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.
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The action is split into tiny pieces today. Let’s look at the seven-game evening slate. I’m steering clear of the Athletics-Rangers game since a postponement looks likely. If the forecast improves, give strong consideration to Oakland bats.
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PITCHER
Justin Verlander – Houston Astros (at Mariners)
Verlander runs laps around the alternatives in tonight’s slate. On DraftKings, his projection is nearly 10 points better than the next best. The gap is around 12 to 13 points on FanDuel. A matchup against the homer happy Mariners is mildly off-putting, perhaps enough to keep Verlander’s ownership rate within the stratosphere. For consistent daily fantasy play, it’s important to not overreact to another team’s small sample success. In other words, there’s no reason to walk away from the runaway top point projection of the slate. He’s reasonably priced too.
Also Consider: Sean Newcomb, Merrill Kelly
CATCHER / FIRST BASE
Christian Walker – Arizona Diamondbacks (vs Padres)
After a high flying start to his 2019 season, Walker has quickly plummeted back to Earth. Anybody who expected otherwise was setting themselves up for disappointment. He has serious swing-and-miss issues tied in with exploitable flaws to his plate approach. The total sum of the profile probably won’t work in the majors. He’ll get his best chance to prove his doubters (like me) wrong with the extended absence of Jake Lamb. As for tonight, he’ll have the platoon advantage against Matt Strahm. It’s probably a moot advantage since neither pitcher nor hitter has shown any statistical evidence of a platoon split. The main reason to use Walker tonight is his excessively cheap price.
Also Consider: Tucker Barnhart (value), Tyler White (value), Paul Goldschmidt, Pete Alonso
SECOND BASE
Ozzie Albies – Atlanta Braves (vs Mets)
The Braves second baseman usually bats leadoff against left-handed pitchers. Albies, a switch-hitter, is hitting .333/.367/.541 against southpaws in his brief career. It’s backed by superior plate discipline. Scouting reports also suggest he’s a much better hitter from the right side of the plate. I usually downplay the importance of platoon splits. They’re statistically noisy by nature. In this case, the signal is strong. The worst lefty in the NL East is on the bump tonight, Jason Vargas. Since he’s a changeup specialist, he typically has even platoon splits.
Also Consider: Jose Altuve, Wilmer Flores (value), Whit Merrifield
THIRD BASE
Josh Donaldson – Atlanta Braves (vs Mets)
Donaldson continues to crawl his way into 2019. He’s batting .213/.327/.298 with no home runs. On the plus side, his plate discipline is typical and he’s posting an absurd 55.9 percent hard contact rate. All of his peripherals suggest good times are just around the corner. If the Braves can scrape together a lead against Vargas, they’ll face the soft underbelly of the Mets bullpen.
Also Consider: Matt Carpenter (value), Jose Ramirez, Justin Turner
SHORTSTOP
Paul DeJong – St. Louis Cardinals (at Reds)
DeJong is batting third for the Cardinals most days. Tonight, he’ll face a bad sinker ball specialist, Tanner Roark. As a fly ball hitter with a nose for making hard, line drive contact, this is one of my personal favorite picks for a home run. Not only is the matchup ideal, Great American Ballpark is one of the friendliest places for power hitters. With growing concerns that the baseball is once again juiced, I expect the Cardinals to tee off on Roark.
Also Consider: Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Adalberto Mondesi, Dansby Swanson
OUTFIELD
Ronald Acuna Jr. – Atlanta Braves (vs Mets)
Acuna is the top projected hitter. You might notice a strong Braves stack forming. While other Atlanta hitters have reasonable price tags, Acuna is one of the most expensive players on both sites. He’s well worth the price of admission in what should be a romp through the Mets pitching staff. Acuna may have improved over the winter – a not uncommon phenomenon for 21-year-olds. He’s trimmed down his swinging strike rate while taking more walks.
Joc Pederson – Los Angeles Dodgers (vs Brewers)
We almost didn’t get a chance to discuss the Dodgers. They offer an elite stack opposite a beatable opponent. Brewers starter Zach Davies is a workaday innings muncher. He doesn’t induce whiffs, instead relying entirely upon soft contact. His command has looked shaky through two starts. Since Davies is a right-handed ground ball pitcher, any left-handed fly ball hitter – like Pederson – has a major advantage. He’ll probably bat leadoff. A home run is likely at one of the friendliest parks for high drives (a specific type of high-value fly ball).
Also Consider: Cody Bellinger, A.J. Pollock, Yasiel Puig, Jesse Winker
