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. Weather doesn’t look to be an issue outside of the cold temps tonight.
From the top of the playbook: We have a 13-game MLB slate for the last Friday of the season, and while some teams are still playing for something, there’s a solid amount that are preparing for the playoffs or next year. This could mean shorter pitching outing, as well as pinch hitters if games get out of hand. This means it’s best to focus on GPP’s tonight in my opinion, and that starts with focusing on the hottest team in the best hitting ballpark in the Rockies. They have the highest implied run total of the slate at over six runs, while the Astros and Brewers are the only other two teams currently with an over five implied run total, but still not close to the Rockies total. Pitching is pretty top-heavy tonight in terms of pricing, but if looking to get Rockies in your lineups, you’ll have to go cheaper with pitching, and hope the top options are more of a six-inning type start. Finally, I usually place a solid number of value plays throughout the playbook, but with this being the last weekend, it’s hard to tell how certain teams will look. It’s best to wait for lineups to come out, and then look to find value bats from your team targets.
Top Pitching 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.
Five Second Cheat Sheet: Plenty of top pitching options if not wanting to fully pay up for Gerrit Cole .
Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: Hyun-Jin Ryu and Mike Clevenger lead the pivot options for me, but Kyle Freeland , Patrick Corbin , and J.A. Happ could all also be in play. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zach Davies have plenty of ownership, but not on him personally. Would rather go with Jose Urena or others for slightly more.
It’s the final series of the season, and hard to imagine any starting pitcher on a team still in the playoff picture being fully extended tonight, which leaves the slate pretty wide open in terms of routes to take. Ryu and Corbin have great matchups on paper, but nobody is really a must play tonight. Ideally, I want to target some high-priced bats, which may mean not fully spending up for pitching. If not on those listed above, Eric Lauer , Wade LeBlanc , Mike Fiers , and Tyler Glasnow could all be decent options, while Lucas Giolito would be a sneaky option.
Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:
Our projections don’t have Cole in the mix yet, so Corbin takes the top spot, followed by Ryu, LeBlanc, Clevenger, and Lauer. LeBlanc is the top value on FD, while Davies is the top value option on DK.
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.
Five Second Cheat Sheet: The Rockies check in as the top target by a solid margin at over six runs, with the playoff bound Astros and Brewers the other two teams above a five-run total.
Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: The Rockies at Coors are your clear-cut top option, with the rest of the field as pivot options. Don’t be surprised to see some starters sit from teams not playing for anything, so pay attention to lineups when they come out. If entering multiple lineups, maybe take a chance on a low owned Marlins or Mariners stack.
Positional Thoughts: Plenty of routes to take tonight, and always best to try to pair your players up from the same team if trying to decide between similar priced options. Last series of the season, so expect teams to try to give all of their players one last start, but just not sure who starts on which days.
Catcher: Tony Wolters leads the way at Coors, while Gary Sánchez and J.T. Realmuto would be my top priced targets. Mike Zunino and Chris Gimenez lead my value plays until lineups come out.
First Base: First base is stacked like most positions, and it comes down to your team targets. Steve Pearce and Tyler Austin are sneaky plays, while Freddie Freeman would be my high-priced option outside of stacking. Peter O’Brien leads my value plays listed in the playbook.
Second Base: DJ LeMahieu is my preferred option over José Altuve or José Ramírez , but all three are top options. Whit Merrifield and Travis Shaw lead my pivot options as part of their team stacks.
Shortstop: Hard for me to ignore Adalberto Mondesí , as he’s been my play these last few weeks. Trevor Story , Trea Turner , and Francisco Lindor are all top options, with some other pivots listed in the playbook.
Third Base: It’s a tough one at third, but likely making the mistake in going with David Freese over the expensive Nolan Arenado and Anthony Rendón on FD. Johan Camargo would be my cheaper DK option, but ideally would like to spend up on a top team target if possible.
Outfield: Plenty of routes to go in the OF but would start with a Rockies OF in David Dahl and Charlie Blackmon . Mike Trout and Christian Yelich are elite options if you can afford them, while Kiké Hernández , Nick Martini, and Marwin González are solid value options depending on the site you play on. Plenty of other routes were provided in the playbook, including Nelson Cruz , Ronald Acuna Jr, and Giancarlo Stanton .
Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:
Our hitting coach, James Grande, likes Dahl and Yelich if paying up, while Cron and Marwin González would be his mid-priced targets. O’Brien and Martini are his top value plays.
Our projections have Ramirez as the top FD option, while Betts is the top DK one. Altuve, Judge, Trout, Harper, and Blackmon are all bunched up behind those two. Tellez is the top FD value options, while White is the top DK value.
GPP’s:
Most of what was written above works for GPP’s as well, although I do suggest stacking as your best chance to win a GPP.
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 my team targets, as well as some four pack stack routes in the playbook, but I do like the Rockies, and can pair them up with some cheap Marlins, or even Dodgers bats depending on lineups. Seattle disappointed me last night, but I’m a big fan of taking the same team or players multiple nights in a row.
Our stacking coach, Tom Vecchio, likes the Dodgers, A’s, and Rockies tonight.