Wednesday could end up being a wild day in the majors due to the trade deadline. We already saw a big three-team deal consummated Tuesday and several contending teams are still looking to make upgrades. To add to the excitement, we have an eight-game evening slate in DFS, so let’s breaks things down with the understanding that matchups could change depending on what moves are made.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/22/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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STARTING PITCHERS
Sean Newcomb vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $10,500
Newcomb was hit hard two starts ago, but he rebounded quickly to record seven strikeouts over six scoreless innings in his last start against the Padres. That marked the fifth time this season that he hasn’t allowed a run in a start, leading to a 2.70 ERA and a 3.23 FIP overall. After finishing with a 1.57 WHIP last year, Newcomb has been much better at limiting baserunners with a 1.18 WHIP. He’s an excellent source for strikeouts as well with a 9.1 K/9. This is a great matchup to take advantage of considering the Orioles have scored the fewest runs (260) in baseball and won’t have the use of the DH playing in Atlanta.
Chris Stratton vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $7,300
With a general lack of high-end starters taking the mound Friday, it’s a good night to take a chance on cheap pitchers. Stratton has allowed more than three earned runs in a start only three times this season, but his 1.35 WHIP is concerning. He’s not a big strikeout pitcher with a 7.1 K/9 for his career and is someone you only want to consider using in the right matchup. That will be the case when he faces the Padres, who are in the bottom-third of the league in runs scored while also posting the lowest OPS (.658) against right-handed pitching. Stratton already faced them once this season and threw seven shutout innings.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Ian Desmond vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900
The Rockies should be a popular stack with Chen taking the mound. Not only is this game in hitter-friendly Coors Field, but Chen is really struggling with a 5.91 ERA, 5.78 FIP, and a 1.62 WHIP. He’s had problems keeping hitters in the ballpark as well with a 1.8 HR/9. Desmond’s overall numbers are poor this season, but he’s 13-for-38 (.342) with four home runs in his last 11 games. Most of his struggles this year have come against right-handed pitchers as he has a .423 wOBA against lefties.
Buster Posey vs. Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,800
Posey continues to be a steady contributor for the Giants, hitting .290 with five home runs. He might not hit for a ton of power, but he puts a lot of balls in play with just an 11.5% strikeout rate. Not only does Posey have a .392 wOBA against lefties, but he is 12-for-32 (.375) with two home runs in his career against Richard. Richard is not a strikeout pitcher and he has only struck out Posey one time in his career.
Others to consider: Paul Goldschmidt (first base) and Evan Gattis (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,400
There are few hitters in the league hotter than Altuve right now, who is 42-for-97 (.433) with five home runs and seven steals in his last 25 games. That has brought his season average up to .347, which would make the third time in the last five seasons that Altuve has hit at least .340. He has great numbers versus a lot of pitchers over the course of his career, including Duffy, who he is 8-for-16 (.500) against.
Daniel Descalso vs. Ivan Nova, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,800
Nova had a couple of great seasons with the Yankees, but he’s generally been an average pitcher over the course of his career. This season has been no different with him posting a 4.42 ERA, 4.15 FIP and a 1.32 WHIP across 13 starts. He doesn’t get a lot of strikeouts and his .369 wOBA against left-handed hitters this year would mark the fourth-straight season where he has allowed a wOBA of at least .361 to lefties. Descalso has a .384 wOBA against righties and could be problematic for Nova.
Others to consider: DJ LeMahieu and Ketel Marte
THIRD BASE
Nolan Arenado vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,900
Arenado should be the centerpiece of any Rockies stack against Chen. He’s extremely hot right now, hitting 12-for-29 (.414) with four home runs in his last seven games. His numbers are much better in Coors Field and he has a lofty 235 wRC+ against lefties, so look for him to excel in this game.
Matt Duffy vs. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,900
Duffy is quietly having a very good season for the Rays. He only has four home runs, but he is batting a career-high .317. He’s been aided by a .377 BABIP, but he also made major improvements that have resulted in a 33.7% hard-hit rate. Sabathia has a 2.74 ERA at home this year, but he’s struggled on the road with a 4.13 ERA. Duffy is a cheap option with upside in tournament play if you don’t want to spend big bucks for Arenado.
