With a nine-game main MLB slate tonight, it’s a great time to get in on some DraftKings MLB action. Below, we take a look at the main slate, which locks at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
Starting Pitcher
Stud
Carlos Carrasco, CLE vs. MIL, $10,200 - This is a much easier matchup than it appears for Carrasco. The Brewers have one of the weakest offenses in baseball against right-handed pitching with a 73 wRC+. There is also a ton of strikeout upside since Milwaukee has a 27.3% strikeout rate against righties. This is the second highest mark in baseball. Only the Tigers whiff more against right-handed pitching.
Value
Yusei Kikuchi, SEA vs. TEX, $5,700 - A year ago, I never would have considered playing Kikuchi in any circumstances. So what changed? Mostly his velocity. No pitcher has seen a bigger uptick in velocity than Kikuchi and his average fastball sits at 95.4 mph after an adjustment in his mechanics. This has yet to lead to results, but we have to consider his strength of schedule. Kikuchi has starts against the Padres, Dodgers, Athletics, Rockies and Astros. This is his first easy matchup of the season and I expect better results from him going forward since his velocity is up.
Catcher
Stud
Editor’s note: White Sox C Yasmani Grandal is not in the lineup today vs. the Royals.
Yasmani Grandal, CHW vs. KC, $5,100 - After scoring 11 runs and winning GPPs yesterday, the White Sox figure to be a popular stack target. One player who has to be considered in a stack is Grandal. One of the top hitting catchers in baseball, he scored 12 DKFP last night and has reached base in 14 of his last 15 games.
Value
Joey Bart, SF vs. ARI, $3,800 - Bart came into the season as one of the league’s top catching prospects. He was stuck behind Buster Posey on the depth chart, but playing time opened up once Posey opted out of the season. After a slow start, Bart is finally making his playing time count. In his last two games, Bart racked up four hits and averaged 13 DKFP.
First Base
Stud
Cody Bellinger, LAD vs. COL, $5,500 - After returning to the Dodgers’ lineup yesterday, Bellinger is a hitter to consider. Senzatela has always struggled against lefties and Bellinger is as dangerous of a left-handed bat as we have in MLB. Despite a slow start, Bellinger has turned it on recently with a ton of power upside. He’s blasted six homers in his last 12 games.
Value
Edwin Encarnacion, CHW vs. KC, $4,200 - Encarnacion brings a ton of power potential at a relatively cheap price. He’s a boom or bust option at this point in his career because pretty much all he does is make an out or hit a homer. I’m willing to chase the upside after he hit a solo homer yesterday. Oddly, Encarnacion has seven homers and just 10 RBIs this season. Eventually, he’s going to hit a long ball with somebody on base.
Second Base
Stud
Robinson Cano, NYM vs. PHI, $4,600 - The old man still has a bit left in the tank. I totally wrote off Cano prior to the season and it seemed reasonable at the time. He struggled last year and previously had a PED suspension, so there was plenty of reason to question his abilities going forward at 37 years old. Since he has a 187 wRC+, I don’t have any questions about him. Cano looks as good as ever this season and he has multiple hits in three of his last five games.
Value
Jeff McNeil, NYM vs. ATL, $3,300 - McNeil and Cano always seem attached at the hip for me. When the Mets first traded for Cano, I feared that it could mean less playing time for McNeil. The good news is that he has enough versatility that the two of them are able to play plenty this season even with Cano healthy. McNeil is an underrated hitter who almost never strikes out or gets into prolonged slumps. He has double-digit DKFP in three of his last four games and is a bit too cheap.
Third Base
Stud
Max Muncy, LAD vs. COL, $5,100 - Muncy is another lefty we can roster to pick on Senzatela. Last year, he allowed a .394 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Due to the quality of the Dodgers’ lineup, Muncy is putting up a ton of counting stats this season. He’s scored runs in five consecutive games and put up four RBIs in one of those contests.
Value
Evan Longoria, SF vs. ARI, $3,900 - The veteran third baseman is quietly putting up a solid season and it helps a ton that San Francisco is a much more hitter-friendly park than in recent years. Since the walls got moved in during the offseason, Oracle Park has gone from the best pitcher’s park in baseball to slightly favorable for batters. Longoria is taking advantage and has a 123 wRC+. He’s scored at least 7.0 DKFP in five consecutive games.
Shortstop
Stud
Fernando Tatis Jr., SD at OAK, $5,600 - Even though the matchup against Luzardo isn’t great, it’s tough for me to ignore Tatis on any slate. He’s the best fantasy player in the league this season with 13 homers and seven stolen bases. This is leading to an average of 12.4 DKFP per game.
Value
Chris Taylor, LAD vs. COL, $3,600 - I have interest in Taylor mostly because of the quality of the hitters around him. He’s been hitting in the middle of the Dodgers’ lineup and has a cheap price even though he has recent games with 12 and 22 DKFP. Taylor also has flexibility since he’s eligible at shortstop and outfield.
Outfield
Stud
Mike Trout, LAA at HOU, $6,100 - Lance McCullers has name value, although he hasn’t been nearly the same pitcher this season as he was prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery. I am starting to get concerned about his long-term outlook. This is why I am willing to roster hitters against him, which is something I didn’t do in the past. Trout is always a strong play and he’s homered in three of his last six games.
Value
Michael Brantley, HOU vs. LA, $3,400 - After a great start to the season, Dylan Bundy had a subpar outing last time out against the Mariners and his average fastball velocity dipped below 90 mph. This is a red flag and I think Brantley can take advantage. In his last three games, Brantley is averaging nearly 20 DKFP and his salary remains cheap.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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