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We are closing in on the first weekend of MLB and on this Sunday we have a 10 game Main Slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 4/10/2022 Main Slate at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. The lineup will range from some elite players to mid-priced options, and value plays.
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 @Mark_Kieffer and ask away!
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Zach Eflin- P, PHI vs. OAK ($7,700 DK, $8,000 FD)
The Oakland offense is one that we can look to target against in DFS this season. They have scored just seven runs in two games and they are sporting a team 34.8% K% this season so far. Obviously, that's a really short time frame, but they have struck out the most out of all the teams this first weekend in the MLB season. We have Zach Eflin going against this squad. Last year he had a K% of 22.4% and a BB% of just 3.6%. He should get a strikeout boost and be in line for a win, two things I value when looking at a potential starting pitcher to use in cash games.
Freddy Peralta- P, MIL @ CHC ($10,200 DK, $10,400 FD)
In the early season when pitchers aren't fully stretched out, it is difficult for me to pay up for starting pitching when I know their upside is somewhat limited. That said, Freddy Peralta is arguably the best pitcher on the slate and is deserving of being the highest-priced pitcher on both sites. Last year he had a 33.6% K% and a 9.7% BB% (K-BB% of 24.0%). The walks are a little bit of a concern for me. I like his elite K% but if he is going to walk a lot of guys that can really kill a start. The Cubs have one of the lowest implied totals on the slate (3.7) and Peralta should be a popular play on the slate. I would consider him as an SP or SP1 (DraftKings) in a cash game but might consider fading in GPPs depending on his ownership.
Michael Kopech- P, CWS @ DET ($5,600 DK, $8,000 FD) | DraftKings only
Michael Kopech has elite numbers but is going to be limited for possibly three or four innings today. Potentially five if he is efficient with his pitches, but likely not being in line for a win eliminates him from my FanDuel options today. Last year Kopech had a 36.1% K% and an 8.4% BB% (K-BB% of 27.7%). That is some video game type of numbers here. Detroit in the early season is No.4 in the MLB with a strikeout rate of 30.7%. With those ratios, he could get somewhere between four and seven strikeouts even in a limited start. I don't mind deploying him as an SP2 in a GPP on DraftKings where his salary will allow me to get some good bats on the slate. I would not pay $8K for him on FanDuel as he will likely not get a win nor a quality start.
Others to consider (FanDuel): Ian Anderson ($8,500), Bailey Ober ($7,200), Kris Bubic ($7,000)
Others to consider (DraftKings): Tarik Skubal ($8,700), Bailey Ober ($8,400), Corey Kluber ($7,400)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Bobby Witt Jr. - 3B, KC vs. Cal Quantrill ($2,100 DK, $2,500 FD)
Heading into the season, Bobby Witt Jr. is someone who many people thought had 20/20 if not 30/30 potential. He is just one for eight to start the season with one RBI and one run scored. He is projected to bat second in the order against Cal Quantrill, someone who had a 4.52 SIERA and a K-BB% of just 12.0%. The Royals are implied for 4.5 runs and Witt has been hitting second in the order. Taking the combination of potential, pitcher faced, implied run total, the spot in the order, and price, it's hard to find someone that is a better value on this slate than Bobby Witt Jr.
Didi Gregorius - SS, PHI vs. Daulton Jefferies ($3,800 DK, $2,200 FD)
Didi Gregorius is likely going to bat 6th in the order in a game in which the Phillies are implied for 5.5 runs. This will likely be a popular stack in GPPs, but the 1-5 spots are expensive. I like the idea of getting a value bat in that lineup that is still batting in the top two-thirds of the lineup. Gregorius' production has dropped off, he hit just .209 on the season last year, but he is always a home run threat (his ISO was still .160 last year). He is a better play on FanDuel than DraftKings for sure but even on DraftKings, I would consider him a value because after him, the power potential drop-off is sharp in players below his price range. Most of the good Shortstops are priced $4K-$5k on DraftKings and while Gregorius may not be a great fantasy shortstop over the course of the season, we just need him to be today.
Robinson Cano - 2B, NYM vs. Erick Fedde ($2,400 DK, $2,200 FD)
It feels weird recommending Robinson Cano but it is similar to recommending Didi Gregorius above. He is inexpensive on both sites, the Mets are projected to score a bunch of runs (5.2 implied runs), and he is batting sixth in the order as well most likely if he plays (he did not start yesterday). Cano is 3-7 with two runs and two RBI this season. If he is in the lineup, I am willing to take a shot here at some value.