Others to consider: Alex Bregman and Miguel Andujar
SHORTSTOP
Trevor Story vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,700
Story’s home and road splits this year are rather staggering. He’s batting only .224 with a .612 OPS on the road, but he is hitting .322 with a 1.191 OPS in Coors Field. Throw in the fact that he has a .436 wOBA against lefties and he could do a lot of damage against Chen.
Marwin Gonzalez vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,600
Gonzalez hit .303 for the Astros last year, but he entered the month of June batting only .217. He’s doing his best to dig out of that hole, though, batting .429 since the calendar flipped to June. He’s still not hitting for much power, but he’s a viable cheap option in tournament play considering how poorly Duffy has pitched. Of note, Gonzalez is only shortstop eligible on FanDuel as he is listed at both first base and outfield on DraftKings.
Others to consider: Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts
OUTFIELD
George Springer vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,000
The Astros will likely be a popular stack as well. Springer is one of the premier options if you choose to go that route, batting .279 with 15 home runs this season. He’s been one of the best hitters in baseball against left-handed pitchers in recent years, recording a wOBA of at least .400 against them in each of the last four seasons if you include his .419 mark in 2018.
Nick Markakis vs. Alex Cobb, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,300
The Orioles signing of Cobb has been a disaster so far as he has a 7.14 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP in his first 12 starts. He’s not striking many hitters out and has allowed 1.9 HR/9, which is really troubling when you consider how many runners have reached base against him. Markakis has cooled off some after his torrid start, but he’s had a lot of success against right-handers with a .363 wOBA.
Kole Calhoun vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $2,300
DraftKings = $2,600
Calhoun has been one of the worst hitters in baseball this season with a .158 batting average. He recently spent some time on the DL with a strained oblique and the time off might have been just what he needed to clear his head. In three games since being activated, Calhoun is 4-for-10 with two home runs. Estrada has struggled on the road this year and doesn’t have overpowering stuff, setting up Calhoun as a cheap option who might be worth taking a chance on in tournament play.
Others to consider: Juan Soto and Nomar Mazara
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/31/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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STARTING PITCHERS
Aaron Nola vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $9,500
DraftKings = $11,100
Nola has quietly become one of the more reliable pitchers in baseball. He’s not an elite strikeout pitcher like Max Scherzer or Chris Sale, but his 9.3 K/9 isn’t exactly poor either. He has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts this season, resulting in a 2.27 ERA and a 2.72 FIP. He has thrown a first-pitch strike to a career-high 66.2% of the batters that he has faced while also holding opponents to a 25.1% hard-hit rate. This should be a fun pitchers duel with Clayton Kershaw returning from injury to take the hill for the Dodgers. Based on his cheaper price, especially on FanDuel, Nola may be the one who provides the most value.
Shane Bieber vs. Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $7,300
Bieber will make his big league debut Thursday, but may only get the one start before being sent back down to the minors. He has started in both Double-A and Triple-A this season, posting a combined 1.10 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. He’s not a big strikeout pitcher with a career 8.4 K/9, but he’s also shown excellent control with a 0.5 BB/9. Home runs haven’t been a problem for him either with a career 0.4 HR/9. The Twins have scored the fifth-fewest runs (210) in baseball, so it might be worth taking a chance on Bieber in tournament play at this cheap price.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Greg Bird vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,100
Bird has been limited to four games due to injury this season, logging at least one hit in each of his last three contests. He has a ton of talent, but injuries have really hampered his career after bursting onto the scene with 11 homers in 46 games in 2015. Including this season, Cashner has allowed a wOBA of at least .378 to left-handed hitters in three of the last four years. Bird won’t destroy your budget either, making him a viable option to consider.
Ryon Healy vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,600
Healy didn’t cash in a prime opportunity against Matt Moore on Wednesday, but he’ll get to face another struggling lefty in Minor on Thursday. Not only does Minor have a 5.63 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP, but he has already allowed 10 home runs in only 54.1 innings. Righties have a .380 wOBA against Minor so far this year, making Healy an excellent option when you also consider he has a .368 wOBA against lefties for his career.
