It is very seldom that Thursday brings us a big slate of MLB games but this week we have a big, juicy 10-game night slate of action to analyze. After the plethora of high-quality starting pitchers took the mound Tuesday the pickings were slim on Wednesday, and Thursday is no different. My sample Thursday lineup below is more focused on Cash games with a diverse set of hitters that hit near the top of the lineup and offer a nice mix of on-base skills and power.
As always, be sure to pay close attention to the lineups when they are released and monitor the weather leading up to game time. 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.
Win cash playing in FanDuel’s MLB Squeeze 
Pitcher
Alex Wood (LAD) : $9,600 @ ATL
Wood and Corey Kluber are the only top end pitching options on the slate and neither of them are in the best spot. However, with a lot of weak middle and lower tier options available it is worth paying up for one of them in your Cash game lineups. Give me the cheaper option even though Wood has struggled in his last two starts he has a 1.56 ERA on the road this season and is a huge Vegas favorite.
Other Notables
- Corey Kluber (CLE): $11,100 vs NYY
- Rick Porcello (BOS): $8,100 vs CHW
Catcher
Evan Gattis (HOU) : $3,000 vs TB
Gattis should return to the starting lineup after getting Wednesday night off. He has six hits in his last four starts including three extra-base hits while hitting in the middle of the Astros’ injury depleted lineup. Gattis has a .239 ISO versus lefties this season and will face Rays’ southpaw Blake Snell who has allowed a .354 wOBA and 1.56 HR/9 to right-handed hitters this season. Gattis is also 3-for-3 with a double and homer off Snell in his career.
Other Notables
- Salvador Perez (KC): $3,300 vs SEA
- Austin Barnes (LAD): $2,400 @ ATL
First Base
Logan Morrison (TBR): $3,500 @ HOU
Morrison has gone deep in back-to-back games and could make it three straight on Thursday facing Collin McHugh who Morrison has hit four homers off in 13 career at-bats. Morrison has a .443 wOBA and .389 ISO on the road versus right-handed pitchers this season.
Other Notables
- Joey Votto (CIN): $4,000 @ PIT
- Mike Napoli (TEX): $2,800 @ MIN
Second Base
Robinson Cano (SEA) : $3,600 @ KC
Cano has seven hits over the last four games including three doubles and seven RBIs. He has a .386 wOBA and .261 ISO on the road versus righties this season and will face Royals’ righty Trevor Cahill who has allowed five runs in each of his last two starts. Cano has had success against Cahill in his career going 7-for-14 with three doubles and a homer.
Other Notables
- Jose Altuve (HOU): $4,500 vs TB
- Ian Kinsler (DET): $3,100 @ BAL
Third Base
Justin Turner (LAD) : $3,400 @ ATL
Turner has cooled off since the All-Star break batting just .255 with three extra-base hits in 16 games. Unlike previous seasons, Turner has been better against lefties than righties this season with a massive .510 wOBA and .347 ISO. He will face Braves’ rookie left-hander Sean Newcomb who has allowed a .340 wOBA to righties when pitching at home this season.
Other Notables
- Mike Moustakas (KC): $3,500 vs SEA
- Nick Castellanos (DET): $2,800 @ BAL
Shortstop
Tim Beckham (BAL) : $2,500 vs DET
Beckham was in my article last Thursday as well but a lot has changed for the 27-year-old shortstop since then. He is now in Baltimore instead of Tampa Bay starting every day for the Orioles and he has begun his time with the Orioles with a bang collecting two hits in each of his first two games with three extra-base hits. His salary is still cheap on FanDuel, so scoop him up at a weak position and spend elsewhere.
Other Notables
- Corey Seager (LAD): $3,600 @ ATL
Outfielders
Mookie Betts (BOS): $4,100 vs CHW
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, Betts is one of my favorite hitters to roster in DFS. He hits at the top of the lineup and offers a power and speed combo that gives him a high floor and upside every time he takes the field. He has four hits and four RBIs over his last two games and will face Miguel Gonzalez who has allowed a .340 wOBA and 1.32 HR/9 to righties on the road this season.
Starling Marte (PIT) : $3,000 vs CIN
Marte has been slow to regain is form since returning from his suspension batting .237 with just one extra-base hit in 14 games. However, he contributes in other ways with 10 runs and five steals during that stretch. Marte will face Sal Romano who has had trouble with his control walking 17 hitters in 21 2/3 innings this season including six walks in his last start. If Marte can get on base he could produce multiple steals and runs to compile a good fantasy day at a reasonable price.
Jesse Winker (CIN) : $2,300 @ PIT
Winker has moved up into the two-hole for the Reds in the last two games and has responded with a home run in each game. The home runs may not continue for Winker but he is a good hitter who posted a .314 average in Triple-A this season after posting a .303 average the previous season. He will face Pirates righty Chad Kuhl who has struggled at home this season (6.04 ERA) and in particular against lefties who have a .382 wOBA off him this season.
Other Notables
- Mike Trout (LAA): $4,800 vs PHI
- Billy Hamilton (CIN): $3,600 @ PIT
- Bradley Zimmer (CLE): $3,300 vs NYY
- Andrew Benintendi (BOS): $3,100 vs CHW
- Melky Cabrera (KC): $2,800 vs SEA
- Jarrod Dyson (SEA): $2,300 @ KC
My Lineup
- SP – Alex Wood (LAD): $9,600
- C – Evan Gattis (HOU): $3,000
- 1B – Logan Morrison (TB): $3,500
- 2B – Robinson Cano (SEA): $3,600
- 3B – Justin Turner (LAD): $3,400
- SS – Tim Beckham (BAL): $2,500
- OF – Mookie Betts (BOS): $4,100
- OF – Starling Marte (PIT): $3,000
- OF – Jesse Winker (CIN): $2,300
Create Optimal FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud | Google Play | TuneIn | RSS
Brad Richter is a correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay and GoingFor2. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.
