MLB DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (4/8/24)

Happy Monday, and happy Coors Field slate. Whenever there’s a game at Coors Field, we have to take one of two approaches: fade the game or go overweight on the game. Most of the time fading is absolutely in play, but tonight it will be tough as the Diamondbacks have a phenomenal matchup against Kyle Freeland. Arizona should be heavy chalk, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use them; find places to differentiate just a little bit and that could be enough. 

Remember that chalk is chalk for a reason, so unless you’ve got a strong reason to fade the chalk, then it’s ok to play the chalk. Getting different with your second pitcher, your utility player, or with one player within the chalk stack is more than enough to get you over the hump if that player (or those couple of players) ends up hitting for you. 

This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/8/2024 and the slate locking at 7:07 p.m. EDT. The lineup picks 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 here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential.

DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Blake Snell vs. Washington Nationals ($10.3K DK, $10.5K FD)

This may be Blake Snell’s first start of the season, but this is a two-time Cy Young winner and we know what he’s capable of. He had the second-highest strikeout rate (31.6%) during the second half of last season of any pitcher on today’s slate and had the highest swinging strike rate at 15.9% (over a full percent higher than the next closest pitcher on today’s slate). Strikeouts are the name of the game for pitching in DFS, and nobody pitching today is better at inducing strikeouts than Snell.

The Nationals are an average matchup for Snell in both power and strikeouts. With Snell’s ability to keep balls in the park (0.39 HR/9 since July 1 of last year), Washington is not a team that’s going to bring anyone to the plate who will scare us off of Snell. San Francisco is a pitcher’s park, which will only help make Snell’s night easier. He’s a strong cash game option and can be used in tournament lineups if you can afford him.

Here’s Blake Snell throwing to Tyler Fitzgerald (I think?)

He’s facing some teammates at Dodger Stadium today before his Giants debut vs Nats on Monday. pic.twitter.com/mDnas0P1ZG

— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) April 3, 2024

Spencer Turnbull at St. Louis Cardinals ($6.9K DK, $7.7K FD)

The Cardinals are, shockingly, a plus matchup for right-handed pitchers. Since the start of last season, the expected St. Louis lineup is below average against righties in power, on-base, and strikeouts. For the 2024 season, only two teams have struck out more and walked less against right-handed pitching than the Cardinals. Their batting average and on-base percentage against righties rank in the bottom third in the league. 

Meanwhile, Spencer Turnbull looked great in his first start for the Phillies. He went five solid innings against the Reds, striking out seven for a DraftKings score of 27.5 points. What was most encouraging about Turnbull’s performance was that he didn’t make mistakes, walking zero batters and allowing only two fly balls against seven ground balls. If he can continue to keep the ball on the ground, it’s going to be hard to put up big innings against him. 

Also Consider: Charlie Morton, Luis Castillo, Zach Eflin, Zac Gallen, Javier Assad

Want more MLB DFS tools and content? Our MLB Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Discord Chatrooms, where members can chat with our MLB analysts. 

DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Christian Walker - 1B, ARI at Kyle Freeland ($5.2K DK, $4.2K FD)

Few teams have started the 2024 season as hot as the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are second in the league in runs scored and one of the main contributors is Christian Walker. He already has three home runs and 10 RBI on the season, recording double-digit fantasy points in 40% of his games. 

Today, he’s going to be facing Kyle Freeland, who has been the worst pitcher in baseball this year. He’s allowed 17 earned runs in only two starts, including 10 earned runs against the Diamondbacks on Opening Night. Walker had 18 DraftKings points in that game. Since the start of last year, he has a .319 ISO and .574 SLG against left-handed pitchers, while Freeland has allowed a .573 SLG to right-handed bats. For his career, Walker is 10-for-33 with five extra-base hits and a .576 SLG against Freeland. 