Others to consider: Yonder Alonso (first base) and Wilson Contreras (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,900
After hitting exactly 24 home runs in each of the last two seasons, Altuve hasn’t found his power swing yet with only four long balls this year. He is still batting .335 with 16 steals, making him an extremely valuable asset. Pomeranz has been horrid this season with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP while also allowing a .415 wOBA against righties, so this might be the day to pay up for Altuve.
Jonathan Schoop vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,700
Gray has been almost as bad as Pomeranz, recording a 5.98 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP across 10 starts. The Yankees have tried making Austin Romine has personal catcher since they have had some success together in the past, but Gray has still allowed five runs each in two of his last three starts. There is no righty/lefty advantage for Schoop with this matchup, but he’s still someone to consider based on how poorly Gray has been pitching.
Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Starlin Castro
THIRD BASE
Alex Bregman vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKinga = $4,100
The Astros present a prime stacking opportunity against Pomeranz with Bregman also being someone to target. He hasn’t been hitting a lot of home runs, but Bregman does have at least one hit in 12 of his last 13 games. He had a stellar .406 wOBA against lefties in 2017 but has struggled with a .311 wOBA against them this year. Now that he’s showing signs of coming out of his early slump, look for that number to start climbing.
Miguel Andujar vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,200
The Yankees have so many power bats and Gleyber Torres has been so hot since being called up that Andujar doesn’t get a lot of headlines. His contributions should not go unnoticed, though, as he is batting .290 and looks ready to be the Yankees third baseman of the future. He doesn’t walk much and only has five home runs, but he does already have 17 doubles. His numbers have been better against right-handed pitchers this year as well, so don’t shy away from him just because he doesn’t have righty/lefty advantage facing Cashner.
Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Christian Villanueva
SHORTSTOP
Manny Machado vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,400
Machado has loved hitting at home, posting a .362 average there this season compared to a .296 mark on the road. 10 of his 16 home runs have also come at home despite having 23 more plate appearances on the road. With the way Gray has been pitching, Machado could be in for a huge night.
Jean Segura vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,600
Segura is swinging a hot bat as he is 12-for-21 with two doubles and one home run in his last five games. He’s helped keep the Mariners offense afloat with Robinson Cano (suspension) and Dee Gordon (toe) out, but they will get some reinforcements with Gordon expected to return Thursday. With a .367 wOBA against lefties this year, he’s a great option if you don’t want to pay up for Machado.
Others to consider: Carlos Correa and Didi Gregorius
OUTFIELD
Michael Brantley vs. Jake Odorizzi, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900
Injuries have limited Brantley to 101 games in the last two seasons combined, but he’s shown this season that he can still be a very valuable player when healthy. He’s already played 44 games and is batting .343 with nine home runs. He is currently on a 19-game hittings streak with seven of his nine home runs coming in May as well. He has been a better hitter against righties with .352 wOBA against them for his career.
Mitch Haniger vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,400
Haniger entered the month of May batting .309 with 10 home runs. He’s dropped off dramatically since, batting .242 with just one homer. His BABIP has remained relatively the same, so it’s not as if his poor performance can be chalked up to bad luck. The good news is that he is crushing lefties with a 188 wRC+, so don’t sleep on him against Minor.
Nelson Cruz vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,000
Cruz is 6-for-13 with a home run in this series against the Rangers and will look to close things out strong Thursday. His numbers this season aren’t great overall, but he has still managed a .372 wOBA against left-handed pitchers. He makes for a great option on both sites, but especially on FanDuel at such a low price.
Others to consider: George Springer and Brett Gardner
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/18/18
Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/18/18
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Wednesday consists of several day games in Major League Baseball, leaving a lot of options for both the early and late 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
Jose Berrios vs. Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Hiram Bithorn Stadium
FanDuel = $9,800
DraftKings = $11,000
Berrios is one of the jewels of the Twins farm system and he was excellent in his first significant run in the starting rotation last year, finishing with a 3.89 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 8.6 K/9 in 145.2 innings. He held batters to just a 27.9% hard-hit rate and a 9.1% HR/FB rate. He’s off to an even better start this year, posting a 2.18 ERA, 1.68 FIP and a microscopic 0.63 WHIP through three outings. Teams continue to have a hard time squaring him up with an 18.4% hard-hit rate to go along with his 10.5 K/9. The Indians have the lowest team batting average (.208) and OBP (.284) in the majors, leaving Berrios with excellent upside.
