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We have a busy Thursday this week with 11 games starting at varying times of the day. The game in Pittsburgh starts at 12:35 Eastern, so FanDuel's answer was to chop up the six early games into tournaments of three games and three games. DK left the Pittsburgh game off entirely. So what do we do? Um...I don't know. I just work here.
This article contains my picks for the five-game early slate on June 29, 2023, for DraftKings and the early and very early FanDuel slates, which lock at 2:05 PM ET on DraftKings and 12:35 ET on FanDuel. We have no make-up games and no doubleheaders today. For the first time in a while, we also have no projected rain on this slate, so enjoy it!
The lineup picks will range from some elite high-priced players to mid-priced options and value plays. I'll give you a few of my top pitching options and then some infielders, outfielders, and teams to stack. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Clarke Schmidt, NYY at OAK ($8,200 DK, $7,700 FD early)
I was all ready to go with Jon Gray here, but Texas moved Cody Bradford into the start instead which leaves us without an ace. The Biebs hasn't been an ace against KC in his career. I don't blame you if you chase it here though. The Royals are atrocious.
So I end up taking a step down to Schmidt, who might not be much of a step down. Schmidt hasn't allowed more than three runs since May 14, allowing only nine earned runs in seven starts since. He doesn't pile up the strikeouts, but we just saw the much-maligned Domingo German pitch the first perfect game in 11 years against this very team last night. You can do much worse than Schmidt.
Hogan Harris, OAK vs. NYY ($5,900 DK, $7,300 FD early)
I'm a sucker for home Greinke, but I'm also a sucker for lefties against the Yankees. They are only hitting .221 against lefties this year and rank dead last against southpaws in K% and batting average over the last month. A lot of that has to do with Aaron Judge not being in the lineup, but not all of it.
I'm willing to take the chance with Harris because he has been good at racking up strikeouts. Add in the Yankees' recent struggles, and we have a good fantasy floor without a ton of risk. The cavernous home stadium doesn't hurt either. Harris has a .156 batting average against in four home appearances this year, and that's including his game against the Mets in his debut back in April when he allowed six runs while recording just one out.
Others to consider: Zack Greinke ($6,600 DK, $7,400 FD) vs. CLE
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Salvador Perez - C, KC vs. CLE ($5,100 DK, $2,800 FD very early)
Getting different is how you take down GPPs. Paying up for a catcher on either site is becoming more and more unusual, especially on a smaller slate when people want to pay for pitching. Perez might be worth paying for here. Three of his five hits in 20 tries against Shane Bieber have left the yard. Bieber has hit the skids again lately, allowing nine runs over his last two starts with four homers allowed. Don't be surprised if Salvy takes him deep again.
Christian Walker - 1B, ARI vs. TB ($4,800 DK, $3,400 FD early)
Walker extended his hitting streak to 12 games last night. He has three homers, 12 RBI, six runs scored, and three steals during the streak and has hit pretty much everyone. Yonny Chirnos was thumped by the lowly Royals in his last start and wasn't sharp against the Padres in his last appearance before that. Look for Walker's streak to get to 13 games today.
Josh Donaldson - 3B, NYY at OAK ($3,100 DK, $2,700 FD)
Donaldson was hitless in six consecutive games before the Yankees gave him an extended rest in the Texas series over the weekend. It seems that it paid off. Donaldson has a homer and three RBI in the first two games of this series against his former team and gets to face another lefty today. He has too much talent to stay this cold forever.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Shohei Ohtani - OF/1B(DK) - OF(FD), LAA vs. CWS ($6,500 DK, $4,600 FD early)
Ohtani is a blistering 10-for-21 (.476) with three homers in his career against Lance Lynn. As if that isn't enough. Ohtani has back-to-back three-hit games and has piled up 13 hits in the last six games with four homers, six RBI, six runs scored, and even a steal for good measure. If Ohtani is in the Angels' lineup, he will be in every single one of mine as well.
Luis Robert Jr. - OF, CWS at LAA ($4,600 DK, $3,600 FD early)
Robert is on an epic heater right now. He has eight hits in the last five games with five homers, seven RBI, and six runs scored. "Only" two of those homers are in the first three games of this series, but he gets to face a lefty today. Robert is hitting 107 points higher against lefties this year with six homers in only 62 at-bats. I'm riding his hot streak again!
Jose Siri - OF, TB at ARI ($3,500 DK, $3,500 FD early)
I love the discount on DraftKings. On FanDuel, I think you can get better value elsewhere (like Robert). I definitely want some Rays exposure against rookie Brandon Pfaadt, who carries an 8.37 ERA through five major league starts. Siri is the hottest of the Rays right now, clubbing three homers in the last five games while driving in six. That makes the discount on DK all the more peculiar...and all the more necessary for our lineups.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Los Angeles Angels vs. Lance Lynn
We're learning visually today. Take a peep at this right quick.
Shohei Ohtani is a must, and even though Trout and Moose are struggling a bit, these numbers can't be ignored. I don't know that I'll make it a full five-man stack, but those three and Mickey Moniak will be in my stack lineup and scattered throughout the others.
Also consider: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Brandon Pfaadt
Pfaadt will settle down sooner or later, but the 8.37 ERA speaks for itself. The Rays are a pesky team that won't make anything easy for him. Use any Rays you can afford, specifically the guys on hot streaks such as Siri, Randy Arozarena, and Yandy Diaz.
Sneaky stack: Detroit Tigers vs. Cody Bradford
The young lefty has been solid since a rough debut against the Braves, but he pitched in Monday's game against this same team. It was only two batters, but I get nervous when a team sees a youngster twice in the same series. Many will be on the Texas side of this with a horde of Detroit right-handed batters providing some cheap leverage. Andy Ibanez and the red-hot Matt Vierling are my main targets.
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