Per D-backs Game Notes

Since 2022, Christian Walker is 1 of 4 MLB players w/ 50+ doubles, 70+ homers, & 200+ RBI

He has 62 2B, 70 HR, 218 RBI

The other three are Adolis Garcia, Matt Olson, and Mookie Betts

He's a proven power hitter in some elite company right now

— Jake Oliver (@DarthDbacks) April 6, 2024

Mookie Betts - 2B/SS at Louie Varland ($6.5K DK, $4.5K FD)

If MVP voting took place today, Mookie Betts would be a strong contender to win in the National League. He’s scored double-digit fantasy points in seven of his 11 games, including five games of more than 20 fantasy points. He hits for power, has a little bit of speed, and has gotten on base in over 50% of his plate appearances this season. Last season, he had a .546 SLG, .237 ISO, .309 AVG, and just a 16% K-rate against right-handed pitching. Louie Varland is a reverse-splits pitcher, allowing a .517 SLG to right-handed bats. He got knocked around in his first start, allowing 10 baserunners in just four innings of work. Betts makes for a great cash game option with his high floor and even higher ceiling. 

Tom Murphy - C, SF vs. Trevor Williams ($3K DK, $2.5K FD)

Tom Murphy has struggled to start the 2024 season, going 1-for-9 in only three games played, but he profiles very well for this matchup if he’s starting behind the plate for the Giants. In limited at-bats in 2023, he posted a .508 SLG, .215 ISO, and .292 AVG against right-handed pitching. Trevor Williams is a terrible pitcher and struggles against both lefties and righties, but he’s a reverse-splits pitcher in that he’s much more generous to right-handed bats with a .547 SLG allowed last year. There’s no guarantee that Murphy will play in this game, but with Joey Bart shipped off to Pittsburgh, more playing time should open up for the former Mariners backstop.

DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Chas McCormick - OF, HOU at Andrew Heaney ($4K DK, $2.8K FD)

Nobody on the Houston Astros had a higher wRC+ against left-handed pitching in 2023 than Chas McCormick. He hasn’t shown that type of skill yet in 2024, but there are enough positives to his game that still make him an intriguing option at his price point in the right matchups. He seems to be seeing the ball well as he has nearly as many walks as he does strikeouts this year, leading to a .371 OBP. In 2023, he had a .285 ISO, .610 SLG, and .325 AVG against lefties. Lifetime against Andrew Heaney, he’s 2-for-7. McCormick hasn’t done enough to be a cash-game option, but he’s a decent one-off or could be a part of a Houston stack tonight. 

Kyle Schwarber, OF - PHI at Miles Mikolas ($5.2K DK, $3.8K FD)

Kyle Schwarber is good for one thing, and that’s hitting home runs. He mashed righties last year with a.296 ISO and .497 SLG. He hasn’t unloaded yet this year with only two home runs, but Miles Mikolas may be the cure for what ails him. Mikolas allowed a .500 SLG and only struck out 15% of left-handed batters in 2023. This year, he’s already allowed two home runs and seven earned runs in just 10 innings of work over two starts. Philly is in a great spot tonight and is one of my favorite teams to stack against the struggling righty for the Cardinals. 

Randal Grichuk, OF - ARI at. Kyle Freeland ($4K DK, $2.9K FD)

We already talked about how great the Diamondbacks offense has been this year and how bad Kyle Freeland’s pitching has been. This game is at Coors Field, and I want as many right-handed bats for the Snakes as I can get my hands on. Randal Grichuk has only played in two games this year, but if he’s in the lineup, I’m going to want exposure to him as he’s been a lefty masher his entire career. In 2023, he had a .466 SLG and .212 ISO against southpaws and this has been par for the course for his career. Arizona won’t be cheap during this series, so getting a piece at Grichuk’s price point is a huge bonus. If he’s in the lineup, then he will be a part of any Diamondbacks stack that I play.

DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks

1. Arizona Diamondbacks at Kyle Freeland

• Favorite Plays: Christian Walker, Randal Grichuk, Ketel Marte, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
  

2. Philadelphia Phillies at Miles Mikolas

• Favorite Plays: Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm