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MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/9/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

August special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout

There are only six games to choose from Thursday for the main slate in DFS, but there are still some great matchups that stand out. 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 8/9/18

James Paxton vs. Houston Astros
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $10,000
DraftKings = $10,600

Paxton has picked up right where he left off after a brief stint on the DL, allowing three runs and recording 15 strikeouts across 14 innings since he was activated. His 3.51 ERA overall is supported by an even better 3.05 FIP and he’s done an excellent job keeping runners off base with a 1.07 WHIP. His 11.5 K/9 would also be the highest mark of his career. You don’t normally target pitchers against the Astros, but their lineup is a shell of itself with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer all on the DL. They enter Thursday having scored three runs or fewer in nine of their last 12 games.

Yonny Chirinos vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,700

I don’t like any of the cheap starting pitching options Thursday. Tyler Anderson, Ross Stripling, and J.A. Happ are all good pitchers and don’t cost much, but their matchups aren’t great. The Rays are actually starting Hunter Wood in this game, but he’s not going to throw more than a couple of innings. Chirinos is one of the more likely options to follow him since he last pitched five days ago and Jake Faria is dealing with a sore neck. He’s pitched well with a 3.70 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and an 8.5 K/9, so he could provide a lot of value at this price. Keep an eye on reports leading up to this game and if Chirinos is confirmed to follow Wood, he’s someone worth considering on a night with so few quality options.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/9/18

Jake Bauers vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,400

Hess hadn’t started a game since June for the Orioles, but he returned to the rotation last Friday against the Rangers. That game certainly didn’t go well as he allowed seven runs (five earned) across 3.1 innings. If the Orioles had any other viable options, Hess likely wouldn’t be starting because of his 6.41 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. He’s also allowed 2.2 HR/9, giving Bauers and the Rays an excellent opportunity to put up some big numbers.

Steve Pearce vs. Ryan Borucki, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,300

Borucki has pitched well across his seven starts, posting a 2.30 ERA, 2.52 FIP, and a 1.26 WHIP. His only bad outing came against these same Red Sox when he allowed seven runs (four earned) in three innings. It’s going to be awfully difficult for him to have success in their rematch Thursday, especially considering his underwhelming 6.3 K/9. Pearce is one Red Sox to target in particular based on his 189 wRC+ against lefties.

Others to consider: Greg Bird (first base) and Francisco Cervelli (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/9/18

Gleyber Torres vs. Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,300

Torres has played better than anyone could have expected since being recalled, batting .274 with 18 home runs in only 266 at-bats. He’s loved hitting at home so far, batting .307 with 10 homers at Yankee Stadium. Jurado is not an overwhelming pitcher with a career 6.9 K/9 in the minors, leaving Torres with plenty of upside once again.

Joey Wendle vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $4,100

With Hess on the mound for the Orioles, the Rays are likely going to be one of the most heavily used stacks for the evening. Wendle has cashed in his first opportunity to get extended playing time in the majors, batting .292 across 322 at-bats. He doesn’t have a lot of power, but he at least has the potential to get on base a couple of times in this contest.

Others to consider: Josh Harrison and Neil Walker

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/9/18

Miguel Andujar vs. Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,300

If it wasn’t for the crazy start to Torres’ career, Andujar would be getting much more press. His defense has been shaky, to say the least, but his bat is going to be special. He has 30 doubles to go along with 15 home runs, but he’s not just about power numbers with his .289 batting average. He actually has slightly better numbers against righties, so don’t worry about him not having the platoon advantage against Jurado.

David Freese vs. Andrew Suarez, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $2,300
DraftKings = $4,100

Expect Freese to be in the lineup against the left-handed Suarez based on his .363 wOBA against left-handed pitchers for his career. Suarez had a very productive stretch from June into the beginning of July, but he’s allowed 19 runs over 21.2 innings in his last four starts.

Others to consider: Justin Turner and Matt Duffy

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/9/18

Didi Gregorius vs. Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,900

There are a lot of Yankees’ hitters who have better numbers at home, but Gregorius has one of the most extreme splits. He’s batting .236 with seven homers on the road compared to .296 with 13 long balls at Yankee Stadium. This could be a high scoring game for the Yankees even with Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez still sidelined, with Gregorius potentially playing a key role.

Xander Bogaerts vs. Ryan Borucki, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Center
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,200

Bogaerts is in a power drought, failing to hit a home run since the All-Star break. He’s only hit .216 during that stretch, but he has recorded a hit in three straight games. With at least one walk in four consecutive contests, as well, he’s showing signs of coming back around. He’s had a great season batting .274 with 16 home runs and is someone to consider if you don’t want to pay up for Gregorius.

