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Welcome RotoBallers to another set of Tuesday FanDuel lineup picks! Hope you had a good Fathers Day weekend, even if you are not a father. It was a different kind of Fathers Day for me as I spent much of the day helping out a local non-profit. And instead of going out for dinner, we decided to grill up some steaks. Despite grilling probably 300 times a year, it has been a little while since I've taken a freshly marinated, juicy piece of beef off my grill.
And speaking of juicy, how about tonight's slate? We got a full slate tonight and some interesting choices to make. If you have additional questions, please feel free to hit me up on Twitter with questions (@MarkStrausberg). Read below to find out what player I will be suggesting for your lineups, as I provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 6/22/2021.
Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also check out today's DraftKings MLB DFS lineup picks, and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. With that out of the way, here are my picks for tonight.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Chris Flexen - SEA vs COL ($6900)
Hold up! On a 15-game slate with 30 pitchers to choose from, you are going to recommend the one with a 4.12 ERA and 1.30 WHIP as CASH play? You sure your kids haven't actually driven you crazy?
Hear me out.
Cash game plays are not about simply choosing the best talent or the player who has the highest floor. Cash game plays are about choosing the players that put you in the best position to double up. I actually like the top five pitching options better in a vacuum, but when you consider their salaries, they're fade-worthy to me.
Admittedly, I did have Gerrit Cole in here originally. I think he's a great bet to put up at least 30 points and like his chances of doing so more than Flexen. However, Kansas City does not strike out a lot--they have the third-fewest batter strikeouts in the league. So you're not getting the ceiling game from Cole. And paying his or any of the other top options prices tonight does not give you enough salary flexibility to secure the bats you want on a night like tonight.
Furthermore, Flexen brings plenty to the table that he should easily hit value. I'm not real high on QS as a metric, but the fact that he does have three Quality Starts in his last four outings gives you an idea of his floor. He has pitched six or more innings in his last four starts. In all but two of his 11 starts he pitched five or more innings, putting him in line for the win. And we know that Colorado is one of the least productive offenses on the road. And given their home stadium, they should have better offensive numbers. They are outside the top dozen for both runs and OPS. Furthermore, they are tied for the third-fewest HRs in the league!
You get the point. It doesn't hurt that Flexen is pitching in one of the more pitcher-friendly parks tonight. And the potential to exceed more than 6x is absolutely there for Flexen. His last outing against the potentially explosive Twins was a gem having gone eight innings, striking out eight, and giving up zero runs. Make sense now why I am recommending Flexen?
GPP Play
Sandy Alcantara - MIA vs TOR ($9300)
I know, I suggested a Marlins pitcher last week as well. But that turned out pretty well if I recall correctly. And like Seattle, Miami is also a fairly pitcher-friendly park. The match-up here is less than desirable, but that should help depress his ownership, making Alcantara a great pivot.
Because guess what, Alcantara is pretty good. And as good as Alcantra has been, he could be even better. Despite just a 3.09 ERA, his xERA is an even lower 2.86. He has a career-best BB/9 rate of 2.41 and the best K/9 rate (8.39) he's had since becoming a starter. He's also allowing his lowest HR/9 this year as well.
Bottom line, I agree with this tweet:
Not sure Sandy Alcántara is talked about enough.
He’s not just a very good pitcher; he also throws 100 mph fastballs and 93 mph change-ups. pic.twitter.com/dI02VO06Wo
— Brent Maguire (@bmags94) June 16, 2021
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Matt Olson - 1B, OAK at TEX ($4,000)
Another week, another recommendation of Matt Olson. But given that he's averaging the second most FD FPPG at first base behind the far more expensive Vladimir Guerrero Jr., he's an easy recommendation. Furthermore, when you are a triple crown threat with a .304 average, 20 HRs and 53 RBIs so far, it's hard to leave him out. Finally, tonight, he is facing a very unproven Taylor Hearn and his 4.84 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. Lock him in.
Dylan Moore - 2B/OF, SEA vs COL ($2400)
There is no other way to say it: Dylan Moore is having a disappointing year. He got off to a miserable start, hitting just .141/.270/ .353 before suffering a calf strain that required a DL-stint. However, I do think he will start to turn it around. His .810 OPS in June so far means he might be starting to do so. I love the upside the right-handed Moore brings tonight against the left-handed Kyle Freeland and his downright awful numbers (A 9.58 ERA and 2.35 WHIP).
Jazz Chisholm Jr. - 2B/SS, MIA vs TOR ($3000)
I have absolutely no seasonal shares of Chisholm. I mention it because he too is a regular recommendation in this column and until FanDuel adjusts his salary or he starts to not play well, he will continue to be suggested regularly. For just $3K, it's hard to ignore Chisholm's 11.05 FPPG. Given some of the tough match-ups many of the top middle infielders have tonight, I'm happy to grab the one hitting .264 with 8 HRs and 10 SBs at this low price.
Nolan Arenado - 3B, STL at DET ($3100)
If you got the pesos to spend up for Ramirez, do so. But Arenado is more than some consolation prize. He was on a bit of a cold streak going into Sunday having gone 0-for-18 previous to that, but after going 2-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBIs, he's back in his owners good graces. He got another hit again last night and is now averaging over 10.5 FanDuel FPPG and at $3100, that is a steal.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Michael Brantley - OF, HOU at BAL ($3400)
Whether we like it or not, the Astros are absolutely rolling. And part of the reason is Michael Brantley. Brantley does not have the power he once had as I would take the "under" on him hitting 20 HRs this year. However, his average this season would be a career-best by far as this .299 career hitter is currently hitting .341. And let's just say I don't see his average dipping too much tonight in Baltimore against Jorge Lopez and his 5.95 ERA.
If you have the salary space, I'd spend up for his fellow OF Yordan Alvarez, who went long again last night. But Brantley is a solid play tonight.
Tyler O'Neill - OF, STL at DET ($2900)
15 HRs and a .913 OPS kind of speak for themselves, don't they? Of course if you are in the "seeing is believing camp", there's this:
Tyler O'Neill obliterates a ball 451ft deep left to extend the Cardinals' lead by ✌️! ?
(via @Cardinals) pic.twitter.com/qDdOt0o8UF
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 10, 2021
I know many like Tarik Skubal tonight, but I think his 1.45 WHIP tells the story. O'Neill is averaging nearly 11 and-a-half FD fantasy points per game. Even if you are going with Flexen tonight, I'd still grab the killer bargain that O'Neill is tonight.
Mitch Haniger OF, SEA vs COL ($3300)
If I liked Moore against Freeland and his 9.58 ERA, you think Haniger and his 16 HRs so far might interest me? Yeah, I think so.
Good luck with your entries!
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