RADIO
We've got a ten game featured slate this Sunday on DraftKings. COL @ TEX boasts the highest run total at a 10.5 O/U, while WAS @ TOR and MIN @ CLE come in behind it at a 9.5 O/U. The Colorado bats should definitely be our focus on this slate, as they face a very bad pitcher, Yovani Gallardo, on a very hot day in Arlington.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 6/17/18. The lineup picks 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 too. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @ElliottBaasBB.
DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Dylan Bundy, BAL (vs. MIA) - $10,500
Bundy gets the easiest matchup in baseball against the Miami Marlins, who rank dead last in wOBA versus right-handed pitching at .286. They also have a 23.6% strikeout rate against righties, which is great for Bundy who strikes out batters at a 27.3% rate. Bundy has recovered nicely since his May 8th disaster outing against the Royals with a 2.09 ERA, 3.62 FIP, and 3.9 K/BB ratio in the six starts after that start against the Royals. The blowup chance always exists, but Bundy’s worth the risk against the Marlins at this price.
Anthony DeSclafani, CIN (@ PIT) - $6,500
DeSclafani shook the rust off last time out, pitching five innings and allowing just two earned runs with six strikeouts. The last time we saw DeSclafani he had a 3.28 ERA and 3.5 K/BB ratio in 2016 for the Reds, and if that pitcher shows up Sunday we’ve got quite a bargain against the Pirates. It’s also big positive park shift for DeSclafani, who goes from the second most homer-friendly park in the majors (per ESPN Park Factors) to the seventh least homer-friendly. The Pirates are a middling offense against righties with a .313 wOBA and .155 ISO collectively.
DraftKings DFS Infielders
C – Tom Murphy, COL (@ TEX) - $3,300
The Rockies aren’t in Coors, but they’re still in a great spot to do some damage this Sunday against Yovani Gallardo. Since 2016 Gallardo has a 5.81 ERA, 5.36 FIP, 1.4 K/BB ratio, and has allowed 1.5 HR/9. It’s going to be around 95 degrees at game time in Arlington, creating the best hitting environment on the slate. Murphy had a .353 ISO and 152 wRC+ at Triple-A before promotion and possesses considerable power for a catcher. If Murphy isn’t in the lineup then Chris Iannetta ($3,500 @ TEX) or John Hicks ($3,300 @ CWS) would be solid plays instead.
1B – Jose Abreu, CWS (vs. DET) - $4,000
Jose Abreu has a career .384 wOBA and .238 ISO against left-handed pitching and gets a favorable matchup against Blaine Hardy. Hardy has a 4.26 SIERA and 4.47 xFIP, and despite a decent 3.0 K/BB ratio this season in a small sample size, his career 2.12 K/BB ratio is quite poor over a larger sample. This is also a negative park shift for Hardy, so we’ll see if his 6.7% HR/FB ratio holds up in Guaranteed Rate Field.
2B – Niko Goodrum, DET (@ CWS) - $3,200
Goodrum gets a great matchup against James Shields, who continues to deteriorate with a 5.09 SIERA and 1.79 K/BB ratio on the season. Goodrum does a little bit of everything. He’s got some power with a .213 ISO, some speed with six steals, and he gets on base with a 10% walk rate. He does enough to give us a solid floor with upside at a low price on this slate.
3B – Nolan Arenado, COL (@ TEX) - $4,900
There are some bad pitchers on this slate, but Yovani Gallardo is in a class of terribleness all by himself. That’s why Colorado’s big bats are worth paying for, even outside of Coors Field. Areando still has a .884 OPS and 135 wRC+ on the road this season, and the ball should fly on a June afternoon in Texas against Gallardo.
SS – Trevor Story, COL (@ TEX) - $4,700
Story is hitting .500 with eight extra-base hits over the last seven days, and that’s including four games away from Coors Field. He’s been the Rockies’ cleanup hitter in most games and should have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs against Gallardo and the Rangers’ bullpen on Sunday.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
OF – Charlie Blackmon, COL (@ TEX) - $5,300
Blackmon is the final piece to our four player Rockies’ stack against Gallardo. He doesn’t suffer from massive home-away splits either, as Blackmon has a .319 ISO and 132 wRC+ against right-handed pitching on the road this season.
OF – Nicholas Castellanos, DET (@ CWS) - $4,200
Fresh off a two-homer game, Castellanos gives us more exposure to James Shields. The Tigers are a hard team to stack because their lineup quality is so poor, but Castellanos is the Tigers’ best hitter with a .305/.347/.470 batting line this season and a monster 30% line drive rate. He’s the Tiger we want against a mediocre starting pitcher.
OF – Franmil Reyes, SD (@ ATL) - $3,400
Reyes has magnificent power, and he has smacked 20 home runs between the majors and the minors this season. Since being promoted he has six home runs and a .247 ISO in 85 PA. Julio Teheran is fresh off the disabled list and ready to give up more home runs, as he’s allowed 14 in 71 innings so far this year with a 5.59 FIP. Like the Tigers, the Padres aren’t a great lineup to stack because of the quality of hitters, but Reyes gives us cheap power against a homer-prone pitcher.
