RADIO
Happy Friday, RotoBallers! I am incredibly excited to be a part of this talented DFS crew put together at RotoBaller. I'll bring you the DraftKings DFS picks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays throughout the season. Baseball has officially returned, and it was a wildly entertaining Opening Day. Now, we kick off this first weekend of the season with a six-game slate. No "what time does that game start?" problems for the Friday crowd, as all the games begin after 7 pm ET.
With only six games, it will be hard to get away from Coors Field tonight. Especially with Antonio Senzatela taking the mound for Colorado. The Arizona-San Diego series had some fireworks in their opening game last night, and that could continue with Merrill Kelly getting the start for the Diamondbacks. Meanwhile, the San Francisco-Seattle contest was bonkers and had a ton of late-inning drama. Between the two teams, 10 different relievers were used, and that could give us some excellent late-inning fantasy points in the West Coast nightcap.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/2/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Blake Snell - P, SD vs. ARI ($9,700)
Workload concerns! New team! How many times through the order can he go? If you watched any baseball yesterday, you know that managers are going with the early hook to start the year. It eases my concerns with Snell because I think he can still give you the strikeout upside you need in those (presumed) limited innings. The 2018 AL Cy Young winner has three-straight seasons with at least a 31 percent strikeout rate and now comes to the National League for the first time in his career.
The Padres lineup should take advantage of Merrill Kelley on the mound and give Snell the run support he needs. On a six-game slate, Snell racking up some strikeouts and getting the win is going to be a helpful addition to any lineup.
Pablo Lopez - P, MIA vs. TB ($7,000)
Lopez is the cheap pitcher I'm targeting tonight. Cristian Javier ($6,500) is also in play versus Oakland, but Lopez followed up an impressive 2019 with a positive spring performance. Last year, Lopez broke out with a 3.61 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 24.6 percent strikeout rate. These numbers were backed by a 3.16 expected ERA and a 3.09 FIP. Lopez took a step forward and is looking to keep the good times rolling in 2021.
In Spring Training, the 25-year old let everyone know that he set a goal to reach 200 innings this season. That may be lofty, but he was consistently getting to the win threshold in games last year. Lopez went at least five innings in nine of his 11 starts and six or more innings in four outings.
DraftKings DFS Infielders
Yasmani Grandal - C, CWS at Andrew Heaney ($4,900)
$4,600 for a catcher?! What am I thinking? Well, I'm betting on the White Sox taking advantage of left-handed hurler Andrew Heaney and piling up the runs. Vegas has the game with an over/under at 8.5 runs, and I like the over. Despite limiting the White Sox to zero runs last night, I will need to see a lot more from the Angels bullpen before I fade them. Heaney has had problems with the longball in his career, and the White Sox have some boppers in their lineup. Plus, stacking the White Sox bats will be a significant difference-maker in contests that will heavily feature the Dodgers in Coors.
Jesus Aguilar - 1B, MIA vs. Ryan Yarbrough ($3,300)
Grabbing the third hitter with a platoon advantage on any day is a good plan, but snagging them for $3,300 makes Aguliar a great value on Friday. He will be facing the Rays and their dominant bullpen, but on a six-game slate, we have to look for any advantages we can find. The 30-year old slugger went 2-for-4 yesterday and continued to build off a strong Spring Training performance. In 17 Grapefruit League games, Aguilar slashed .350/.435/.550 with two doubles, two home runs, and six walks to one strikeout. The eight-year veteran is a little underpriced today and is swinging a hot bat right now.
Donovan Solano - 2B, SF vs. Yusei Kikuchi ($3,200)
Another middle-of-the-order bat in the low $3,000 range is Donovan Solano. He started for the Giants last night against the lefty; Marco Gonzales and DFS managers should expect the same lineup configuration today against another Seattle southpaw, Yusei Kikuchi. In his 2021 debut, Solano went 2-for-5 with two runs, a double, and a strikeout.