Others to consider: Manny Machado and Willy Adames

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/9/18

J.D. Martinez vs. Ryan Borucki, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,600

Martinez is locked in, batting .404 with five home runs and seven doubles over his last 13 games. He has 16 RBI during that time frame, bringing his total to 98 for the season. With his career .387 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, he could give Borucki plenty of problems.

Mallex Smith vs. David Hess, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,700

Smith is on a hot streak of his own, going 12-for-24 over his last eight games. He swiped two more bases Wednesday, upping his total to 25 overall. With Smith hitting this well and Hess struggling to keep runners off base, you could get plenty of production even without Smith having any power upside.

Randal Grichuk vs. Rick Porcello, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,800

Grichuk logged two hits Wednesday, marking his third multi-hit performance in his last five games. He’s been one of the better Blue Jays’ hitters of late, batting .339 with two home runs and six doubles across his last 13 contests. He has better numbers against right-handed pitchers throughout his career, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play.

Others to consider: Mookie Betts and Steven Duggar

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/24/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

July special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout

The weather might be an issue for a few games again Tuesday, but there is still a packed schedule to take advantage of for 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 7/24/18

James Paxton vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $9,300
DraftKings = $10,200

Paxton left in the first inning of his last start due to lower-back stiffness. His bullpen session went well Saturday and he is expected to be activated from the DL to start Tuesday. He wasn’t even sidelined two weeks, so he’s unlikely to be on any sort of a pitch count. Although his ERA isn’t as good as last year, he’s pitched well with a 3.70 ERA that is supported by a 3.16 FIP. His 1.09 WHIP and 11.7 K/9 would also be the best marks of his career. The Giants are in the bottom third of baseball in runs scored and only have a .690 OPS against left-handed pitching, so look for Paxton to have a successful return.

Carlos Rodon vs. Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,300

Rodon has a 3.56 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP through seven starts, which is impressive considering four of those starts came against the Red Sox, the Astros, and the Indians. He’s been somewhat lucky, though, as he has a 5.04 FIP and opponents have just a .225 BABIP against him. He has upside with a 9.0 K/9 for his career, so he can be a viable option in tournament play in the right matchup. That might be the case Tuesday considering the Angels have the fourth-lowest OPS against lefties (.661) in baseball.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/24/18

Anthony Rizzo vs. Clay Buchholz, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,500

Rizzo had a lackluster first half, but he’s 16-for-31 (.516) with eight walks in his last nine games. He hasn’t homered during that stretch, but he did record five doubles and a triple. With a career .373 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, look for Rizzo to keep his hot streak going against Buchholz, who has been lucky so far with opponents posting just a .236 BABIP against him.

Yadier Molina vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,300

Bailey has been on the DL since the end of May, but he is expected to take the mound Tuesday. He was terrible before suffering a knee injury, posting a 6.68 ERA and a 6.29 FIP across 12 starts. His bloated 1.69 WHIP was a big reason why he struggled and he doesn’t miss many bats with a 5.5 K/9. He hasn’t finished with an ERA below 5.56 or a WHIP below 1.69 since 2014, leaving the Cardinals as one of the premier stacks Tuesday. Molina has owned Bailey in his career, hitting 18-for-44 (.409) with three home runs.

Others to consider: Matt Adams (first base) and Jose Martinez (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/24/18

Rougned Odor vs. Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,400

Odor got off to a horrible start this year, but he is 27-for-79 (.342) with five home runs across his last 22 games. His batting average is up to .259 overall as a result and he also has a .331 OBP, which would be the highest mark of his career. Montas allows a lot of baserunners with a 1.39 WHIP and he doesn’t record many strikeouts, either, with a 7.8% swinging-strike rate and a 5.6 K/9.

Daniel Murphy vs. Junior Guerra, Milwaukee Brewers
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,100

Murphy came through with a home run Monday, only his second long ball of the season. However, he is now 13-for-30 (.433) in his last 10 games. Guerra’s wOBA against lefties is almost 40 points higher than it is against righties this season, leaving Murphy as a viable cheaper option on both sites.

Others to consider: Brian Dozier and Jed Lowrie

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/24/18

Matt Carpenter vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,400

Carpenter should be the centerpiece of any stack against Bailey. He had two more hits Monday and is currently on an eight-game hitting streak that has seen him hit eight home runs. Not only does he have a .402 wOBA against righties this season, but he is 19-for-39 (.497) in his career against Bailey.

Matt Chapman vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,900

Chapman burst onto the scene with 14 homers in 84 games last year, but he batted only .234 in the process. He has 11 home runs through 85 games this season, but his batting average is also much improved at .261. A big reason for his improvement is that he has dropped his strikeout rate by five percentage points. Minor has held lefties to a .292 wOBA, but righties have had much more success against him with a .346 wOBA.

