After looking at all of the tools available at FantasyAlarm, the example lineups page should be used to help validate your thoughts, as well as help you consider some options that may not have been on your radar for the slate.  In addition to the example lineups, below you will find a breakdown of possible routes to take when building your MLB lineups tonight.  While we are focused on FanDuel and DraftKings, this breakdown can be used for all sites.  Please use our live chat feature to share your thoughts, and receive any feedback leading up to first pitch.  Good luck!

Please note that this was written before all lineups have been posted, which may open up new routes to consider.   Also, there are some weather concerns throughout the day, so please make sure to monitor them.

 

Top Pitching Targets

I always start my lineup building with pitching, as it’s the most important part of building your lineups. I tend to look for pitchers who I believe can pitch six innings, strike out six, and give up no more than two runs.  Feel free to set up whatever parameters you want to, but you should set yourself some type of “floor” when it comes to how you select your pitchers.

On FD, I would look at Gio González as the top option, but with only five games, it can be played more as a gpp, which places Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester as some solid cheaper options.  Aarón Sánchez would be my value pitcher.

DK provides plenty of other routes to go starting with the expensive Blake Snell .  If not wanting to spend up for him, David Price is the largest favorite on the slate, and a great cash game option for his price tag.  The same value plays listed for FD are in play on DK, but if not using Snell, I may just roll with a veteran lineup of Price paired with the cheaper Félix Hernández .

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our pitching coach, Howard Bender, likes Clevinger if paying up, with Price and Ross as his mid-priced options.  Sanchez is joined by Suter as his value plays.

Our projections have Gio, Lester, Jake, and Gibson as the top four on the FD slate, while Price leads the way over Snell, Lester, Clevinger, and Gibson on DK.  Duffy checks in as the top value option.

 

Top Hitting Targets 

There are plenty of other routes to take with details given in the playbook, coaches, and our other tools if wanting to look elsewhere. I provided my overall options in the playbook, with some additional thoughts below.

The Red Sox and Indians are the top teams to target today, but this slate is pretty wide open on both FD and DK with some weather concerns, and no real dominant or gas can pitchers to fully target this afternoon.

Although not listed in the playbook, plug and play Adam Eaton on FD today.

I think punting catcher is the way to go today unless team stacking.  Christian Vázquez or Raffy Lopez would be my punts, while Salvador Pérez would be my lower owned top priced target.

Even though I like Wacha, Joey Votto would be my top first base option unless going with Jose Martinez on the other side of this game.  Matt Adams is in play on FD, and players like Rizzo and Edwin are best used for stacking.

Second base is wide open today.  I like Brian Dozier whenever facing a lefty, while Ben Zobrist and Ian Kinsler work for cheaper options.  Whit Merrifield and Scooter Gennett are my wild card options.

Kris Bryant will be popular in the leadoff spot again for third base, while Matt Carpenter will remain a solid value play.  Brian Anderson would be my cheaper option if not on Ross.

At shortstop, Trea Turner works in all formats on FD, while Xander Bogaerts and Marcus Semien are my top DK targets. 

Outfield is always wide open in terms of routes to consider taking.  If not stacking, I prefer to pay up for one spot, punt the other, and use the last spot to pick a player from a team that I’m already targeting. OF is open today in terms of wanting to spend up for a Mike Trout or J.D. Martínez , but can see Khris Davis being a popular option vs a lefty.  On FD, Ryan Braun and Rhys Hoskins   are solid targets if not on the Nationals.  Nick Castellanos is my sneaky target, while the Cards and Cubs OF options are more for stacking then if playing cash games for me.   Once again, I’m not against using the Blue Jays for salary releif.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our projections have Trout leading the way, with his teammate Upton second, followed by Yelich, Jones, and Rizzo on FD.  On DK, Trout remains at the top, but J.D., and Lindor both move ahead of Upton, and Ramirez slides into fifth over Rizzo.

 

GPP’s  

If playing gpp’s, your best approach is stacking.  Pick a game, or two teams that you think will blast off, then go all in on them.  Yes, entering your cash lineup, or another type of lineup can cash in a gpp, but if looking to finish in the top 1%, you need to hit with a stack. Of the teams listed above as the top targets, I like a mix of the D-Backs and Blue Jays for stacking tonight.  Outside of Boston and Cleveland, it’s pretty wide open for stacking, but will likely avoid only the hitters in the SEA/TB game personally.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our stacking coach, Howard Bender, likes the Indians, Blue Jays, and Padres this afternoon, with the A’s and Twins right-handed bats being sneaky stacks to consider as well.