We now have over a month in the books for the 2019 MLB season as the calendar turns to May. As such, we can start to trust this year’s numbers a little bit more as we approach the nine-game evening slate on DraftKings. This slate is loaded with reasonably priced high-end pitching options and thankfully there are enough value bats to allow you to roster two of them. I have highlighted my top two options along with my core hitters to start constructing your cash game lineups.
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.
Pitchers
Corey Kluber (CLE): $9,400 @ MIA
The use of Trevor Bauer on Tuesday night didn’t work out quite as well as I hoped but he still was able to compile double-digit strikeouts and a win to be the fourth highest scoring pitcher on the slate. Well, let’s go right back to the Indians and Kluber in the same matchup against the Marlins. The Marlins have a .273 wOBA (29th), 71 wRC+ (26th), and a league-high 27.7% strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Kluber hasn’t quite been his usual dominating self so far this season but he couldn’t ask for a better matchup and game environment with the winds blowing in and a pitcher-friendly umpire behind the plate.
We now have over a month in the books for the 2019 MLB season as the calendar turns to May. As such, we can start to trust this year’s numbers a little bit more as we approach the nine-game evening slate on DraftKings. This slate is loaded with reasonably priced high-end pitching options and thankfully there are enough value bats to allow you to roster two of them. I have highlighted my top two options along with my core hitters to start constructing your cash game lineups.
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.
Pitchers
Corey Kluber (CLE): $9,400 @ MIA
The use of Trevor Bauer on Tuesday night didn’t work out quite as well as I hoped but he still was able to compile double-digit strikeouts and a win to be the fourth highest scoring pitcher on the slate. Well, let’s go right back to the Indians and Kluber in the same matchup against the Marlins. The Marlins have a .273 wOBA (29th), 71 wRC+ (26th), and a league-high 27.7% strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. Kluber hasn’t quite been his usual dominating self so far this season but he couldn’t ask for a better matchup and game environment with the winds blowing in and a pitcher-friendly umpire behind the plate.
Aaron Nola (PHI): $9,000 vs. DET
If you are paying attention you will see that I’m attacking the same two teams with my pitchers on Wednesday, that I did on Tuesday. Nola is coming off one of his better outings of the season after allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings against the Marlins. Out of all the big-name pitchers on Wednesday’s slate, it is Nola and the Phillies at are the biggest Vegas favorite playing at home against the Tigers. The Tigers have a mere .290 wOBA (25th), 79 wRC+ (24th), and 26.9% strikeout rate (4th) against righties this year. Nola is also at home where he has posted a 28.3% strikeout rate over his career.
Other Notables
Hitters
Jose Altuve (2B – HOU): $4,500 @ MIN
Coming off an 11-run outburst on Tuesday, you will want to get some exposure to the Astros bats again on Wednesday as they face Twins lefty, Martin Perez. Perez was crushed by right-handed hitters last season allowing a .410 wOBA and 1.88 HR/9. He has fared a little bit better so far this year, but the Astros are not the team you want to run into with their power-hitting right-handed bats. Altuve has been ripping the ball against lefties this year with a .521 wOBA and four homers in just 24 plate appearances.
Manny Machado (3B/SS – SD): $4,100 @ ATL
Machado offers a lot of value at either the SS or 3B position on Wednesday’s slate. He posted a .383 wOBA and .238 ISO against lefties last season and gets a favorable park adjustment playing in Atlanta. The Braves will throw their young lefty Max Fried who has been solid early on this season but could see some regression with a .267 BABIP and an xFIP (3.59) over a run higher than his ERA (2.30). Right-handed hitters have a 1.38 HR/9 rate against Fried when he is pitching at home during his career.
Kike Hernandez (2B/OF – LAD): $4,000 @ SF
Hernandez has collected five hits over his last three games including knocking one out of the park on Tuesday. He’ll face a familiar foe on Wednesday with lefty Madison Bumgarner toeing the rubber for the Giants. Hernandez has given Bumgarner all he can handle over his career with a .500 batting average including five doubles and four homers in 42 at-bats. He has a .494 wOBA against southpaws so far this season while Bumgarner has yielded a .374 wOBA to righties at home.
Brandon Nimmo (OF – NYM): $3,900 vs. CIN
I kept finding Nimmo in my DFS lineups with his low salary. With Robinson Cano out, Nimmo has moved up into the three-hole in the lineup the last two games. While he hasn’t been productive in those outings, he recently came off a six-hit stretch over three games and has continued to hit the ball hard. He’ll face righty Anthony DeSclafani who has been lit up by lefties early on this year allowing a .441 wOBA in 39 plate appearances.
Jesus Aguilar (1B – MIL): $3,600 vs. COL
Let’s try to ride the hot bat of Aguilar on Wednesday. He has clubbed three homers in the first two games of the Brewers series against the Rockies to break out of his early-season slump. Aguilar will face Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela who has posted reverse splits this season allowing a .373 wOBA to righties with a pair of long balls through three starts (two on the road). Righties have also done more damage against Senzatela over his career. Aguilar showed he can hit righties last season with a .368 wOBA and .263 ISO.
Other Notables
- George Springer (OF – HOU): $5,200 @ MIN
- Nolan Arenado (3B – COL): $5,100 @ MIL
- Juan Soto (OF – WAS): $4,900 vs. STL
- Andrew McCutchen (OF – PHI): $4,500 vs. DET
- Wil Myers (1B/OF – SD): $4,300 @ ATL
- Yasmani Grandal (C – MIL): $4,300 vs. COL
- Franmil Reyes (OF – SD): $3,700 @ ATL
- Yuli Gurriel (1B/3B – HOU): $3,600 @ MIN
- Justin Turner (3B – LAD) $3,500 @ SF
- Buster Posey (C – SF): $3,500 vs. LAD
Brad Richter is a Featured Writer and correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.
