Holy James Paxton performance, Batman! Seriously, the Mariners Canadian starter was on fire en route to a no-hitter last night, and if you used him like I did you probably had a pretty successful slate. Let’s aim for Paxton-like dominance on tonight’s somewhat light seven-game slate. Throughout the season this article will primarily focus on players on the teams with the highest implied team totals for the day.
As always, you must pay close attention to batting lineups when they are released in addition to monitoring weather reports 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. Play ball!
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Pitcher
Gio Gonzalez (WAS): $9,000 @ SDP
Maybe at $9,000, Gonzalez doesn’t stand out as a screaming value, but that’s a pretty palatable price tag for a guy with his safe floor and reasonable ceiling. He’s yet to have a truly dominant performance in 2018, but Vegas seems to think one is coming tonight given the Padres slate-low three-run implied team total. That’s about as low as they get, folks. Gio has actually pitched better than his numbers indicate. He’s yet to give up more than three earned runs in a start and he’s averaging six strikeouts per outing. He’s just only made it to the sixth inning twice. Tonight he’s pitching in a very pitcher-friendly ballpark and gets to face the lineup producing the fourth-fewest runs in baseball. He’s a cash and tournament option in this great road matchup.
First Base/Catcher
Wilson Ramos (TAM): $2,800 vs ATL
Even for a catcher, Ramos is just absurdly cheap for someone raking .316/.369/.495 with 139 wRC+ on the season. While the matchup doesn’t necessarily stand out, Ramos serves as a great tournament option given opposing starter Julio Teheran’s up-and-down nature this season. Ramos’ consistent ways can also help your cash lineups, as he’s reached base in 10 straight games, driving in 11 RBIs over that stretch. It’s notable that the Rays have the fourth-highest implied run total on the slate with a very solid 4.75.
Second Base
Jonathan Schoop (BAL): $2,700 vs KAN
Schoop is an easy play tonight, clearly underpriced in only his second game returning from injury. Strike now before the market corrects this and he’s priced at $3,200 or higher. Schoop gets to face struggling young lefty Eric Skoglund tonight, who doesn’t even have a picture next to his name on FanDuel. Skoglund has given up four or more earned runs in four of his five starts this season. Schoop’s numbers are a very small sample size so far this year, but he owned lefties to the tune of a .300/.361/.593 line last season, so I’m expecting more of the same. You’ll want to load up on the Orioles (that felt weird to type) as they have a slate-leading 5.5 implied team total. Yes, I’ll be playing Manny Machado as well.
Shortstop
Jean Segura (SEA): $3,200 @ TOR
Per usual, there aren’t any standout values at shortstop tonight if you’re not willing to pay up for the high-end of the price spectrum. Enter Segura, who’s playing in a hitter-friendly Toronto park and gets struggling lefty Jaime García. Segura is hitting .308/.325/.410 against lefties this year, right in line with last year’s .317/.388/.431 numbers. García is sporting a 6.00 ERA and hasn’t reached six innings since his first start of the season. Segura feels like a pretty safe play with a sprinkling of upside.
Third Base
Rafael Devers (BOS): $3,400 @ NYY
Devers isn’t insanely cheap, but he’s pretty reasonably priced at a third base position lacking top-tier options tonight. After all, I’d be remiss not to include someone from a matchup between the two top offenses in baseball, not to mention the greatest rivalry in the history of the game. Devers is a good cash and tournament option going up against righty Masahiro Tanaka, who’s still having a very inconsistent season. You’ll want to take cheap stabs at getting a piece of the offense in this game.
Outfield
Adam Jones (BAL): $2,800 vs KAN
As mentioned above, we should be all in on the Orioles tonight, which is one of the least comfortable things I’ve ever written. They have a slate-high 5.5 implied team total and are facing young Royals lefty Eric Skoglund who has one of the worst starting ERAs in baseball. Jones’ numbers are down this year, but he’s still batting in front of Manny Machado and he’s picked things up recently, with six hits over his last four games. Here’s betting the five-time All-Star can take advantage of the inexperienced southpaw. Mark Trumbo makes for a fine play as well.
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Eli Weiner is a correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor and editor for SconnieSportsTalk. For more from Eli, you can view his archive or follow him @eweiner_bball.
