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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 6/24/21. Brian Entrekin's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
We have an 8-game main slate on tap tonight, and there should be hitting for days. After Walker Buehler and a few other arms, the pitching landscape is very messy. However, playing with roster percentages closer to lock will help give the edge needed for a winning tournament lineup. Listen in to MLB DFS Quick Hits for a full slate recap.
The slate starts with which pitchers to build around. That starts with Buehler, Jose Berrios, and Luis Garcia. After those three, it becomes dicey on the mound. With the mess at pitching, there will be hitting for days. The most popular stack will likely be the Astros, but there will be plenty of other ways to go. The Astros won't be a full fade in tournaments but make sure you are contrarian somewhere as the pitching mentioned, and the Astros will be quite popular.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 6/24/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It’s also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @bdentrek.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Walker Buehler - P, LAD vs CHC ($11,500)
Since allowing four earned runs on May 11, the most he's allowed in any game, Buehler has only allowed seven earned runs over 46.1 innings. Buehler has been an absolute ace. Over those seven starts, Buehler has thrown at least six innings in each start, including seven or more in four starts. Most importantly, strikeouts are on the rise, with five or more K's in five of seven starts, including 11 in his last start. The strikeouts increased thanks to a 10.8% swinging-strike rate, and the overall production benefitted with a 3.3% barrel rate and 33% hard-hit rate. He will be taking on a Cubs' offense that is struggling in a big way. Over the last month, they are striking out 28.9% of the time versus RHP while hitting .193 with an 83 wRC+. Buehler has been a 20+ DK point machine repeatedly and is worth locking into lineups tonight with such suspect pitching. Take the floor points with upside on the mound and get contrarian with the bats.
Luis Garcia - P, HOU at DET ($8,700)
We talk about how great Buehler has been over his last seven starts, but Garcia has been just as good, if not potentially better. Over the last seven, Garcia has allowed no more than three earned runs in any of the starts while allowing one earned or less in five starts. He has struck out 45 over his 40.1 innings, good for a 27.8% strikeout rate to go with an outstanding 21% K-BB rate. Over the seven starts, Garcia is allowing a 71.8% contact rate to go with a 3.8% barrel rate and 41.8% hard-hit rate. The 12.9% swinging-strike rate is possibly the most impressive stat. To put it bluntly, Garcia has been outstanding and on this slate is priced too cheap. He will take on a Tigers team tonight that is striking out 25% of the time versus RHP over the last month while hitting .237 with a 104 wRC+. Garcia is my SP2 of choice tonight and will be in most of my lineups.
Other Options: Jose Berrios (MIN vs CLE) $10,400, Cody Poteet (MIA vs WAS) $7,100
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Ryan Jeffers - C, MIN vs J.C. Mejia ($3,000)
There are value catchers, and then there are value catchers that bring massive home run and run production upside. Jeffers is the latter. He has hit safely in five of his last seven games with three home runs. He has a .385 ISO and an impressive 13.3% walk rate to help with a 1.021 OPS. When looking at the quality of contact, the power makes sense, a 21.1% barrel rate and 63.2% hard-hit rate over the last week. Unfortunately, Jeffers's numbers do not mimic most catchers. The Twins are one of the cheaper stacks tonight and are in a great spot to put up some big number versus Mejia. Many people will look at the catcher's position for value and may try going even lower than Jeffers. Do not be one of those people. Instead, take the value Jeffers already is and enjoy the double-digit DK evening.
Joey Votto - 1B, CIN vs. Josh Tomlin ($4,600)
Votto gets overlooked most of the time when looking at Reds' stacks, and that should not be the case, especially tonight. Votto is hitting .302 over the last two weeks with three home runs and even a stolen base. He is, of course, still walking a good amount, 12.2% of the time, but as we saw a year or so ago, Votto is more aggressive at the plate, so the strikeout rate is also up. The aggressiveness is paying up as the quality of contact is following. Over the last couple of weeks, Votto is barreling the ball 10.7% of the time with a 57.1% hard-hit rate. The Braves are rolling out Tomlin and then a lot of bad bullpen, making the Reds a great stack. After plugging in Jesse Winker and others, don't forget Votto and the likes of Eugenio Suarez as Great American Small Park is going to pop off tonight.
