Last week’s article was the best lineup I’ve put together this year, finishing 2nd out of well over 2,000 entries with 246 FanDuel points. We will hope to keep up the momentum in today’s huge 14-game slate. We’ll have some tough decisions to make with two aces to pick between or a stacked lineup. Let’s dive into it and I’ll help you sort things out.
The primary focus of my Tuesday and Wednesday articles will be focused on winning double-ups and 50/50s. At the end of the article, I’ll list my favorite stacks and starting pitchers, as always, for those of you hoping to take down the big GPP prize.
I tell myself the same thing every day when I build a lineup. This is your weekly reminder as well: “Don’t be an idiot”
It is simple, but entirely necessary. This is your hard earned cash, and you don’t have to throw it away. Think out your player selection and make the single smartest lineup you can put together. That includes watching as starting lineups roll in before lock. If a player you loved is batting 7th instead of 2nd like you were anticipating, maybe rethink things. If the opposite is true and there is a player you expected to bat near the end of the order but turns up in the heart of the order, then don’t hesitate to get him plugged in if you are fond of his matchup. Most importantly, don’t get cute. Just play to win, period.
As always, be sure to pay close attention to the lineups when they are released and monitor the weather leading up to game time. For reference throughout the season, be sure to bookmark our overview of MLB Park Factors and how to Use Weather to Your Advantage in MLB DFS. Also, check out our GPP and Cash Games Primers to learn more about different daily fantasy game types specific to MLB.
Last week’s article was the best lineup I’ve put together this year, finishing 2nd out of well over 2,000 entries with 246 FanDuel points. We will hope to keep up the momentum in today’s huge 14-game slate. We’ll have some tough decisions to make with two aces to pick between or a stacked lineup. Let’s dive into it and I’ll help you sort things out.
The primary focus of my Tuesday and Wednesday articles will be focused on winning double-ups and 50/50s. At the end of the article, I’ll list my favorite stacks and starting pitchers, as always, for those of you hoping to take down the big GPP prize.
I tell myself the same thing every day when I build a lineup. This is your weekly reminder as well: “Don’t be an idiot”
It is simple, but entirely necessary. This is your hard earned cash, and you don’t have to throw it away. Think out your player selection and make the single smartest lineup you can put together. That includes watching as starting lineups roll in before lock. If a player you loved is batting 7th instead of 2nd like you were anticipating, maybe rethink things. If the opposite is true and there is a player you expected to bat near the end of the order but turns up in the heart of the order, then don’t hesitate to get him plugged in if you are fond of his matchup. Most importantly, don’t get cute. Just play to win, period.
As always, be sure to pay close attention to the lineups when they are released and monitor the weather leading up to game time. For reference throughout the season, be sure to bookmark our overview of MLB Park Factors and how to Use Weather to Your Advantage in MLB DFS. Also, check out our GPP and Cash Games Primers to learn more about different daily fantasy game types specific to MLB.
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Pitcher Analysis
Since Trevor Bauer and Cleveland take on the A’s before lock, that leaves Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw as the true aces throwing tonight. As you might imagine, many will pay up for them, or part of the way with Domingo German, Zack Greinke or Caleb Smith. Anyone wanting to save some money for their lineup will use Jose Quintana at home against the Phillies or my guy, Marquez
German Marquez (COL): $8,200 @ PIT
- 2.55 ERA in away games, 2.95 last season
- Top 5 pitcher in baseball since last July
- Pirates only have a .708 OPS versus RHP
- They are awful at home with a .695 OPS
- Huge K-upside
- 6.57 IP/game since mid-April
My Cash Player Pool
Every article, I’ll give you the list of players I’m considering playing. If they aren’t on this list, I consider the player a subpar play based on his price. Granted, any player could go off and is thus a decent GPP play depending on how many lineups you are using, but these are the best investments listed in order.
