X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (4/15/18): MLB DFS Lineups

We have an ace-heavy 11 game featured slate this Sunday. There are several quality pitchers on the schedule today, as well as several suspect pitchers. There aren’t many middle tier options on the mound, which means we’ll have to choose our hurlers carefully.

We’ve also got weather concerns across the country. As of writing this the CWS @ MIN game has already been postponed. The other games to watch out for are: NYY @ DET, STL @ CIN, and TOR @ CLE. COL @ WSH, MIL @ NYM, and LAA @ KC could also be in danger, but seem less likely to be postponed. That means seven of the ten remaining games on the slate have weather concerns, and there is really no way to build an optimal lineup while completely avoiding these games. As always, it’s best to check your lineups before they lock to ensure all the players you’ve selected are playing.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/15/18. 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 @ElliottBaasBB.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DraftKings Starting Pitchers

P – Noah Syndergaard NYM (vs. MIL) - $10,500

With so many pricey pitchers, Syndergaard is the best value among them. The Brewers may not be a cakewalk, but they were decidedly average against righties last season. They had a .323 wOBA and 94 wRC+ as a team. What makes this a good matchup is the strikeout tendency of the Brewers. Last season they struck out 25.6% of the time in, the highest in the majors. They’ve also struck out 22.3% of the time so far this season. The Brewers’ biggest strength as a team is the long ball, they hit the eighth most last season. Thor is not particularly susceptible to  home runs, however. He has a career 0.76 HR/9, which is good even for a high end pitcher. Syndergaard's strengths match up well against the Brewers' weaknesses. Syndergaard is the fifth most expensive starter but has the ability to rack up strikeouts and be the top performer.

P – J.A. Happ TOR (@CLE) - $8,000

Would you believe J.A. Happ has the fourth best K/9 (12.94) among starters that have made at least three starts? It’s true, and he also has a 15% swinging strike rate and 2.59 xFIP so far this season. This type of strikeout production is unsustainable over the course of the season for Happ. He has a 19.83% swinging strike rate on his fastball, which is more than double his career rate. Still, he faces an Indians team that has a .273 wOBA and .126 ISO this season. Regression is due for both sides, but it won’t happen all at once on Sunday. As a veteran he should be able to go deep into the game, something many younger pitchers haven't done much this season. Happ will get us some strikeouts and should limit scoring. That's exactly what we want from our SP2 in cash games.

Update: Looks like Happ has been pushed back due to yesterday's postponement. Another solid SP2 option is Ivan Nova PIT (@MIA) $8,800, though he's a little more expensive than Happ. Ben Lively PHI(@TB) $6,000 could be a sneaky cheap play if the Rays lineup is righty heavy. For his career lively has a .374 wOBA against lefties, but a .314 wOBA against righties.

P- Dylan Bundy BAL (@BOS) - $7,400

This is mainly a tournament play, but Bundy is a name worth mentioning on this slate. He’s been lights out to start the season with a 32.5% strikeout rate and 1.95 FIP in his first three starts. While his numbers may not stay that quite that good, Bundy’s success looks legitimate because he’s begun featuring his slider heavily. Bundy’s slider is among the best strikeout pitches in baseball with a 37.33% swinging strike rate this season. Bundy is this cheap because has two big obstacles working against him today. He’s facing a tough Boston lineup that has a .340 wOBA as a team this season, and his counterpart on the mound is Chris Sale, limiting his chances for a win. Regardless, good pitchers can shut down good offenses. Bundy put up outstanding starts already against the Twins and Astros, two strong offenses. It’s not an ideal situation, but Bundy has flashes of brilliance that make him a worthy gamble in tournament play.

 

DraftKings Infielders

C - Wilson Ramos, TB (vs. PHI) - $2,800

Ramos has had a slow start to the year with a .387 OPS and no extra base hits, but he put up an above average .189 ISO in 2016 and .188 ISO in 2017. On a day where we’re pinching pennies Ramos gives us power upside at a weak position without breaking the bank. Opposing starter Ben Lively gave up 1.32 HR/9 and had a 5.58 xFIP last season.