In 2020, the Giants mashed against left-handed pitching. They finished second in ISO (.221) and third in both wRC+ (127) and wOBA (.358). With his promising start last night and another left-handed hurler on the mound tonight, Solano at $3,200 will allow DFS players to spend up at other spots.
Alex Bregman - 3B, HOU at Jesus Luzardo ($5,800)
INSTANT OVERREACTION ALERT! I'll jump on the hot bat to begin the season as Bregman looked fully healthy and in peak form during last night's opener. The 2019 MVP runner-up went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, a home run, and a walk. It was precisely the kind of start fantasy managers should want to see from the 27-year old. $5,800 makes him the most expensive third baseman on the board, but I am sold on bounceback Bregman. Watch that homerun and tell me you don't want this guy in your lineup.
The Astros lineup has the opportunity to be electric this season, but it will be relying on Bregman to carry for of the load with George Springer out of the lineup. If game No. 1 is anything to go off, Bregman looks ready to take on that role and be the main man in the Houston offense.
Josh Rojas - 2B/SS, ARI at Blake Snell ($2,700)
Rojas has some pros and cons for today's game against the Padres. First off, he has the platoon disadvantage versus Blake Snell and could sit out this game. Second, Diamondbacks manager Torey Luvollo told reports that Nick Ahmed ($3,000) could make his season debut on Friday. That would muddy the lineup quite slightly with Eduardo Escobar ($3,200) and Asdrubal Cabrera ($3,200) as the other infield options.
However, if the status quo remains, Rojas will be a leadoff hitter below $3,000, and I'm not going to turn that down. Combine that with the leverage you can gain versus a stud pitcher like Blake Snell, and Rojas is a sneaky contrarian play. If you decide to roster him, stay glued to the Diamondbacks lineup.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Mookie Betts - OF, LAD at Antonio Senzatela ($6,200)
We will continue to attack the lower-priced pitchers tonight with Betts facing off against Senzatela and an awful Rockies bullpen. Betts was 2-for-6 on Opening Day with a double and a run scored, but the big standout was the SEVEN runners he left on base. It could've been a massive night for the reigning National League MVP, and he has the chance to make amends tonight.
Senzatela is not a good pitcher, and if he gets pulled early, it will allow Betts and the Dodgers to beat up on the bullpen. That unit is already in typical Rockies form with four runs allowed over five innings in yesterday's contest. Betts is expensive, but there is enough early-season value going around that he should be a building block in your lineups.
Austin Slater - OF, SF vs. Yusei Kikuchi ($3,500)
Let's go back to that Giants-Mariners game with another platoon advantage. Austin Slater led off versus Gonzales last night and should be in the same spot against Kikuchi on Friday. He impressed in his season debut as a leadoff hitter going 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk. At $3,500 and in the leadoff role, Slater is a perfect discount play.
If you missed the entire 2020 baseball season, it probably feels strange to read about a Giants stack in MLB DFS, but here we are. Last season, in a small sample size, Slate pummeled southpaws to the tune of a .316/.469/.658 slash line with four home runs. He started the season in a similar manner yesterday and will look to continue that trend as the weekend gets underway.
Taylor Trammell - OF, SEA vs. Johnny Cueto ($2,200)
Trammell made the Mariners roster after an electric spring. In 19 exhibition games, the left-handed outfielder hit .311 (14-for-45) with six doubles, three home runs, and two stolen bases. If he wants to stick around once the Mariners' young crop of prospects is ready to go, Trammell will need to stay hot. He did exactly that on Opening Day with a run, RBI, and two walks in five plate appearances.
The 23-year old was penciled in as the fifth hitter on the lineup card yesterday, and we will hope for the same tonight. At $2,200 and hitting in the middle of a Mariners lineup that had a late-inning six-run explosion, Trammell is a fantastic discount play.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- T-Mobile Park Seattle Mariners vs. San Francisco Giants (Yusei Kikuchi, LHP vs. Johnny Cueto, RHP)
- Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies (Antonio Senzatela, RHP)
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