Others to consider: Miguel Andujar and Adrian Beltre

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/24/18

Elvis Andrus vs. Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,000

Not only did Andrus extend his hitting streak to five games Monday, but he also hit his third home run of the season. He’s still got a big hole to climb out of in terms of his batting average and home run total, but his .330 OBP isn’t far off from his .337 mark last year. With Montas’ inability to keep runners off base, Andrus could be in line for another productive game.

Paul DeJong vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,000

Get as many Cardinals hitters into your lineup as you can. DeJong is batting just .218 since he returned from the DL, but he’s also been the victim of a .250 BABIP. He has hit for a lot of power and shown even splits against righties and lefties during his brief career in the majors, so this matchup against Baily could be just what he needs to get back on track.

Others to consider: Jean Segura and Marcus Semien

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/24/18

Giancarlo Stanton vs. Yonny Chirinos, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,700

Stanton went 4-for-4 with a walk Monday to raise his batting average to .285 for the season, which is actually higher than his .281 mark last year. A lot was made of his struggles to start his career with the Yankees, but Stanton has put those fears to rest and is batting .378 in July. His strikeout rate is still high at 30.5%, but he can go on power streaks like few others can around baseball.

Khris Davis vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $5,100

Look out, here comes Davis. After a lengthy power drought, he has three homers in his last two games. He finished 3-for-6 Monday and looks primed for a big series in hitter-friendly Globe Life Park in Arlington against a horrid Rangers pitching staff. Minor has allowed 16 home runs this season, 14 of which have come against right-handed batters.

Mark Canha vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,800

Canha didn’t play Sunday due to hamstring cramps, but he returned Monday and finished 2-for-5 with a double. He’s already played more games for the Athletics this season than he did the last two years combined and is usually a cheap option to target versus lefties since he has a 170 wRC+ against them.

Others to consider: Shin-Soo Choo and Marcell Ozuna

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/26/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

With 14 of the 15 games in baseball Tuesday making up the main evening slate in DFS, there is a bevy of options to choose from for your entry. 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 6/26/18

James Paxton vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $9,600
DraftKings = $12,500

Paxton has been hit hard in his last two outings, allowing 10 runs over 7.1 innings. Those starts came against the Red Sox and Yankees, two of the best offenses in all of baseball. Before that, he had allowed three runs or fewer in nine consecutive starts. He’s done a great job limiting baserunners with a 1.12 WHIP and he has a career-high 31.5% strikeout rate, helping him post a 3.72 ERA and a 3.08 FIP. The Orioles have scored the second-fewest runs (283) and have the third-lowest OPS against left-handed pitchers (.663) in baseball, so look for Paxton to get back on track.

Frankie Montas vs. Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $7,600

With the Athletics dealing with multiple injuries to their staff, they have been forced to put Montas into their starting rotation. He hadn’t started a game in the majors since he was a member of the White Sox in 2015 and didn’t have much success out of the bullpen for the Athletics last year, posting a 7.03 ERA, 7.13 FIP, and a 1.84 WHIP. He’s grabbed a hold of his spot in the rotation with a 2.41 ERA, 3.70 FIP and a 1.25 WHIP across five starts. His 5.6 K/9 isn’t great, but he has allowed just two home runs in 33.2 innings. Three of his five starts have come against bad teams in the Padres and Royals, but he’ll face another weak lineup in the Tigers, making him a viable option in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/26/18

Paul Goldschmidt vs. Elieser Hernandez, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,200

Goldschmidt logged just one hit Monday, but he now has at least one hit in 23 of his last 25 games. He has increased his batting average from .201 to .264 during that stretch while also slugging 11 home runs. Hernandez is starting in place of the injured Jose Urena (shoulder) and hasn’t pitched well this season with a 5.12 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. This presents another opportunity for Goldschmidt to extend his hot streak.

Tom Muphy vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,300

Murphy has never had more than 49 plate appearances in a season in the majors, but he has hit .281 with a .885 OPS during his career in the minors. He was mashing at Triple-A earlier this season before being calling up, hitting .289 with a 1.001 OPS. He hasn’t hit a home run since being recalled, but he’s still swinging a hot bat with a .306 average. Holland has allowed a .361 wOBA against right-handed hitter this season, making Murphy someone to consider in tournament play.

Others to consider: Freddie Freeman (first base) and Eric Hosmer (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/26/18

Ozzie Albies vs. Matt Harvey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,000

Albies lit the league on fire at the start of the season but has since cooled off considerably. He had nine home runs heading into the month of May but has only gone deep eight times since. He has also seen his batting average decrease from .293 to .269. The good news is that he is showing signs of getting hot again, hitting 15-for-33 (.455) over his current seven-game hitting streak. Harvey has allowed a .386 wOBA to lefties this year, setting up the potential for Albies to give him a lot of trouble.

