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As per usual, our Sunday is split up and the matinee is the main slate. A little more than half the league is in action for the main slate with eight games going on. Three of the 16 pitchers will cost you five figures. Are any of them worth it? Don't worry, we still have a tomato can like Kyle Gibson to pick on. The reeling MadBum also takes the hill. This could be a fun one!
It's a rarity in April when we don't have any weather messing with games, but this appears to be a beautiful April day, at least on the main slate. It will be a little chilly in Boston, but rain wont bother anything. The sun will be out in seven of the eight parks.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 4/18/2021. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also check out today's DraftKings MLB DFS lineup picks, and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. Let's get to it!
FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Gerrit Cole – NYY vs. TB ($11,000)
We have two aces dealing with Shane Bieber and Cole taking the mound today. Bieber is more expensive and may seem to have a better matchup, but Cole has dominated the current Rays roster. Yes, Cole has never beaten the Rays in seven starts, but that doesn't tell the whole story. The current roster is hitting just .178 off of Cole with a staggering 41.7% strikeout rate. That other-worldly strikeout rate is what has me turning to Cole today. You can really get a lot of points with a guy like Cole who racks up the strikeouts.
Potential Alternate Play
Willy Peralta – MIL vs. PIT ($8,500)
Peralta has a staggering 24 strikeouts in just 13 innings this year, including striking out the side in both the innings he pitched against Minnesota on Opening Day. Peralta has surrendered just one run in three starts this season. He hasn't gone particularly deep into games, but he has given up just five hits on the season. This Pittsburgh lineup has had some success getting on base against Peralta, but hasn't hit him well. Their average exit velocity is only 82.8 mph and he has struck out 29.3% of Pittsburgh batters. The Pirates have only scored 59 runs in 15 games. That's not much considering they have already played the Cubs six times. The Pirates are going to have issues scoring runs today as well.
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Travis Shaw – 1B/3B, MIL vs. PIT ($2,600)
Shaw is off to a fast start this year. He looks like he did his first two years in Milwaukee in which he slugged 63 homers for the Brewers. Shaw doesn't hit changeups well, but he destroys righty sinkers. He has made good, hard contact against Chad Kuhl in his nine at bats, but has yet to leave the yard. Today could be the day.
Josh Harrison – 2B/3B, WAS vs. ARI ($2,900)
There are a couple of Washington hitters that profile very well against Madison Bumgarner. Harrison profiles the best. He is smashing fastballs and sinkers against LHP, so it's no wonder that he's 6-14 lifetime with a homer against MadBum. Only Starlin Castro makes better hard contact against sinkers than Harrison does. The good news is that both are cheap today. I wouldn't run lefties at Bumgarner since he still has success against them, but I'll have a lot of exposure to Nationals right handers.
Hunter Dozier – 1B/3B, KC vs. TOR ($2,100)
Dozier is off to a bit of a slow start, but this could be just what the hitting coach ordered. He's facing a lefty with a severe case of Gopheritis in Robbie Ray that he profiles very well against. I wish the Royals had more right handed power to stack up against Ray here. The ones they do have are cheap, but I may steer clear of Jorge Soler. He doesn't profile well against Ray.
Bo Bichette – SS, TOR at KC ($3,800)
It's a pretty small sample size, but Bo Bichette hits everything that Brady Singer throws well. Very well. Like a .759 wOBA well. Interestingly enough, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doesn't profile that well against Singer. Bichette is the one Toronto guy you want. Marcus Semien and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. look good against Singer as well.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Giancarlo Stanton – OF, NYY at TB ($3,500)
Stanton is off to a slow start, but he is still hitting for some power. Ryan Yarbrough throws mostly cutters and changeups to right-handed batters. Stanton hammers both. And he mashes lefty sinkers, which is Yarbrough's third-best pitch. If he gets into one, it's lights out. The chances are it's going to be all or nothing with Stanton though.
Franmil Reyes – OF, CLE at CIN ($3,000)
Reyes has power against anyone, but he has obliterated left-handed pitching in his career. He hits lefties for a .297 clip in 273 career at bats against southpaws. He has never faced Wade Miley, but Franimal is going to like what he sees. Reyes makes a lot of hard contact against cutters (62.5%), of which Miley throws almost half the time to right handed batters. He also crushes changeups, which Miley also throws a lot of. Reyes profiles really well tonight.
D.J. Stewart – OF, BAL at TEX ($2,800)
The new ballpark in Arlington isn't has hitter friendly as the old one, but Kyle Gibson is very hitter friendly. Stewart and Cedric Mullins both have my attention here, but with the ballpark and the general lack of power in the Baltimore lineup, I wont go heavy on Orioles. However, they do provide great salary relief and the Texas bullpen is still awful.
FanDuel DFS Stacks Options
- Washington Nationals right-handers
- Baltimore Orioles
- Miami Marlins right-handers
- Milwaukee Brewers
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