MLB DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for April 8, 2018

Baseball is back with a full slate of MLB DFS games scheduled for Sunday, 4/8/18. The main slate on DraftKings includes 10 games starting at 1:05 p.m. EST, while FanDuel’s main slate also includes 10 games starting at 1:05 p.m. EST.

For today, we’re listing our top MLB DFS picks at pitcher, hitter, and stacks to target in Cash and GPP lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. The info below can also be used for crafting your daily fantasy baseball strategy at FantasyDraft.

Please note the advice below is relevant for daily fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than in real life due to matchup, price, and lots of other factors. This is important to consider when constructing a roster. Remember that more than in other sports, variance is a huge part of baseball. Even Paul Goldschmidt can go 0-for-4 on a given night, and Max Scherzer can get lit up by an unsuspecting team.

Weather can also play a huge role in MLB DFS on a nightly basis, and lineups are constantly shifting. So always, always check the starting lineups and weather reports when playing for an MLB slate.

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Best MLB DFS Pitchers for April 8, 2018

Mike Clevinger vs. KC ($10.9K DraftKings, $8.2k FanDuel)

The Kansas City Royals snuck away with a win yesterday, grabbing a win against Trevor Bauer and the Indians with a score of 1-0. KC can win games, as they’re well-managed, but they lost a lot in the offseason with Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain heading elsewhere. Mike Clevinger has allowed eight hits in 53 plate appearances against this Kansas City Royals roster, good for a .539 OPS. And 21 of those 53 appearances ended in strikeouts. He’s also at home, and the favorite to win the game at -220. The implied 3.3 runs for the Royals is also a great signal coming out of Vegas. Clevinger is a very strong cash play and tournament play, alike, as I think he has a very high floor. He’s a bargain on FanDuel, where I think he’s an exceptionally strong play, though I’m rostering industry wide. This match up gives Clevinger a ceiling hard to resist.

Luke Weaver vs. ARI ($6.8k DraftKings, $7.7k FanDuel)

Weaver is kind of a steal on DraftKings, where he comes at a pretty massive discount compared to his salary on FanDuel. As such, I’m most interested in playing him on DraftKings. Vegas has this matchup’s over/under set at 7.5, and Weaver is the ever-so-slight home favorite. In his first start of the season, the Cardinals prospect managed five innings of one-run baseball, striking out just three. But the Diamondbacks have scored three runs in each of the first two games of their series at St. Louis, and are averaging 11 strikeouts per game through the first two. This game being at Busch Stadium, the 3.4 implied runs for Arizona, and Weaver’s general competence at a young age, and I think you have a very strong value play. I also expect him to show of the strikeout upside he has a bit more in this one, with the possibility of a K/9 of 9+ for this outing. Take a good look at Weaver on DraftKings.

Charlie Morton vs. SD ($11.5k DraftKings, $9.1k FanDuel)

Morton is insanely overpriced on DraftKings, but at just a few grand more than Jake Arrieta, he’s probably a better play than the former Chicago Cubs ace. That makes him a GPP option at DK for me, while he’s a GPP and cash game option at FanDuel. Morton has strikeout upside and a terrific matchup in this one, because the San Diego Padres are bad, and they strike out at a rate of greater than 25%. Morton is coming off a six-inning performance against the Baltimore Orioles (another team that strikes out quite a lot), striking out six, accruing zero earned runs, and allowing just five baserunners. The Padres have an implied total of 3.3, and Houston is fully expected to win this game. You can feel confident in a solid performance from Morton. Again, he’s GPP only on DK, while you can consider in cash and GPP on FanDuel.

Jose Quintana @ MIL ($8.9k DraftKings, $8.5k FanDuel)

Quintana got lit up in his first start of the season, allowing the Miami Marlins to score six runs on six hits and four walks. The sometimes-dominant lefty struggled with control and struck out just two, and there’s reason to still be concerned about his control. But I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. This Brewers squad has faced Quintana 137 times and homered exactly zero times. Now that’s heavily skewed by Lorenzo Cain, but even removing Cain, still no home runs over more than 60 at bats. Two days ago, the Brewers were absolutely shut down by lefty Jon Lester. While I’m not saying Quintana is on that level, the Brewers’ history against the Cubs starter and their seven runs over their last four games bodes very well for Quintana, who is an excellent leverage play (especially on DraftKings) where he should be lower owned after his last blowup.

