MLB DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for April 26, 2018
Baseball is back with a great slate of MLB DFS games scheduled for Thursday, 4/26/18. The main slate on DraftKings includes four games starting at 7:05 p.m. EST. Then, FanDuel’s main slate also includes four games starting at the same time.
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!
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Tampa Bay Rays (+120) at Baltimore Orioles (Over/Under – 7.5 runs)
Rays RHP Chris Archer ($8.8k, $8.3k) has seen a dip in velocity and is struggling badly with his control so far this season. Yet Archer is currently rocking the highest swinging strike rate (14.8%) of his career with an impressive 24.2% K-Rate. He has plenty of upside against an O’s team that ranks dead last in batting average (.215) with the second-highest K-Rate (27.1%) in the Majors. Archer provided mixed results over four starts against Baltimore last season. But the Orioles have been one of the worst offensive teams out there this year.
On the other side of the ball, Orioles RHP Dylan Bundy ($9.8k, $9.7k) is a recommended Cash play against an equally inept Rays offense. Tampa is posting the fourth-lowest ISO mark (.124) with an above average 23.8% K-Rate this season. Bundy has been rock solid with a 3.01 SIERA and 2.00 FIP to go along with a stellar 1.42 ERA through five starts. He’s seen a huge bump in strikeout numbers (11.37 K/9 ratio) by featuring his slider in critical situations. Despite giving up a few long balls, Bundy recorded 15 Ks over 11 IP in his last two outings against a Rays lineup that’s only become weaker due to recent injuries.
On another page, Manny Machado ($5.0k, $4.6k) is the best hitter in this contest. He should continue to serve as a reliable Cash play. Machado is red hot with 11 hits, including 2 doubles and 5 HRs over his last 21 at-bats.
Because Archer’s been vulnerable with an 18.5% HR/FB ratio this season, Pedro Alvarez ($3.0k, $2.3k) has GPP appeal as a raw power threat in the O’s lineup. The lefty has been slumping, but is 6-for-17 with 2 HRs and 3 doubles in his career against Archer.
Archer’s given up four bombs to post a 2.92 HR/9 ratio with a 7.96 FIP against LHB this season. Therefore, Chris Davis ($3.3k, $2.5k) is also worth considering as a boom-bust value play. Finally, Trey Mancini ($3.4k, $2.8k) could serve as a value addition to a mini Orioles stack.
The Rays’ lineup could offer a few unknown values with upside such as Daniel Robertson ($3.4k, $3.1k). He went 4-for-4 with a double in a start against the Twins Sunday. Rookie second baseman Joey Wendle ($3.1k, $3.0k) also had a big weekend with 5 hits on Saturday and Sunday, and another big night last night. He’ll have the platoon advantage against Bundy tonight.
C.J. Cron ($4.0k, $3.3k) has been very consistent as the Rays’ primary DH. But he lacks upside given Bundy’s modest 3% HR/FB ratio this season.
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Boston Red Sox (-200) at Toronto Blue Jays (Over/Under – 8)
The Red Sox send Chris Sale ($11.3k, $11.4k) to the mound in a fantastic matchup. It’s made even better with Josh Donaldson (shoulder) on the DL for Toronto. Take away Donaldson’s numbers, and current Blue Jays are 31-for-141 (.220) with 37 Ks and a weak .646 OPS in their careers against Sale. The lefty ace has been particularly dominant at Rogers Centre. He went 2-0 with a 14.32 K/9 ratio and 0.00 ERA over three outings in Toronto last season. Sale’s upside is limited a bit since new manager Alex Cora seems bent on limiting his pitch count, but he’s still worth the money in this plus spot.
The Blue Jays counter with RHP Marco Estrada ($5.0k, $7.3k). He has struggled in consecutive starts at the Orioles and Yankees. Estrada posts a 3.46 HR/9 ratio and allows RHBs a .420 wOBA this season. Batters routinely hit his fastball and curveball hard.
The Red Sox have struggled to hit Estrada in the past, so the 34-year-old may be worth a gamble as a risky value on DK, but is otherwise worth targeting.
Hanley Ramirez ($4.5k, $3.9k) is 8-for-27 in his career against Estrada and was generally more effective against RHPs last season. He’s a worthy Cash play. Then, J.D. Martinez ($4.8k, $4.0k) is a candidate to snap out of his funk in this matchup.
The fact that Mookie Betts ($5.4k, $4.8k) is just 3-for-23 with 6 Ks in his career against Estrada could give some folks pause. Yet the hottest hitter in baseball is well worth deploying in GPP formats given his potential to blow up against this SP or the Jays’ bullpen. That said, he went deep twice last night so his ownership could be out of control.
