We have another heavy schedule across the majors Wednesday with 12 games making up the main evening DFS slate. It’s important to note that rain could be in an issue in a few of those contests, so be sure to watch for updates leading up to first pitch.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/13/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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There are a lot of games with early start times Wednesday, but since the majority of the games will be played at night, let’s focus on that slate in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Trevor Bauer vs. Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $10,200
DraftKings = $11,500
Bauer has shown the potential to be an excellent starting pitcher, but he had never finished with an ERA better than 4.18 heading into this season. He has had problems keeping runners off base with a 1.34 WHIP for his career. His WHIP is much better this year at 1.15, leading to a 2.62 ERA and a 2.47 FIP. Opponents have a .305 BABIP against him, so the improvement is not due to him being lucky. He has only allowed five home runs in 86 innings and his 12.8% swinging-strike rate has helped him post an 11.4 K/9. This is a great matchup for Bauer as the White Sox have struck out the sixth-most times (612) in baseball.
Caleb Smith vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $9,100
The Marlins starting rotation certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but Smith has done a great job through his first 13 starts. His 3.70 ERA is supported by a 3.50 FIP and a 1.19 WHIP, even though he does walk too many batters. He makes up for that in the strikeout department with a 10.8 K/9. Although he doesn’t always pitch deep into games, he’s allowed more than three runs in a start only three times. You generally want to play him for his strikeout upside, which is even greater Wednesday since the Giants are tied for the third-most strikeouts (624) in baseball.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Joey Votto vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,600
Votto continues to hit for a high average at .309 and draw a ton of walks. He is on pace to have more walks than strikeouts for the third time in the last four years. One area he is lacking in this season is the power department as he has only six home runs, four of which he hit towards the end of April. Even if he doesn’t go deep again Wednesday, his ability to get on base still makes him a great option to consider.
Austin Romine vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
Draft Kings = $3,600
Romine is the Yankees backup catcher, but he’s locked in a Sonny Gray’s personal catcher and will start Wednesday. Romine only has 76 plate appearances this year, but he is batting .348 with a 1.027 OPS. That’s obviously not going to last, but he does have 20 RBI and has been great with runners in scoring position. He gets plenty of those opportunities in the loaded Yankees lineup and is a cheap option with upside for your entry.
Others to consider: Jose Martinez (first base) and Tucker Barnhart (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Brian Dozier vs. Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,100
Dozier was starting to turn things around, but he’s hitless in his last three games. He’s batting only .235 this season but has been a much better hitter in the second half of seasons in recent years. This might be just the matchup he needs to get his bat going again since he is 13-for-32 (.406) with three home runs and three doubles in his career against Boyd.
Jedd Gyorko vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,400
Whenever a lefty is on the mound against the Cardinals, Gyorko is someone to target. He has just a 62 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers this year but has owned lefties with a 246 wRC+. Lauer has been awful with a 6.64 ERA and a 2.06 WHIP, making Gyorko an excellent budget-friendly option.
Others to consider: Scooter Gennett and Starlin Castro
THIRD BASE
Miguel Andujar vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,200
The young talent the Yankees have offensively is truly impressive. Their first wave of young stars was Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez and now it is Andujar and Gleyber Torres. Andujar is an excellent all-around hitter and even though he doesn’t walk much, he is still batting .310. He gets a lot of extra-base hits and doesn’t strikeout out much either with a 17.4% strikeout rate. Fedde will be called up to make his second start of the season for Nationals after recording an unimpressive 4.92 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in Triple-A.
Brian Anderson vs. Andrew Suarez, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,000
The Marlins have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball, so they don’t exactly have a lot of players you want to seek out in DFS. Anderson is one of the few who is having a good season as he is batting .311 with a .384 OBP. He’s even hotter right now, batting 25-for-59 (.424) in his last 15 games. He has a .350 wOBA overall this season against lefties and is someone worth playing even with his lack of power.
Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Mike Moustakas
SHORTSTOP
Didi Gregorius vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,100
Gregorius had a big game Tuesday, finishing 2-for-4 with two home runs. He is only batting .231 on the road this season, but he has a .263 average at Yankee Stadium. He has hit 11 of his 13 home runs at home as well. This is a good opportunity to stack Yankees with Fedde on the mound, Gregorius included.