Dee Gordon vs. Kevin Gausman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,900

With two more hits Monday, Gordon is now 20-for-58 (.345) in his last 13 games. He has only one extra-base hit during that stretch, but he has scored nine runs and recorded five RBI. You can’t count on Gordon for power numbers, but he does hit for a high average regularly and can steal bases in bunches. If you can’t fit Albies and his expensive price into your entry, Gordon is a viable secondary option.

Others to consider: Scooter Gennett and Eduardo Nunez

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/26/18

Nolan Arenado vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,800

Arenado doesn’t hit as well away from Coors Field, which can sometimes make him a risky play on the road considering his price tag. He does have good numbers against lefties, though, with a 259 wRC+ against them this season. With Holland’s struggles against righties, this might be one of those road games where Arenado is still worth paying up for.

Justin Turner vs. Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,600

A career .287 hitter, Turner is hitting just .250 after getting a late start to the season due to a fractured wrist. His power numbers are down considerably, which can sometimes be an issue with players returning from a wrist injury. Even with his slow start, Turner has a .438 wOBA against lefties this year.

Others to consider: Eduardo Escobar and Jake Lamb

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/26/18

Xander Bogaerts vs. John Lamb, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $5,000

The Angels starting rotation is depleted by injuries, leaving Lamb with an opportunity for his first taste of action in the majors since 2016. The fact that he had a 5.37 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP at Triple-A last year shows just how desperate things are for the Angels. His 3.41 ERA at Triple-A this season is better, but his 1.29 WHIP indicates he wasn’t exactly dominating before being recalled. He’s allowed five runs and three home runs across 8.1 innings in two starts in the majors and has a tough task ahead of him against the Red Sox. They present a great stacking opportunity, Bogaerts included.

Kike Hernandez vs. Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,500

Not known to be much of a power hitter, Hernandez has three home runs in his last two games. That brings his season total to 13, which is already his career-high. He’s still not hitting for a high average at .234, but he’s someone to target against lefties since he had a .390 wOBA against them last year and has a .357 mark this season.

Others to consider: Brandon Crawford and Marcus Semien

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/26/18

J.D. Martinez vs. John Lamb, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,700

The Red Sox signing of Martinez could turn out to be one of the most important moves made by any team in the offseason. He’s continued to mash with his new squad, batting .325 with 23 home runs and 18 doubles. The Red Sox lineup around him has been good as well, helping Martinez amass 60 RBI and 53 runs scored. He has hit lefties well throughout his career with a .385 wOBA and is someone to build your lineup around Tuesday.

Shin-Soo Choo vs. Tyson Ross, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,900

A lot has gone wrong for the Rangers this year, but Choo has certainly not been one of their concerns. He enters Tuesday hitting .285 with a .395 OBP and a .879 OPS, each of which would be his highest mark since his last season with the Reds in 2013. His .346 BABIP is very close to his career mark of .338, which is good news for his prognosis moving forward. He also has a .407 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, so look to ride his success in a matchup against Ross.

Mark Canha vs. Blaine Hardy, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,700

With a lefty on the mound, it’s time to target one of my favorite cheap plays in Canha. He only has a .282 wOBA against righties this year, but he has a .418 wOBA against left-handed pitchers. Hardy is having a good season for the Tigers with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, but he doesn’t strike out many hitters and has a wOBA against righties that is 40 points higher than it is against lefties.

Others to consider: Nelson Cruz and Mitch Haniger

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 14

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

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

If you are playing in a head-to-head fantasy league, using starting pitchers that have two starts in a week can give you a significant edge over your opponent. Here are some starters who will each start two games in the week ahead that you should either target or avoid for your lineup.

Starters With Favorable Matchups

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 14

James Paxton, Seattle Mariners: at BAL, vs. KC

Paxton continues to serve as the ace of the Mariners’ staff, recording a 3.72 ERA, 3.09 FIP and a 1.12 WHIP. He has increased his K/9 each of the last four seasons, topping out at an 11.5 K/9 this year. He’s hit a bit of a rough patch, allowing 10 runs over 7.1 innings in his last two starts. They came against the Red Sox and Yankees, though, two of the top offensive teams in baseball. He’ll get the opposite end of the spectrum in Week 14 as the Royals and Orioles are the bottom two teams in baseball in terms of runs scored. The Royals do have the fewest strikeouts in baseball, but that didn’t stop Paxton from striking them out 10 times over six innings in their first meeting this season.

Cole Hamels, Texas Rangers: vs. SD, vs. CWS

Hamels has a 3.41 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, but his 5.14 FIP suggests he hasn’t exactly pitched that well. He’s been aided by a .253 opponents BABIP, which is 30 points lower than his career mark. He has also allowed 1.8 HR/9, which is by far the highest of his career. On the plus side, his strikeout percentage is up from 17.1% last year to 23.4% this season. He may not be the pitcher that he once was in his prime, but he can still provide plenty of value in the right matchup. The Padres and White Sox are both in the bottom-eight in baseball in runs scored and OPS against left-handed pitching, so this could be one of those very productive weeks for Hamels.

