The Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers start off a busy Sunday of fantasy baseball action in the MLB Leadoff matchup, followed by the main slate on DraftKings. The contests begin at 1:35 p.m. ET, with 20 teams providing plenty of options for players on the main slate. There are only two divisional games in this matchup set, but it includes a few nice showdowns between top teams in each league. There are several elite pitching options and some great matchups to attack for top hitters.
When building your DFS fantasy baseball team, it’s critical to keep a close eye on pregame lineups and the latest player news leading up to game time. You can do that by installing the DK Live app and following DK Live on Twitter (@dklive). I’m also on Twitter (@ZT_Sports), where you can keep up with all my picks as the season continues.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st] (Night)
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis, and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
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PITCHER
Stud
Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Minnesota Twins ($11,400) – There are three true aces on the mound priced over $10K on Sunday afternoon, but the best matchup belongs to Gausman, who has been outstanding this season for Toronto and leads the American League with a 12.4 K/9 rate. He has 113 strikeouts in his 82 innings while posting a 2.63 ERA and 2.29 FIP. He has been even better at home, where he has a 1.65 ERA and 2.11 FIP, while holding opponents to a .199 average.
Gausman has won three straight starts dating back to the last time he faced the Twins. That was an unusual start for Gausman, since he only lasted 5 1⁄3 innings while walking five and striking out eight. He has pitched at least six full innings in every one of his past six starts aside from that one and hasn’t walked any more than two batters in any other outing. He defeated the Milwaukee Brewers and the Houston Astros in his two starts since then, dominating with a total of 24 punch outs in 13 2⁄3 innings and a total of just one run allowed. Gausman is averaging an impressive 25.4 DKFP per start this season and has been trending upward with an average of 30.0 DKFP over his six most recent outings.
Other Options – Shane McClanahan ($11,200), Freddy Peralta ($8,800)
Value
Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals ($8,000) – Getting massive strikeout upside like Greene’s at $8K is pretty unusual. There is increased risk due to the fact that he just skipped a start because of hip stiffness, but his high ceiling makes him worth the risk at this salary.
Just before being skipped in the rotation, Greene had been locked in, allowing just one run on two hits over 12 innings in his two previous starts. In those two starts, Greene produced 38.3 DKFP in a road start against the Chicago Cubs, followed by 24.5 DKFP in a road game against the Boston Red Sox. He had at least eight strikeouts in four straight games, finishing with 37 punch outs in 23 innings over that span. He has been living up to his reputation for having electric stuff and has good numbers despite a few bad outings. He has a 12.77 K/9 on the season to go with a 3.92 ERA and 3.47 FIP. He has reached at least 19.9 DKFP in three straight starts and in six of his past 10. The Cardinals have been a huge disappointment this season and should be a solid matchup in which Greene can prove his hip injury was nothing major.
Other Options – Kyle Gibson ($7,700), Brandon Bielak ($6,600)
INFIELD
Stud
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies ($6,400) – Betts had another multi-hit game on Saturday and is now hitting .341 (15-for-44) over his past 10 games with 10 runs scored, 10 RBI and multiple hits in five of his past 10 games. Over that stretch, Mookie has six home runs and a stolen base to help him average an impressive 14.6 DKFP per contest. He and the Dodgers have split the first two games of this series, and they’ll go for the series win on Sunday against Taijuan Walker ($5,700). Betts brings extra value with his 2B eligibility, while also being able to take a spot in the outfield if you have another player you want to get in at 2B.
Stud
Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals ($4,300) – De La Cruz also can slot into multiple spots with eligibility at SS and 3B. The top prospect has been as good as advertised since joining the Reds five games ago. He has hit safely in every game, going 6-for-19 (.316) with a double, a triple, a home run, two stolen bases, a .437 wOBA and an average of 12.8 DKFP per contest. It’s definitely time to buy the hype on this 21-year-old and get him while his price is still relatively affordable. He’ll be taking on Adam Wainwright ($5,300), who made his MLB debut on September 11, 2005, when De La Cruz was only three years old. This season, the veteran has a 5.97 ERA and 4.26 FIP, so he should be a favorable matchup for the hard-hitting young Reds on Sunday.
