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The top FanDuel daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for 4/12/17 by Tom Vecchio. Expert MLB DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for FanDuel.
There's a really strong 10-game main slate today. With no standout ace on the mound, there will be plenty of pitchers to try and attack. There are great options at every position, whether you are looking for cash game options or GPP stacks. Always be sure to check twitter to verify you players are in the starting lineups. Sit back, read up, and let's win some contests.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel on 4/12/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on FanDuel.
You can read our DraftKings and Yahoo DFS lineup picks as well. Feel free to reach out to me out twitter with any comments or questions, @DFS_Tom.
Offensive Stacks
Boston Red Sox against Ubaldo Jimenez
The Sox are one of the best offenses in baseball, or at least they should be. Before Tuesday's game, they had lost three of four games and only scored seven runs across those three loses. They play much better at home since Fenway is a great hitters park. I like the stack any combination of hitters 1-6 for them. Can't trust Leon or Sandy Leon or Pablo Sandoval too much. But anyone else outside of those two are stacking viable.
FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Marcus Stroman - SP, vs MIL ($8,600)
There is no surefire ace on the slate today, but Stroman is certainly a great option. He is at home versus the Brewers who had the worst strikeout rate vs right-handed pitchers last yeat at 25.8%. That is god awful, and exactly the kind of stat you want to key in on, and try to take advantage of. Stroman had 5 K, through 6.1 Innings in his first start, and he has that plus greater potential today. Stroman had a WHIP of 1.26 at home last year while averaging, 6.75 strikeouts. So he has the base which we know he can get, and he is against the worst strikeout team in the league, sign me up for tons of Stroman in my lineups.
Zach Wheeler - SP, @ PHI ($6,200)
Wheeler hasn't pitched in the majors since 2014, which seems like forever ago. He has Tommy John surgery in 2015, and a number of setback in 2016 which prevented him from pitching. So I'll be referencing his 2014 stats, so take this with a grain of salt, but this is why he is a great GPP option. He could go over looked because people will shy away from him, since he is unproven thus far. You could even see him at under 10% ownership in some GPPs. Wheeler is a good pick because he upside comes from his strikeout potential. In 2014, he averaged 8.90 Strikeouts per nine innings on the road. That is a huge number for a pitcher at his price. He also held batter to a .229 AVG when pitching on the road. He is limiting players getting on base, and he has the potential to hit double digits strikeouts. Up against the Phillies, who had the fifth worst strikeout rate in all of baseball at 23% last year.
Also Consider: Jason Hammel - SP, vs OAK ($7,800)
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Nick Hundley - C, vs ARI ($2,400)
One of the generally held theories in MLB DFS is to spend down at catcher, since there aren't generally a ton of great options. I'm on board with this theory, and it has proven to be beneficial for myself. With the Giants' catcher, Buster Posey, going on the DL after getting hit with a pitch to the head, it leaves an opening for their backup. Cue Nick Hundley. Hundley has proven to be a serviceable backup for some teams over the years, and on Tuesday night he drew the start and hit from the five hole. I know San Francisco isn't the best hitters ball park, but he is just so cheap that it will allow you to get some bigger names in your lineup.
Freddie Freeman - 1B, @ MIA ($3,600)
Freeman hits from the three hole for the Braves and has a great track record vs right-handed pitchers. Last season, Freeman hit for .341 AVG on the road vs right-handed pitchers, which is the situation he finds himself in today. Freeman has a good combination of average and power, he puts the ball in play, and will get plenty of appearances at the plate to make an impact. He is facing off against Tom Koehler who gave up six home runs last season at home to left-handed batters. Even though the Braves don't have one of the most electric offenses in the MLB, they still have some good upside, and could be a bit of a sneaky stack in GPPs.
Robinson Cano - 2B, vs HOU ($3,400)
Cano certainly hasn't gotten off to the greatest start this season, but for that reason, he is a great play. Some people are going to shy away from him, since they may have been burned by him in the first few games. But a hitter this good isn't going to be kept down for the whole year. He is just too cheap to pass up on, and we know he can pop off at anytime. Last season, Cano demolished right handed pitchers, swatting 28 of his 39 HR versus them It's a bit of a stretch to say that there is a good chance of it happening, but it means that Cano sees the ball very well from right-handed pitchers, and he has the history of getting it done.
Mike Moustakas - 3B, vs OAK ($2,700)
Moustakas is another example of a player who is just too cheap to pass up. He is batting almost .300 to start the season and has 3 HR in seven games. Its hard to judge a player who missed the majority of last season due to injury, but he is known for having solid upside from his power and a good contact rate. Using his 2015 stats since the sample size is larger, he had a .353 wOBA versus right-handed pitchers. That is a super strong number, and with stats like that, you can't pass up on a player that is under 3K.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
George Springer - OF, @ SEA ($4,000)
Springer is off to a hot start this season with 4 HR in his first eight games. Dude can hit the long ball, and seems to be on pace for a really strong year. Last season he hit 17 of his 29 HR vs right-handed pitchers, and will be seeing such a pitcher tonight. However, he wasn't the most consistent last year, only hitting for .256 AVG vs righties. This game has a run total set at eight runs as of now, so there should be plenty of scoring. I like Springer as a one off play, but also could be used in stacks.
Adam Duvall - OF, @ PIT ($3,400)
Duvall has been hitting the ball well to start this year and has been slotted as the clean up hitter for the Reds so far this season. He has hits in five of his seven games to start the season and is facing off against Ivan Nova. Nova did have a very strong first start of the year, but as a Yankees fan, I know that Nova is nowhere near consistent, and he is always primed to give up a bunch of runs. Last season, Duvall hit 26 of his 33 HR vs right-handed pitching, which sets him in a good spot for tonight. Duvall had a .332 wOBA and .260 ISO vs right-handed pitching last year. Some nice numbers to get on a player under 4k.
Nomar Mazara - OF, @ LAA ($3,200)
Mazara is off to a hot start this year, batting over .400 with four multi-hit games. Last season Mazara crushed righties, hitting 19 of his 20 HR off of right-handed pitchers, who he finds himself matched up against tonight. Long ball potential seems to always be there from him, and he is a great play as a one off, or in a stack. The Rangers put up runs in bunches, and always a good idea to have some exposure to their lineup, if you are rolling out multiple rosters on one night.
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