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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/1/21. Brian Entrekin's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
WE ARE BACK!!!!! Opening Day is here, and we have a nice nine-game slate on tap. There are many aces on the mound with it being Opening Day but do not worry as there are still some great places to attack with bats. Pricing is rather soft of a DK slate. You can get the high-priced pitchers if you like due to all the value with bats or stack the major offenses, even Coors with some discounted yet qualified pitchers. This article will go over some of the plays to target while not giving all the obvious high-priced plays.
When looking at the slate, it comes down to which approach you want to build with; pay up for pitching, pay up for bats, or a little of both. There are too many solid targets to mention in one article, so I highly recommend listening to MLB DFS Quick Hits to get a first look at the slate. Some of the initial standouts are the discounts with bats. The Rockies are very cheap for a game in Coors, even if Kershaw is on the mound. The Rangers and Royals are an interesting game stack as they are both cheap going in a matchup with Keller and Gibson. There are many ways to attack the slate—a fun slate to attack with multiple entries.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/1/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @bdentrek.
DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Kyle Hendricks - P, CHC vs. PIT ($7,700)
Darvish and Glasnow are solid options priced above Hendricks, but Hendricks may have the best overall matchup and situation for his price. Wrigley's weather will be frigid, favoring pitchers, oh and yeah, he is facing the Pirates. A Pirates team that hit .209 versus RHP in 2020, with a .266 wOBA and 64 wRC+. They were putrid. The Pirates also struck out 25.5% of the time vs. RHP. The matchup is great for Hendricks, as well as the fact he is pitching at home. Hendricks has always been a massive home/road splits pitcher, which did not change in 2020. He had a 1.85 ERA at home and a 4.06 ERA on the road. Hendricks can go deep into games, even early in the season, as he threw a complete-game shutout to start 2020. The bottom line, Hendricks is priced too cheap for the matchup. He makes for a locked-in cash game play with tournament upside.
Nate Eovaldi - P, BOS vs BAL ($6,500) - POSTPONED
If looking for a punt today, it is all about Eovaldi. We all know Eovaldi can be good for four or so runs over five to six innings, but he can also strike out eight or so, leading to a solid DK outing at his price point. In 2020 the Orioles hit .261 versus RHP while striking out nearly 23% of the time. The current Orioles lineup does not have a ton of history versus Eovaldi. They have 77 career at-bats, hitting .260 with a .078 ISO while striking out 27% of the time. Eovaldi looked very sharp this spring, and that should carry over in a nice matchup at Fenway today and a very nice price point.
Other Options: Yu Darvish (SD vs AZ) $10,400, Luis Castillo (CIN vs STL) $9,200, Brandon Woodruff (MIL vs MIN) $8,000, Sandy Alcantara (MIA vs TB) $6,500, Brad Keller (KC vs TEX) $5,900
DraftKings DFS Infielders
Will Smith - C, LAD at German Marquez ($4,600)
I usually do not pay up for catcher, but this is a great spot to do so today. Overall, the position is not great, and later this season, we could all see Smith potentially priced over $5,000 versus Marquez. In Smith's brief career, he has hit at least .274 with an ISO of .350 and a wRC+ of 158 versus RHP. Now he gets to open the season in wonderful Coors Field, not summer Coors but still Coors, in a matchup vs. Marquez. The matchup is not ideal, but the bullpen will be. If stacking up the popular Dodgers, do not forget Smith, as he will likely get overlooked at the catcher position in the stack.
Other Options: Elias Diaz (COL vs LAD) $2,700
Bobby Dalbec - 1B/3B, BOS vs John Means ($4,000) - POSTPONED
I have preached the struggles of rostering Dalbec in season-long formats, but here we are in DFS, and he fits the mold oh so well. Dalbec had a monster spring where he hit .286 with seven home runs and a 1.165 OPS. He'll have a matchup versus the lefty Means today, and that will favor Dalbec a lot. Last season Dalbec hit .296 versus LHP with a .433 wOBA and .444 ISO. Dalbec also had an FB% of 69.2%, HR/FB% of 33.3%, and a hard-hit rate of 53.8% versus LHP. Dalbec has never faced Means, but he should like Means 21.4% HR/FB versus RHH last season. Dalbec makes for a great GPP piece in a nice Red Sox stack.
