Weekends are made for Baseball and a jam packed 6 games early and 8 games late, but the best game today is the one at 1PM between the Mariners and Red Sox. For those of you playing on DraftKings (the focus of this article because it is the bigger slate), enjoy all those HR alerts from that game while we sit and wait for our guys on the 2PM slate to do something. FanDuel has the 1PM game on a 4 game early slate on their site to tempt us.
Weather Concerns
All games should play.
- Anaheim at Baltimore will have some rain/storms creeping in but with more rain coming tomorrow they’re likely going to try to find a way to play the game today.
- The games in St. Louis and Wrigley may have a shower or too as well. Games will play.
Zach Davies ($7,900)
Davies has been nothing short of impressive this year and some will see Kris Bryant’s domination of him but I love the Brewers to sweep Chicago this weekend and the weather favors the pitchers in Wrigley today.
Marcus Stroman ($8,000)
I’m not generally a big Stro fan in DFS because he is too much of a contact/ground ball guy who doesn’t possess heavy strikeout upside. But coming off two rough starts after his big emotional game when Vlad game up I like him to bounce back this afternoon. The Sox won’t be patient enough to draw walks and wait for a good pitch to drive and Stroman can give us 7 innings today and get 16+ DK points.
FADE – Trevor Bauer ($11,400)
One might look here and say, Bauer the only stud pitcher on the slate, pitching back in California (home) and facing an Oakland team that just hasn’t been explosive in 2019 like they were in 2018. But with Davis likely back in the lineup, Olson settling in and a day game here I could see some reason to fade Bauer who has NEVER won in Oakland. He’ll gain a ton of ownership and Oakland definitely can pop up and be pesky here today. It’s a dangerous fade, but it’s one that has some potential logic to working out in my mind. If you are playing three lineups on a 6 game slate (which isn’t a bad idea) then consider going Bauer on only one.
The Angels, Twins and Cardinals are the likely most popular/highest owned teams on this smaller slate. Anaheim is facing Dylan Bundy which will feel like a tempting stack, but let’s be honest, its a Saturday and Trout is in America so he would have been in play no matter what. I am going to give you enough plays here to list out options to build three lineups today, but for my primary spots to build a single main lineup look at the positional breakdown below.
St. Louis Cardinals … Cards are the new Saturday afternoon dominant team eh? Another afternoon game in St. Louis and Jordan Lyles will take the mound for Pittsburgh. The chances of him shutting down this Cardinals lineup today seem fairly slimp to me. Great spot to jump on Goldy and Ozuna.
- Paul Dejong
- Marcell Ozuna
- Paul Goldschmidt
Cleveland / Oakland … Francisco Lindor cannot be ignored today. I broke down his Oakland stats yesterday and overall he’s probably my favorite hitter this afternoon. The Oakland side is relevant because of the Bauer ownership and chalk and how I am already leaning towards a fade on him. Olson-Davis-Chapman core would have to get damage on Bauer for it to pay off so look there. But Cleveland is the logical side here to wake up and have a decent day. Don’t go here thinking they score 6-7 runs folks, they’re still the fricken Indians for God’s sake.
- Francisco Lindor
- Carlos Gonzalez/Tyler Naquin – Value OF
- Khris Davis
Detroit Tigers … They haven’t scored a run in 18 straight innings and will now have to play a double header today. They’re not getting shutout again by Pineda.
- Niko Goodrum [Left early last night, status TBD]
- Miguel Cabrera
- Nicholas Castellanos
The other top teams to pick exposure from today will be Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Anaheim
CATCHER
- Yadier Molina – at $4400 he is not someone you would want to play solo. If he does damage it will be on a 2 RBI single, so build accordingly.
- Francisco Cervelli
- Roberto Perez
FIRST BASE
- Miguel Cabrera: Goldy and Bour are in fine spots today as well, but Miggy doesn’t have rain to deal with like they do and his price fits well for those who are going to force in Trevor Bauer today. He’s a shell of his former self no doubt but Pineda is someone he has had no problems facing and he forever was the king of Target Field along with Victor Martinez.
- Paul Goldschmidt
- Justin Bour * – Since he played on Friday, I am guessing that he sits Saturday. Hit 2 HR off Bundy last time they met in Camden.
SECOND BASE
This overall is a pretty bland position today. These are my favorites but none would be considered guys that I am heavily recommending. Eric Sogard is the best option here, but is way overpriced.
- Adam Frazier
- Eric Sogard
- Jason Kipnis
- Steve Wilkerson
THIRD BASE
- Vlad Jr: I could be forcing this but it’s a pretty basic gut feeling I have on Vladdy Jr today. This position isn’t exactly popping off with hot hitters elsewhere and the best matchup guy (Bryant) is going against a SP I want to use. So Vlad Jr, today is your day my friend.
- Jose Ramirez
- Matt Carpenter
SHORTSTOP
- Francisco Lindor: I broke down his stats in Oakland in yesterday’s article and he has now hit in 6 of his last 7 games after being back for about 2-3 weeks. He’s poised to continue a streak and that 2 HR game is definitely right around the corner if not today.
- Paul DeJong
OUTFIELD – Tier 1
- Eddie Rosario: There was a ton of talk recently about teams being “hot” or “cold” simply off one series in a certain type of ballpark and then moving to another and suddenly they either start to hit or dont. Teams aren’t in general cold or hot. Hitters are. And those streaks always have to extend beyond just one ballpark or matchup against a team.. Eddie Rosario was ice cold for a while and scuffling. He went 6 games without a hit and 8 without a homer. Neither excessively long but he looked lost at the plate. He’s finally turned that around and well, it’s a weekend at Eddie’s.
- Nick Castellanos: Casty is 0-5 in his career against Michael Pineda with 4 strikeouts. But ask yourself if you ever gave up hope trying to get a date in high school after striking out 4 times?
- Mike Trout
- Marcell Ozuna
OUTFIELD – Value
- Khris Davis: I know he has been hurt and hasn’t done much and it’s Bauer and all but… The guy isnt dead. $3900? Get back in the lineup Khrush.
- Niko Goodrum
- Carlos Gonzalez
- Tyler Naquin
- JaCoby Jones
- Francisco Lindor – SS – Indians – Chairman
- Nick Castellanos – OF – Tigers
- Miguel Cabrera – 1B – Tigers
- Vlad Guerrero Jr – 3B – Blue Jays
- Eddie Rosario – OF – Twins