Jameson Taillon, Pittsburgh Pirates: at NYM, at SD

Taillon’s 4.03 ERA doesn’t look great, but it should be noted that a lot of the damage done to his ERA came in three starts where he allowed 18 runs in 11 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his other 12 starts, including in each of his last five outings. His career-high 9.7% swinging strike rate has also resulted in an 8.5 K/9. The Mets don’t have a great lineup, to begin with, but they could be without one of their best hitters in Brandon Nimmo (finger) in Taillon’s first start of the week Monday. His second start comes against a Padres team that has the lowest OPS against right-handed pitchers (.657) in baseball.

Zack Godley, Arizona Diamondbacks: at MIA, vs. SF

Godley has issued 4.4 BB/9, which has helped lead to a bloated 1.49 WHIP. His 4.64 ERA isn’t terrible considering his WHIP, but it’s hard to have consistent success when allowing so many baserunners. He does have strikeout upside with a 9.0 K/9 and he has allowed no more than two earned runs in four of his last five starts. The Marlins have scored the third-fewest runs (283) and have hit the fewest home runs (60) in baseball, setting things up nicely for Godley in his first start of the week. The Giants offense hasn’t been that bad, but they have struck out the fifth-most times (720).

Starters to Avoid

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 14

Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds: at ATL, vs. MIL

Mahle has a respectable 3.89 ERA, but several of his supporting numbers raise causes for concern. He has a 4.90 FIP and a 1.38 WHIP, with the WHIP being especially scary when you consider his 1.7 HR/9. He has also allowed a 41.5% hard-hit rate. Even though he held the Braves to three runs and recorded 11 strikeouts over six innings in their first meeting this season, the Braves have a very tough lineup that has scored the fifth-most runs (378). He was lucky to only allow two runs over five innings in his first start this season against the Brewers because he allowed 11 baserunners in that outing. This might be the week to place him on your bench.

Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals: vs. LAA, at SEA

The wheels are starting to fall off for Junis, who has a 6.75 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP in four June starts. His opponents’ BABIP wasn’t terribly high over that stretch either at .300, but he allowed seven home runs in 24 innings. As a result of his recent poor performance, he now has a 4.43 ERA and a 4.98 FIP on the season overall. The Angels have hit the fourth-most home runs (107) in baseball and the Mariners have put up some big offensive numbers lately, making Junis too much of a risk for Week 14.

Jonathan Loaisiga, New York Yankees: at PHI, vs. BOS

With the Yankees down two starting pitchers, they had to recall Loaisiga from Double-A to help fill out their rotation. His 4.32 ERA in Double-A was nothing to write home about, but he showed tremendous strikeout upside with an 11.5 K/9 and excellent control with a 1.1 BB/9. He had six strikeouts over five scoreless innings in his first start against the Rays but allowed three runs in only 3.2 innings in his second start against the Mariners. Getting to play the Phillies in Philadelphia where there is no DH isn’t necessarily a poor matchup, but his second start against the Red Sox makes him someone to avoid altogether.

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/11/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/11/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

There are 15 games in Major League Baseball on Wednesday, but many of them have afternoon starts. As a result, there is plenty of action for both the day and evening slates 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 4/11/18

James Paxton vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $10,400

Injuries limited Paxton to only 136 innings in 2017, but he pitched well when healthy, finishing with a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 10.3 K/9. He allowed just 0.6 HR/9, which was on par with his career mark of 0.7 HR/9. Although he saw a significant increase in strikeouts, his control didn’t suffer, finishing with a 2.4 BB/9. Tuesday brings an excellent matchup against the Royals, who have scored the fewest runs (29) in the league so far this year. Many of their best hitters are left-handed as well, which is great for Paxton since he allowed a .210 wOBA to lefties last year. If you are playing the day slate, Paxton could be in line for a big performance.

Zack Wheeler vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $7,500

Once one of the prized young pitchers in the Mets organization, injuries have kept Wheeler from fulfilling his potential. He only pitched 86.1 innings in 2017 but struggled with a 5.21 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. He had significant control issues, allowing 4.2 BB/9. Luck wasn’t exactly on his side either with opponents posting a .332 BABIP. Wheeler will be making his first start of the season for the Mets on Wednesday and faces a Marlins lineup that is a shell of itself from last year. To no surprise, they have struggled this season, batting just .229 with only five total home runs. Wheeler is certainly a risky play, but he has upside at this cheap price and is worth considering in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/11/18

Freddie Freeman vs. A.J Cole, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $5,200

Freeman had a rough couple of games against Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, but he’ll get a much easier matchup against Cole on Wednesday. Cole had a horrendous first start of the season against these same Braves, allowing 10 earned runs in 3.2 innings. Freeman took Cole deep in that game, finishing 2-for-3 with four RBI and two walks overall. Freeman destroyed righties with a .422 wOBA in 2017, making him an excellent option to consider for your entry.