Jake Faria vs. Texas Rangers
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $6,200
Faria was hit hard in his second start of the season against the Red Sox, allowing eight earned runs in 1.2 innings. He had major control issues in that game that resulted in five walks. Outside of that, he allowed two earned runs total in 9.1 innings in his other two outings. It may not be a coincidence that he was destroyed in his only road start so far this season and that he didn’t pitch nearly as poorly at home. He finished with a 3.10 ERA at Tropicana Field last year compared to 3.72 on the road, but more importantly, he had just a 1.06 WHIP at home while posting a 1.35 WHIP on the road. Against an easier lineup in the Rangers on Wednesday, he might be worth the risk in tournament play for the early late.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Cody Bellinger vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,500
Bellinger has yet to display the same power that he had in 2017, slugging just two home runs so far. He hasn’t struggled though, posting a .297 average in the early going. He dominated right-handed pitching last year, resulting in a .383 wOBA against them. Perdomo also had his struggles against left-handed hitters by allowing a .349 wOBA to them last year, making Bellinger an excellent option to consider Wednesday.
Yasmani Grandal vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,800
Grandal is swinging a hot bat right now, hitting 10-for-29 with two home runs and nine RBI in his last seven games. A switch-hitter, Grandal has been better against righties in his career with a .343 wOBA. Not only does Perdomo struggle against lefties, but he has a hard time keeping runners off base in general with a career 1.57 WHIP, which includes his staggering 2.09 WHIP through three starts this season.
Others to consider: Paul Goldschmidt (first base) and C.J. Cron (first base)
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,000
Altuve is hitting for a high average again at .314, but he has shown very little power with just two doubles and no home runs. He has hit at least 39 doubles in four straight seasons and hit exactly 24 home runs in each of the late two years, so expect him to turn things around sooner rather than later. He could be in line for a big performance Wednesday against Leake, who doesn’t have an overpowering pitch arsenal with a career 6.1 K/9.
Howie Kendrick vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,500
Kendrick continues to fly under the radar as an important part of the Nationals lineup, hitting .300 with two home runs and seven RBI this season. His .348 BABIP is almost right on par with his career mark of .340, so it’s not unreasonable to think that he can continue to hit for a high average. He finished with a 137 wRC+ against lefties last year, making him a cost-effective option to consider against Matz on Wednesday.
Others to consider: Jed Lowrie and Cesar Hernandez
THIRD BASE
Travis Shaw vs. Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,600
Mahle threw six shutout innings in his first start of the season against the Cubs but has come crashing back down to Earth by allowing 10 total runs in his last two starts. Hitters have been squaring him up well with a 40% hard-hit rate overall. Shaw posted a 127 wRC+ against righties last year, so don’t be surprised if he has a big game against Mahle.
Jeimer Candelario vs. Kevin Gausman, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,400
Candelario showed promise in his brief stint with the Tigers last year, batting .330 with a .406 OBP in 27 games. He had a .270 average and .350 OBP during his career in the minors, so regression was likely in the cards heading into this season. He has only hit .220 out of the gates, but he does have four doubles, two triples and one home run so far. Gausman is struggling yet again with a 1.60 WHIP through three starts, so it might be worth taking a chance on Candelario at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Yangervis Solarte and David Freese
SHORTSTOP
Trea Turner vs. Steven Matz, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,600
Turner has shown signs of coming out of his slump in the first two games of this series, hitting a combined 5-for-9 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. He’ll continue to bat leadoff with Adam Eaton (ankle) sidelined, giving him added value in DFS. It also gives him a chance to swipe more bases as well.
Corey Seager vs. Luis Perdomo, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,400
Seager recorded just his third multi-hit game of the season Tuesday and is only batting .212 so far. He’s been very unlucky with a .236 BABIP, so don’t expect him to continue to hit this poorly for much longer. He finished with a .353 wOBA against right-handed pitching last year, which should make him a candidate for your entry against the struggling Perdomo on Wednesday.
