MLB DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Sunday (4/9)

This will be one of the biggest sporting days of the season. We actually have every MLB and every NBA team in action. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that before and it’ll be fun to sit in front of the tube and check out all this action. We’re talking about baseball here, though, and I’m looking to build off of a hot start. My first three articles have been on point, and I feel like we have a great read on how these players are performing. With that in mind, let’s get started with the pitchers!

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Starting Pitcher Rankings

Starting Pitcher Strategy

We’re at the backend of the rotations once again, and it’s leaving us with a lackluster group of pitchers. With that said, there are some guys in brilliant spots and some severely undervalued arms. Our favorite pitcher was from Tampa yesterday, and we’re going right back to the well. Let’s get started with that breakout candidate!

Cash Game Recommendations:

Drew Rasmussen (TB) vs. OAK

Oakland had the worst offense in every metric last year, and they’ll be battling for that spot once again. They have no legitimate MLB hitters and will struggle in a spacious park like Tropicana Field. It becomes even more difficult against Rasmussen, generating a 2.84 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over the last two years. He also threw six scoreless innings in his debut and enters this matchup as a -275 favorite!

Jon Gray (TEX) at CHC

Many people might forget this, but Gray was amid a breakout season before getting injured last year. The righty had a 3.96 ERA and 1.13 WHIP last year, despite getting off to a slow start and struggling in his final two outings. Getting out of Coors Field clearly did him some good, and we love that he faces a 22nd-ranked offense from last year in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in baseball.

GPP Recommendations:

Carlos Carrasco (NYM) vs. MIA

Cookie Carrasco has been a solid pitcher throughout his career, totaling a 3.89 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. Some might be worried about a terrible start against Milwaukee in his debut, but facing Miami should allow him to rebound. The Marlins were bottom-five in runs scored, OBP, OPS, and wOBA last season. In his first four starts against Miami last year, Carrasco compiled a 2.10 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 8.8 K/9 rate.

Anthony DeSclafani (SF) vs. KC

This righty had an injury-shortened 2022, but he had a 3.17 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in his debut season with the Giants. Pitching in San Fran is beneficial to any pitcher, and we’re really encouraged that Disco started the year with six scoreless innings in his debut. That was a tough road matchup with the ChiSox, but a home meeting with the Royals should keep him rolling. Kansas City was 24th in wOBA last season and is projected for just 3.5 runs here.

Top Lineup Stacks

Colorado Rockies (vs. Chad Kuhl)

• Home (Coors Field)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 11.5 Runs/COL -150

Using the Rockies in Coors Field is a cheat code. This has been the most hitter-friendly ballpark since it opened, and it always has Colorado as one of the highest projected offenses on every slate. That’s funny because they face Chad Kuhl, collecting a 5.72 ERA and 1.55 WHIP as a pitcher for the Rocks last year. He’s simply a journeyman stopgap, and this team knows exactly what he will do in this nightmarish spot.

Chicago White Sox (vs. Johan Oviedo)

• Road (PNC Park)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Medium
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/CWS -130

The White Sox have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, and they should have success against Oviedo. The Pirates pitcher allowed eight baserunners across 4.2 innings in his debut and has a 1.45 WHIP throughout his career. That’s terrifying against this treacherous lineup, and we could see Chicago score 5-6 runs, despite playing in PNC Park.

Detroit Tigers (vs. Kutter Crawford)

• Home (Comerica Parl)
• Value: High
• Risk: High
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/BOS -120

This is a risky option, but Detroit is one of the best bargain lineups on the slate. The Motor City Kitties have one of the worst offenses in baseball, but Kutter Crawford is one of the worst pitchers I’ve seen. The righty allowed seven runs to a pitiful Pirates lineup in his debut and now has a 6.37 ERA and 1.52 WHIP for his career. That’s laughable in 83 innings of MLB action, and it makes Detroit one of the sneakiest stacks on this slate!

Core Studs

• Trout could be in this article every day. He becomes particularly enticing in this spot, posting an OBP north of .400 against lefties throughout his career. This is not a southpaw we’re scared of either, with Yusei Kikuchi compiling a 5.19 ERA and 1.50 WHIP last year. He’s obliterated him throughout their careers, posting a .556 OBP and 1.500 OPS against Kikuchi.
• Alvarez does not get enough credit for what he’s doing. The lefty masher is just shy of a .300 AVG, .400 OBP, and .900 OPS throughout his career. Doing that for that long is absurd, and we love that he faces a league-average righty here.
• If we’re going to stack Seattle, we have to love J-Rod. This guy was a revelation as a rookie last season, ranked Top-5 in fantasy points per game. That should bode well against Zach Plesac, who allowed six runs across one inning in his debut. That was against an atrocious A’s lineup, and he’ll have a tough time navigating the M’s.
• Torres is off to a torrid start. He’s leading middle infielders players in fantasy points, picking up a .560 OBP, two homers, and five steals. That’s absurd in just a week of action, and you know that Torres has his best career numbers against the Orioles.
• Bryant has gotten off to an excellent start in his sophomore season in Colorado. The big signee is hitting .357 with a .464 SLG. He’s done that without any homers, but one could be in play against Kuhl. In 29 at-bats against Kuhl, KB has a .484 OBP.

Value Plays/Punts

• Winker has been crushing righties throughout his career. He’s got a .413 OBP and 1.002 OPS against right-handers since 2020, and he remains way too cheap. Jake Woodruff has gotten off to a terrible start for the Cards, allowing six runs in his debut.
• Smith has always killed righties throughout his career, and it looks like he’ll be an everyday player for the Nats. He should be in the heart of their lineup, making him an enticing play with Washington projected for so many runs in Coors Field. Ryan Feltner is a fantastic matchup, too, posting a 6.00 ERA since the start of last year.
• Grandal had a nightmarish 2022 campaign, but that looks like the outlier. The catcher had a .388 OBP in the three previous years and has a .381 OBP and .500 SLG in the opening week of this year. That means he’s way too cheap, especially since he faces Oviedo.
• Blackmon always goes off in Coors Field. We had him in here yesterday, and we’re going right back to the well. He’s flirting with a .900 OPS at home against righties throughout his career and has gotten off to a nice start.
• Meadows was a top prospect at one point, but people have forgotten about him in Detroit. We haven’t, because Meadows has made minced meat of righties throughout his career. He’s got a .821 OPS against them since 2020 and remains way too cheap in the heart of this stack. (UPDATE) Meadows was put on the IL on Saturday.

Hitter Strategy

Sunday slates are always the best from a DFS perspective. I say that because we get random lineups with a bunch of fill-in bats. That gives us a ton of unexpected value which is fantastic since we were able to find so many cheap pitchers we like. Stacking the Colors Field game is the best approach, and then we’ll mix in some Rays, Yankees, Angels, and Tigers as well.

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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.