Jose Peraza vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,400
There aren’t a lot of great cheap options at shortstop, but Peraza is someone to consider if you want to save money at the position. He has at least one hit in 13 of his last 14 games and is 19-for-55 (.345) during that stretch. Hammel allows a lot of baserunners with a 1.44 WHIP and only has a 6.1 K/9, which will only help Peraza’s cause to keep his hot streak going for at least one more game.
Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Chris Taylor
OUTFIELD
Aaron Judge vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,500
Judge is hitting just .197 with six home runs on the road, but he is batting .348 with 12 home runs at Yankee Stadium. He also has a staggering .500 OBP at home. Add in the fact that he actually hits better against righties (.422 wOBA) than he does lefties (.359 wOBA) and he could be in for a big night.
Marcell Ozuna vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,000
Keep riding Ozuna’s hot streak. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI Tuesday and is now 14-for-37 (.378) in his last 10 games. He’s not just getting hits, either, as he has at least one RBI in five of his last six games. His .343 wOBA against lefties this year despite his early struggles makes him another Cardinals’ righty with significant upside against Lauer.
Brett Gardner vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,400
With all the superstars, power bats and impressive young players on the Yankees, Gardner sometimes gets overlooked. He’s having another solid season, batting .263 with five home runs and six steals. He also has 41 runs scored as their leadoff hitter and has an excellent opportunity to score at least 100 runs for the first time in his career. If the Yankees put up a crooked number Wednesday, Gardner hitting at the top of the lineup could be in for a valuable night. His price isn’t great on DraftKings, but it’s very favorable if you are playing on FanDuel.
Others to consider: Tommy Pham and Scott Schebler
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/27/18
Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/27/18
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There is only one day game Friday, leaving you with a lot of options to sift through for the night slate in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Jacob deGrom vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $10,600
DraftKings = $12,400
deGrom was one of the few Mets starters to stay healthy last year, logging a career-high 201.1 innings. He made significant strides in the strikeout department, finishing with a 10.7 K/9 that was a full strikeout higher than his previous career best. He’s continued his increased pace this season with an 11.3 K/9 through five starts. Not only does he have excellent control with a career 2.3 BB/9, but he doesn’t allow many baserunners in general with a career 1.12 WHIP. The Padres have struck out more times (273) than any other team in baseball this season and have the sixth-lowest batting average against right-handed pitchers (.223), leaving deGrom as someone to target for your entry Friday.
Miles Mikolas vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $7,600
Mikolas returned to the majors for the first time since 2014 after pitching the last three years in Japan. The transition back has gone smoothly so far, posting a 3.46 ERA and 3.89 FIP across four starts. He’s done a great job limiting base runners with a 1.00 WHIP and has shown impeccable control with a 0.7 BB/9. His strikeout upside isn’t great, but he has the potential to sustain a low ERA if he can continue to limit walks. If you are looking to go really cheap in tournament play, he has the potential to at least throw a quality start.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Joey Votto vs. Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,100
Votto certainly didn’t play well out of the gate, but it appears he has righted the ship. Not only is he on a five-game hitting streak, but he has also hit a home run in three straight. His .270 BABIP is well below his career mark of .352, so expect his batting average to continue to improve. He dominated right-handed pitchers last year with a .433 wOBA, leaving him with significant upside against Hughes on Friday.
C.J. Cron vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,800
Cron is on fire right now, batting 16-for-47 (.340) with five home runs and 14 RBI in his last 11 games. He’s hitting the ball with authority this year, posting a 42.9% hard-hit rate compared to his 32.6% career mark. Pomeranz has held left-handed hitters to a .273 wOBA in his career, but righties have posted a .315 wOBA. It might not be a bad idea to ride Cron’s hot bat for at least one more game.
Others to consider: Gary Sanchez (catcher) and Jose Martinez (first base)
SECOND BASE
Scooter Gennett vs. Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,400
Gennett almost doubled his previous career high with 27 home runs last year but has only gone deep twice in 2018. He’s still hitting for average though at .283, which still keeps him in the discussion for DFS despite his lack of power. He had a .388 wOBA against righties last year and faces a struggling one in Hughes on Friday. Hughes has been limited by injuries the last two years but hasn’t pitched well when healthy, posting a WHIP of at least 1.51 in both of those seasons.
