We have a 15-game main slate on tap tonight, and it should be a fun one. Loaded with all the offense one can think of, even a game in Coors that deserves some serious attention when it comes to pitching, on the other hand, not so nice. There is only one pitcher in the $10K range, and most of the viable options are in the $8K range, and all have some concern.
The slate starts with which pitchers to build around. Rogers and Minor are nice pay-up spots, but who to pair them with is the question? My top Sp2 is Casey Mize, but many other options are in play, depending on the risk one is willing to take on, and money left over after selecting bats. There are tons of bats today to build around. Padres will be very popular versus Chi Chi, and that makes sense. It's the other stacks that make this slate fun. Get the full slate rundown from pitchers to target, bats to attack, and much more on MLB DFS Quick Hits.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 6/15/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It’s also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @bdentrek.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Mike Minor - P, KC vs DET ($9,200)
After a slow start to the season, Minor is clicking on all cylinders of late. He has thrown six or more innings in five of his last six starts while allowing two or fewer runs in four of the starts. More importantly, Minor has struck out seven or more in five of six starts for DK scoring purposes. That's how we get the very nice DK scores. Minor made a pitch mix change of late, and the results speak for themself. He faces a Tigers team that is striking out 25% of the time versus LHP over the last three weeks while still showing some power with a .222 ISO. Minor will give up a home run or two but has shown he can limit the damage, and those consistent strikeouts make him my top SP option on tonight's slate.
Casey Mize - P, DET at KC ($7,100)
I've discussed Mize lately as he has appeared to figure things out while DK has not adjusted his price. Mize has a 2.45 ERA (4.01 xFIP) over his last seven games and has thrown at least six innings in six of those starts. Mize has allowed three runs in each of his last two starts, but in his previous five starts, he allowed one run or less in four of five starts with only two runs in the other game. The most important change for Mize was a pitch mix change that has resulted in Mize only walking three total batters over his last four games (24.1 innings) while striking out 25. Mize has increased the strikeout rate nicely while decreasing walks and shocker; he is pitching very well. He will take on a struggling Royals offense tonight, striking out 21% of the time versus RHP over the last few weeks with a .139 ISO. Mize is my top SP2 tonight and is one of my favorite pitchers, period.
Other Options: Trevor Rogers (MIA at STL) $10,000, Taijuan Walker (NYM vs CHC) $8,800, Frankie Montas (OAK vs LAA) $8,400, Zach Efflin (PHI at LAD) $8,400, Andrew Heaney (LAA at OAK) $8,100, Luis Castillo (CIN at MIL) $8,000
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Victor Caratini - C, SD at Chi Chi Gonzalez ($3,400)
Caratini will get the start tonight in one of the best matchups in all of baseball. He has been inconsistent at the plate this season but does have some power upside that can play nicely in Coors. Caratini also does something very well at the plate, and that is walk over 10% of the time. Caratini's plate discipline could play a huge role tonight in his fantasy production versus a bad Rockies' pitching staff. He will face Chi Chi, who is allowing LHH to hit .299 with a .453 SLG this season. Lastly, Caratini is cheap, period. Way too cheap for Coors field and is a cash game catcher with a GPP upside in some Padres' stacks.
Other Options: Buster Posey (SF vs. AZ) $4,800, Ryan Jeffers (MIN at SEA) $2,700
Bobby Bradley- 1B, CLE vs. Matt Harvey ($4,000)
I wrote about Bradley last week in the values articles, and now here we are as a DK play. His price tag was once the minimum, and now he is $4K. Bradley has earned it as he has hit safely in six of seven games since he was called up. He also has four extra-base hits, including two home runs, to go with a solid .381 ISO and 249 wRC+. Bradley is hitting everything right now, even striking out only 13% of the time. The powerful first baseman gets a great matchup tonight versus the gas can known as Harvey. This season Harvey is allowing LHH to SLG .467 while allowing nearly two HR/9. Get some Bradley in your lineups tonight, especially in some very nice Cleveland stacks.
Other Options: Eric Hosmer (SD at COL) $5,400, Brandon Belt (SF vs AZ) $4,600, Dan Vogelbach (MIL vs CIN) $3,800, Ty France (SEA vs MIN) $3,000
Jonathan India - 2B, CIN at Brett Anderson ($4,700)
India put up a nice 3-5 night last night, including a stolen base, and continues to thrive in the lead-off spot for the Reds. Since India was placed in the leadoff spot in the nine games, he has hit safely in seven of nine games for a .294 average. He has four extra-base hits and is doing a great job as a leadoff hitter as he walks 14.3% of the time. India is setting the table for the big boppers behind him, always a strategy for fantasy success. India will take on the lefty Anderson tonight, which bodes well as he is hitting .300 versus LHP this season with a .425 SLG and 119 wRC+. The Reds are one of my top stacks again tonight, and India should be a part of those stacks.
