Welcome to another day of MLB DFS here at Fantasy Alarm. We get a huge 11-game main slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel kicking off at 1:35 PM EST.

 

 

This is a large slate with many appealing options at every position. For once, it looks like the weather will not be much of a factor with some light patches of rain in the forecast.

With that being said, let’s dive into the slate and see what we can find for top spends and value plays. 

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MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook 

MLB Weather: Today, 4/14

Los Angeles Angels vs Boston Red Sox

There is light rain in the forecast with 15 mph winds which could lead to a late start but should not be severe.

New York Yankees vs Cleveland Guardians

There are possible rain storms in the area but are likely to hit after the game.

Kansas City Royals vs New York Mets

This game may see some light rain.

 

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

The two top-salary pitchers are in good spots, but a majority of the arms are in questionable matchups. After Zack Wheeler and Corbin Burnes, I find myself gravitating down to Jose Berrios to reduce risk.

On the offensive side, much like most slates, stacking the Braves looks to be a solid option as Jesus Luzardo has been struggling. Mitch Keller of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been bad against lefties going back to last season so getting exposure to some lefties in the Phillies lineup is another appealing option. Kyle Freeland is starting for the Rockies which also means Toronto bats are in play as he has a 16.03 ERA through three starts.

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Best Odds for a Win

 

 

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies

Zack Wheeler has looked great this season, with a 1.90 ERA through three starts, including 20 strikeouts in 19 innings. He has yet to record a win but the only blemish on the season has been a home run given up to the Cardinals.

He has a good matchup with the Pirates who rank in the middle of the league in wOBA with a .325 while holding a 20.8% strikeout rate. The Pirates are starting Mitch Keller who has had problems with lefties, which should lead to some run support for Wheeler as Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper can make things difficult for Keller.

Graham Ashcraft, Cincinnati Reds

Graham Ashcraft has a 5.40 ERA and 1-1 record through two starts this season. He’s had 11 strikeouts across 11 innings but has also given up three home runs. While I think there are much better options at pitcher, I’m listing Ashcraft for this matchup against a bad and depleted Chicago White Sox team. 

Chicago ranks 25th in wOBA against right-handed pitchers at .283 while holding a 21.8% strikeout rate. Without Luis Robert or Eloy Jimenez in the lineup, opposing pitchers have fewer obstacles to climb to find a quality start. 

Jose Berrios, Toronto Blue Jays

With Kevin Gausman looking like a broken man, Jose Berrios has seemingly become the real ace on the team. Through three starts, he has a 2-0 record with a 1.45 ERA and 14 strikeouts across 18.2 innings. He’s given up a handful of hits in each start but has been limiting the damage outside of the two home runs he gave up in his first two outings.

The Rockies are far from an intimidating lineup. They do hold a .345 wOBA against right-handed pitching on the year, but that is also paired with the sixth-highest strikeout rate at 25.8%. Berrios should be in line for another solid outing here at a very fair price tag.

Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels

While I am not a big fan of Tyler Anderson, we can’t ignore how solid he has been through two starts this season. Across 14 innings, he’s given up eight hits with eight strikeouts and has yet to allow a run.  His ERA last season was 5.43 but he’s looked more than serviceable so far this year.

This should be a favorable matchup for Anderson, facing a heavily left-handed Boston lineup. The Red Sox hold the 21st-ranked wOBA against lefties at .300 with the league’s worst strikeout rate at 30.2%.

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals  

Toronto Blue Jays (5.4) vs Colorado Rockies

Cincinnati Reds (5.2) vs Chicago White Sox

Boston Red Sox (5.4) vs Los Angeles Angels

Baltimore Orioles (5.1) vs Milwaukee Brewers


Core MLB DFS Hitters

Note: Will Be Updated as Official Starting Lineups Are Released

Elly De La Cruz, SS, Cincinnati Reds

Elly De La Cruz has started to heat things up, with three multi-hit games since April 8th, including four home runs. He carried his strikeout woes from last season into the beginning of this season but has only struck out twice in his last five games.

If he finds himself on base at all, he is always a threat to steal, giving him lots of upside. The White Sox are starting Michael Soroka who is allowing a .530 SLG to left-handed bats going back to last season. 

Marcell Ozuna, OF, Atlanta Braves

Marcell Ozuna has carried his success from 2023 into this season, now with a hit in every single game aside from the opener. He’s batting .360 with 6 home runs and a 1.167 OPS on the year and hits in the heart of a loaded Braves lineup.

The Marlins are starting Jesus Luzardo who has been struggling this year, holding a 7.20 ERA across three starts while allowing four home runs. While I do think Luzardo will turn things around at some point, I don’t think this is the game. Ozuna carried a .357 ISO last season against lefties and could very likely be the Brave to take Luzardo deep.

Bryson Stott, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

Bryson Stott was not in the lineup in Saturday’s game, but he has hits in his last four games including a home run and three RBIs. He has some power and could have upside here against Mitch Keller who allowed a .455 SLG to left-handed bats in 2023.

Last season, Stott held a .151 ISO against righties where he hit 12 of his 15 home runs. Keller has a lot of ups and downs in his outings, but his struggles against lefties are exploitable. Stott presents a cheaper way to get exposure to this split at a position where spending down a little bit wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Jorge Soler, OF, San Francisco Giants

Jorge Soler has hits in his last two games, including a solo home run in Saturday’s game. He’s only batting .208 on the year with four RBIs, but he has upside in this game that will feature an opener for Tampa Bay followed by lefty Tyler Alexander as the long reliever.

Alexander has allowed two home runs in each appearance this season and has allowed a .501 SLG to right-handed bats over his career. Soler, on the other hand, carried a monstrous .411 ISO vs left-handed pitchers last year and hit 14 of his 36 home runs off them. 

 

Player Pool

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Stacks

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