Other Options – Freddie Freeman ($6,200), Ke’Bryan Hayes ($4,100)
Value
Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles vs. Kansas City Royals ($3,400) – Henderson was a hot mid-season call-up like De La Cruz last year, but struggled to find his groove early this year. He seems to have found it over his past few games, though, and was even moved into the leadoff spot in the lineup for the first time all season on Saturday. He responded by going 2-for-5 with his eighth homer of the year and 17 DKFP. He has averaged 11.4 DKFP over his past eight games while going 10-for-27 (.370) with three homers and two stolen bases. Especially if he’s in the leadoff spot again, he’s a great play at under $3.5K in this matchup against Mike Mayers ($5,400).
Value
Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros at Cleveland Guardians ($2,700) – Diaz is one of the top young hitters in the Astros’ system, and he could be part of the solution to filling in for the glaring absence of Yordan Alvarez (oblique) for the next few weeks. For fantasy purposes, he brings the ultra-valuable catcher eligibility, which boosts his value even though his defense at the position can be suspect at times. His bat hasn’t been questionable over the past few weeks, though. He has picked up 13 hits in his past 12 games, going 13-for-38 (.342) with three doubles, three homers and a .419 wOBA. After getting Saturday off, Diaz will likely be back in the lineup as a value play with upside on Sunday afternoon.
Other Options – Garrett Cooper ($3,700), Mauricio Dubón ($3,500), Ezequiel Duran ($2,900)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Ronald Acuña, Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals ($6,500) – Acuña hit his 13th homer of the season on Saturday on his way to 30 DKFP in a 6-4 win over Washington. He has at least 14 DKFP in three of his past four games and in six of his past nine. In those nine games, he’s averaged an impressive 14.7 DKFP, improving his average to an eye-popping 12.2 DKFP per contest on the season. He’s hitting .333 after his three-hit performance Saturday and has a .416 wOBA along with 28 stolen bases, the most in the National League. He and the Braves face Trevor Williams ($5,500), who has allowed 16 runs in his past four starts and has also allowed Acuña to go 6-for-12 with a pair of home runs in their past meetings. Acuña always brings a high ceiling, but he’s especially worth a look on this slate based on his current form and this juicy matchup.
George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Minnesota Twins ($5,000) – After getting a day off Friday, Springer was back in the mix on Saturday and had a pair of hits in the Blue Jays’ loss to Minnesota. He now has 12 multi-hit games in his past 27 contests while hitting .305 with five home runs and a wOBA just barely under .400. Springer hasn’t been as active on the basepaths or as productive as Acuña, but he is also hitting atop a lineup with the potential to pile up runs and should get good opportunities to stay hot in this matchup.
Other Options – J.D. Martinez ($5,600), Luis Robert Jr. ($4,900), Anthony Santander ($4,500)
Value
Esteury Ruiz, Oakland Athletics at Milwaukee Brewers ($3,400) – Ruiz is the only player in the Majors with more stolen bases than Acuña, and he continues to rack up thefts with three stolen bases in his past four games and at least 10 DKFP in each of those contests. Ruiz is hitting .264 after hitting safely in six of the seven games on this road trip for the A’s. He has a double and three stolen bases during that span, and he’s always in a good spot to steal bases if he keeps reaching regularly from the top of the Oakland lineup. He may not have the prestigious leadoff positions in Atlanta and Toronto, but even without his lineup doing much, he has been an effective fantasy option due to all his contributions on the basepaths.
Value
David Peralta, Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies ($2,600) – Peralta stumbled at the start of the season, but the veteran lefty has turned things around dramatically. He has gone 15-for-31 (.484) over his past 10 games with two doubles and a home run. Peralta has had four multi-hit performances during that span and has averaged 10 DKFP per game over his four most recent contests. He’s a bit of a flier play but one that comes with lots of upside if the Dodgers offense has a big game and Peralta gets the start against the righty Walker as expected.
Other Options – Jesús Sánchez ($3,300), Jordan Walker ($3,000), Will Benson ($2,700)
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st] (Night)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) 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.
