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DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (4/18/18): MLB DFS Lineups

There are a plethora of games today, but they are broken into two slates. We'll be focusing on the later slate, as that is labeled as the "featured" slate. Even focusing on one of the two slates, there will be more than enough options to focus around tonight.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/18/18. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays.

You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @BalesSJustin.

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DraftKings Starting Pitchers

Gerrit Cole - P, at SEA ($11,900)

Cole has been throwing at an elite level this season, recording a 1-0 record, 1.29 ERA, and 0.67 WHIP through three starts. He has given up three runs this season, which all came via the long ball. He has also recorded an elite 15.4 K/9, recording double digit strikeouts in each of his games. Cole will be playing in a pitcher friendly stadium tonight, and he is a -165 favorite in a game set at 8 runs. Cole can be used in all leagues.

Kenta Maeda - P, at SD ($9,700)

Maeda is in an interesting position at the moment. He has only thrown 8.2 innings through three games, but he also features a 2.08 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and 14.6 K/9. In other words, he has found success in the limited opportunities he has been given. With that being said, he threw 90 pitches in his first game, and he is expected to return to his normal pitch count tonight. He also gets a great matchup against the San Diego Padres, and Maeda is a -161 favorite in a game set at 7.5 runs. He does come with some risk, but he is a great option for his price tag.

 

DraftKings Infielders

Buster Posey - C, at ARI ($3,700)

Posey is an option that can always be considered against left-handed pitching. He has played well this season, recording an average over .300 with a .500 slugging percentage and OPS nearing .900. He also features 0.101 wOBA and 0.103 ISO differentials against left-handed pitching. The matchup against Robbie Ray is less than ideal, but Posey will be playing in a hitter friendly stadium. He's a high upside option tonight.

Yulieski Gurriel - 1B, at SEA ($4,100)

Gurriel recently returned to the Houston Astros lineup, scoring fantasy points in each of his four games. He has also flashed upside, scoring as high as 23 fantasy points in his limited games this season. He has been a slightly better hitter against right-handed pitching, and he gets a good matchup against Mike Leake tonight. Houston should feature plenty of runs tonight, and Gurriel is a big part of their offense.

Daniel Descalso - 2B, vs SF ($2,500)

Descalso has been a better hitter in Arizona this season, recording a higher average, slugging percentage, and OPS at home. He gets a great matchup against Chris Stratton, and Descalso has performed well against right-handed pitching throughout his career. He is far from an elite player, but for a low price tag, he only needs a few fantasy points to hit value. He could also see extra opportunities for runs and RBIs in the middle of the Diamondbacks lineup tonight.

Wilmer Difo - 3B, at NYM ($3,000)

Difo has been heating up a bit recently, as he is hitting over .300 with some power over his last 10 games. More importantly, he dominates left-handed pitching, and gets a good matchup against Steven Matz tonight. Difo has featured 0.078 wOBA and 0.127 ISO differentials against lefties, while hitting .310 against left-handed pitching in 2017. He is still fairly cheap, and can be considered in all leagues tonight.

Scott Kingery - SS, at ATL ($4,100)

Kingery is only hitting .250 over his last 10 games, but he is averaging 10.7 fantasy points per game over that span. He has displayed a tremendous combination of power and speed this season, recording two home runs and two steals in only 14 games. He has been hitting all over the Phillies lineup, but he is a great option tonight, regardless of where he is hitting in the Philly lineup.

 

DraftKings Outfielders

Mike Trout - OF, vs BOS ($5,500)

If you have the salary, Trout is an easy option to use. Over his last 10 games, he is hitting for a .270 average with a .595 slugging percentage and 1.011 OPS. In those games, he has recorded four home runs and one steal. He is arguably the best hitter in the MLB, and he comes with unmatched upside. Trout comes with a hefty price tag, but is well worth it if you have extra salary.

Austin Jackson - OF, at ARI ($2,700)

Jackson has not been an elite option this season, but he has been fairly consistent over his last few games. He also comes with decent upside, specifically in his matchup tonight. He'll face off against a great pitcher in Robbie Ray, but Jackson features 0.087 wOBA and 0.076 ISO differentials against left-handed pitching. Jackson is also expected to lead off for the San Francisco Giants, adding to his upside on this slate.

 

MLB DFS News and Injury Alerts

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Brock Bowers

Expected to be Fine, No Injury Concerns
Byron Buxton

Exits Early With Knee Contusion
Drake London

Injures Shoulder, Questionable to Return
Trea Turner

Suffers Hamstring Strain
Brock Bowers

Questionable to Return in Week 1
Jonathan Taylor

Exits Game With Apparent Injury
Jayden Reed

Dontayvion Wicks Both Suiting Up Sunday
Christian McCaffrey

Officially Active for Week 1
Chris Godwin

Targeting Week 5 Return
Jayden Reed

Expected to Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Could be Facing Multi-Game Suspension
Zach Charbonnet

Expected to Have Larger Role Than Usual in Week 1
Nick Chubb

to be Texans Bell-Cow Back in Week 1?
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

a Healthy Scratch for Week 1
Darnell Mooney

Inactive for Week 1
Christian McCaffrey

Will Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Likely to Make NFL Debut in Week 2
Christian McCaffrey

a Big Part of Saturday's Walkthrough, Trending Toward Playing
Xavier Worthy

Suffers Dislocated Shoulder
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Ty Gibbs

Toyota Speed May Help Ty Gibbs at Gateway
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best DFS Place-Differential Option
Chris Buescher

May Have Qualified Too Well to Start for DFS
Kyle Busch

If Kyle Busch Contends Anywhere, it Could be at Gateway
NASCAR

John Hunter Nemechek Could Benefit From Toyota Speed Like he Did at Darlington
Michael McDowell

Slow Hendrick Setups Will Likely Slow Michael McDowell at Gateway
Jameson Williams

Extending Tenure in Motor City
Pittsburgh Steelers

Cameron Heyward, Steelers Reach Agreement on Revised Deal, Will Play in Week 1
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Travis Hunter

to be Every-Down Wide Receiver
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
Shedeur Sanders

Unlikely to Play in 2025
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
Willson Contreras

' Suspension Reduced, to Start Serving it on Friday
Kodai Senga

Mets Send Kodai Senga to Triple-A to Get Right
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Axel Sola

Alex Sola Set To Make His UFC Debut
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Exits With Knee Contusions
Will Smith

Unlikely to Play This Weekend
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch on Monday
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Brandon Sproat

to Start for Mets on Sunday
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Mike Trout

Plans to Return on Thursday
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP