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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on April 18th, 2022. Euan Leith's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Monday, Rotoballers! DraftKings and FanDuel offer a nine-game schedule for our main contests to kick off the week. We've got some weather to contend with, but plenty of West Coast games and a Coors Field battle if you want to avoid that altogether. This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 4/18/2022 Main Slate locking at 7:05 pm Eastern Time.
The weather will be a huge factor in our contests on Monday. Diamondbacks-Nationals and Giants-Mets have significant risks of precipitation, with the Arizona-Washington contest sitting above 90 percent at the moment. As far as wind, Rays-Cubs is another matchup to monitor as an 18-mile-per-hour wind will blow from left to right across Wrigley Field. So keep an eye on those weather reports!
You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, find me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut and fire away.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Shane McClanahan - P, TB at CHC ($8,100 DraftKings; $9,200 FanDuel)
Strikeouts are king in baseball DFS, and there's no one on the board I would rather roster for Ks than Shane McClanahan. The southpaw hasn't made it five innings in either of his starts this year but still has 15 strikeouts in those nine innings. His 39.5 percent strikeout rate puts the 24-year-old in the 91st percentile in the league, and his expected statistics backup everything else he's doing.
In addition, he went from 68 to 85 pitches between his first and second start, so there's potential for another bump tonight, and it would only result in more DFS points. The Cubs have been viable versus lefties this year, but they haven't seen someone like McClanahan on the mound so far this season.
Josiah Gray - P, WAS vs. ARI ($7,900 DK; $7,800 FD)
The Nationals-Diamondbacks game has a 90 percent chance of precipitation, but the forecast only calls for a drizzling rain. As a result, I'm still recommending Josiah Gray as a pitcher to consider in your player pool. The 24-year-old has potential, which he showed in his previous start on the road versus the Braves.
Gray fired five innings of scoreless baseball with one hit and three walks allowed while striking out five batters. He also upped his curveball and slider usage, producing positive results. The curveball came away with a 36 percent CSW rate (Called Strikes+Whiff rate), and the slider was at 55 percent (but only on 11 pitches). If Gray can continue to make strides in his repertoire, he should turn in a good evening versus an Arizona outfit, striking out 28 percent of the time to righties in 2022.
Others to consider (DK): Clayton Kershaw vs. ATL ($10,300), Sean Manaea vs. CIN ($9,100), Alex Cobb at NYM ($7,500), Frankie Montas vs. BAL ($7,300)
Others to consider (FD): Luis Garcia vs. LAA ($6,700)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Luke Voit - 1B, SD vs. Nick Lodolo ($3,300 DK; $2,900 FD)
As far as starts with a new team go, Luke Voit isn't having a great one. Through 10 games, the slugging designated hitter is slashing .176/349/.206 with five runs, a double, four RBI, a stolen base, and an 8:14 K:BB (strikeout to walk) ratio. However, all hope is not lost as it's only been 10 games, and he's still sitting right in the heart of a dangerous Padres lineup. At $3,300 on DraftKings, I can't pass that type of ceiling up. Especially when facing a left-handed rookie on the mound, Cincinnati's Nick Lodolo, who gave up five runs and two long balls in his major league debut last week.
Jose Altuve - 2B, HOU vs. Michael Lorenzen ($5,500 DK; $3,400 FD)
The second base spot is tough to crack tonight, so I'm going with an old reliable in Jose Altuve. The 2017 MVP is only batting .156 with a .500 OPS to begin the year, but the Astros are finally playing their first home game of the year, and this will bring better days for the 31-year-old. In 2021, Houston's leadoff man blasted 19 of his 31 long balls while playing at home, and he was a lot better at home than on the road in several other hitting categories.
| 2021: Jose Altuve Batting Splits | ||||
| Venue | Avg | OPS | ISO | wRC+ |
| Minute Maid Park | 0.296 | 0.932 | 0.262 | 155 |
| Road | 0.261 | 0.75 | 0.163 | 105 |
Additionally, I have a feeling Michael Lorenzen will be a popular SP2 on today's slate, and getting a couple of Astros in your lineup will give managers some unexpected leverage against the rest of the field.
Alec Bohm - 3B, PHI at Chad Kuhl ($3,600 DK; $3,200 FD)
The great thing about writing for RotoBaller is there are a ton of sharp minds around this place. One of them, Kev Mahserejian, summed up my feelings on Alec Bohm in a simple tweet.
