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In order to include two early games, the final main fantasy baseball slate of June on DraftKings starts at 6:05 p.m. ET on Thursday night, and as a result, there are seven games available. The Yankees visiting the Astros should be a great series all weekend, starting in one of those early contests. The other six matchups on tap are all divisional matchups, including the Padres and Dodgers closing out the evening at Dodger Stadium in a meeting of the top two teams in the NL West.
With 14 teams scheduled to take the diamond, it’s a decent-sized player pool with plenty of options that make sense. To keep up with all the latest availability news and player updates, install the DK Live app and follow DK Live on Twitter (@dklive). I’m also available on Twitter (@ZT_Sports).
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$100K to 1st]
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
PITCHER
Stud
Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics ($9,500) – There is plenty of pitching depth scheduled to be on the mound on Thursday night, but many of the top arms are set up to take on strong lineups. That gives Gilbert an edge since he’ll be taking on the Athletics. Oakland is second-to-last in runs scored and home runs while hitting an MLB-worst .211 as a team. Gilbert has been consistently strong this season, averaging 20.65 DKFP while winning four of his past six starts. He improved to 8-3 with his 2.44 ERA, 3.24 FIP and 9.03 K/9 rate after two starts against the Angels. He has at least six strikeouts in three straight starts and in seven of his past 10 outings. On the season, he has been slightly better at home than on the road, so he sets up well for a strong performance against the visiting Athletics.
Other Options – Aaron Nola ($10,000), Joe Musgrove ($9,700)
Value
Ian Anderson, Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies ($7,200) – Anderson has offered mixed results over his past five starts with three excellent outings and a pair of clunkers. He only lasted four innings in his most recent start, walking four and giving up four runs to the Dodgers to earn just 7.0 DKFP. He also struggled three starts ago against the Nationals, finishing with just 1.0 DKFP. His other outings have been solid, though, highlighted by a 27.4-DKFP performance against the Cubs. Overall, the 24-year-old righty has a 4.60 ERA and 4.45 FIP, but he has been better on the road with a 3.55 ERA and 3.76 FIP. Despite the inconsistency, he brings a high enough ceiling to be the top value SP on this slate due to his ceiling and matchup. While he hasn’t faced the Phillies this season, he catches them at a good time since without Bryce Harper (thumb) they have scored only four total runs in the two games in this series.
Other Options – Graham Ashcraft ($8,000), J.T. Brubaker ($7,500)
INFIELD
Stud
Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres ($5,400) – Despite all the drama around his agent and his return to Atlanta on the last road trip, Freeman continues to mash and comes back to Dodgers Stadium locked in at the plate. He has produced at least 11 DKFP in nine of his past 11 games, averaging 14.7 DKFP per game over that span by going 20-for-47 (.426) with four home runs and a .534 wOBA. His matchup against Joe Musgrove ($9,700) is far from a soft one, but he has had success against Musgrove in the past, going 6-for-15 (.400) with a home run.
Stud
Jorge Alfaro, San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers ($4,400) – Alfaro will be sorry to see June come to an end since he was so productive this month, establishing himself as a key contributor in the lineup whether at DH or behind the plate, where he keeps his valuable catcher eligibility. In June, he hit .313 with four home runs, a .284 ISO and a .405 wOBA, and he also has much better numbers on the road, where he is hitting .328 on the season with a .410 wOBA. The Padres will hope to take the first game of this critical series when they face Mitch White ($6,400), and Alfaro is a nice way to fill your tricky catcher spot.
Other Options – Jose Altuve ($5,400), Max Muncy ($4,600)
Value
Kolten Wong, Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates ($3,000) – Wong just came back from another trip to the IL with a troublesome calf injury, and he went 1-for-3 with a double and 11 DKFP in his return on Tuesday. He struck out as a pinch hitter Wednesday but should be back in the starting nine against JT Brubaker ($7,500) in Pittsburgh. His numbers are slightly down this season with a .228 batting average and .298 wOBA to go with five homers and eight stolen bases in 54 games, but he is still averaging 7.0 DKFP per contest and makes a solid play in this matchup at this price.