Willson Contreras vs. Steven Brault, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,300

Contreras already has four multi-hit games this season, leaving him with a .333 average in the early going. He won’t be able to sustain his .448 BABIP, but his 41.4% hard-hit rate is encouraging. He gets a favorable matchup against the left-handed Brault on Wednesday after posting a 137 wRC+ against lefties in 2017.

Others to consider: Albert Pujols (first base) and Wilmer Flores (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/11/18

Ozzie Albies vs. A.J. Cole, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,800

Albies is not off to the best start this season, batting .250 with no walks and nine strikeouts. He does have just a .250 BABIP, so he should improve in that area as the season progresses. He also had a .354 OBP in 2017, so he’s not going to keep this BB:K ratio up either. Like Freeman, he excelled in his first matchup against Cole this season, finishing 3-for-5 with one double, one RBI and three runs scored. Don’t hesitate to add him to your entry Wednesday.

Asdrubal Cabrera vs. Jarlin Garcia, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $3,200

Cabrera came through with a big performance facing left-hander Caleb Smith on Wednesday, hitting a home run off him in the fourth inning. The switch-hitting Cabrera hit a home run against a righty later in the game as well and now has three home runs in his last three games. He had a wOBA of at least .356 against lefties in both of the last two seasons and he’ll get to face another one in Garcia on Wednesday.

Others to consider: Zack Cozart and Scooter Gennett

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/11/18

Travis Shaw vs. Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,800

A notoriously fast starter, Shaw is doing it again in 2018, batting .292 with one home run and five doubles. He is also a much better hitter against righties, posting a .373 wOBA against them in 2017 compared to .326 against lefties. Wainwright was once one of the best pitchers in the National League, but he hasn’t been the same since injuring his Achilles and missing most of the 2015 season. In two seasons since, he has posted an ERA of at least 4.62 and a WHIP of at least 1.40 both times. Shaw has a good chance of extending his hot start in this game.

Matt Duffy vs. James Shields, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,300

The Rays made some significant changes to their roster this winter and appear to be in the middle of another rebuilding process, especially with their lineup. Duffy is usually going to hit in the top-half of their order, giving him appeal in DFS based on the extra at-bats. He’ll face the struggling Shields on Wednesday who clearly doesn’t have overpowering stuff, recording just one strikeout in 11 innings this season.

Others to consider: Kris Bryant and Matt Carpenter

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/11/18

Jean Segura vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $3,700

Duffy was shelled in his last start against the White Sox, allowing five runs and three home runs in only four innings. Duffy is dominant against left-handed hitters, holding them to a wOBA of .201 or lower in back-to-back seasons. Righties have fared much better though, posting wOBA’s of .325 and .329 in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Segura hit lefties very well last year with a .353 wOBA, making him a viable option to consider Wednesday.

Andrelton Simmons vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,500

Simmons hit his first home run of the season Tuesday and recorded his sixth multi-hit game. Although he’s better known for his stellar defense, he has batted at least .27 8 in both of the last two years. Wednesday brings a matchup against Moore who isn’t much more than a back-of-the-rotation starter at this point in his career. He’s off to a bad start this year too, allowing nine earned runs in just 7 1/3 innings.

Others to consider: Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/11/18

Mike Trout vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $5,700

Trout is hitting just .245 this season, but his BABIP is an unusually low .229. He’s still hitting for plenty of power with four home runs and three doubles already. Neither handed pitchers usually give Trout problems, so it’s no surprise that he finished with a 147 wRC+ against lefties in 2017. With Moore’s struggles, it might not be a bad idea to pay up to get Trout into your entry.

Justin Upton vs. Matt Moore, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,700

Upton has done a great job of driving in runs this season, already recording 10 RBI in 12 games. With Zack Cozart and Trout hitting in front of him, this should be a trend that continues throughout the season. He’s another Angels’ righty who crushes left-handed pitching, posting a 201 wRC+ against them in 2017.

Curtis Granderson vs. Kevin Gausman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park a Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,400

Granderson provides the Blue Jays with an important left-handed hitter in an outfield that consists of righties Kevin Pillar, Randal Grichuk and Steve Pearce. Granderson isn’t the hitter that he was in his prime, but he still hits right-handers well, posting a wOBA of at least .343 against them in each of the last three seasons. If you are looking for a cheaper outfield option to fill out your lineup, Granderson could provide upside against the inconsistent Gausman.

