RADIO
Happy Opening Day! Baseball is back, and that means it's time to build some lineups. We've got a nearly full slate of games and several different contests being offered across DraftKings, so you'll have lots of different lineup options. For our purposes, the following picks have been made for contests running all day.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 3/29/18. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @TroyKlauder.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Danny Duffy vs CWS, $7,700
Opening Day always makes for some interesting scenarios in DFS, because every team is staring their best pitcher, so there are plenty of aces available to choose from. While many DFS players are chasing the expensive top-tier pitchers, I recommend Duffy as a contrarian play. He'll come much cheaper than the aces, which allows you to spend big on bats, and Duffy should be able to put up a strong start of his own. The White Sox lineup is nothing to be afraid of, so Duffy should be able to roll through them with no issues. Some DFS players will pass over Duffy because of the injury worry, and this will put him at low ownership, but Duffy says he's healthy and he's good to go for Opening Day. This means that you can get a good start from Duffy at a low price and low ownership - not much more you can ask for!
Garrett Richards at OAK, $6,800
Richards is another cheap starter who I love on Thursday. Richards' low price on Thursday is puzzling, as he has always been dominant when healthy, shown by his ridiculous 2.28 ERA in six starts last year. Oakland is one of the best parks to pitch in, and the new-and-improved Angels lineup gives him a great chance at a win. This might be the cheapest that Richards comes all year, so take advantage while you can.
DraftKings DFS Infielders
Evan Gattis - C, at TEX, $3,300
Houston's lineup is one of the best in baseball, and now that he has an everyday role, Evan Gattis is a fantastic option at catcher. He has the opportunity to rack up runs and RBI against washed-up Cole Hamels, who posted a 4.20 ERA last year. The Astros should have a big day against him in Texas, a ballpark that hugely favors batters, so pairing Gattis with another Astros hitter would be a smart strategy.
Logan Morrison - 1B, at BAL, $4,100
In case you missed it, Morrison mashed 38 homers last year, and he now has a spot in the middle of the Twins order. Oriole Park is probably the best place for Morrison to start his season, as it is one of the best parks in baseball for lefty power. Prepare yourself for a big day out of LoMo.
Josh Harrison - 2B, at DET, $4,000
Jordan Zimmermann is probably the worst pitcher on Thursday's slate - it really displays the current state of the Tigers when they roll out a guy who had a 6.08 ERA in 29 starts last season. Harrison should lead off for the Pirates, which means he will get lots of plate appearances. More plate appearances = more chances for hits, runs, and RBI.
Maikel Franco - 3B, at ATL, $3,100
If you're a believer in spring training stats, note that Franco hit six home runs this spring. Franco is a cheap power flier against Julio Teheran, who gave up homers at a staggering 1.48 HR/9 rate last year. At this low of a price, he's worth a shot.
Javier Baez - SS, at MIA, $3,700
On the surface, it looks like Marlins starter Jose Urena had himself a pretty solid 2017. However, he had just a 15.6% K-rate and an 8.8% walk-rate last year, which led to a 5.20 FIP. Urena's got some serious regression on the way, which makes Baez (and other Cubs) an attractive play. Baez can give you points in many different ways, as he's got both power and speed, and the loaded Cubs lineup will provide him with ample runs and RBI.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Giancarlo Stanton - OF, at TOR, $5,300
Why not? The best part about DFS is that even if you didn't land Stanton in any of your full-season drafts, you can have him whenever you want in your DraftKings lineups. Stanton is very expensive, but if you can make room in your budget for him, it will be more than worth it. He put up an absurd 202 wRC+ against lefties last year, and is facing off against southpaw J.A. Happ on Thursday.
Ryan Braun - OF, at SD, $4,300
Last year, Padres starter Clayton Richard gave up an .899 OPS to righties. Ryan Braun bats right-handed, and he'll be facing off against Richard on Thursday. See what I'm getting at here?
Eddie Rosario - OF, at BAL, $3,500
Rosario had a monster second-half in 2017, batting .292 with 17 homers. Like his teammate Morrison, Rosario should reap the benefits of a great hitter's park, and Rosario is priced much cheaper than he deserves to be. Even if you're not running a full Twins stack, Rosario is a nice standalone play.
