MLB DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for April 13, 2018
Baseball is back with a great slate of MLB DFS games scheduled for Friday, 4/13/18. The main slate on DraftKings includes 13 games starting at 7:05 p.m. EST, and FanDuel’s main slate also includes 13 games starting at 7:05 p.m. EST.
For today, we’re listing our top MLB DFS pitchers, hitters, 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 Jose Altuve can go 0-for-4 on a given night, and Max Scherzer can get lit up by a weak 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. If a game gets rained out, your player gets zero points!
4/13/18 MLB DFS TOURNAMENT PICKS
Mini Sweet Spot: $5 entry, $250k guaranteed (DraftKings) – $50,000 to 1st!
Medium Sweet Spot: $55 entry, $300k guaranteed (DraftKings) – $50,000 to 1st!
ENORMOUS Grand Slam: $44 entry, $300k guaranteed (FanDuel) – $100,000 to 1st!
Jumbo Rally: $9.99 entry, $100k guaranteed (FanDuel)
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Best MLB DFS Pitchers for April 13, 2018
Gerrit Cole vs. TEX ($12.1k DraftKings, $10.0k FanDuel)
After years in purgatory as one of the top arms for the middling Pirates, Gerrit Cole seems to have found new life with the defending world champion Astros. He’s allowed just 7 hits and 1 ER with 22 Ks over two starts to open the season, including a 7-inning gem in Texas. Now he’ll face the same struggling Rangers lineup at home with the backing of the league’s best offense in a plus matchup against aging LHP Cole Hamels. The Rangers are hitting .230 with a collective .297 wOBA so far this year and have little familiarity with Cole since he spent his career in the N.L. Central before getting traded to Houston.
Mike Clevinger vs. TOR ($9.5k DraftKings, $8.3k FanDuel)
While he gave up 10 hits in his last outing, Mike Clevinger also induced 12 ground-ball outs and elicited three double plays to get out of trouble. Pitching at Progressive Field instead of on the fast turf at Toronto’s Rogers Centre should help him post another Quality Start if he continues to keep the ball down in the zone. Clevinger is posting a 47.4 percent ground ball rate and a stellar 13.2 percent line drive rate through two starts, so while the strikeout upside isn’t necessarily there, he could continue to eat innings.
Eduardo Rodriguez @ BAL ($8.5k DraftKings, $6.6k FanDuel)
While he had a rough season debut against the Rays, Eduardo Rodriguez did record 7 Ks over 3.2. Baltimore’s offense has been quite feeble this year with the third-lowest collective batting average (.216) and highest K-Rate (27.2%) in the Majors. The Orioles posted the eighth-highest K-Rate (23.8%) against LHP last season and current O’s are 35-for-154 (.227) with 45 strikeouts in their careers against Rodriguez. “Fast Eddie” posted a 10.95 K/9 ratio and 3.72 FIP at Fenway Park last season, so give him a look in GPP formats tonight
Tyson Ross vs. SF ($5.6k DraftKings, $6.4k FanDuel)
With the Padres and Giants facing off at spacious Petco Park, a low-scoring game seems like a foregone conclusion. That makes Tyson Ross worth a look at a cheap price tag against a Giants team that posted the lowest collective wOBA (.296) in the Majors last year. Ross has posted a .222 BAA and impressive 11.37 K/9 ratio over his last three outings against the Giants and has been a bit unlucky this year as his 3.45 SIERA belies his actual ERA (5.25). Ross has only allowed a 16.7 percent line drive rate, but was done in by two long balls at Houston his last time out. Of course, Petco has one of the lowest home run factors in the Majors and Ross is rocking a career 0.60 HR/9 ratio at his home ballpark.
Other to consider: Zach Greinke, Tanner Roark, Zach Davies, Vince Velasquez, Ty Blach
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Best MLB DFS Hitters for April 13, 2018
Mike Trout vs. KC ($5.6k DraftKings, $5.4k FanDuel)
Royals RHP Jason Hammel seemed to run out of gas with a 7.84 ERA and .352 BAA in September last season. He was shelled by Detroit’s weak offense in his season debut and will have to face an Angels team tonight that leads the Majors with a collective .284 batting average. Of course, Mike Trout would be the jewel of an Angeles stack against this vulnerable RHP, who allowed righties to post a 1.49 HR/9 ratio last season. Trout is 5-for-16 with a HR in his career against Hammel and 8-for-17 with 3 HRs, 5 walks and a SB over his last five appearances.
Anthony Rendon vs. COL ($4.4k DraftKings, $3.5k FanDuel)
The Nationals are a premier stacking option at home tonight against struggling young LHP Kyle Freeland. The second-year southpaw has given up 4 HRs with a 95% Z-Contact rate through two starts this season and the sledding won’t get any easier in this matchup. Anthony Rendon is one of several Nats batters that thrive against the platoon, as he hit .337 with a .461 wOBA and 19.1% HR/FB ratio off lefties last season. Freeland is posting a 5.15 FIP and 15.4% HR/FB ratio against righties so far in his career and is ripe to target with Rendon or with cheaper RHB such as Michael A. Taylor ($3.5k, $2.5k) and Howie Kendrick ($3.6k, $2.9k).
Cesar Hernandez @ TB ($4.4k DraftKings, $4.0k FanDuel)
So far this season, Rays RHP Jake Faria has been unable to find the strike zone and completely unable to miss bats when he does. He’s posted a 22.2 percent walk rate, 95.4 percent Z-Contact rate and a measly 3.2 percent swinging strike rate through two starts, so the Phillies contact hitters are definitely worth targeting. Cesar Hernandez could lead off with the platoon advantage against Faria and he’s been an on-base machine with 8 hits, 8 walks and 3 SB during an 8-game hitting streak. The fast turf at Tropicana Field should help any hard-hit ground balls get through the infield and Hernandez will be ready to run off the big RHP and potential battery mate Wilson Ramos, who posted a weak .171 caught stealing percentage last season.
Matt Joyce @ SEA ($3.1k DraftKings, $3.3k FanDuel)
While Mariners RHP Mike Leake is off to a good start, the matchup is not ideal for him tonight. The sinker-baller often depends on aggressiveness from opposing hitters to elicit ground-ball outs, but Matt Joyce is one of several patient Athletics bats. He posted a 20.1 percent walk rate two seasons ago and is at 17.4 percent so far this season with a .359 wOBA and 25.8 percent line drive rate. Leake posted a 2.04 K/BB ratio with a 4.51 FIP and 16.1% HR/FB ratio when facing lefties last year, so along with Joyce, consider Matt Olson ($4.1k, $3.7k) and Jed Lowrie ($3.4k, $3.8k) as economical options to deploy against the righty.
Other hitters to consider: Mookie Betts, Rhys Hoskins, George Springer, Dee Gordon, Miguel Sano, Howie Kendrick, Matt Davidson, Carlos Santana, Khris Davis, Michael A. Taylor
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MLB DFS Stacks to Consider for April 13, 2018
Angels vs. Jason Hammel (Royals)
Nationals vs. Kyle Freeland (Rockies)
Phillies vs. Jake Faria (Rays)
Mariners vs. Andrew Triggs (Athletics)
Red Sox vs. Chris Tillman (Orioles) – will be chalk, but Chris Tillman is terrible