Others to consider: Manny Machado and Trevor Story
OUTFIELD
J.D. Martinez vs. Tyler Skaggs, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900
Martinez hasn’t carried over his torrid pace from the end of last year to his new team, but he certainly hasn’t struggled by hitting .271 with three home runs and 13 RBI. He absolutely destroyed left-handed pitching last year, finishing with a 235 wRC+ against them that ranked second in baseball. Skaggs is off to a great start, but he could be in for trouble against Martinez.
Josh Reddick vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,100
The Astros lineup is loaded with excellent right-handed hitters, making Reddick an extremely important left-handed compliment. He does his job well, posting a .363 wOBA against righties in 2017. He’s off to another great start against them this year with a .443 wOBA, so don’t hesitate to add him to your lineup Wednesday.
Franchy Cordero vs. Kenta Maeda, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,500
One of the up-and-coming young players in the Padres system, Cordero is getting a chance to show his stuff with Wil Myers (arm) and Manuel Margot (ribs) on the DL. He’s only hit .231 through seven games, but he has already slugged two home runs. He was a career .282 hitter in the minors, so he should show improvement in his batting average as he continues to get accustomed to the league. Maeda has a 2.08 ERA so far this season, but it could have been worse due to his 1.73 WHIP. If you want to take a chance on a cheap outfielder with upside, Cordero might be your man.
Others to consider: Mookie Betts and Christian Yelich
Fantasy Baseball Season Preview: Second Base
*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
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
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
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 Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 20, 2017
*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.
*STARTING PITCHERS*
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*
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
*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
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
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
*Austyn Varney*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 8, 2017
*STARTING PITCHERS*
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*
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 July 25, 2017
*Austyn Varney*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, July 25, 2017
*STARTING PITCHERS*
Madison Bumgarner Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Park – AT&T Park
Vegas O/U – 7.5
Since Bumgarner has returned from injury, he hasn’t been great. While he isn’t getting blown up or absolutely stinking, he’s simply been meh. He’s getting a bit unlucky and has also allowed 2 HR’s that were barely over the fence down the line. This is still by far the best pitcher on the slate and you have to like him in both cash games and tournaments. The Pirates have ranked 17th in the league against righties with a .311 wOBA and don’t offer much upside outside of McCutchen and Marte. They have plenty of strikeouts up for grabs and Bumgarner should have a floor around 7 K’s. He also gets the honor of playing at home in AT&T Park, where the ball absolutely dies. Bumgarner is still the best option on the slate and a guy whom deserves consideration in both cash games and tournaments.
Mike Clevinger @ Los Angeles Angels
Park – Angels Stadium
Vegas O/U – 8
Mike Clevinger is pretty good. He has a wacky reputation and for whatever reason, isn’t looked at like a good pitcher. Clevinger has been solid against both sides of the plate this season, posting a .289 wOBA against lefties and a .257 against righties. He’s struck out 10 batters per 9 innings, but also walks nearly 4. You’ll get a few walks here and there, but Clevinger typically works out of jams very well. This matchup with the Angels is a very interesting one with Mike Trout back. Against a righty, Trout and Calhoun are the only 2 guys that scare me. The rest of the order is full of strikeouts and/or weak grounders. Clevinger should be able to have another quality start here and at his price, that’s all you need. If you’re hesitant to pay all the way up for Bumgarner, Clevinger gives you a cost effective option with some safety and upside.
