Hey, everyone. Jared from Fantasy Cruncher here. I’ll be writing the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday FanDuel MLB Lineup Advice articles every week for FantasyPros this year. Really excited to share my thoughts and recommended plays with you throughout the season!
It’s a small 5 game slate this evening after a heavy dose of games in the early portion of the day.
For reference throughout the season, be sure to bookmark our overview of MLB Park Factors and how to Use Weather to Your Advantage in MLB DFS. Also, check out our GPP and Cash Games Primers to learn more about different daily fantasy game types specific to MLB.
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Weather
We should be pretty clear in the weather department, with the only possible issue in Texas. I am assuming things will be good enough to get this game in without issue, but it’s definitely a slightly risky proposition to play 4 Astros like I am going to recommend in this article today.
Overall Thoughts
This lineup basically shakes out as an Astros-Mets stack, with a bit of solid value sprinkled in on the side. I want to spend up for McCullers who is by far and away the top talent on the slate, even though I am highly intrigued by the upside of Matt Shoemaker who is a fine GPP pivot considering the slight rain risk and top K/9 skills exhibited on the slate over the last month.
Pitcher
Lance McCullers (HOU): $9,500 @ TEX
McCullers is the top play on the board thanks to the heaviest win probability and elite ground ball skills (65% over the last month), and he continues to be an excellent source of advanced stats value with the lowest SIERA on the board at 3.19. The Rangers are a talented group of hitters, but my guess is that McCullers will get the best of them as long as his innings aren’t capped due to any poor weather. Shoemaker is an admirable GPP pivot, and if the weather situation worsens as we approach game time, you can replace him in this spot as well.
Other Notables
Catcher
Evan Gattis (HOU): $3,200 @ TEX
Gattis went deep in his last start and has fantasy points in every single game played since the 17th of April, believe it or not (that’s a very impressive feat for a guy who does not play every day and is a powerful C in a highly variable DFS game). There’s a chance he isn’t in the lineup due to facing a RHP, even though his numbers are excellent for the split historically. McCann makes for a fine pivot if that is the case, but he’s a great middle-of-the-order bat option against Cashner on a night that I want heavy exposure to the Astros.
Other Notables
First Base
Lucas Duda (NYM) : $2,800 vs PIT
In case you haven’t been paying attention lately, Duda has been absolutely tearing the cover off the ball. He has 5 HR in his last 7 games and is doing a great job squaring the ball up against RHP. The fact he is only $2,800 on the slate is absurd, and he deserves to be one of the highest-owned plays on the slate.
Other Notables
Second Base
Neil Walker (NYM): $3,000 vs PIT
If not paying up for Jose Altuve or Robinson Cano on this slate, you have to go with Walker. He has been hitting very well of late and is a cheap middle-of-the-order option against Tyler Glasnow and his incredibly high WHIP tendencies. He’s a prime play in a Mets stack (or even if cherry picking) and is in a great spot to succeed on the slate.
Other Notables
Third Base
Jose Reyes (NYM): $2,700 vs PIT
Based on where I want to spend my money today, third base is a position that I am willing to somewhat compromise. Altuve continues to hit in the #2 spot for the Mets and has been playing pretty well this year. You can go with him or David Freese for the same price, but I prefer going deeper with the Mets top half of the order due to the superior run total (4.8 vs 4.2 for PIT) and feel he should be able to do some damage on the bases assuming Glasnow struggles in the BB department as he usually does.
Other Notables
Shortstop
Carlos Correa HOU) : $4,200 @ TEX
I suppose you don’t have to play him on the slate as there are other decent SS options available, but I’m more than happy to roster the high-floor, high-ceiling combo that he brings to the table. He has 3 HR in his last 4 games and 9+ FDP in each of his last 8 (where he’s had a hit in each). He’s an elite play (much like Duda) and should be one of the highest-owned on the slate, but for very good reason.
Other Notables
Outfield
George Springer (HOU): $4,200 @ TEX
Springer completes my 4-man Astros stack (3 hitters; 1 pitcher), and it’s not hard to understand why when you look at the way he is playing right now. He has at least 12.4 FDP in 6 straight games and 5 HR in his last 6 GP (crazy!). Cashner’s SIERA is far worse than the 2.92 ERA indicates, and he gives up plenty of hard contact.
Kevin Kiermaier (TB): $3,100 @ SEA
Though their team total doesn’t jump off the page, it’s attractive to have a bit of exposure to the Rays on this day – and Kiermaier is playing great baseball these days. He has HRs in 3 straight games and hits in all but one of his last 9. Sam Gaviglio is nothing special at all, and is has the lowest whiff rate of any SP on the board this evening, helping to drive up the floor.
Joey Rickard (BAL): $2,200 vs BOS
Assuming Rickard is at the top of the lineup for the Orioles against David Price, I am playing him at this salary. He hits LHP quite well and even though David Price is not to be taken too lightly, I am not convinced that he’s back to his normal elite self. Even if he gets on base once, I will take that kind of output considering he allows me to spend up at other positions for guys like Springer and Correa in particular.
Other Notables
- Josh Reddick
- Carlos Beltran
- Michael Conforto
- Andrew Benintendi
- Mookie Betts
- Corey Dickerson
- Jay Bruce
- Steven Souza
- Nelson Cruz
My Lineup
- SP – Lance McCullers (HOU): $9,500 @ TEX
- C – Evan Gattis (HOU): $3,200 @ TEX
- 1B – Lucas Duda (NYM): $2,800 vs PIT
- 2B – Neil Walker (NYM): $3,000 vs PIT
- 3B – Jose Reyes (NYM): $2,700 vs PIT
- SS – Carlos Correa (HOU): $4,200 @ TEX
- OF – George Springer (HOU): $4,200 @ TEX
- OF – Kevin Kiermaier (TB): $3,100 @ SEA
- OF – Joey Rickard (BAL): $2,200 vs BOS
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Jared Kwart is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jared, find his work at FantasyCruncher.com and follow him @FCJaredK.
