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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on June 15 2023. Mike's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
We have a busier Thursday on tap today with seven games in the normal prime-time slot. We'll take it! Some teams are beginning four-game series and some are closing out the series that started earlier this week. All I know is that we have a smorgasbord of pitching that we don't usually have on Thursdays.
This article contains my picks for the seven-game main slate on Thursday, June 15, 2023, for both DraftKings and FanDuel, which locks at 7:10 PM ET. Right now, it looks like Atlanta might have to dodge some showers. As of now, it looks like the game will play, but keep an eye on it closer to lock.
The lineup picks will range from some elite high-priced players to mid-priced options and value plays. I'll give you a few of my top pitching options and then some infielders, outfielders, and teams to stack. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups.
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Nathan Eovaldi, TEX vs. LAA ($10,800 DK, $11,000 FD)
It's hard for me to wrap my head around Eovaldi being priced above Shohei Ohtani, but here we are. It is earned though. Eovaldi's sparkling 2.49 ERA is a little better than his expected ERA (2.95), but he has been even better since the first month of the season. Eovaldi's ERA over his last ten starts is 1.98. He dominated the Angels in Anaheim on May 6, holding them to five hits in eight scoreless innings.
You can go with Ohtani in GPP formats due to the strikeout upside, but Eovaldi is the safest play in cash games or small-field GPPs.
AJ Smith-Shawver, ATL vs. COL ($5,500 DK, $8,000 FD)
Get ready. AJ is about to be around 90% owned on DraftKings. I'm all for avoiding chalk plays, but this is one that we can't afford to fade. We will get different elsewhere. The 20-year-old phenom hasn't allowed an earned run in his first two major league appearances. Don't expect him to go deep into the game, but Smith-Shawver should get us double-digits at a very low price.
Others to consider: Sonny Gray ($9,300 DK, $10,100 FD) vs. DET
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Nathaniel Lowe - 1B, TEX vs. LAA ($4,300 DK, $3,200 FD)
Lowe is one of the few guys that can claim success against Ohtani. He is 6-for-16 against Ohtani in his career with two homers and just two strikeouts. Lowe is making a lot of contact – a lot of good contact – against Ohtani. He has a 95.5 mph exit velocity against Ohtani, so when he makes contact, he's hitting it hard. Most won't go after Ohtani and I won't either. However, I will take a lower-owned Lowe against him hoping for more success.
Edouard Julien - 2B, MIN vs. DET ($2,700 DK, $2,900 FD)
Jorge Polanco is on the IL yet again, which means another call-up for Julien. He has wasted no time getting acclimated this time around. In his four games back in the bigs, Julien has led off and collected six hits in 14 tries with four walks, four doubles, and four runs scored. Play him until he cools off, especially since neither site is raising his price.
Manny Machado - 3B, SD vs. CLE ($4,800 DK, $2,900 FD)
Machado is way too cheap on FanDuel. It has been a down year so far, but Machado has multiple hits in five of the last eight games and has homered twice in the last five. He is finally starting to come around. On top of that, Machado is hitting a blistering .393 against lefties this year. I expect his hot streak to keep going tonight.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Ronald Acuna Jr. - OF, ATL vs. COL ($6,600 DK, $4,600 FD)
You can't even find a cold pocket in Acuna's 2023 season. He's like summer in Florida. Unrelenting heat. Acuna has two homers and nine RBI in the last four games. He tacked on a steal for good measure. He is also 3-for-8 lifetime against Kyle Freeland with a homer. There's no reason to overthink this one. For some strange reason, Freeland has been much better at home than on the road this year. If Acuna gets anything to hit, it's a good bet that he is going to hit it a long way. Otherwise, he might just walk four times. I'm good with either outcome. Walks are points too!
Jack Suwinski - OF, PIT at CHC ($3,700 DK, $3,500 FD)
This isn't just because RotoBaller is infested with Pirates fans. There is some merit to this. Suwinski has four homers in the last five games and is torturing right-handed pitchers. This is about the time of year when Wrigley starts becoming a major hitter's park. Stroman is a solid pitcher, but four of the five homers he has allowed have been at Wrigley. I'll take Suwinski and his current power trip in this situation.
David Peralta - OF, LAD vs. CWS ($2,700 DK, #2,600 FD)
Peralta is hitting a robust .419 with two homers and seven RBI in the last 10 games for the Dodgers. His average balloons to .458 in the month of June so far. He only plays against righties, but if he's going to keep hitting like this against them, who's complaining? I'm not. I need the savings to put together the pitchers I want in the same lineup.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Atlanta Braves vs. Kyle Freeland
Freeland's ERA is well over a run higher on the road this year. He usually avoids giving up the devastating hit, but this Atlanta lineup is hitting a blistering .295 against left-handed pitching this season. As a team! That is almost unheard of.
Any Atlanta stack has to start with Acuna and Austin Riley. Ozzie Albies has picked it up at the plate of late too. This is a very expensive stack, but we get a gift on DraftKings with AJ Smith-Shawver for less than the price of Acuna. I'll finish this stack off with lefty masher Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario.
Also consider: San Diego Padres vs. Logan Allen
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado are getting hot and both destroy lefties. They make for a nice mini-stack, but there is enough to like about tonight's matchup to sprinkle in a few more Padres pieces.
Sneaky Stack: Chicago White Sox vs. Michael Grove
The Sox just scored eight runs in a game that Kershaw started last night. Luis Robert, Yasmani Grandal, and Eloy Jimenez are about the only guys in the lineup that are reliable right now, but Gavin Sheets is a great play if he starts again at minimum price. The White Sox stack is a great way to get exposure to a struggling rookie and still get two aces in your lineup.
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