Despite his poor splits against Estrada, Brock Holt ($3.0k, $2.7k) should continue to produce as a reliable Cash play with an absurd .517 average (15-for-29) during his current eight-game hitting streak. Christian Vazquez ($2.2k) is a low-upside value to consider at the catcher spot on DK.
If you really want to be contrarian by targeting Sale, Kendrys Morales ($3.1k, $2.2k) is one of the better candidates to tag him with plus splits in his career. Or perhaps Steve Pearce ($3.2k, $3.0k) could pay off in GPPs as a relative value with low ownership.
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Milwaukee Brewers (+140) at Chicago Cubs (Over/Under – 8.5)
The Cubs offense is really starting to heat up, making usually solid Brewers RHP Chase Anderson ($6.6k, $7.7k) a bit of a risky option at hitter-friendly Wrigley Field. Anderson is giving up the highest HR/FB ratio (18.2%) with the worst SIERA (4.50) of his career thus far in 2018 and may be worth targeting with right-handed bats.
The Cubs have a decent value option in RHP Kyle Hendricks ($6.9k, $6.8k), who has posted a 2.44 ERA over his last two seasons at Wrigley. Yet Hendricks is giving up a 4.50 HR/9 ratio with a 9.17 FIP against LHBs through four starts and is ripe to target with specific batters.
Christian Yelich ($4.6k, $4.0k) stands out as the most dangerous lefties in the Brewers lineup. Yelich is on the cusp of a breakout year with a .319 average, .404 wOBA and 28.6% HR/FB ratio so far this season. He’s hitting .421 on the road and could take advantage of the relatively short RF porch at Wrigley.
Lorenzo Cain ($4.5k, $3.9k) could succeed in this RvR matchup, as he’s hitting .450 on the road against RHPs and brimming with confidence after a good series against his former team in Kansas City.
Travis Shaw ($4.2k, $4.3k) is worth a look in any format on DK as the Brewers’ likely cleanup hitter against Kendricks. He’s established a solid floor with a 13.9% BB Rate this season and has launched 3 HRs over his last five appearances.*
Anderson has held LHBs to a .220 BAA with a 28.4% hard contact rate in his career but given up a 1.41 HR/9 ratio while allowing RHB to post a .346 wOBA.
That makes Kyle Schwarber ($4.7k, $3.9k) more of a GPP plays despite his recent power surge. Then, Kris Bryant ($4.9k, $4.5k) is 6-for-18 with 3 HRs in a small sample of at-bats against Anderson and will have plenty of appeal if he’s able to return from a concussion.
Willson Contreras ($4.0k, $3.4k) may have the most upside of any catcher on this slate, and he’s 5-for-9 with 3 doubles in his career against Anderson.
Finally, Javier Baez ($4.7k, $4.2k) is on fire with 15 hits, including 3 HRs, over his last seven appearances* and is a 2B with massive upside on this short slate.
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Chicago White Sox (+140) at Kansas City Royals (Over/Under – 8.5)
White Sox third-year RHP Lucas Giolito ($4.5k, $5.6k) may be the best pitcher to target on this slate. While he’s been able to limit hard contact, he’s posting a horrific 0.47 K/BB ratio and a 7.69 SIERA along with a 9.00 ERA through four starts. The 6-foot-6 righty has given up a 1.87 HR/9 ratio and 36% hard contact rate against the platoon in his career.
Giolito’s shaky status makes Royals RHP Jake Junis ($8.3k, $8.7k) a solid Cash play and relative value on this slate. He’s been stingy with a 0.75 WHIP and 4.00 K/BB ratio to post a 2.03 ERA through four outings. He should be able to limit a White Sox team that’s batting a collective .237 with the fifth-highest K-Rate (25.6%) in the Majors.
Big lefties Lucas Duda ($3.6k, $3.1k) and Mike Moustakas ($4.6k, $3.5k) are the best candidates to take Giolito deep and are both worth deploying in tournament formats. Duda has provided excellent upside while being used sparingly, and “Moose” is hitting .347 with a .470 wOBA and 23.8% HR/FB ratio against the platoon this season.
Whit Merrifield ($4.3k, $3.3k) should lead off for KC, giving him a solid floor-ceiling combination as a dual threat, while Cheslor Cuthbert ($2.6k, $2.3k) could serve as a cheap option at 3B if starting and batting second.
Jose Abreu ($4.3k, $3.8k) could miss tonight’s game with an illness, which would give LHB Daniel Palka ($2.9k, $2.0k) the start. The latter is a true punt play to consider on FD.
Yoan Moncada ($4.4k, $3.9k) is heating up with a .318 batting average over the past week, and he could have Cash appeal if leading off for the White Sox.
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