Others to consider: Yoenis Cespedes and Preston Tucker

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/5/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/5/18

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

There aren’t many elite starting pitchers taking the mound Thursday, so this could be a night where offense is plentiful 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 4/5/18

Robbie Ray vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $9,600
DraftKings = $11,700

The night slate of games is really lacking star power in terms of starting pitchers, especially if you play on DraftKings where the Yankees and Rays game is not included. Ray stands out as the best starting pitcher available, even though he gave up six earned runs in five innings in his first start of the season against the Rockies. He still had eight strikeouts in that game and has excellent strikeout upside after posting a K/9 of at least 11.3 in both of the last two seasons. Ray was also very good on the road last season, posting a 1.86 ERA and 0.99 WHIP away from Chase Field. He’s certainly not cheap, but with unappealing options on the night slate, it might be wise to pay up to get him into your entry.

James Paxton vs. Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $9,600

Paxton was limited to just 136 innings last year due to injury, but he was excellent when healthy, posting a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 10.3 K/9. His FIP was even better at 2.61 and he only allowed 0.6 HR/9, leaving him with big expectations heading into 2018. His first start of the season did not go as planned, allowing six earned runs in 4.2 innings against the Indians. He walked four batters in that game, which is out of character since he had a BB/9 of 2.4 or lower in both of the last two seasons. He has strikeout upside, making him someone to consider Thursday.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/5/18

Joey Gallo vs. Daniel Mengden, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,300

Gallo has been about what you would have expected from him heading into the season, batting .214 with 10 strikeouts in seven games so far. He’s provided power with two home runs and a double and should continue to be a good source of homers this season. He’ll face a righty in Mengden on Thursday and Gallo crushed righties last year, posting a .364 wOBA and hitting 34 of his 41 home runs against them. This could be an excellent matchup to take advantage of Thursday.

Ian Desmond vs. Joey Lucchesi, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,800

The Rockies will face the lefty Lucchesi on Thursday who struggled in his first start of the season, allowing three earned runs in 4.2 innings to the Brewers. He didn’t issue a walk, but he only struck out one batter. The Rockies have some hitters who have very favorable splits against left-handed pitching, including Desmond, who has a career .280 batting average against them. This would be an even better matchup for Desmond if this game was being played in Coors Field, but he can still provide value for your entry.

Others to consider: Gary Sanchez (catcher) and Jose Martinez (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/5/18

Robinson Cano vs. Kyle Gibson, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,200

Cano is off to a great start this season, batting .500 with a hit in every game. He has yet to hit a home run, but he does have three doubles and six runs scored. He’ll face the righty in Gibson on Thursday, which is great news for Cano considering he posted a 138 wRC+ against right-handers last year. He also has good numbers against Gibson, batting .296 in 29 plate appearances in his career.

Yoan Moncada vs. Jordan Zimmermann, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,200

Moncada does have a hit in four of his first five games this season, but he doesn’t have a multi-hit game yet and already has seven strikeouts. He’s been a much better hitter batting from the left side during his brief career, posting a .348 wOBA in 2017 compared to just .283 from the right side. Zimmermann struggled against lefties in 2017, allowing a .376 wOBA. Moncada could be in line for his best game of the young season Thursday.

Others to consider: D.J. LeMahieu and Chris Owings

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/5/18

Nolan Arenado vs. Joey Lucchesi, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,400

Arenado has yet to have a big breakout game this season as he has only one home run, but he has recorded at least one RBI in three straight games. Like Desmond, Arenado gets the benefit of facing another left-hander on Thursday. Arenado had a staggering 220 wRC+ against lefties last year, which was third-best in baseball.

Matt Chapman vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,700

Chapman played in just 82 games with the Athletics in 2017 but has established himself as their third baseman of the future. He batted only .234, but he showed plenty of power with 14 home runs and 23 doubles. He’s off to a hot start this season, batting .385 with two home runs and a .448 OBP. Perez is tough against lefties but allowed a wOBA of at least .341 to righties in both of the last two seasons.

Others to consider: Rafael Devers and Brandon Drury

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/5/18

Didi Gregorius vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = NA

Gregorius is sometimes forgotten in a lineup that includes Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez, but he is a very important part of the Yankees success. He’s moved into the cleanup spot against right-handed pitchers, a role he excelled in for the Yankees last season by driving in 40 runs in 42 games out of that spot. He’ll face Cashner on Thursday, who doesn’t have overpowering stuff with just a 7.0 K/9 for his career.

Xander Boegarts vs. Yonny Chirinos, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $5,000

Boegarts batted only .273 last year, but a lot of that had to do with injuries and an abnormally low .281 BABIP in the second half of the season. He’s off to a hot start this year, batting .357 with a home run and five doubles. Chirinos is the “starter” for the Rays on Thursday, but this is one of their planned bullpen days and he might not pitch that deep into the game. Their bullpen isn’t lights-out to begin with, which could lead to a big game for the Red Sox offense.

