Fantasy Baseball Picks: Top DraftKings MLB DFS Targets, Values for April 5

The week first of the MLB regular season will certainly keep you on your toes. If it wasn’t enough to keep up with the new rules and regulations, Wednesday presents us with a fun twist: A nine-game afternoon slate that gets going at 1:05 p.m. ET. I guess we all just have something to watch instead of working tomorrow, right? That’s nice.

Let’s dive in and find some studs and values.

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PITCHER

Stud

Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays at Washington Nationals, $8,800 - This is a stacked pitching slate, so the fact of the matter is someone has to be priced below $9K. Still, it’s a little odd to see McClanahan here. The left-hander was dominant in his first outing of 2023, tossing 87 pitches over six scoreless innings. Add in six strikeouts, a 17.2% swinging strike rate and a 60.0% ground ball rate, and it isn’t hard to see how McClanahan was an All-Star last season. It also doesn’t hurt that the Nationals entered play on Tuesday with a 46 wRC+ as a team. Washington’s lineup is, to use a technical term, gross.

Value

Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers, $4,000 - There are several underpriced pitchers on Wednesday. Cristian Javier ($8,100), Jesus Luzardo ($7,900), Aaron Nola ($7,700) and Pablo Lopez ($7,400) are all incredibly cost-effective. However, you’d be foolish not to grab a piece of Rodriguez in his debut at the bare minimum. Though Rodriguez struggled in Spring Training and didn’t look too sharp in his lone Triple-A start in 2023, he’s simply one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball with absolutely electric stuff. Consider that the 23-year-old maintained a 2.04 FIP and a 35.8% strikeout rate in his 14 Triple-A outings in 2022. He’s ready to produce at the MLB level and he’ll never be this cheap again.

INFIELD

Stud

Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, $6,100 - The strikeout rate has been a little high, but Devers has been his usual self to begin 2023, slashing .348/.375/.565 with three extra-base hits in 24 plate appearances. He’s in a prime spot to improve on those ratios on Wednesday, as he and the Red Sox will square off with Mitch Keller ($6,500). The former top prospect has improved in recent years, but for his career, Keller has allowed opposing LHBs to hit .308 with a .365 wOBA. The RHP was also roughed up on Opening Day, surrendering four earned runs and 10 baserunners to the lowly Reds.

Stud

Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay Rays at Washington Nationals, $4,100 - How much is there really left to say about Patrick Corbin ($6,000)? The veteran was a train wreck throughout 2022 and he picked up right where he left off on Opening Day, with an outing against the Braves that registered a 12.12 xERA. Justifiably, Tampa Bay owns one the largest implied team totals on this slate. Of particular interest is Diaz. Not only does the infielder have multi-position eligibility, but he destroyed southpaw pitching last season to the tune of .387 wOBA and a 161 wRC+. At slightly over $4K in the leadoff spot, Diaz is a steal.

Value

William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Mets, $3,900 - The backstop is now in Milwaukee, but Contreras was a force when facing a left-handed pitcher back in 2022 with Atlanta. In 116 plate appearances within the split, Contreras slashed .354/.440/.596 with a 187 wRC+. David Peterson ($7,200) is a quality arm, yet with numbers like that, Contreras is difficult to ignore at this price.

Value

Isaac Parades, Tampa Bay Rays at Washington Nationals, $3,400 - Generally speaking, no team is as aggressive in utilizing splits to create a lineup as the Rays and the early returns from 2023 have been no different. Take Parades for example. After posting a .286 ISO and a 142 wRC+ against LHPs last year, Parades has hit in the three-spot both times Tampa Bay has squared off with a southpaw during the opening week of the season. If he’s there again on Wednesday versus Corbin, you’ll need to have a few shares of the RHB.

OUTFIELD

Stud

Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates at Boston Red Sox, $5,200 - Reynolds is an above-average hitter from both sides of the plate, but in an ideal world, you want him in a matchup with a right-handed opponent — at least that’s what a career .216 ISO and 131 wRC+ from the left-side suggest. On Wednesday, said RHP is Corey Kluber ($7,000). The veteran looked awful on Opening Day against the Orioles, allowing five earned runs in 3.1 innings with a fastball averaging a paltry 87.5 mph. Not overly promising. Reynolds, who already has four long balls in 2023, should continue his hot streak.

Stud

Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays at Washington Nationals, $5,200 - If you’re stacking Rays, it’ll be difficult to leave out Arozarena. The WBC standout has been red-hot to start the season, posting a 203 wRC+ across his first 22 plate appearances. Arozarena was also very, very effective in opposite-hand matchups in 2022, managing to slash .317/.364/.558 with a 164 wRC+ in his 129 PAs versus southpaws. Corbin and a leaky Nationals’ bullpen don’t stand a chance.

Value

Chas McCormick, Houston Astros vs. Detroit Tigers, $3,100 - With injuries to a couple key players, McCormick has found himself batting sixth in the Astros’ lineup three of the past four games. That isn’t necessarily an ideal situtation every day of the week, but on Wednesday, it might not be so bad. McCormick had severe platoon splits in 2022, slashing an impressive .340/.409/.563 with a 179 wRC+ in his 115 plate appearances against lefties. Eduardo Rodriguez ($6,800) is left-handed. Need I say more?

Value

Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves, $2,600 - Burleson seems to be locked into the two-spot in the Cardinals’ lineup with Lars Nootbar (thumb) on the IL. To be honest, hitting ahead of Paul Goldschmidt ($5,500) and Nolan Arenado ($5,000) at a salary this low is pretty much the only explanation I need for Burleson’s viability. Still, an emergency start from Bryce Elder ($6,900) is enticing in its own way.

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.