Pete Alonso - 1B, NYM vs. Erick Fedde ($4,600 DK, $3,800 FD) | Better on DraftKings
Pete Alonso is a better play on DraftKings where he is in a similar spot to Vlad Guerrero Jr. ($6K), Jose Abreu ($5.2K), and Rhys Hoskins ($5K) but less expensive. On FanDuel he is the second most expensive of those three and Hoskins at $3.3K is probably the better play. Going back to Alonso, the analysis is simple: this dude hits bombs and Erick Fedde is someone who is liable to give up bombs (1.55 HR/9 last season). Fedde also had a 13.6% K-BB% last year along with a 4.30 SIERA. Fedde also did have a 35.7% hard-hit rate which is the third-highest on the slate. Likely batting fourth on one of the higher projected teams is a good spot to be in.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. - OF, TOR vs. Spencer Howard ($3,800 DK, $3,100 FD)
Spencer Howard is a pitcher we want to target against with his 10.9% K-BB%, 4.80 SIERA, and 34.7% hard-hit rate against last year. Toronto is implied for the most runs on the slate and should be a popular stack. Also, most of that 1-5 stack is $5-$6K except for Gurriel who may hit 5th in the order and is coming in below $4k on both sites for us today. Last year, Gurriel had a .190 ISO and a 0.333 wOBA. He's solid going against a terrible pitcher, likely to be followed up by a terrible bullpen.
Eloy Jimenez - OF, CWS vs. Tarik Skubal ($4,400 DK, $3,500 FD)
Tarik Skubal is an interesting play. He has strikeout upside but he also gave up a lot of hard contact last year (38.4%) and had a 2.11 HR/9. Eloy does strike out quite a bit (24.7% K%) but he has flashed some serious power upside as well. In 2019 he had a .246 ISO, in a shortened 2020 he had a .263 ISO, but in an injury-shortened 2021, his ISO dipped to .188, which is good but not as high as before. Nevertheless, the White Sox are implied for 4.6 runs and Jimenez is hitting 4th. He is much less expensive than any of the batters in the lineup in the 1-3 spots and is in just as good of a spot as them at this price.
Marcell Ozuna - OF, ATL vs. Hunter Greene ($3,700 DK, $3,000 FD)
Marcell Ozuna is 4-11 with one RBI so far on the season. He had three hits last night. Hunter Greene is a 22-year-old prospect making his MLB debut. In Spring Training he had a 7.00 ERA in nine innings pitched. Atlanta is implied for 5.6 runs on this slate. In addition to Atlanta facing a rookie SP, the game is 67 degrees, and that park in the early season tends to give up runs. Ozuna is projected to bat 4th and is one of the least expensive options in this lineup.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Atlanta Braves vs. Cincinnati Reds (Hunter Greene, RHP)
I have alluded to it earlier, but this is one of the best spots on the slate. Not only are the Braves facing a rookie SP, backed by a bad bullpen, but the weather in this game is arguably the nicest with a game temperature of 67 degrees. The Braves are implied for 5.6 runs, the second-highest on the slate. You can pick any combination of four or five batters in this lineup and have a pretty good stack as this lineup is deep.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Texas Rangers (Spencer Howard, RHP)
Spencer Howard is a pitcher that when you see he is starting, you just lock in against him. The Blue Jays are implied for 5.9 runs, the highest on the slate. I would stack anyone 1-7 assuming we have Springer-Bichette-Vlad- Teoscar-Gurriel-Kirk-Chapman in the 1-7 spot. They will probably be chalky so you will want to find a way to get different with this stack. Perhaps it's going 3-7 or 2-6.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Oakland A's (Daulton Jeffries, RHP)
Daulton Jeffries is bad. Just a 6.9% K-BB% and a 4.94 SIERA last year. It was just five games though. Ok fine, then fade the numbers, and let's just say he's a 26-year-old rookie and that doesn't sound good either. Harper-Castellanos-Hoskins are a must as part of your stack if playing the Phillies. I like Schwarber if he's batting at the top too. If playing on DraftKings, you will probably want to include Realmuto as part of the stack as you need a catcher. The Phillies should have a great day here.
New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals (Erick Fedde, RHP)
I have talked up the Mets in the top portion of the article by mentioning Alonso and Cano. Nimmo-Marte-Lindor-Alonso-Escobar make for a good stack here. One could swap one of the five for Cano for salary relief if he is indeed batting 6th in the order.
Minnesota Twins vs. Seattle Mariners (Marco Gonzales, LHP) - Sneaky Stack
The Twins will be overlooked here but Gonzales is vulnerable. Buxton-Polanco-Urshela hit lefties hard. The ISOs against lefties the last two seasons of these three are the following: Byron Buxton - .310, Jorge Polanco - .220, Gio Urshela - .180. Carlos Correa and Miguel Sano have higher ISOs against RHP than LHP. You can add one or both to round out a stack here. I would not play this stack if only making 1-3 lineups, but it is one I'd have exposure to get be contrarian as I would expect most of the field to be on Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and the New York Mets.
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