Others to consider: Jean Segura and Addison Russell

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/5/18

Giancarlo Stanton vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = NA

After receiving boos because he struck out five times in the Yankees home opener, Stanton mashed a home run that brought the stadium to their feet Wednesday. He only has five hits so far this season, but three of them have been home runs. With Cashner not having overpowering stuff at this point in his career, don’t be surprised if Stanton gets a hold of one again Thursday.

Nicholas Castellanos vs. James Shields, Chicago White Sox
Stadium- Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,900

Castellanos has yet to leave the park this season, but he does already have three multi-hit games. He set career-highs with 26 home runs and 101 RBI last year, so expect him to straighten things out in the power department soon. Thursday brings an excellent opportunity to do so against Shields who allowed 2.1 HR/9 last year and isn’t much more than a journeyman starter at this stage of his career.

Hunter Renfroe vs. Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,000

The Padres had a crowded outfield heading into this season, but some playing time has now opened up with Wil Myers (arm) on the DL. Renfroe is going to get his chance to shine and he just might do that Thursday against the lefty Anderson as Renfroe had a .439 wOBA against lefties in 2017.

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.

 

 

 

 

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 4, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 3, 2017

Welcome back for another TGIF edition of our daily fantasy baseball picks. We have a two-game afternoon slate today but I will be looking at my top pitchers and stacks for the main slate starting at 7:05 p.m. ET tonight. Let’s jump right in.

Starting Pitchers

 James Paxton - LineupLab - DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks

James Paxton
Opponent – @ KC
Park – Kauffman Stadium
Vegas Favorite (SEA -160)
Vegas Total (8.5)

There are a ton of options at the top tonight including Darvish in his start as a Dodger going up against deGrom of the Mets. I think both are nice tournament options with the Vegas line so close but for my main pitcher I will turn to James Paxton who may even come low owned due to the high price. The Royals are in the bottom third of the league when looking at runs scored and are a tick worse against left-handed pitching with a .307 wOBA and 87 wRC+. Paxton has been one of the best pitchers in the league since the All Star break with a 4-0 record, 1.04 ERA and 11.8 K/9 rate. The Royals only K about league average vs. lefties but the overall floor and win potential are enough for me to rank Paxton #1 tonight in the top tier.

Eduardo Rodriguez
Opponent – vs. CWS
Park – Fenway Park
Vegas Favorite (BOS -190)
Vegas Total (9.5)

With a sub $7K price tag on DraftKings and a moneyline of -190, Eduardo Rodriguez is my top SP2 tonight. His control issues are well documented(3.6 BB/9) but he has also shown some big upside with a 9.99 K/9 rate through 13 starts. Most of the struggles have come on the road this season where he holds an ERA over a run higher and K/9 rate that is 2.3 strikeouts per nine less. There is definitely some risk but the matchup vs. the White Sox is too much to pass up. Despite ranking much higher against left-handed pitching this season, they have struggled a ton lately with a .294 wOBA, 80 wRC+, and 25.4% K rate over the last 14 days.

 

Top Stacks

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Mookie Betts - Boston Redsox

 

Boston Red Sox vs. Carlos Rodon (CWS)

Not only are the Red Sox the highest projected scoring team tonight outside of the Rockies, they have also been red hot lately. Over the last seven days they lead all teams with a .389 wOBA, 140 wRC+, and are one of four teams with an ISO over .200 in that time. Yes, it’s a small sample size but they also rank inside the Top 10 in overall runs scored this season despite seeing a down trend in the power with Big Papi retired. The hit lefties well and show great patience which is perfect facing Carlos Rodon who is borderline wild walking just under six per nine. He does have huge K upside(11.61 K/9) but also gives up the long ball with 23.3% HR/FB rate. I look for the Red Sox to stay hot tonight making them my top stack.

Top Hitters to Target: Mookie Betts, Eduardo Nunez, Hanley Ramirez, Rafael Devers
Houston Astros vs. Cesar Valdez (TOR)

The Astros have slipped a bit offensively lately with the loss of Carlos Correa and George Springer to the DL but the good news is Springer may be back tonight. Despite the fact the Astros hit in the best pitchers park in the league, they have an elite matchup vs. Cesar Valdez. The Jays moved him from the bullpen to the rotation and he looked good in his first start(6 IP, 1 ER, 4 K’s) but got beat up in his second start(2 IP, 6 ER, 2 K’s). Overall this season, he sits with a 6.59 ERA, 4.67 xFIP, and best of all, he gives up nearly 50% hard contact. If Springer is out of the lineup, the value goes up as Derek Fisher should slide back to the leadoff spot.

Top Hitters to Stack: Jose Altuve, Josh Reddick, Derek Fisher, Yulieski Gurriel, George Springer(if back in lineup)

 

 

 

 

 

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 16, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for June 16, 2017

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

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

Starting Pitchers

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

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

James Paxton - LineupLab

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

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

Stacks of the Night

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

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