:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67321496/1228202239.jpg.0.jpg)
The MLB season is underway and it’s a great time to get in on some DraftKings action. Monday features a seven-game main slate, starting at 7:05 p.m., to start the week off right.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $300K Gyroball [$100K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Shane Bieber, CLE at KC, $11,000 - Whenever Bieber pitches, he has to be considered a top option. He averages 34.5 DKFP and has at least eight strikeouts in all seven of his starts. Even though he didn’t have his best stuff in his last start in a tough matchup against the Twins, Bieber still put up 29.3 DKFP. In an easy matchup against the Royals, this doesn’t seem like the spot where he fails. Bieber scored 41.9 DKFP against Kansas City earlier in the season.
Value
Spencer Howard, PHI vs. WAS, $5,800 - This is a tough slate for lineup construction. Not only do we have a handful of stud pitchers to choose from but there is also a Coors Field game tonight. We have to find value somewhere. To this point, Howard hasn’t pitched great but he’s one of the highest-rated pitching prospects in baseball. Due to his prospect pedigree, I don’t mind taking a shot on him at a cheap price when it’s tough to find a way to save salary.
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
CATCHER
Stud
J.T. Realmuto, PHI vs. WAS, $5,000 - Realmuto continues to build on a strong season. He has a career-best 138 wRC+ and brings a ton of stability as a DFS catcher. he’s reached base in nine consecutive games and brings a rare combination of power and speed to the position. Not only does Realmuto have nine homers this season, but he’s even stolen a couple of bases.
Value
Omar Narváez, MIL vs. PIT, $2,800 - To say the least, Narváez is disappointing at the plate this season. He only has a 57 wRC+, although I expect a turnaround. Narvaez put up a wRC+ over 100 in each of his full seasons in the big leagues and is a victim of bad luck this season. He has a .205 BABIP and most of his woes go away when that normalizes. The price is right on Narváez and he’s at home in a hitter-friendly park, so this looks like a good buy-low moment.
FIRST BASE
Stud
José Abreu, CHW at MIN, $5,400 - Abreu is quietly in the American League MVP picture. He has 12 homers and hits in the middle of one of the league’s most potent offenses. Playing with better talent is a boon for Abreu’s counting stats and he has racked up 30 RBIs. He is currently riding a 13-game hitting streak and I will continue to roster Abreu until he stops hitting, which might not happen this season.
Value
Daniel Murphy, COL vs. SD, $3,800 - Even though Murphy is past his prime, I am always willing to roster him at Coors Field against a right-handed pitcher. In a down year for Murphy, most of his struggles have come on the road. He still has a .327 batting average in Denver and he’s priced way down tonight.
SECOND BASE
Stud
Jake Cronenworth, SD at COL, $4,700 - It shouldn’t come as a shock that Cronenworth is hitting the ball at Coors Field. In the first three games of this series, he’s averaging 14.3 DKDP and he hit a homer yesterday. What really helps prop up Cronenworth’s numbers is how good the Padres’ offense is. He has scored a run in five straight games.
Value
Luis Urías, MIL vs. PIT, $3,600 - It looks like Urías is locked into his new spot in the batting order. After hitting at the bottom of the order for most of the season, Urías is now batting leadoff and it’s leading to better results. He’s scored double-digit DKFP in two of his past four games and is a bit too cheap assuming he holds onto his gig as the leadoff hitter.
THIRD BASE
Stud
Manny Machado, SD at COL, $5,700 - It’s tough to not roster Machado at this point. Not only is he playing at Coors Field but Machado is also tearing the cover off the ball lately while flying to the top of the NL MVP odds. Machado is on a 12-game hitting streak and he has multiple hits in nine of those 12 games. Equally remarkable, Machado only has one strikeout in his past nine games. He’s hitting everything.
Value
Austin Riley, ATL at BOS, $3,200 - Remember when this guy first got called up the big leagues and starting hitting homers in bunches? Riley hasn’t quite recaptured that magic but he did hit what looked like a 600-foot homer last night and has massive power upside. Riley has homered in two of his past three games and brings rare home run upside for such a cheap salary.
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Fernando Tatis Jr., SD at COL, $6,100 - In addition to being the best hitter in fantasy baseball, if Tatis isn’t the leading NL MVP candidate it’s only because fellow Padre Manny Machado is slightly ahead of him. At worst, Tatis is currently second in the MVP race. He averages 12.6 DKFP and seems to either steal a base or homer more often than not. It’s hard to consider Tatis anything other than a core play when he’s playing at Coors Field.
Value
Adalberto Mondesi, KC vs. MIN, $2,800 - I don’t like to make a habit of rostering hitters against Shane Bieber. Frankly, I am not thrilled about Mondesi, although there aren’t any cheap shortstops that really stand out. The best course is to spend up at this position. At least with Mondesi, all he has to do is find a way to get on base once for a big fantasy game. With the Royals likely struggling to score runs against Bieber, look for Mondesi to attempt to steal a base or two if he manages to get on.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Christian Yelich, MIL vs. PIT, $5,300 - Of all the high-end outfielders, I lean toward Yelich as the best option. It’s also nice that he’s slightly discounted from some of the most expensive options, which shouldn’t be the case. While the slow start to the season for Yelich was a bit of a concern, he’s back on track and has reached base in every game for nearly three weeks.
Value
Raimel Tapia, COL vs. SD, $3,800 - I don’t understand some of the really cheap priced tags for the Rockies’ left-handed hitters tonight. Of them all, Tapia is the most underpriced as the leadoff hitter. Even though he isn’t a Silver Slugger-caliber hitter, he looks like one at Coors Field. He has a .342 batting average in Denver this season.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLB $300K Gyroball [$100K to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is gehrenberg) 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 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.