*OFFENSIVE STACKS*
Houston Astros vs Nick Pivetta (Philadelphia Phillies)
Park – Minute Maid Park
Implied Total – 5.41
We don’t have a whole bunch of offenses in great spots tonight. While there are plenty of them in “good spots”, few stand out. One of those few is the Houston Astros. The Astros face off with Nick Pivetta, who is not very good. While good against lefties, he’s posted a crazy .429 wOBA against righties in somewhat substantial innings. This gives guys like Altuve and Springer a ton of upsides Evan Gattis also gets some HR upside. To fill out your stack, I wouldn’t hesistate with a lefty. While he has been better against them, we’re expecting to see the bullpen a lot and most of them are right-handed. Josh Reddick and Carlos Beltran always go underowned and have a ton to offer in this one. All in all, the Astros are easily the most explosive offense in a big spot. You’ll likely need some exposure in both cash and tourneys.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Mike Foltynewixs (Atlanta Braves)
Park – Chase Field
Implied Total – 5.03
Like I said, there isn’t a ton to choose from in therms of stacks on this slate. The Astros are pretty obvious and should definitely be somewhat popular. Next, we’ll look at the D-Backs. It’s actually just a few of them that are standing off the page. They face off with Mike Foltynewicz, who is a cut and dry pitcher. He sucks against lefties and obliterates righties. Really that simple. With a .373 wOBA so far in 2017, you have to love the lefties in this order. Jake Lamb and Peralta are 2 of the top options on the slate and I wouldn’t leave them off any stack. Paul Goldscmidt and J.D. Martinez are also interesting, but I may go value with some other lefties (Blanco,Descalso, Hermmann).
DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for July 21, 2017
*Chris Durell*
DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for July 21, 2017
Welcome back for another night of DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks. It’s Friday and we are gifted with a 15-game slate that is chalk full of elite pitching options and some other options we may want to stack against. Let’s take a look at a few of my favorites.
Starting Pitchers
Chris Sale
Opponent – @ LAA
Park – Angel Stadium of Anaheim(Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (BOS -205)
Vegas Total (7.5)
With their ace on the mound, the Red Sox enter the Friday night slate as the second biggest favorite and are one of three matchups with a very low 7.5 Vegas total. After putting together a CY Young like first half, Sale picked up where he left off dominating the Yankees last Saturday with a season-high 13 strikeouts while limiting them to just three hits over 7.2 innings pitched. Of the four top tier pitchers tonight(Sale, Scherzer, Wood, Darvish), Sale also has the highest projection when looking at the lineup tool by a nice margin which only helps justify his high salary. The Angels don’t strike out a whole lot and did get back their star outfielder Mike Trout but still rank 27th in wOBA and dead last in wRC+ vs. left-handed pitching. Sale is the top pitcher of the night.
Jeff Samardzija
Opponent – vs. SD
Park – AT&T Park (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (SF -155)
Vegas Total (7.5)
When it comes to GPP pitchers, I love taking risks to gain an edge in ownership. You can’t just throw a dart and hope for the best as you still need upside. Enter Jeff “Shark” Samardzija who has the upside with a 9.8 K/9 rate and terrific matchup in one of the best pitchers park vs. a team that ranks 29th in hitting vs. righties. However, he was blown up by these very Padres in his last start despite striking out eight batters. I know there will be a ton of people avoiding this play tonight and that flips the switch for me to go overweight tonight in tournaments. If you aren’t about the risk, I would consider Aaron Nola instead.
Top Stacks
Houston Astros vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (BAL)
It is a terrific night for targeting bad pitchers and combine that with another series starting at Coors and you should see some spread out ownership. My favorite stack at the top is by far the Houston Astros who lead the league in runs scored and are one of the few teams that can handle losing a stud like Carlos Correa. They get one of the top matchups of the night vs. Ubaldo Jimenez who has given up four or more earned runs in three straight and four of his last five starts with six home runs against. The other good news is that the Astros head out on the road, where they get a nice park boost away from Minute Maid Park.
Top Players to Stack – Jose Altuve, George Springer, Josh Reddick, Brian McCann
Miami Marlins vs. Homer Bailey (CIN)
Another team that gets a nice park boost as the Marlis travel to the Great American Smallpark to start a series with Reds. Not only that, they get a matchup vs. Homer Bailey who has shown some huge blowup potential since returning from offseason surgery. He has made five starts since mid-June and while two of them were positive on the road(one in Coors), he has given up six, eight, and eight earned runs in his other three starts. With so many great spots tonight combined with the fact the Marlins rank in the bottom third of runs scored, I think they are going to be bargain when looking at ownership.
Top Players to Stack – Dee Gordon, Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Justin Bour