Alec Bohm in 2022
7/9, 4 RBI, 3 runs, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts
Phillies gotta find a way to either play him everyday or trade him. Defense be damned, he can hit
— Kev Mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) April 17, 2022
Now, we get the hot-hitting Bohm at a discount and some Coors Field exposure. It's worth mentioning he's only started three of the Phillies' 10 games this year, but if you see him on the lineup card, I would have zero hesitation and smash him into your lineups.
Wander Franco - SS, TB at Kyle Hendricks ($5,500 DK; $3,600 FD)
As I scrolled my way through fantasy baseball twitter during the first 10 days of the season, I got a weird sense that people are disappointed with Wander Franco's start to the 2022 campaign. Well, if a .381/.386/.548 slash line is not living up to par, then I think a lot of us are failing at life. Yes, he hasn't hit a home run yet, but five doubles and a triple will do more than enough for DFS managers. Of course, the home runs will come, but I'm fine if he keeps racking up the extra-base hits in the meantime.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Bryce Harper - OF, PHI at Chad Kuhl ($6,200 DK; $4,200 FD)
While Alec Bohm is (hopefully) our discount Coors bat, there's no denying the form Bryce Harper is in right now. Since Apr. 13, when he hit his first home run of the year, the two-time National League MVP is reminding us exactly why he won that award in 2021. He's 6-for-19 with three doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, and a stolen base. The 1.206 OPS further exemplifies just how well Harper saw the ball last week, and we won't expect that to slow down with a visit to the Mile High City on the schedule.
In 27 games at Coors Field, the left-handed slugger owns a .362/.460/.648 career-slash line. That'll do nicely, even with the elevated price tag for Monday's contests.
Connor Joe - OF, COL vs. Aaron Nola ($4,000 DK; $3,700 FD)
Keep. Playing. Connor. Joe. While he's risen from the days of his $3,000 salary, he is still worth a look on both sites. In seven home games this season, the 29-year-old has a 1.045 OPS with a double, a triple, a home run, four runs, three RBI, and a stolen base. If you want to avoid a full-blown game-stack for Colorado tonight, Joe is my favorite option considering the saving you can get on the outfielder above (Bryce Harper) and some of the other Philly and Rockies bats.
Jeff McNeil - 2B/OF, NYM vs. Alex Cobb ($3,700 DK; $2,900 FD)
While I won't enjoy rooting against Alex Cobb (who I like), it's hard to ignore McNeil as the leadoff man for the Mets at $3,700 on DraftKings. He seems locked into the role whenever a right-handed pitcher is on the mound, so I'm taking these savings and spending them elsewhere. He reached base twice in every game of the weekend series versus Arizona and seems primed to score more runs soon, considering his .444 on-base percentage. Also, if you have too many options in your outfield this evening, you can slide him in as your second baseman and load up on some big boppers in the outfield.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago Cubs (Kyle Hendricks, RHP)
The Rays love to play the platoon game almost more than any franchise in the league, and I fully expect them to use it to their advantage versus Kyle Hendricks. Brandon Lowe, Wander Franco, Ji-Man Choi, Josh Lowe, and Francisco Mejia are all options to explore in the Tampa lineup.
Hendricks had a coming-back-to-Earth performance against the Pirates last time out, and while it may not get that ugly against the Rays, I expect multiple runs coming out of the top half of this lineup. I won't be afraid to have three of the players previously mentioned on my DFS team.
San Diego Padres vs. Cincinnati Reds (Nick Lodolo, LHP)
The Padres are punishing left-handed pitching through the first 10 days of the 2022 season. They are one of 10 teams with at least 100 plate appearances versus southpaws, and they'll get a few more under their belt against Lodolo on Monday. Through those 101 PAs, San Diego owns a 127 wRC+, .221 ISO, and .348 wOBA against lefties. I mentioned Luke Voit as a cheap right-handed bat to get in, but Manny Machado has the chance to be a great anchor for any hitting lineup you put together.
Los Angeles Angels at Houston Astros (Luis Garcia, RHP) - Sneaky Stack
I didn't mention a single Angels pitcher in the player recommendation portion of today's picks, but they are a sneaky contrarian stack in tournaments. Shohei Ohtani showed off some power over the weekend...
The second home run of the night for Shohei Ohtani! pic.twitter.com/dGnY66G2Ga
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) April 16, 2022
After a weekend series in Dallas, the Halos sit with a .842 team OPS versus righties and have found their offensive groove. We will need to see if Mike Trout (hand) is in the lineup. Still, there are plenty of cheaper bats to fill around Ohtani, with Jared Walsh, Anthony Rendon, and Brandon Marsh more than capable of combining to hurt Astros pitcher Luis Garcia during Houston's home opener.
As always, COORS!!!
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