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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on April 18, 2018. Justin Bales' MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
We've got four different slates on DraftKings today, which gives us tons of lineup combinations. Tonight's featured slate starts at 7pm eastern, and we've also got an early slate and two late slates. I'll be covering players throughout every slate.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/19/18. 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 @TroyKlauder.
DraftKings Starting Pitchers
Charlie Morton - P, at SEA ($11,600)
It's been tough for me to create a lineup in the early slate that doesn't include Morton as one of my two pitchers. He's far-and-away the best pitcher on the slate as he takes on the Mariners. Morton has been a stud through his first three starts, racking up 25 strikeouts through 18 innings with just two earned runs. His current price makes him a steal if he continues to pitch as well as he has been.
Zack Greinke - P, vs SF ($10,600)
On the later slates, Greinke is my go-to guy against a weak Giants lineup. The Giants are in the bottom-third of wOBA against righties with their .297 wOBA, and they also strike out a hefty amount at 25.0% versus righties. Greinke's ERA doesn't look pretty right now, but his peripherals show that he's been pitching quite well. He's got 21 strikeouts and just one walk in 17 innings, and his 2.63 xFIP is more indicative of the kind of pitcher he is. Greinke probably won't be this cheap for much longer, so buy in before prices adjust.
DraftKings Infielders
J.T. Realmuto - C, at MIL ($3,500)
Returning from the disabled list, Realmuto went 2/4 with a homer in his first game of the season on Wednesday. Realmuto is one of the best options at catcher when he's on the field, as he posted a strong .278/.332/.451 line in 2017. He should bat fifth in the Marlins lineup, a nice spot for some RBIs, and he will reap the benefits of Miller Park, one of the best offensive environments in all of baseball.
Miguel Cabrera - 1B, vs BAL ($4,200)
I would recommend an entire Tigers stack as they take on Alex Cobb, but Detroit has a very weak lineup, so you might want to think twice about playing most of their hitters. Cabrera, however, is a hitter that I'm certainly willing to take. Cobb got shredded for seven earned runs in his first start of the season, and Cabrera's cold start brings down his price. He's a nice buy-low candidate at his current price.
Eduardo Nunez - 2B, at LAA ($3,800)
Nunez is a solid play in cash games, where his high floor makes him particularly valuable. Nunez has an impressive 119 wRC+ this season and has a nice power/speed combo, so he's should produce when he's in your lineups. He's batting sixth in the stacked Red Sox lineup, so he will likely have some runners on when he's at the plate.
Travis Shaw - 3B, vs MIA ($4,300)
Shaw is another hitter you can use in Miller Park to take advantage of the park factor. He's got an incredibly easy matchup against Marlins starter Dillon Peters, who has a 6.75 ERA through his three starts this year. Peters has a 1.84 HR/9, so Shaw has a nice shot at giving you a home run on Thursday out of the Brewers cleanup spot.
Ketel Marte - SS, vs SF ($3,300)
Marte is one of the cheapest two-hole hitters you will be able to find on DraftKings. He's incredibly valuable sandwiched between David Peralta and Paul Goldschmidt, where he has a great spot at scoring some runs or racking up some RBI. Marte has a great matchup against opposing pitcher Ty Blach, who has just as many walks as he has strikeouts this year.
DraftKings Outfielders
Starling Marte - OF, at PHI ($4,100)
Why not go with Starling Marte if you're already playing Ketel? Marte has been a fantasy monster in 2018, so it's shocking to see him at such a reasonable price. He's batting .308 with a .968 OPS, including five steals and three homers. With those numbers, you'd expect him to be in the $5,000 range, but he's not even close. The Pirates three-hole hitter is an outstanding investment on Thursday.
Jay Bruce - OF, at ATL ($3,900)
Look for a big day out of Bruce as he heads to SunTrust Park in Atlanta, which has played as an incredibly hitter-friendly park since it opened. The Mets cleanup hitter mashed 36 homers last year and is facing Braves starter Anibal Sanchez, who was one of the most homer-prone pitchers in all of baseball in 2017. Sanchez had an insane 2.22 HR/9 with a 6.41 ERA last season, making Bruce one of my favorite plays tonight.