Other pitchers to consider: Jordan Montgomery (deep GPP), Jake Arrieta, Jameson Taillon, Taijuan Walker

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Best MLB DFS Hitters for April 8, 2018

Mitch Moreland vs. TB ($3.1k DraftKings, $2.4k FanDuel)

It appears right-handed relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge will get the ball for the Tampa Bay Rays today, and he faces a Boston Red Sox team with plenty of left-handed power. Over his brief career, Kittredge has allowed a .733 OPS, but, again, he’s listed as a relief pitcher. In 2017, Mitch Moreland saw his righty/lefty splits diverge yet again, as he finished with a .784 OPS against right-handers, compared to a .683 OPS against left-handers. He also hit 21 of his 22 home runs against righties. Moreland is a strong tournament option, as this is an ideal matchup for a Moreland four-bagger. At these prices, he’s as strong a punt as you’ll find on this slate.

Brian Dozier vs. SEA ($4.8k DraftKings, $4.5k FanDuel)

In 2017, Brian Dozier earned a 1.057 OPS against left-handers, an insanely high mark considering it came over 145 at bats. He has a higher home run rate, slugging percentage, and BA against lefties vs. righties, and today he’ll get Marco Gonzales, who picked up a win in his season debut against the San Francisco Giants, but also allowed home runs to Evan Longoria and Joe Panik. Dozier boasts more power than both those Giants players, and from 2015-2017, Gonzales has allowed right-handed bats to rack up an OPS of .986. Dozier, and any other right-handed Twins bat, should be strongly considered across the industry. Dozier is the only one I feel truly comfortable rostering in GPP and cash games.

Aaron Judge vs. BAL ($5.4k DraftKings, $5.0k FanDuel)

I hate to go back-to-back $5k+ chalk plays, but that’s what is about to happen. We’ll start with Judge, who faces Mike Wright, a right-handed pitcher who has allowed one home run and two doubles to Judge in five at-bats. And, in his first outing of the season, Wright was crushed by Carlos Correa and the free-swinging Josh Reddick, though he escaped with just three runs allowed. Historically, Wright is better against right-handed bats than left-handed, but he’s allowed one hit to lefties in eight at-bats compared to three hits (including a home run) in nine right-handed matchups. Judge is currently on a six-game hitting streak, and the Yankees slugger has a terrific matchup. You can play him industry-wide, in cash and GPPs alike. I think Judge is the top outfielder today and will lead the position in total points.

Kris Bryant @ MIL ($5.1k DraftKings, $4.1k FanDuel)

I hate chasing guys, and I hate going back-to-back chalk, but we’re doing it here. A day removed from Bryant’s three-hit outing, which was highlighted by a home run and a triple, he gets a matchup with Chase Anderson, a pitcher he’s battered to the tune of three home runs over 15 at bats. Bryant boasted a 1.307 OPS at Miller Park in 2017, and he’s crushing there all over again this season. Anderson will get his share of strikeouts against this Cubs squad, but Bryant is playing at an elite level. He’s a near lock for me on FanDuel at just $4.1k.

Ben Zobrist @ MIL ($3.4k DraftKings, $2.1k FanDuel)

Another Cub I like more on FanDuel than DraftKings is Zobrist, though he is still an excellent source of savings if you are rostering the pricier pitchers on the slate over at DraftKings. Zobrist was much better from the left-hand side of the plate in 2017, with a .737 OPS as a lefty compared to a .553 OPS as a righty. Zobrist doesn’t have the ceiling I want for GPPs, but the reliable contact hitter is 7-for-14 lifetime against Anderson with two home runs and a double. Zobrist, like Bryant, has history on his side, and the splits as well. He’s a great cash option, while his history against Anderson does make him a GPP option as well, thanks to that additional upside.

Jose Peraza @ PIT ($2.9k DraftKings, $2.1k FanDuel)

Jose Peraza inspires little confidence given his limited upside, and the Cincinnati Reds have an implied run total of 3.5. But I have to mention Peraza and his 8-for-11 lifetime performance against Jameson Taillon. The Pirates beat up on the Reds yesterday, but there are four active Reds who have at least 10 at-bats against Tallion and an OPS of .950 or higher. This may be more an indictment of Tallion than an argument for Peraza, but if you need to punt, Peraza has the track record, as do a few other Reds who we’ll include in the additional plays below

Other hitters to consider: Joe Mauer, Yoan Moncado, Max Stassi, Tommy La Stella, Miguel Sano, Dexter Fowler, Alex Bregman, Adam Duvall, Scooter Gennett, Avisail Garcia, Domingo Santana, C.J. Cron

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MLB DFS Stacks to Consider for April 8, 2018

Twins vs. Marco Gonzales (Mariners)
Cubs vs. Anderson (Brewers)
Astros vs. Tyson Ross (Padres)
Red Sox vs. Andrew Kittredge (Rays)

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