As you’re aware by now, April is the month we need to be most aware of the weather for MLB DFS. There only appears to be one game up in the air for tonight’s 10-game slate; however, it’s a rather important one. With severe thunderstorms in the Chicago area, I’d stay away from all Royals and White Sox. Yeah. That means no Brady Singer ($9,200) in a matchup with a Chicago lineup that’s been shutout six times in 16 contests. Alas.
Let’s dive into the other, drier parts of this evening’s action on the diamond.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $250K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Network app. You also can follow DK Network on Twitter @dknetwork.
PITCHER
Stud
Jared Jones, Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets, $8,500 – There are pitchers in the same range with easier matchups to exploit — Hunter Greene ($9,000) and Lance Lynn ($8,400) both come to mind. Still, no one has been racking up whiffs like Jones in 2024 and I think he remains too cheap for his arm talent. Through his first three MLB starts, Jones has 25 strikeouts in just 18.0 innings of work. His 34.7% strikeout rate is the fifth-highest qualified mark in baseball and it’s completely backed up by a league-leading 18.9% swinging strike rate. Until Jones’ price tag is above $9K, he’s automatically viable for me.
Value
Yusei Kikuchi, Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees, $7,800 – There’s always some blow-up potential with Kikuchi, especially in a matchup with the Yankees, but it’s hard to ignore how good the left-hander has looked in his first three starts. Kikuchi enters play on Tuesday with a 2.30 ERA and a 2.73 xERA, backed by a 57.9% ground ball rate and a 30.8% strikeout rate. That’s quite a bit of upside for an asset priced below $8K. The better strategy might simply be using two of the three mid-tier pitching options I mentioned above, yet if you need to save some extra salary, Kikuchi is the way to go.
INFIELD
Stud
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals, $6,500 – Betts facing off with Patrick Corbin ($5,500) is almost unfair. The former MVP has been scorching hot to begin the season, slashing .347/.462/.653 with a 202 wRC+ in his first 91 plate appearances. It’s also worth noting how well Betts performed against LHPs in 2023, as the veteran posted a .373 ISO and a .450 wOBA within the split. Conversely, Corbin currently owns an 8.44 ERA and looks more cooked that ever before — and he already looked pretty cooked. Woof.
Stud
Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves at Houston Astros, $5,800 – Obviously, Hunter Brown ($6,500) isn’t as terrible as his 16.44 ERA would indicate. However, the RHP has struggled significantly in 2024 and his biggest issue has been right-handed bats. To wit, the 23 RHBs Brown has faced have combined to slash a ridiculous .700/.739/1.000. That won’t sustain over the course of a whole season, but as it pertains to tonight, the Braves have a lot of elite right-handed hitters. Riley being one of the best.
Value
Ha-Seong Kim, San Diego Padres at Milwaukee Brewers, $3,900 – After a slow start to the season, Kim is starting to heat up. The shortstop has three extra-base hits and six walks in his last five games, dragging his wRC+ back up to a respectable 105. However, the main reason Kim is viable on Tuesday is his matchup with Wade Miley ($6,900). Kim has been far better throughout his career against LHPs. In fact, in 2023, the 28-year-old hit .302 with a .219 ISO within the split. As for Miley, he didn’t strikeout a single batter he faced in his season-debut last week. He’s nothing to fear.
Value
Danny Jansen, Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees, $3,100 – If you’re looking for a punt play at catcher on Tuesday, your search ends with Jansen. The veteran backstop was activated off the 10-day IL on Monday and should be behind the plate for the Jays on Tuesday against Carlos Rodon ($7,600). Since the beginning of 2022, in his 153 plate appearances versus LHPs, Jansen owns a 122 wRC+ and an eye-popping .275 ISO. The man has some pop.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres at Milwaukee Brewers, $5,500 – The Padres haven’t had many opportunities to face a left-handed pitcher in 2024, which means Tatis hasn’t been at the forefront of my mind for DFS. It’s not like the former top prospect doesn’t hit RHPs well, but he really likes seeing a southpaw. For his career, Tatis is hitting .301 with a .404 wOBA and a 159 wRC+ against lefties. He’s also got a home run in one of his two at-bats versus Miley, if that’s your cup of tea.
Stud
Teoscar Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals, $5,000 – It’s easy to forget about Hernandez in the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup, but the veteran has been fantastic to start 2024, posting a 143 wRC+ and sitting fifth in baseball in RBI (17). I expect he’ll add to that total tonight in a meeting with Corbin. It’s not just that Washington’s LHP is arguably the worst current starting pitcher in MLB, it’s that Hernandez has always been at his best in an opposite-hand matchup. To wit, the 31-year-old has registered a career .888 OPS and a .284 ISO within the split.
Value
Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres at Milwaukee Brewers, $3,100 – Let’s finish off this Padres stack with Profar, who at 31-years-old, is suddenly having the breakout campaign people were expecting a decade ago. I’m kidding, but the former top prospect is looking better than we’ve ever seen him before, slashing .311/.408/.508 with a 158 wRC+ in his first 71 plate appearances. It’s been enough to cement him as San Diego’s every day hitter in the five-spot.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $250K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
