutely pitiful against righties with a .397 wOBA over 97 innings. He’s given up an astronomical 23 home runs and now faces the most powerful team in the game. Good luck. Altuve and Correa are the cream of the crop and so won’t make a stack without them. After that, it depends on where everyone ends up in the order. Gonzalez and Guriel are both good hitters, but hold a lot more appeal if they see a 1-5 spot. All in all, this is easily my favorite offense of the night and I’ll be all over them in stacks.

Main Stack – Jose Altuve, Carlos Beltran, Yuli Gurriel, Alex Bregman
Sneaky Stack – Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Tyler White, Jake Marisnick

San Diego Padres @ Sal Romano (Reds)
Park – The Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 4.08

If you want to go contrarian with a team that may be a bit sneaky, don’t be afraid to pick on Sal Romano. While the Padres are definitely one of the more underwhelming teams in the league, they surely have the upside in Great American Ballpark. We saw Jose Pirela hit 2 out last night and the Reds hit about 10. Sal Romano, a young righty, has struggled against both sides of the plate. He doesn’t profile to be good yet and I can’t see why the Reds have forced him into a starting role. While the small sample size is definitely something to consider, a .367 wOBA and 6 BB/9 are numbers you don’t like to see. Wil Myers and Yangervis Solarte are my 2 favorite options and they should both be well under 10% owned. You then get into a lot of weird Padres who are under consideration. Pirela, Margot, Renfroe, and Hedges are all worthy of a shot. It just depends on where you have an opening or weakness in your lineup.

Main Stack – Wil Myers, Yangervis Solarte, Jose Pirela, Manuel Margot
Sneaky Stack – Wil Myers, Yangervis Solarte, Hunter Renfroe, Austin Hedges

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 2, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 2, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Dallas Keuchel Vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Minute Maid Park
Vegas O/U – 9

An elite lefty against the Tampa Bay Rays is never too tough to decipher. When looking at what the Rays do against lefties, it’s quite clear why. They’ve ranked 23rd in the league with a. .307 wOBA against righties, while coming in 2nd in K% at 25. The team is good against lefties. Outside of Evan Longoria, everyone on the team either K’s a ton or is ineffective against righties. Keuchel has dominated both lefties as righties this year though his numbers against righties should actually keep going down. He’s striking out batters at an 8 per 9 clip and walking just 2. He does K nearly 13 lefties per 9, so those guys can basically just stay in the dugout. All in all, this is a slate you want to pay up for pitcher on and Keuchel looks to be the somewhat clear option. At least for me.

Jake Arrieta Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Park – Wrigley Field
Vegas O/U – N/A

If you want to pivot off of Keuchel or simply want a lower owned option, Jake Arrieta is a phenomenal way to go. He’ll welcome the Diamondbacks to Wrigley Field and hopefully shut them down with the same ease. We all know where the Diamondbacks are dangerous. Against righties, they especially rely on David Peralta and Jake Lamb. While those 2 guys are absolute animals, I expect Arrieta to pitch around them. The rest of the order is pretty weak against righties and strikeout nearly 23% of the time. Arrieta has definitely been worse against lefties this year and it’ll be interesting to see how he approaches the game this late into the season. Arrieta has also seen his K/9 dip to around 8, though it’s allowed his BB/9 and LOB% to drop. The Diamondbacks are nowhere near the offense outside of Chase Field and should have some trouble with Arrieta in Wrigley. Let’s hope.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Robert Stephenson (Reds)
Park – PNC Park
Implied Total – 5.25

It doesn’t take too long to figure out why Vegas has the Pirates projected for over 6 runs. Good ol’ Robert Stephenson. I have no idea why this guy isn’t pitching in A working on his game, but he’s not. He’s in the majors and simply shouldn’t be. He’s posted a .400 wOBA against both sides of the plate in consecutive years. Come on. Even if he improves greatly, he will be considered bad. As for the Pirates and who I like most, Marte and Frazier hit that spot. McCutchen and Bell would be the next 2 with Cervelli following closely behind. He hits righties better and will go ignored at a very weak position. This is a team who is going to put up runs and I don’t think the general public will be all too interested.

Main Stack – Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Josh Bell, Adam Frazier
Sneaky Stack – Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Josh Bell, Francisco Cervelli

Park – Marlins Park
Implied Total – 4.83

Ah, Vance Worley. I’m not exactly sure what the Marlins were looking for, but unless that’s an atrocity of a pitcher, they didn’t get it. He’s posted a .375+ wOBA against both lefties and righties and has had serious issues with the HR ball. There is no team to better capitalize than the Nationals. The Nats are obviously one of the 3 best orders in the league and can be targeted many different ways. Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper are the only 2 musts. After that, you can go anywhere from Wilmer Difo in the leadoff spot to Anthony Rendon in the 6 hole. All in all, this slate is pretty big and I don’t think the Nats come in over 20% owned outside of Harper.

Main Stack – Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Wilmer Difo, Ryan Zimmerman
Sneaky Stack – Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon, Adam Lind