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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on March 29, 2018. Adam Meyer's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
We have a weird DraftKings DFS slate of games on Monday. There is a five-game early schedule and a nine-game featured ticket. This piece will stick to the featured portion of the slate.
There should be plenty of offense to be had on Monday. Seven of the 14 games have an over/under of nine total runs (Vegas hasn’t posted TB/NYY lines yet).
Feel free to post questions or comments to me on Twitter @CharlieSideHstl as MLB lineups are released.
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DraftKings Starting Pitchers
Charlie Morton, HOU (vs. BAL) - $11,100
Monday may not have ace-appeal at first glance, but there are some gems to be had in your DFS lineup. Morton is the top tier starting pitcher and it’s not even close. Sure, he was bumped back in the rotation when Houston signed Gerrit Cole, but this isn’t your typical No. 5 arm. When the Astros were victorious in Game 7 of the World Series, Morton earned the win as he pitched the final four innings. He produced a career-high 10 K/9 in 2017. Vegas has pegged Houston as the biggest favorites of the day (-210). Morton should be a lock in all formats.
Tanner Roark, WSH (@ ATL) - $9,900
Roark compiled a career-best 8.2 K/9 last season as he struck out 166 batters in 181.1 innings of work. He had a strong finish to 2017, posting a 3.90 ERA with 86 K in 80.2 IP. On the down side, the Braves roughed him up last year. In four outings, he allowed 15 earned runs in 23 innings (5.87 ERA), yet struck out 21 batters in that span.
Brian Johnson, BOS (@ MIA) - $6,900
With Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez on the DL, Johnson gets his first shot in 2018. Johnson is a Florida guy. He went to high school in Cocoa Beach, played college ball at the University of Florida, and will now get to start a game in Miami. Those are the storylines that you hear in the game highlights package at the end of the night that you wish you knew going into the slate. Now, for the stat to consider, Marlins Park has the third-worst ballpark factor for right-handed hitters to accumulate home runs. Johnson is a lefty, so you’ll see more right-handed hitters in the lineup. On Sunday, against Jose Quintana (another lefty), Miami used only one left-handed bat in the lineup (Derek Dietrich).
DraftKings Infielders
C - Chris Iannetta, COL (@ SD) - $3,500
When you combine the 2017 season with the short amount of games from this season, Iannetta leads all catchers with a .251 ISO against right-handed pitchers. He’s already notched five total hits in two games. Iannetta also hit two home runs at Petco Park last year (in 16 AB).
1B - Matt Davidson, CWS (@ TOR) - $4,000
Davidson had a tremendous start to 2018. He crushed three home runs on Opening Day against the Royals. Last year, Davidson accumulated a .205 ISO against left-handed pitchers. Also, Vegas has given this game an over/under of 9.5 total runs, the most on the slate. It should be a goal to have players from those games.
2B - Scott Kingery, PHI (@ NYM) - $2,900
Unless Jose Altuve is facing a left-handed pitcher, or the Rockies have a high over/under at home, I tend to try and save money at the second base position in DK. Although Kingery is a rookie, he’s tallied two hits in each of the first two games of the season. Kingery is a phenomenal talent who tallied 26 home runs and 29 stolen bases, all while maintaining a .304 AVG in the minors last year. He could be a DFS staple until the price tag rises.
3B - Anthony Rendon, WSH (@ ATL) - $4,400
Rendon destroys left-handed pitching. Last season, he led the Nats with a .346 ISO against southpaws. Only Nolan Arenado (.420) had a better ISO vs. LHP among third basemen. Braves starting pitcher, Sean Newcomb, hasn’t faired well at home. Last year, he was 3-6 with a 4.57 ERA at SunTrust Park. Newcomb also allowed four earned runs in four innings against the Nationals in his lone start against them in 2017. Rendon contributed to Newcomb’s demise that day (1-1, 2B, BB, 2 RBI).
SS - Zack Cozart, LAA (vs. CLE) - $4,400
Cozart burst onto the scene in 2017. He amassed a .251 ISO against right-handed pitchers, leading all shortstops. He’s staying hot in 2018. In the first four games of the year, Cozart has tallied at least two hits in each contest. Ride the hot bat of Cozart, while the price remains reasonable.
DraftKings Outfielders
J.D. Martinez, BOS (@ MIA) - $4,300
With Boston traveling to an NL ballpark, be aware that the DH position is gone and someone will be relegated to the bench for the Red Sox. Martinez played in the outfield for both games this weekend, so he should be slated to start on Monday. Martinez is known as a lefty-killer, but he’s no slouch against righties. He produced a .351 ISO against right-handed pitchers, which was the fourth-highest among outfielders in 2017.
Matt Joyce, OAK (vs. TEX) - $3,400
Joyce is a good “under the radar” target in DFS. If you didn’t use his services in 2017, you missed out. Joyce finished the year with a .252 ISO against right-handed pitchers, the 19th-most among outfielders. According to his splits, Joyce’s best situation is a home game against righties (.257 ISO). Those two scenarios will occur on Monday when Bartolo Colon, and the Rangers, travel to Oakland. Joyce is also projected to be the leadoff hitter for the A’s.
Rhys Hoskins, PHI (@ NYM) - $4,900
The legend of Rhys Hoskins grows with every at-bat. This season, Hoskins has notched three extra-base hits in three games. He’s also averaging an RBI per contest. Keeping with the trend of high ISO numbers in 2017, Hoskins had a .345 ISO against righties last year (third-most among outfielders). His Phillies travel to New York to face Matt Harvey. The Dark Knight allowed 28 earned runs in 41 innings (6.15 ERA) at home last year.