Expensive Plays ($3,600+)
- Daniel Vogelbach (C/1B – SEA): $3,800 (L Lynn)
- Michael Brantley (OF – HOU): $4,000 (D Covey)
- Christian Yelich (OF – MIL): $4,700 (S Gray)
- Mitch Haniger (OF – SEA): $3,800 (L Lynn)
- Mike Trout (OF – LAA): $4,700 (M Pineda)
- Edwin Encarnacion (C/1B – SEA): $3,900 (L Lynn)
- Luke Voit (C/1B – NYY): $4,000 (D Hess)
- Gary Sanchez (C/1B – NYY): $4,200 (D Hess)
- Gleyber Torres (SS – NYY): $3,600 (D Hess)
- Alex Bregman (3B – HOU): $4,300 (D Covey)
- Hunter Pence (OF – TEX): $3,900 (T Milone)
- Javier Baez (SS – CHC): $3,900 (Z Eflin)
- Andrew Benintendi (OF – BOS): $3,700 (M Stroman)
- J.D. Martinez (OF – BOS): $4,300 (M Stroman)
- Matt Carpenter (3B – STL): $3,700 (H Bailey)
- Mike Moustakas (3B – MIL): $3,800 (S Gray)
Mid-Range Plays ($2,800-$3,500)
- Aaron Hicks (OF – NYY): $3,500 (D Hess)
- Josh Reddick (OF – HOU): $3,100 (D Covey)
- Robinson Cano (2B – NYM): $3,000 (E Fedde)
- Jay Bruce (OF – SEA): $3,000 (L Lynn)
- Nick Castellanos (OF – DET): $3,000 (C Smith)
- Andrew McCutchen (OF – PHI): $3,500 (J Quintana)
- Maikel Franco (3B – PHI): $2,800 (J Quintana)
- Rafael Devers (3B – BOS): $3,100 (M Stroman)
- Jose Martinez (OF – STL): $3,200 (H Bailey)
- Dee Gordon (2B – SEA): $2,900 (L Lynn)
- Asdrubal Cabrera (3B – TEX): $3,000 (T Milone)
- Max Kepler (OF – MIN): $3,500 (T Cahill)
- Christian Walker (C/1B – ARI): $3,500 (M Strahm)
- Logan Forsythe (C/1B – TEX): $3,300 (T Milone)
- Yasmani Grandal (C/1B – MIL): $3,300 (S Gray)
- DJ LeMahieu (2B – NYY): $3,200 (D Hess)
Value Plays ($2,700 or less)
- Vlad Gurrero Jr. (3B – TOR): $2,700 (E Rodriguez)
- Scott Kingery (SS – PHI): $2,400 (J Quintana)
- Kendrys Morales (C/1B – NYY): $2,500 (D Hess)
- Kyle Schwarber (OF – CHC): $2,700 (Z Eflin)
- J.D. Davis (3B – NYM): $2,500 (E Fedde)
- Keston Hiura (2B – MIL): $2,400 (S Gray)
- Eric Thames (C/1B – MIL): $2,600 (S Gray)
- Wilmer Flores (2B – ARI): $2,700 (M Strahm)
- David Dahl (OF – COL): $2,700 (C Archer)
- Yasiel Puig (OF – CIN): $2,700 (G Gonzalez)
- Miguel Cabrera (C/1B – DET): $2,600 (C Smith)
- Brandon Nimmo (OF – NYM): $2,700 (E Fedde)
- Mac Williamson (OF – SFG): $2,400 (J Teheran)
Four Cornerstones
Vlad Gurrero Jr. (3B – TOR): $2,700 (E Rodriguez)
Chances are high that his ownership is going to be through the roof tonight, and for good reason. His salary truly should be at least $1,000 higher most nights, and tonight especially as he has a plus matchup. Vlad has been tremendous against lefties throughout the minors and his home ballpark is among the best for right handed sluggers.
Daniel Vogelbach (C/1B – SEA): $3,800 (L Lynn)
The Mariners have another massive implied total tonight at 5.48 which is typically only seen in Coors or when the Astros take on a lefty. Lance Lynn comes into the evening with an ERA near 5.00 and has been rocked by lefties over the years. Vogelbach, meanwhile, has been awful against lefties and incredible against righties.
Michael Brantley (OF – HOU): $4,000 (D Covey)
Brantley currently has an OPS over 1.000 versus righties this season and has always been terrific against them. He may not stay healthy all season, but as long as he is, we ought to consider him among the best hitters in the league. The Astros are implied for a whopping 5.90 runs tonight by Vegas versus Dylan Covey so you can expect Brantley to be in the middle of it all.
Scott Kingery (SS – PHI): $2,400 (J Quintana)
I love Jose Quintana even against the Phillies, but when we get a lefty-mashing cheap shortstop, I’m all aboard. Like most lefties, Quintana is prone to righties, and Kingery has consistently been exceptional against southpaws throughout the minors. He seemed to be breaking out before his injury and may not be this cheap much longer.
Current Cash Game Lineup
*subject to change based on final starting lineups
GPP Pitching Options
No cheap ones tonight, unfortunately. We’ve got to spend up.
My Favorite GPP Stacks
When I play GPP, you’ll never find me doing anything besides double stacking. I don’t always use four players from two teams, but always at least three from two teams. Here are my favorite stacks tonight in order:
- Yankees (Hicks, Voit, Morales, Torres)
- Mariners (Haniger, Vogelbach, Encarnacion, Bruce)
- Rangers (Forsythe, Pence, Gallo, Cabrera)
- Red Sox (Benintendi, Martinez, Moreland, Devers)
- Brewers (Yelich, Moustakas, Hiura, Thames)
- Astros (Bregman, Brantley, Correa, Reddick)
- Twins (Kepler, Rosario, Cron, Sano)
- Cardinals (Carpenter, Goldschmidt, Ozuna, Martinez)
Under-Owned Double-Dong Threats
Sneaking one or two of these guys in with double stacks can be the difference between a nice $500 payday and a $50,000 life-changing win. Every night, there is some slugger who goes 2% owned with 2 or even 3 homers. Here are the guys I have targeted who could do it tonight. They are listed in order:
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