1B - Albert Pujols, LAA (@KC) - $3,500

Shohei Ohtani may be on the mound for Anaheim, but it’s the Angels’ hitters we want in our lineup today. The Angels take on Royals rookie lefty Eric Skoglund. Skoglund only has 22.2 career innings, but they couldn’t have gone much worse. He owns a career 9.53 ERA, 5.78 FIP, and 1.07 K/BB ratio. His 4.46 FIP and 1.25 HR/9 at Triple-A as a 24-year-old last season aren't impressive either, and don't suggest that a rapid turn-around is near. He’s also gone five innings just once in his career, which means we’ll see a lot of the Royals' bullpen. The Kansas City relievers have a league worst 6.99 ERA and second worst 5.46 FIP as a unit this season. Pujols may not be the superstar he once was, but he gives us exactly what we need at this price: cheap power. Pujols has three home runs and six extra base hits thus far, and makes a good addition to an Angels stack as their cleanup hitter.

2B - Ian Kinsler, LAA (@ KC) - $3,900

Kinsler has a career .378 wOBA and .205 ISO against lefties, and even though he’s gotten older his strong performance against lefties has held in recent seasons. He’ll be leading off for the Halos, which should give him 4-5 plate appearances and plenty of run-scoring opportunities. The Angels are the team to stack today, let’s just hope for clear skies in Kansas City.

3B - Matt Carpenter, STL (@ CIN) - $3,500

Matt Carpenter has a good matchup against Reds righty Homer Bailey on Sunday. Bailey may have had a nice start last time out against the Phillies, but that doesn’t erase the three years of injuries and horrid performances. Bailey last posted an ERA below 5 in 2014. His velocity is also at a career low, and he still has a 2.00 K/BB ratio this season. Carpenter loves to hit righties, with a career .375 wOBA and .193 ISO against right-handed pitching. He’s makes for a nice play in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark.

SS - Dansby Swanson ATL (@ CHC) - $3,400

This one is mainly a price play, as there aren’t any shortstops worth paying up for today relative to other positions. Swanson has had an impressive start to the season with a .340/.377/.560 slash line and eight extra base hits thus far. This isn’t sustainable, but there’s no reason to think he’ll slow down against Tyler Chatwood. Chatwood always had poor control, but he has unraveled in his first two starts. Chatwood has walked seven batters in 11 innings and has a 4.91 ERA and 4.42 xFIP. Remember how Chatwood had a good road ERA and Coors Field was blamed for his struggles? Forget about that, because despite a 3.28 ERA Chatwood had a 4.43 xFIP and 1.48 K/BB away from Colorado. He’s someone that can be targeted, and Swanson makes for a cheap play against him.

 

DraftKings Outfielders

OF - Mallex Smith, TB (vs. PHI) - $3,000

Phillies starter Ben Lively can’t get lefties out. Left-handed batters have a .375 wOBA against Lively for his career, and this season lefties have a .408 wOBA. Smith doesn’t have any power upside, but he’s always a threat to swipe a bag or two. Both Phillies catchers Jorge Alfaro (27%) and Andrew Knapp (23%) have slightly below average career caught stealing rates, so Smith can run freely on either of them.

OF - Mike Trout, LAA (@ KC) - $5,500

We can’t have an Angels stack without Mike Trout, and the Halos are definitely the top option of the day. Not much needs to be said about Trout, he’s the best player in baseball. In case you need a little convincing Trout owns a career .402 wOBA, 162 wRC+, and .237 ISO against left-handed pitching.

OF - Justin Upton LAA (@ KC) - $4,600

Upton has slayed left-handed pitching in his career. He has a .381 wOBA, .243 ISO, and 137 wRC+ against southpaws all time. He’s an important piece to add to our Angels stack Sunday, since he hits third and is the Angels second-best hitter besides Trout.

 

MLB DFS News and Injury Alerts

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF