RADIO
Happy Easter, RotoBallers and welcome to the first Sunday DFS slate of 2018. I am JB, and I will be your guide today. If you look out your window you will see a 12 game day, broken up on FanDuel into a Main (seven games) and an All Day slate. We are lacking a bonafide ace on the mound today, and the top pitching price is just $8,800 - which means the runs will be pouring in. I like to focus my picks on lower-priced hitters, so you can fit your favorite star in your lineup with ease. Plus it's just more fun for me that way.
The only weather concern for today's slate is out in Kansas City where there is over a 50% chance of rain......and snow. Not that you were planning on using Reynaldo Lopez or Jason Hammel anyways, but who knows how that will unfold.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel on 4/1/18. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and most of all - value plays. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me up on Twitter @RowdyRotoJB.
FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Jose Quintana - P, CHC @ MIA (FD - $8,800)
Quintana is the highest priced pitcher on the cheap slate today, and for good reason. First off, the Cubbies are the largest favorites on the day (-210). Second, and most importantly, these offenses have to be dead tired. The two squads went through a 17 inning marathon on Friday, and as I am currently typing this on Saturday night - they are squared off in extra innings yet again. Quintana will take advantage, not only facing sleep-deprived hitters, but doing so in spacious Marlins Park. Quintana pitched much better on the road in 2017 - rockin' a .275 wOBA, 2.73 FIP, and 9.8 K/9 in 16 Away starts.
Gio Gonzalez - P, WAS @ CIN (FD - $8,300)
After seeing Yu Darvish 93% owned last night, I am assuming the crowds will yet again be picking on the Marlins today. So if you are looking to differentiate - or save $500, I am going with Gio today. The Nationals have breezed to a 2-0 lead in this series, and today - bless their hearts, the Reds send Sal Romano to the mound. I am looking for Gio to come out of the gate like he did in 2017, when he went 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA across five April starts. He only faced Cincinnati once, but fired 8.1 shut out innings. Gio has the highest floor on today's slate, making him a great cash option. Did I mention he was 4-1 with a 2.73 ERA in his nine Day Game starts last year?
Rich Hill - P, LAD v SFG (FD - $8,600)
My favorite pitcher today unfortunately plays in the primetime Sunday Night Baseball matchup - meaning you'll have to brave the All Day slate to roster him. The Giants offense has scored just two runs against the Dodgers this series (Currently 5-0 Dodgers Bottom of the 6th) and Rich Hill is a monster at Dodger Stadium. In 2017 he posted a 2.77 ERA, .177 BAA, and 10.7 K/9 in 14 starts at Home. He also thoroughly enjoyed facing this offense last season. In his three starts against the Giants he was 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA, and struck out 18 in 16.2 IP. Last but not least, he boasted a 2.87 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a sexy 11.4 K/9 in 16 Night Game starts.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Jose Martinez - 1B, STL @ NYM (FD - $2,700)
I have a formula I use to choose the best hitter values on each slate, and it LOVES Martinez today. It wasn't a huge sample size, but this man crushed southpaws last season. Against LHP on the road, he owned a .421 ISO, .586 wOBA, and a 271 wRC+. Mix the small sample of greatness on the road for Martinez with the horrendous, hideous, frightful sample of home starts for Matz and its fairly simple to understand why I have to get Martinez in my C/1B slot today. At Home against RHB last year, Matz allowed a .642 SLG and .429 wOBA. Sure he has looked much better this Spring and 2017 could be an anomaly in his career, but he has to prove it first.
Also Consider: Logan Morrison - 1B, MIN @ BAL (FD - $2,400)
Rougned Odor - 2B, TEX vs HOU (FD - $2,600)
I'll admit I absolutely hate seeing him hit in the 8 hole this year, but I like Odor as a GPP option at the keystone position today. On the road against LHB last year, Gerrit Cole allowed a .533 SLG and .364 wOBA. At home against RHP Odor hit a .267 ISO, .351 wOBA, and a 114 wRC+. The floor is always ugly, but the ceiling could win you some dough in a tourney. Its hard to find a 30/15 hitter for $2,600 - yet here we are.
Jose Ramirez - 3B, CLE @ SEA (FD - $4,000)
I have saved you a bunch of dough up to this point, so let's splurge a little at the hot corner shall we? If you also own JRam in fantasy, you felt the frustration yesterday when old man Ichiro robbed us of a dong. Well he won't be able to reach this one today! Whenever the Tribe are on a road trip, JRam is instantly in my thoughts when considering hitters. Against RHP on the road last year, he owned a .300 ISO, .397 wOBA, and a 148 wRC+. He already has one bomb against Mike Leake in just four career AB, and I'm expecting that number to increase today.
Also Consider: Anthony Rendon, 3B, WAS @ CIN (FD - $3,400)
Paul DeJong - SS, STL @ NYM (FD - $2,700)
Yes, I really like the Cards right handed hitters today. If Matz shows up looking even half as bad as he was last season - I want some shares of the opposing offense. These prices make it hard it say no! Like his teammates Martinez and another to be named later, DeJong crushed LHP last year. Against southpaws on the road he hit a .381 ISO, .424 wOBA, and a 165 wRC+. As I already mentioned before Steven Matz was very bad at Home, and was very bad against RHB.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Tommy Pham - OF, STL @ NYM (FD - $2,800)
Okay, this is the last Cardinal in this article. But if we're talking about southpaw mashers, you can't leave Pham out. For some reason this guy loves to hit away from Busch Stadium too. Against LHP on the road last year he owned a .229 ISO, .396 wOBA, and a 146 wRC+. In his four games at Citi Field he hit two HR, a double, and a blistering .412/.474/.824. Matz better have his A++ stuff tomorrow, because these birds will be hackin'.
Nomar Mazara - OF, TEX vs HOU (FD - $2,600)
We talked about Gerrit Coles liberalism to LHB earlier, and like his teammate Odor, Mazara loves facing righties at Home. Last season he owned a .214 ISO, .382 wOBA, and 136 wRC+ against RHP in Arlington. He's got three hits with a dong over the last two days.
Mike Trout - OF, LAA @ OAK (FD - $4,900)
You never need a reason to use Mike Trout, but today you should be able to afford him and he's going to hit at least two bombs. Daniel Gossett was awful last year, and allowed a .650 SLG and .404 wOBA to RHB at Home. If you didn't know, Trout is the GOAT and owns a .310/.409/.578 career line against right handed pitching and a .522 SLG (14 HR) across 57 starts at the Coliseum.
Also Consider: Lonnie Chisenhall - OF, CLE @ SEA (FD - $2,300)
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