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.

Please make sure to monitor the weather tonight, as there looks to be some concerns in a few spots.  I typically avoid pitchers in games with weather issues, but news could change in the hours after this was written.

 

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 should set yourself some type of “floor” when it comes to how you select your pitchers.

I spoke about it in the playbook, but Max Scherzer may not be worth his price tag with James Paxton $2K cheaper than him across the board.  I prefer Paxton at home over Shohei Ohtani on the road in the game that has rains concerns.  The other pitcher in a top spot is Ross Stripling , who will be a popular #2 SP on DK, and in play if not on the top arms on FD. 

The four above are the best options to consider at pitching, but there’s a solid number of other pitchers if looking to take a different route.  Joe Musgrove is a cheap FD option in order to pay up for hitting, while Clayton Richard , Julio Teherán , and Sean Manaea are some of the other t pitchers that I like.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our pitching coach, Jon Impemba, likes Scherzer and Paxton if paying up, Richard at the mid-priced range, and Stripling as his top value pitcher.  Our projections have Stripling leading the way at the top, as well as for a value play.  After Stripling, Paxton, Scherzer, Richard, and Gray round out the top five. 

 

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 slate breakdown throughout the playbook, which will provide you with extra thoughts on other routes to consider taking tonight.

For me, Colorado, Washington, Seattle, Anaheim, and Atlanta are my top targets tonight.  They’ll be heavily highlighted below, with other routes to take listed in the playbook.  

Chris Iannetta and Kurt Suzuki would be my top catchers to target over Posey, Grandal, Zunino, and Perez.  If punting, Martin Maldonado , Raffy Lopez , and Mitch Garver are all in play.

First base likely comes down to one of the Washington options in Matt Adams or Mark Reynolds , or going cheaper with Ian Desmond .  Both of the Washington bats could be used at other positions on DK if looking at Anthony Rizzo instead.  On FD, you can add Brandon Belt into the mix of top options.  Ryon Healy makes for a popular option if going with a Seattle stack.  

As mentioned in the playbook, Ozzie Albies has a great price tag on FD, and if not on him, I would drop down to Ian Kinsler over going with a Baez or Dozier type player.  If not on Kinsler, Asdrubal Cabrera has a solid DK price tag, and so does Lowrie on FD.

If going cheaper with pitching, it should be because you want Nolan Arenado to go along with either Harper or Trout.  If playing cash games, it’s not worth trying to be sneaky with Bryant, and just pay the extra for Nolan.  If paying up for pitching, and wanting to pay up in a different position, Zack Cozart and Evan Longoria both make for solid value plays.  Luis Valbuena makes for a pure punt option on FD.

Trevor Story and Trea Turner once again make for top cash game options, as well as Jean Segura on FD.  If stacking for gpp’s, you can punt with Charlie Culberson , or use Andrelton Simmons or Marcus Semien . 

OF 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. Tonight, both Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are top options for me over Charlie Blackmon , but all three make for elite plays.  Juan Soto leading off for the Nats is intriguing, but would rather go cheaper with  Joc Pederson , Matt Joyce , Noel Cuevas , or Guillermo Heredia . There are also some mid-priced options like Nelson Cruz , Justin Upton , and Kyle Schwarber to consider along with the Giant’s OF options in Gorkys Hernández and Andrew McCutchen .

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our hitting coach,Brett Talley, likes both Harper and Nolan if paying up, while Brandon Nimmo is his mid-priced option.  Joyce and Healy are his top value plays.

Our projections have Trout leading the way, followed by Rendon, Blackmon, Harper, and Sano on FD.  Suzuki is the top value option on FD< but also makes it into the top five over Harper on DK.  Cozart and Joc join Suzuki as the top value plays. 

 

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. I mentioned plenty of stack routes to take in the playbook, but outside of the top options, I like the Angels, A’s, and Padres.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our stacking coach, James Grande, like the Braves and Mariners as top stack options if not on the Rockies.  The Rays would be his contrarian stack.

 

Final Thoughts

FanDuel:  I don’t mind going Scherzer or Paxton, but would rather go Stripling, Harper, and Trout.  Can pivot off of one of them to Nolan if you prefer that more.  That leaves you with roughly $2.8K for the rest of your lineup.  Punt an OF spot and force yourself to fade Ozzie for Kinsler at second, plus Segura at SS keeps you at that $2.8K mark.  If you don’t want to pass on Ozzie, go Valbuena at 3B, and you’ll have $2.6K left for the final two spots.

DraftKings:  On DK, I’m looking at Stripling as a must, but could be a little more open after that.  I’m leaning Paxton but wouldn’t be shocked to see Scherzer still highly owned.  If I’m going that route, I’ll be looking at more of a stars and value lineup, with once again Harper and Trout in the OF.  That means leaving out Iannetta and Suzuki to punt at catcher, go Cozart at third, and use the last OF spot for Joc.  That leaves you with a little over $3.4K for the last three spots.  Of course, dropping one of the OF options to say a player priced like Adams will up that number to over $4K per hitter left.