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Sunday afternoon, Major League Baseball is set to celebrate Father’s Day with eight games on DraftKings’ main fantasy baseball slate, which gets underway at 1:35 p.m. ET. Half of the eight games feature divisional matchups including a pair of matchups from the AL East. The Braves and Cubs face off in the final matchup of this slate at 2:20 p.m. ET, as the Cubs go for a surprising sweep of the World Series Champions, who had won 14 straight coming into the series.
There are plenty of matchups and options to consider with the 16 teams in action on Sunday afternoon. As always, there are plenty of injury updates and lineup situations to monitor closely leading up to the first pitch. In order to keep tabs on the latest availability news and player updates throughout the day, install the DK Live app and follow DK Live on Twitter (@dklive). You can also find me on Twitter (@ZT_Sports), where I’m happy to answer questions or break down my picks highlighted below.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K 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
Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins at New York Mets ($10,500) – Many of the top arms on this slate are in less-than-ideal matchups. Alcantara has been consistent enough to still be trustworthy, though, even on the road against New York. In his 13 starts, Alcantara has gone 6-2 with a stellar 1.68 ERA and 2.96 FIP. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight straight starts with 56 strikeouts and only seven earned runs in 60 1⁄3 innings for a 1.04 ERA. Alcantara had produced over 26 DKFP in five straight games before struggling a little bit in his last outing with only 17.9 DKFP against the Phillies. He has historically fared well against the Mets, going only 2-4 but posting a 2.82 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 67 innings and averaging over 20 DKFP per start.
Other Options – Luis Severino ($10,300), Nick Pivetta ($9,600)
Value
Dane Dunning, Texas Rangers vs. Detroit Tigers ($7,800) – Dunning has been solid for the Rangers this season and gets a great matchup this Sunday against the often-toothless Tigers’ lineup. Dunning is only 1-4 but has an 8.58 K/9, 4.04 ERA and 3.72 FIP. He threw six shutout innings against the Astros with 17.3 DKFP in his most recent outing and has over 15 DKFP in six of his 10 most recent starts. The Tigers have hit just .225 in June, averaging only 2.8 runs in their 16 games. In such a favorable matchup, Dunning should be able to deliver another strong start despite some road struggles.
Other Options – Corey Kluber ($8,100), Mitch Keller ($7,000)
INFIELD
Stud
Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals ($5,000) – Bogaerts has been rolling for the Red Sox as they surge in the AL East and has collected multiple hits in three of his past four games coming into Saturday night’s contest. Over his previous 17 games coming into that matchup, he went 25-for-64 (.391) with one homer, 10 doubles, a .203 ISO and a .441 wOBA. X-man has also excelled at home this season, hitting .351 at Fenway Park with a .420 wOBA.
Stud
DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays ($4,600) – LeMahieu wasn’t in the lineup Saturday and went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter. In his previous 14 games, he went 16-for-55 (.291) with three home runs and a .385 wOBA. He has a .328 batting average and .402 wOBA against southpaws this season, and he has gone 7-for-17 (.412) with two doubles and three walks in his past matchups against Blue Jays SP Yusei Kikuchi ($7,300). The Yankees’ offense is a juggernaut right now, and getting LeMachine at the top of their lineup can pay off in your lineup Sunday.
Other Options – Willy Adames ($5,300), Ji-Man Choi ($4,600)
Value
Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers ($3,000) – Lowe has been showing his ceiling is far from low by smashing five home runs over his first 16 games of June. Over that span, he went 20-for-64 (.313) with a .403 wOBA and .297 ISO. He has a solid matchup against righty Drew Hutchison ($5,000) and had posted at least 7.0 DKFP in six of his previous eight games coming into Saturday’s matchup.
Value
Gabriel Moreno, Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees ($2,400) – The Blue Jays called up Moreno five games ago, and the 22-year-old prospect has gone 8-for-19 (.421) with eight singles in his first taste of the Majors. In Triple-A, Moreno was hitting .324 with one home run and a .356 wOBA over 36 games. He has excellent contact skills and offers good upside in the productive Blue Jays lineup at an extremely affordable salary.
Other Options – Ezequiel Duran ($3,200), Jonathan Villar ($2,900)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays ($6,100) – Judge went 0-for-5 on Saturday but was rolling before that with eight home runs in his previous 17 games while hitting .333 with a .379 ISO and .457 wOBA. He has a pair of home runs in his 14 career at-bats against Kikuchi. Judge homered three times in three games at Rogers Centre last year and already homered one time on his earlier trip to Toronto this season. He’s a high-priced play, but he has at least 9.0 DKFP in nine of his past 14 games, often delivering enough production to be worth his hefty salary.
Stud
Adolis García, Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers ($4,800) – García picked up three more hits, a home run and an impressive 29 DKFP on Saturday and remains on a tear to start the month of June. Over his past 10 games, he is 17-for-40 (.425) with three home runs and multiple hits in six of those 10 contests. He also gets a good matchup against Hutchison and brings a high ceiling as he continues to power the Rangers’ offense.
Other Options – Ronald Acuña Jr. ($5,900), Manuel Margot ($4,200)
Value
Andrew McCutchen, Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds ($3,700) – The 35-year-old veteran got a day off Saturday, but he’ll likely be back in the lineup on Sunday in a favorable matchup (highlighted below). Cutch has gone 15-for-39 (.385) over his past 11 games with a double and a home run, giving him a solid .429 wOBA over that span. He’s a solid low-cost option in the OF and has at least 7.0 DKFP in seven of his eight most recent games.
Value
Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs ($2,900) – Harris seems to have successfully made the leap to the Majors, adjusting quickly while thriving in the nine spot in the Braves’ batting order. Harris is hitting .324 and averaging 8.5 DKFP in his 20 games in the big leagues, which would be solid production from under $3K. However, he has been even better lately, averaging 12.0 DKFP over his past 10 games, going 15-for-37 (.405) with three doubles, a triple, two stolen bases and two home runs.
Other Options – Christopher Morel ($3,600), Dylan Carlson ($2,700)
TEAMS TO STACK
Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds – The Brewers will take on veteran lefty Mike Minor ($5,800) at Great American Ballpark in what should be a good spot on Sunday afternoon. Minor has allowed 12 runs and six home runs in 14 2⁄3 innings over his three outings. Four of those six home runs have come against righties, who have a .420 wOBA against him, although lefties have a .390 wOBA, which isn’t bad either. Hunter Renfroe ($3,500) and recently-recalled Jonathan Davis ($2,000) have homered against Minor before in their career while Rowdy Tellez ($3,500) has gone 2-for-4. Willy Adames ($5,300), Andrew McCutchen (discussed above) and Luis Urías ($3,600) are right-handed hitters who should also be in good spots to succeed and could produce major points in this stack against Minor.
Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles – The Rays got five runs on seven hits in five innings against Orioles SP Jordan Lyles ($5,700) earlier this season, and Lyles has continued to struggle recently, allowing three earned runs or more in five straight starts. On the season, he has given up 10 home runs in 13 starts with a 5.10 ERA and 4.42 FIP, and he has especially struggled with lefties, who have posted a .395 wOBA. Kevin Kiermaier ($3,100) and Manuel Margot ($4,200) have homered in the past against Lyles while Ji-Man Choi ($4,600) and Vidal Bruján ($2,800) will be on the better side of the splits. Either Kiermaier or Bruján will be a good bargain if hitting leadoff while Yandy Díaz ($4,700) is another solid bat usually in the top part of the lineup and Randy Arozarena ($5,800) is expensive but brings a high ceiling.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K 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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