Value
Harold Ramírez, Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays ($2,900) – Ramírez can slide to an OF spot if you’re after another 1B but makes sense in either place since he’s hitting .311 with a .337 wOBA in his 61 games with the Rays this year. He hasn’t been held hitless in a game with multiple at-bats since June 15, going 13-for-30 (.433) over that stretch with two doubles, a home run, a stolen base and a .463 wOBA over his 12 games since then. He’s hitting an impressive .390 against lefties with a .413 wOBA on the season, and he gets a solid matchup against southpaw Yusei Kikuchi ($6,700) in Toronto on Thursday.
Other Options – Darick Hall ($2,600), C.J. Abrams ($2,000)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics ($5,600) – Rodríguez has delivered great fantasy production after a slow start to his rookie year and continues to bring the dual threat of power and speed that gives him such a high ceiling. In his past 13 games, he has gone 18-for-51 (.353) with four home runs, two stolen bases and a .442 wOBA while hitting in the top three in the lineup in each contest. He has at least 13 DKFP in six of his past nine contests and will look to keep rolling against recently-recalled Adrián Martínez ($5,900), who posted a 5.63 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in Triple-A.
Stud
Tommy Pham, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs ($4,600) – Pham reached double-digit DKFP on Wednesday thanks to his sixth stolen base of the season. He has three of those stolen bases over his past 20 games, while hitting .269 with four home runs, a .192 ISO and a solid .353 wOBA. While I’m not quite ready to go stacking the Reds like my esteemed colleague Garion Thorne recommended yesterday, I agree with him that they do offer some solid fantasy options now. I especially like Pham’s upside in this matchup against Kyle Hendricks ($5,100), against whom he has two career home runs while going 6-for-19 (.316).
Other Options – Aaron Judge ($6,000), Randy Arozarena ($4,500), Bryan Reynols ($4,400)
Value
Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies ($2,900) – Harris has made a nice splash in his 30 games since joining the Braves straight from Double-A, and he remains affordable under $3K. He has hit .327 with seven doubles, two triples and three home runs for a solid .182 ISO to go with his .371 wOBA. He has also started to run a little more with two stolen bases over his past three games, and that added production has helped him average 10.0 DKFP per contest over his past 19 games.
Value
Jake Lamb, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres ($2,000) – Lamb signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers to try to resurrect his career, and he has earned a shot after hitting .290 with 15 homers and a .400 wOBA with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He started Wednesday and went 1-for-1 with a walk and two runs scored on his way to 9.0 DKFP. If he gets another start against Musgrove, Lamb looks like a great option at the minimum salary with lots of upside in a loaded lineup.
Other Options – Nick Senzel ($2,800), Sam Haggerty ($2,000)
TEAMS TO STACK
Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays – The Rays get a favorable matchup as they open their important AL East series north of the border against lefty Yusei Kikuchi ($6,700). Kikuchi has allowed 19 runs in 15 1⁄3 innings over his past five outings including nine home runs. Eleven of his 13 home runs allowed this season have come to righties, who have a .407 wOBA against him. Rays righties (or switch-hitters) to consider include Yandy Díaz ($3,400), Wander Franco ($4,600), Randy Arozarena ($4,500), red-hot Isaac Paredes ($3,600) and Harold Ramírez (mentioned above). Those are also expected to be the top five in the order for Tampa Bay, giving them strong correlation that can be built around.
Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics – The Mariners are an affordable stack as they take on Martínez and the Athletics. As mentioned above, Martínez has a 5.63 ERA in his 13 starts with the Las Vegas Aviators and has been especially hittable by lefties, who have a .292 average and seven of his 13 home runs allowed at Triple-A. While Julio Rodríguez (highlighted above) makes sense as a pay-up option, Jesse Winker ($3,800), Cal Raleigh ($3,400), Abraham Toro ($3,400) and Adam Frazier ($2,300) are all very affordable plays who will be on the favorable side of the splits. J.P. Crawford ($4,500) and Eugenio Suárez ($5,200) also make solid options to round out the Seattle stack which could bring value returns in the late game.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$100K to 1st]
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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.
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