MLB DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for June 9, 2018
Welcome back to another Saturday of MLB DFS. We’re back for another full slate of MLB DFS games scheduled for Saturday, 6/9/18. The main slate on DraftKings includes four games starting at 7:15 p.m. EST, while FanDuel’s main slate also includes four starting at the same time.
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 Mike Trout 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 June 9, 2018
Charlie Morton @ TEX ($12.4k DraftKings, $10.0k FanDuel)
There is no pitching on this slate, so Charlie Morton is going to be chalky. And you’ll probably want to hop on board. Thus far in 2018, Morton has had a career year, with a 7-1 record and a 2.84 ERA. He’ll be looking to bounce back from a tough outing against Boston in his last start—a start in which he allowed six earned runs over five innings. (He also racked up seven strikeouts.) And that’s why you love Morton here against the Rangers. This Texas roster has patched together the second highest per-game strikeout rate in the league, and Morton has averaged just under nine strikeouts per game over his last five outings.
Morton’s strikeout upside gives him some cushion to make mistakes and allow some runs without tanking your lineup, especially with how weak pitching is on this slate. Morton is also the top-rated option as far as matchup at RotoQL. I think he’s a must-own in Cash games, and best of luck if you decide to fade him in GPPs.
Domingo German @ NYM ($8.5K DraftKings, $6.7k FanDuel)
Given that this slate is a short one and thin on pitching, German is an interesting option only because of the matchup. German can’t go deep in games, so you’re banking on strikeouts. He also hasn’t earned a win this season. However, the Mets have lost seven straight games, and yesterday, Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka earned a win and racked up eight strikeouts in just five innings. German is in a similar position, and, given the Mets’ struggles of late, now is as good a time as any for him to pick up his first win of the season. While I can’t recommend him at FanDuel, I like him as a Pitcher 2 at DraftKings, as the rest of the field may flock to Anibal Sanchez and the aforementioned Morton.
Anibal Sanchez @ LAD ($6.5k DraftKings, $6.2k FanDuel)
Scroll a bit further down, and you’ll see I’m actually targeting Dodgers bats against Sanchez today. However, he’s so inexpensive on this short slate that he needs to be considered. Sanchez just spun an absolute gem against the Washington Nationals at home, working through seven innings and allowing no earned runs. That is quite a feat for a veteran fresh off the DL, and it’s somewhat surprising he’s still so inexpensive across the industry. But he is the second-ranked optimal pitcher at RotoQL based on matchup, and he won’t have to do much to pay off his salary. He’s an interesting leverage play at FanDuel if you want to fade Morton, but I’m mostly interested in considering Sanchez as a Pitcher 2 at DraftKings.
Other pitchers to consider: Alex Wood, Steven Matz – both GPP only
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Best MLB DFS Hitters for June 9, 2018
Paul Goldschmidt @ COL ($4.8k DraftKings, $5.3k FanDuel)
Chad Bettis has allowed 17 runs in his last three home starts. And he’s back in Coors again. This article could very realistically just be me listing Diamondbacks to roster, but that isn’t conducive to anything, so we’ll stick to just two. First, Paul Goldschmidt. The former MVP contender is a shell of himself, but my goodness, he has looked good as of late. In his last two games heading into Friday, Goldschmidt went 7-for-9 with four doubles. In over 20 at bats against Bettis in his career, Goldschmidt has managed eight hits, including three doubles, a triple, and a home run.
Over his last three seasons, Goldschmidt has racked at Coors with an OPS of 1.024 and eight home runs out of 34 hits across 108 at bats. Ride Goldschmidt’s hot streak, and rest easy knowing Bettis has allowed five home runs across 27.1 at Coors, and is also allowing a higher OPS to righties than lefties.
David Peralta @ COL ($3.5k DraftKings, $4.3k FanDuel)
If you are interested in going a step beyond Goldschmidt and increasing your exposure to this game, Peralta is another candidate. Over the past three seasons, he’s slashing .320/.380/.483 at Coors Field, and he’s 6-for-11 lifetime against Bettis. He also has three home runs over the last seven days, making him, like Goldschmidt, a Diamondback facing Chad Bettis at Coors at pretty much the perfect time. That said, he’s not on the streak Goldschmidt is, which is why I like Peralta for GPPs and Goldschmidt for any format. And consider stacking the two together, as both are very affordable and in great spots over on DraftKings. As they’re priced up at FanDuel, I think stacking there is more difficult, but also could keep ownership down. Stick with GPPs, though.
Giancarlo Stanton @ NYM ($4.8k DraftKings, $5.0k FanDuel)
With three home runs in his last five games, Giancarlo Stanton is looking more and more like his 2017 self. Stanton is an absolute monster against left-handed pitching, boasting a 1.231 OPS against southpaw pitchers in 2018. Compare that to the .686 OPS he’s earned against righties, and you can see why I really like the power hitter against the Mets’ Steven Matz today. The LHP has faced Stanton 11 times in his career, allowing two home runs in those meetings, and two singles for good measure. That is a strong line but not a huge data set. But given the graveyard of lefties left in Stanton’s wake, coupled with the fact he already has as many home runs as he hit in all of April, Stanton is probably worth paying up for in this spot. I’m especially interested in GPPs where he has more upside than anyone. But he’s also a very important player to watch in your Cash lineups, as I expect he’ll be heavily owned, and you may want to simply roster him and outmaneuver the field elsewhere.
Matt Kemp vs. ATL ($4.0k DraftKings, $4.4k FanDuel)
With all the lefty bats in LA, I can’t help but feel that the veteran outfield may go overlooked as guys instead opt for Max Muncy, Chad Bellinger, or, even the Joc Pederson in this one to get the advantage against the opposing righty pitcher. That could drive Kemp’s ownership down to a much more exploitable percentage, and you could get leverage that way. So why Kemp over the lefties? Over the past three seasons, Anibal Sanchez has actually been worse against right-handed bats than left-handed ones. Righties have earned a .908 OPS against the vet, while lefties have managed just a .750.
Both are solid figures, but not many will set their lineups having considered these splits. Kemp, as of this writing, had hit safely in six consecutive games totaling 10 hits. He’s also hit four home runs over his last nine games, giving him a little boost in upside. Consider Kemp over the Dodgers lefties at both DraftKings and FanDuel, but stick to GPPs.
Other hitters to consider: Freddie Freeman, Logan Forsythe, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Yuli Gurriel, Jose Altuve, George Springer, Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus, Aaron Judge, Charlie Blackmon, Gerardo Parra, Carlos Gonzalez
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MLB DFS Stacks to Consider for June 9, 2018
Dodgers Righties vs. Anibal Sanchez (Braves) – Leverage Play w/ Muncy fade
Astros vs. Mike Minor (Rangers)
Yankees Righties vs. Steven Matz (Mets)
Diamondbacks vs. Chad Bettis (Rockies)
Rockies Lefties vs. Matt Koch (Diamondbacks)