Other Options: C.J. Cron (COL vs. LAD) $3,800
Garrett Hampson - 2B, COL vs. Clayton Kershaw ($2,900)
The Rockies are just too darn cheap for Coors field, and I do not care if Kershaw is pitching. Hampson below $3K is a crime; below $4K would be silly. He should be in the lineup, I have to say this as the Rockies are known to do dumb things in great spots, and he should thrive. He is hitting .400 in his short career versus Kershaw with a home run and two stolen bases. The play on Hampson is strictly a price point play. A player in Coors Field, in a great spot, below $3K. If Hampson reaches base once, steals a bag, and scores a run, he will beyond pay off his price tag. I expect more than that today, and I would have Hampson in many lineups today, especially if he is hitting near the top of the order.
Other Options: Kike Hernández (BOS vs BAL) $2,900, Nick Solak (TEX at KC) $2,900
Alec Bohm - 3B, PHI vs. Max Fried ($3,100)
Last season DK had a problem-pricing Bohm appropriately, and that apparently has not changed in 2021. Bohm will hit in the middle of the order, a potent order, and should not be priced at $3100. Last season Bohm hit .338 with a .381 wOBA and a 46% hard-hit rate. When Bohm faced LHP, the power really came to the plate as his wOBA jumped to .362 with a .243 ISO and a .352 wOBA. Bohm is a near-cash lock today, but watch the weather as it looks to be pretty wet in Philadelphia, and if the conditions worsen, a pivot may be necessary today.
Other Options: Hunter Dozier (KC vs. TEX) $4,100
Corey Seager - SS, LAD at German Marquez ($5,600)
The shortstop position is beyond loaded today, as you can tell by the other options section, and that does not even name all the options in play. I circled Seager as he is in Coors in a phenomenal situation. Last season Seager hit .322 versus RHP with a .416 wOBA and a 53.3% hard-hit rate. He picked up right where he left off this spring, hitting .347 with EIGHT home runs and a 1.265 OPS. He was locked in during the 2020 season and appears ready to rake once again in 2021. Seager should be a staple today in cash games and Dodgers stacks.
Other Options: Trevor Story (COL vs LAD) $5,500, Xander Bogaerts (BOS vs BAL) $5,400, Isiah Kiner-Falefa (TEX at KC) $3,500
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Wil Myers - OF, SD vs. Madison Bumgarner ($4,700)
I absolutely love Myers today. To some, he is priced too high, but for me, he makes for a nice, potentially lower rostered piece of the Padres action. Myers was healthy in 2020, and the offensive production followed, especially versus LHP. He hit .328 with a .328 ISO and .433 wOBA vs. lefties in 2020. Myers also gets to face a pitcher he loves facing in Bumgarner. Myers has a .286 ISO with four home runs and even three stolen bases versus Bumgarner. The average is not ideal, but the DFS production is, not to mention the overall history was during Bumgarner's good years; he is not that pitcher anymore. I look for Myers to pick up from his hot spring start where he hit .395 with five home runs, so get him in your lineups.
Joey Gallo - OF, TEX at Brad Keller ($3,600)
Gallo at $3600 is just offensive. Did he have a down 2020? Sure, but he still should not be $3,600 versus Keller. He has a career .348 wOBA and .287 ISO versus RHP and a 27.2% HR/FB. Gallo was not healthy this spring, and it showed as the power was not prevalent even though many of the statcast metrics were still there for Gallo. Well, this spring, he appears to be feeling good again, hitting .316, yes, not a typo, with nine XBH (six home runs). He will face Keller today, who was better last season and limited damage in a big way. On the flip side, Keller let many balls in play by only striking out 14.1% of the lefties he faced with a 4.30 FIP. I love Gallo at his price point today, and I will be all in for Gallo to find the fountains in KC today.
Jorge Soler - OF, KC vs. Kyle Gibson ($2,800)
Well, look at that, another mispriced player today, THERE ARE A TON. Soler will be hitting in the middle of the Royals lineup, a lineup I look to the stack today, and should not be cheaper than $3K. Last year Soler had a bit of a down season but still had a .223 ISO and a .335 wOBA vs. RHP, definitely play versus RHP. He will be facing Gibson, who gets hit by everyone and in 2020 allowed RHH to hit .283 with a .350 wOBA. He has allowed over one HR/9 to RHH in each season back to 2016, and I think we will see that continue, starting today with a nice Royals stack. Soler hit .286 with five home runs this swing, so look for him with his way too cheap price tag to light up the scoreboard with the Royals on Opening Day.
OUTFIELDERS FOR DAYS!!!!!
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- COORS Field Colorado Rockies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (German Marquez, RHP vs. Clayton Kershaw, LHP)
- Kansas City Royals vs. Texas Rangers (Kyle Gibson, RHP)
- San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (Madison Bumgarner, LHP)
- Sneaky Stack - Texas Rangers at Kansas City Royals (Brad Keller, RHP), Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (Chad Kuhl, RHP)
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