FanDuel MLB DFS Lineup Picks (4/2/21): Daily Fantasy Baseball Advice

Juan Carlos Blanco highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 4/2/21, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.

After an exciting Opening Day on Thursday that was packed with plenty of action throughout in spite of a pair of postponements, we're down to a more modest and manageable six-game slate Friday night. That gives us a bit of a breather in terms of our lineup decisions, and we may also catch a bit more of a break in that we've now moved off each team's No. 1 pitcher and therefore may see a bit more cumulative offense.

With 12 teams in action, we still have plenty of ways to differentiate for tournaments while also having access to plenty of reliable options for cash games.

I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 4/2/2020. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports.

FanDuel DFS Pitchers

Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:

Blake Snell – SDP vs. ARI ($9,500)

Snell just wrapped up an outstanding spring where he boasted an unblemished ERA, 0.63 WHIP and .106 BAA across 14.1 frames. The left-hander was highly effective during his final Rays season in 2020, posting a 3.24 ERA and 30.0 percent strikeout rate alongside a 4-2 mark. The Diamondbacks were particularly poor against southpaws on the road last season as well, posting a combined .210/.268/.361 slash – as well as a -13.7 wRAA and .274 wOBA over 352 plate appearances – against that handedness when traveling. Current Arizona hitters have a combined .056/.139/.056 line over 21 career plate appearances against Snell, furthering his case as an arm with an elite ceiling that saves you $500 off a $10K Trevor Bauer.

Potential Alternate Play

Jesus Luzardo – OAK vs. HOU ($7,200)   

Luzardo is another supremely talented southpaw who certainly has the ability to outpace his current salary, considering he had starts last season that produced 36, 40, 49 and 50 FD points. The young left-hander does still have occasional bouts of inconsistency and did struggle in a postseason turn against Houston last fall, but he also averaged 36 FD points in two outings versus the Astros during the regular season. Oakland’s spacious home park is pitcher-friendly, and Houston posted a -11.8 wRAA and .277 wOBA in 327 plate appearances versus left-handers on the road last season.

FanDuel DFS Infielders

Cody Bellinger – 1B, LAD at COL ($4,700)

Bellinger only has a .250 career average against Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela over 22 career plate appearances, but he’s also consistently made contact while striking out only twice and lacing a pair of doubles plus one home run in that sample. Even in a down year last season, Bellinger still compiled a .360 wOBA,.252 ISO and modest 14.4 strikeout rate versus right-handed pitching, along with a massive 50.9 percent hard-hit rate. Senzatela was excellent at Coors Field last season overall, but he’s yielded a .277/.334/.469 slash with a .339 wOBA there over the course of his career.

Ty France – 2B, SEA vs. SF ($2,600)

France wielded a scorching bat most of spring, which followed an excellent tenure with the Mariners last season after coming over in a trade with the Padres. With Friday’s interleague tilt taking place in Seattle, France should be in line for a start at designated hitter against the inconsistent Johnny Cueto, who’s posted an ERA above 5.00 the last two seasons and pitched to a 9.82 ERA, 2.18 WHIP and .353 BAA over 7.1 innings this spring. Finally, consider France posted a .369/.418/.560 slash, .418 wOBA and 37.7 percent line-drive rate in 91 plate appearances versus right-handed pitching last season, and he also posted a .404 wOBA versus the slider, Cueto’s third-most often thrown pitch last season and one he surrendered a .348 wOBA on.

Anthony Rendon – 3B, LAA vs. CWS ($3,900)

Rendon owns a .333 average with a pair of doubles over 15 career plate appearances versus White Sox starter Dallas Keuchel, and he posted a massive .436 wOBA and .410 ISO across 49 plate appearances versus left-handed pitching at home last season despite an abnormally low .214 BABIP. That success was partly the byproduct of a 56.3 percent hard-hit rate versus that handedness at Angel Stadium. Meanwhile, Keuchel was effective last season against either handedness of hitter, but he posted a middling 5.5 K/9 versus righty bats on the road, along with an elevated 4.44 xFIP. Finally, it’s also worth noting Rendon posted .504 and .511 wOBAs against the sinker and cutter, respectively, in 2020, which are Keuchel’s two most often-thrown pitches.

Fernando Tatis Jr. – SS, SDP vs. ARI ($4,300)

Tatis got his 2020 season off to a rough start with three strikeouts in five at-bats, but he’ll be in a good position to bounce back Friday. The phenom sees a pitcher he’s enjoyed plenty of success in previously in Merrill Kelly, who he’s tagged for a .455 average with three home runs over 11 career plate appearances. Tatis generated a .298/.385/.631 slash against right-handed pitching at Petco Park last season as well, complementing those strong numbers with a .424 wOBA and .333 ISO across 96 plate appearances. Meanwhile, Kelly scuffled against righty bats on the road, surrendering a .500 slugging percentage, .347 wOBA, 5.47 xFIP and 51.6 percent hard-hit rate across a 41-batter sample.

FanDuel DFS Outfielders

Mitch Haniger – OF, SEA vs. SF ($3,100)

Haniger is another modest-salaried Mariners option worth considering Friday against Cueto, whose struggles versus right-handed bats were already covered in France’s entry. For his part, Haniger came back this spring and corroborated he was finally back to full health after injuries wiped out most of his last two seasons, lacing six (two doubles, one triple, three home runs) of his 11 hits for extra bases and not seeming overly rusty at the plate after such a long layoff. The veteran owns a career .352 wOBA and .219 ISO against right-handed pitching, and he boasts a career .389 wOBA against the four-seam fastball, Cueto’s signature offering.

Ramon Laureano – OF, OAK vs. HOU ($3,000)

Laureano checks in at an appealing salary for a player with his upside, even if he didn’t flash it very often during a down 2020 campaign. The defensive wizard was far from alone around baseball in that department last season, however, and Laureano offered a tangible reminder of his 2018-19 form this spring with a .357/.526/.821 slash that included seven (three doubles, two triples, two home runs) extra-base hits over 38 plate appearances. The Astros’ Cristian Javier was tough on right-handed hitters as a rookie last season, but he did surrender a 4.97 ERA and .341 wOBA on the road, along with a 5.03 xFIP. Meanwhile, despite his struggles last season, Laureano owns a career .284/.362/.520 slash and .370 wOBA versus right-handed pitching at the Oakland Coliseum during his career (343 plate appearances).

Justin Upton – OF, LAA vs. CWS ($2,700)

Upton has had back-to-back down years after an extended multi-season stretch of success, but he’s always hit left-handed pitching well, as evidenced by a career .364 wOBA and .233 ISO versus that handedness. The veteran outfielder even belted six of his nine homers last season off southpaws, and what’s more, he just happens to thrive against Keuchel’s two favorite pitches. Even in a difficult 2020, Upton posted a .398 wOBA against the sinker and a .484 wOBA versus the cutter, and he owns respective .406 and .353 figures in his career against those pitches.