Other Options: Jorge Polanco (MIN at SEA) $5,000, Ozzie Albies (ATL vs BOS) $3,900, Dylan Moore (SEA vs MIN) $2,600
Brandon Crawford - SS, SF vs. Corbin Martin ($4,100)
Crawford did it again last night, hitting his 15th home run of the season and continues his monster season. While having such a great season, he continues to stay very cheap on DK, making him a daily play, especially in cash games. Over his last 10 games, he is hitting .303 with four home runs, a .424 ISO, and .447 wOBA. He is raking and showing plate discipline with a 10.5% walk rate which helps with a 1.095 OPS. Crawford is hitting everything while also hitting in the middle of the Giants' order which has been quite productive for run production. He gets a great matchup versus Martin and the bad DBacks bullpen tonight, making Crawford a great play in all formats, and the Giants are once again one of the better stacks on the slate.
Other Options: Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD at COL) $6,400, Jazz Chisholm (MIA at STL) $4,200, Amed Rosario (CLE at BAL) $3,900
Ke'Bryan Hayes - 3B, PIT at Patrick Corbin ($4,600)
We get a hard-hitting RHH versus one of the worst LHP in the game tonight. SIGN ME UP!!!!! Since Hayes has returned from the IL, he has hit safely in all 10 games with a .310 average. He has five extra-base hits, including two home runs resulting in a .238 ISO and 142 wRC+. Hayes is mashing the ball over the last 10 games with a nice 56.3% hard-hit rate. In his short career, Hayes is hitting .457 versus LHP with a .371 ISO and .545 wOBA. He will take on Corbin tonight, who is hitting .312 with a .550 SLG and 2.3 HR/9. The Pirates are in a sneaky nice spot tonight, and more importantly, Hayes is in a SMASH spot tonight. One of my top plays overall.
Other Options: Jose Ramirez (CLE vs BAL) $6,000, Manny Machado (SD at COL) $5,600, Matt Chapman (OAK vs LAA) $5,300, Eugenio Suarez (CIN at MIL) $4,700, Austin Riley (ATL vs BOS) $4,500
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Starling Marte - OF, MIA at Kwang Hyun Kim ($4,200)
There are many times I don't understand the DK pricing, but Marte seems to be a head-scratcher more often than not. He is on fire this season, even winning play of the week honors last week. Last night he went hitless but has still hit safely in seven of his last nine games. Over the nine games, he is hitting .441 with a .206 ISO and .498 wOBA. He is doing it with the bat and his legs with four stolen bases over the nine-game stretch. Marte is also walking over 10% of the time, so he finds all of the ways to stuff the stat sheet and rack up the DK points. He will face Kim tonight in his return from the IL and then some Cardinals bullpen. Lock Marte into cash as he is far too cheap and brings a great floor to the game while also using him as a part of a stack or GPP one-off.
Cedric Mullins - OF, BAL at Cal Quantrill ($3,400)
Similar to Marte, I can't figure out the price on Mullins. He has been one of the best hitters in baseball and a constant double-digit scoring matching on DK. Mullins has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, hitting .447 over that stretch. He has flexed his muscle with nine extra-base hits, including three home runs. The power production has been outstanding, but Mullins does it all, including five stolen bases over the 12 game stretch. He finds all the ways to rack up DK points night after night, yet is too cheap. He is a cash game lock tonight versus Quantrill, who won't be long for the game and also allows LHH to slug .426 this season. The O's stack is once again in play but at least get Mullins in as many lineups as you can tonight.
Nick Castellanos - OF, CIN at Brett Anderson ($4,900)
Castellanos is one of the hottest hitters in all baseball, and it feels he still is not discussed enough. Casty has now hit safely in 24 of his last 25 games, good for a .414 average. That's nearly over a month of baseball, folks. Just impressive. Casty has four home runs and 15 DOUBLES over the 25 game span and has held a .233 ISO over the stretch. Casty is doing it all and gets a great matchup versus the lefty Anderson tonight. On the season, Casty is hitting .392 with a .333 ISO and 210 wRC+ versus lefties this season. Casty is absolutely mashing, gets a phenomenal matchup tonight, and is one of the top plays on the slate.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Cincinnati Reds (Brett Anderson, LHP)
- San Francisco Giants (Corbin Martin, RHP)
- Minnesota Twins (Chris Flexen, RHP)
- Game Stack: Baltimore at Cleveland (Matt Harvey, RHP at Cal Quantrill, RHP)
- Sneaky Stack- Atlanta Braves (Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP)