Welcome to MLB Opening Day for the 2019 season!
This article will outline the best daily fantasy MLB plays of the day at every position. We will take a comprehensive look at FanDuel and DraftKings to uncover these core recommendations, factoring respective salaries into the analysis.
Please note, these player picks were organized early in the day. For MLB contests, always check lineups and weather closer to game time. Rain, wind, or unexpected managerial decisions could open up additional sources of value. Be sure to keep an eye on the MLB Headlines and Injuries desk.
We will be looking at the 14-game main slate starting at 1:05 ET.
Editor’s Note: Stay ahead of the competition from wire to wire with rankings, customizable projections, trade evaluator, exclusive columns and more in our Season Pass. And start using optimized lineups on Yahoo!, DraftKings and FanDuel with our DFS Toolkit!
[[ad:athena]]
PITCHER
Corey Kluber – Cleveland (at Minnesota)
Kluber noticed a drop in velocity towards the end of last season, but I’m expecting him to be just fine – especially considering fatigue shouldn’t be an issue on Opening Day. That’s the nice part of daily fantasy baseball, we can take things on a game-by-game basis. Kluber will look to be his dominant-self against divisional foe Minnesota this afternoon. He’s a top-flight fantasy option who checks in with a cheaper salary than his peers (Scherzer, deGrom, Verlander, Snell) on FanDuel. I’ll gladly take that discount without sacrificing fantasy expectations.
Also Consider: Masahiro Tanaka, Aaron Nola, Marcus Stroman (tournaments)
CATCHER / FIRST BASE
Greg Bird – New York Yankees (vs Baltimore)
You’ll probably notice a theme with the infielders today. I’m looking towards value in these spots, then using the savings to roster top-dollar outfielders. Confident bargains like Greg Bird help make that a reality. The Yankees check in with the highest run-scoring projection of the day against washed-up RHP Andrew Cashner and a shaky Baltimore bullpen. Playing in Yankee Stadium doesn’t hurt, as the short porch in right field could help the powerful lefty.
Also Consider: Luke Voit, Gary Sanchez, Yonder Alonso (value filler)
SECOND BASE
Mike Moustakas – Milwaukee (vs St. Louis)
Cardinals’ pitcher Miles Mikolas had an excellent breakout 2018 campaign with a 2.83 ERA. However, this is a tough opening assignment against a loaded Milwaukee lineup. Moustakas carries a fair salary within that, and he’ll likely hold a premium lineup spot. I’m siding with his enticing power/contact combination, and the “per dollar” upside is hard to pass up even in a perceived difficult matchup.
Also Consider: Jonathan Villar, Gleyber Torres, Adam Frazier (value filler)
THIRD BASE
Kris Bryant – Chicago Cubs (at Texas)
This Rangers-Cubs matchup is one of the warmest games of the day in a hitter-friendly ballpark. That explains why the odd-makers assigned this tilt with a slate-high 9.5 over/under. Bryant could inflict damage within that while enjoying the platoon advantage over mediocre LHP Mike Minor. The Cubbies and Yankees are two of the higher-scoring teams of the day, and I’ll be looking to work those bats into my DFS lines.
Also Consider: Matt Chapman, Hunter Dozier (value filler), Brandon Drury (value filler if leading off)
SHORTSTOP
Jean Segura – Philadelphia (vs Atlanta)
In the previous write-up, I mentioned how the Yankees and the Cubs are two top offenses on Opening Day. Philadelphia’s new-look squad isn’t far behind him. I’m especially interested in one of those new acquisitions, Jean Segura, as a friendly mid-range lift on FanDuel and DraftKings. Segura can rack up fantasy points across the board with potential for multiple hits and runs to go along with some “pop” and stolen base upside. He’ll have fantastic lineup security with Andrew McCutchen, Bryce Harper, and Rhys Hoskins surrounding him.
Also Consider: Javier Baez, Marcus Semien, Troy Tulowitzki (value filler)
OUTFIELD
Mike Trout – LA Angels (at Oakland)
You should be able to find enough savings at the other hitting positions to snag at least one premium outfielder. I would then point your attention to none other than Mr. Mike Trout. The Angels’ superstar gets a date with Mike Fiers today, and the Oakland pitcher was lit up in his season debut after allowing five runs and four hits through three innings against the Mariners in Japan. Fiers has coughed-up hard contact throughout his career, and Trout has taken advantage with impressive head-to-head numbers. Whether you are into batter vs pitcher stats or not, you can’t deny Trout in this spot.
Odubel Herrera – Philadelphia (vs Atlanta)
Remember how I mentioned Philadelphia has a top three run-scoring projection on the day? Herrera could make some noise within that. He’ll be hitting sixth for the Phillies, presenting some interesting RBI potential with McCutchen, Segura, Harper, Hoskins, and Realmuto in front of him. Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran has occasionally struggled against left-handed bats over the years, and Herrera could take advantage this afternoon. I especially like his $2,500 salary on FanDuel.
Also Consider: Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Khris Davis, Marcell Ozuna, Brett Gardner, Dexter Fowler