Starlin Castro vs. Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,200
Speaking of players who haven’t hit for power this year, Castro has only hit four doubles and is still looking for his first home run. His 39.5% hard-hit rate this year is actually much higher than his career mark, but his 56.6% ground-ball rate is also a career high. Anderson has a 1.52 WHIP through five starts this season and a 1.33 WHIP for his career, so he generally has a hard time keeping runners off base. At this cheap price, Castro has upside while also providing salary relief for your entry.
Others to consider: Cesar Hernandez and Gleyber Torres
THIRD BASE
Jeimer Candelario vs. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,200
Candelario continues to impress in his first full season as a starter, hitting .290 with a .908 OPS. He’s been batting second in the Tigers lineup, which is a great spot with Miguel Cabrera providing him with protection. Tillman has been awful this year with a 9.87 ERA and 2.37 WHIP, so don’t hesitate to add Candelario to your lineup.
Matt Davidson vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,500
Davidson is only batting .225 this year, but he’s been lethal when he makes contact with a 55% hard-hit rate. It’s led to seven home runs and three doubles despite his 31 strikeouts in 85 plate appearances. Duffy dominated left-handed hitters last year, holding them to a .199 wOBA. Righties hit him much better though with a .329 wOBA. I wouldn’t be surprised if Davidson goes deep in this game.
Others to consider: Todd Frazier and Daniel Roberston
SHORTSTOP
Paul DeJong vs. Steven Brault, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,300
DeJong burst onto the scene for the Cardinals last year, batting .285 with 25 home runs in 108 games. He’s showed no signs of a sophomore slump, hitting .281 with seven home runs so far. He recorded a .392 wOBA against left-handers last year and will take on one in Brault on Friday, who doesn’t have overpowering stuff either with a career 6.5 K/9.
Adeiny Hechavarria vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,100
Hechavarria didn’t get a hit Thursday against the Orioles but had at least two hits in four of six games entering that matchup. Known for his defensive abilities, Hechavarria is batting .273 overall this season. He’s hit better against lefties throughout his career, so he might be with the risk at this price against Pomeranz on Friday.
Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Eduardo Nunez
OUTFIELD
Tommy Pham vs. Steven Brault, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,700
Pham is doing his best to prove that his breakout season in 2017 was no fluke, batting .368 with a .484 OBP so far this year. After finishing last season with 23 home runs and 25 steals, he’s also continued to show his power and speed combo with three homers and five steals through 22 games. With a 153 wRC+ against lefties last year, Pham is another Cardinals right-handed hitter to key in on Friday.
Yoenis Cespedes vs. Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,100
Cespedes is only batting .211 this year, but his .300 BABIP is right in line with his career numbers. The problem is he has struck out a whopping 41 times in 103 plate appearances. To put that into perspective, he struck out 61 times in 321 plate appearances last year. He’ll need to show significant improvement in that area to makes gains with his batting average, but he still has a ton of power. Richard allowed 23 of his 24 home runs to right-handed hitters last year, leaving Cespedes as an option to consider for your entry.
Matt Kemp vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,800
This matchup screams split advantage. Holland was awful against righties last year, allowing a .408 wOBA. On the flip side, Kemp has a .391 wOBA against lefties for his career. If you are looking for a cost-effective outfielder Friday, look no further.
Others to consider: Mookie Betts and Leonys Martin
Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: First Base
*Mike Barner – @rotomikebarner*
Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: First Base
First base is one of the deepest positions in fantasy baseball. Not only are there several elite power hitters playing the position, but there are also many who can be difference makers in terms of batting average in your league. Let’s not only take a look at the cream of the crop but also at some first basemen who are overvalued and undervalued heading into 2018.
The Top Three
Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
Simply put, Goldschmidt is a monster. He has played at least 155 games in four of the last five years, recording at least 33 home runs, 110 RBI and 103 runs scored in three of those seasons. The one season where he didn’t reach those thresholds was in 2016 when he had 24 home runs, 95 RBI, and 106 runs scored. However, he made up for it by stealing a career-high 32 bases, which was the sixth-most in baseball that year. His counting stats are great and he has a career .299 batting average and a career .399 OBP, but it’s his ability to steal bases that makes him the best first baseman in fantasy. He has swiped at least 18 bases four times in his career and should continue to produce in that department this season. It’s not unreasonable to think that he will hit fewer home runs due to the addition of the humidor at Chase Field, but his overall numbers still make him stand out above the rest at his position.
Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
Votto had one of the best seasons of his career last year, batting .320 with 36 home runs, 100 RBI, and 16 runs scored. He posted a lofty .420 OBP, marking the seventh time in the last eight seasons that he recorded an OBP of at least .400. His eye at the plate is tremendous, swinging at a career-low 15.4% of pitches outside the strike zone in 2017. He’s been healthy as well, playing at least 158 games four of the last five years. He’s only hit at least 30 home runs twice in his career, so don’t be surprised if he sees some regression in that area this season. His 38% fly ball percentage last year was significantly higher than his career average of 33.5%. However, taking into consideration his production across the board, Votto is the second best fantasy option at first base for 2018.
Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
This was a close race between Freeman and Anthony Rizzo for the third spot. Rizzo has been extremely consistent, hitting at least 31 home runs and recording at least 101 RBI in three straight seasons. Freeman’s breakout in the power department came in 2016, hitting 34 home runs to go along with 91 RBI. He played in only 117 games last year but still managed to mash 28 round trippers. The reason Freeman gets the edge over Rizzo is because of his ability to hit for a higher average. Don’t get me wrong, Rizzo is no slouch, hitting at least .273 in four straight seasons. However, he’s never hit above .292 in his career. Freeman has batted at least .302 in three of the last five years and is a career .290 hitter. In a league where batting averages are being sacrificed for power, Freeman’s ability to provide excellent value in both areas makes him the third best first baseman heading into this season.
Overvalued Players
Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia Phillies
Hoskins will play the outfield for the Phillies this season but is still eligible at first base in fantasy. He burst onto the scene in 2017, hitting 18 home runs and recording 48 RBI in only 50 games. While that is impressive, that’s not a sustainable pace over the course of a full season. His average could actually improve this year though as he hit .259 despite a .241 BABIP. He is going to be a valuable player and is a vital part of the Phillies future, but his current ADP in the NFCB is 50.54. That’s seventh-highest among first baseman and higher than players such Nelson Cruz (55.60) and Daniel Murphy (68) when looking across all positions. First base is deep, so it might be a wise move to pass on Hoskins if forced to select him that early.
Carlos Santana, Philadelphia Phillies
The second Phillie to make this list, Santana will actually man first base this season. He’s been healthy throughout his career, playing in at least 152 games in six of the last seven years. He’s a fine player, but his fantasy value is limited in today’s current state of the game. Outside of an aberration season where he hit 34 home runs in 2016, he has never hit more than 27 home runs in a season. He has actually hit 23 homers or less in four of the last six seasons. He’s not going to hit for average either, batting just .249 for his career. His current ADP is 172.05, ahead of other first basemen including Matt Carpenter (180.19) and Yuli Gurriel (208.84). I’d much rather take a chance on someone with a higher upside than Santana based on where he is being selected in drafts.
Undervalued Players
Greg Bird, New York Yankees
Bird was plagued by injuries last year, limiting him to just 48 games. He was awful when he was on the field, batting just .190. He still flashed his power potential though with nine home runs. That was right on pace with his only other appearance in the majors in 2015 when he hit 11 home runs in 46 games. The difference was in 2015 he hit .261 with a .319 BABIP. He only had a .194 BABIP last year, so expect significant improvement in his average this year. In six minor league seasons, Bird hit .283 with a .397 OBP. The Yankees lineup is loaded as well, which should afford him with plenty of opportunities to produce. His current ADP is only 152.87, which is excellent value considering his upside. Don’t be surprised if he hits .270 with around 30 home runs this year.
Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants
Belt was limited to 104 games last year due to a concussion, but he still tied his career high with 18 home runs. While he regressed to a .214 batting average, he had just a .284 BABIP compared to his career BABIP of .333. He still had a 38.4% hard hit percentage and swung at a career-low 22% of pitches outside the strike zone. He’ s only turning 30 years old at the start of the season and has a better offense around him this year with the additions of Andrew McCutchen and Evan Longoria. His ADP is insanely low at 304.29, making him someone to target late in your drafts.