Adam Frazier - 2B, PIT vs Carlos Martinez ($4,000)
Frazier is having an outstanding 2021 season, leading the world in hits. Over the last 10 games, he has hit safely in six games with multiple hits in four of those games. He is also walking 11.6% of the time, allowing Frazier to still get on base when not collecting hits and rack up the DK points. He will be facing CarMart tonight, and that is a spot we love to stack against repeatedly. Martinez has been getting blasted of late. He has thrown 14.2 innings over his last four starts and has allowed 25 runs. CarMart is not striking many out, meaning many balls in play, and when he gets barreled 10% of the time with a 52% hard-hit rate, good things will happen. The value will be needed tonight, and the Pirates will be a great source of value.
Dansby Swanson - SS, ATL at Tony Santillan ($3,600)
I mentioned Great American Small Park was going to pop off tonight, and that means the Braves will be doing their part as well. Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr. are pricey bats, but there is some nice value in the lineup. Swanson is one of them. He does two things for your lineup builds. First, he gives you a cheaper SS where there is not a ton of value at the position. Second, he gives you a productive piece of a Braves' stack, hitting sixth, and once again is a value. The batting average has not been great over the last nine games as he is only hitting .216, but the fantasy production has been there for Swanson. He has four extra-base hits, including two home runs, to go with a stolen base and six RBI. Swanson has been quite productive and could smash in tonight's juicy matchup. The Braves' value will be much needed, so do not forget Swanson, Austin Riley, Abraham Almonte, and others tonight.
Abraham Toro - 3B, HOU at Jose Urena ($3,100)
I was trying not to write up many Astros as they will be chalk city, and you do not need to read an article to know Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and many others are great plays. I did want to highlight Toro, though, as he continues to put up great fantasy production since taking over for Alex Bregman. In the six games Toro has started since the injury; he has hit safely in five of six games with three multi-hit games, two home runs, and a stolen base. He is only striking out 7.7% of the time, meaning Toro is putting the ball in play a lot. The Astros face Urena and then the Tigers' pen, resulting in all the offense tonight. Enjoy some of the Astros' value with Toro, Chas McCormick, Michael Brantley, Kyle Tucker, and Myles Straw.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Bryan Reynolds - OF, PIT at Carlos Martinez ($3,200)
Reynolds is absolutely raking this season yet is continually too cheap. He is hitting third for the Pirates and will be in almost all of my lineups tonight for the value and production he brings. He is currently riding an eight-game hit streak where he has six multi-hit games. Reynolds is hitting .438 with five extra-base hits over the streak. His .281 ISO and his 1.157 OPS have been outstanding. We mentioned CarMart's struggles earlier, and that continues versus LHH, who has hit .265 with a .395 SLG this season. Stack up the value Pirates tonight and use Reynolds in almost all of your lineups tonight.
Max Kepler - OF, MIN vs J.C. Mejia ($3,400)
Kepler returned from the IL on the 18th and how now hit safely in three straight games. He has been fantasy-relevant in all five games with a home run, two stolen bases, and a nice 16.7% walk rate. In addition, he has hit fifth or second in three of the games, which also adds to Kepler's value. When healthy, we are used to the power and run production upside Kepler brings to the lineup, but tonight we also get to enjoy a great price tag. He faces Mejia, who has been getting torched by LHH this season. He is allowing lefties to hit .371 with a .657 SLG and 2.3 HR/9. Once again, the Twins will be a great source of value tonight, and Kepler brings outstanding value to your DFS lineups.
Jesus Sanchez - OF, MIA vs. Joe Ross ($2,400)
Sanchez is strictly a value DONG play. We are looking for Sanchez to go deep at his nearly free pricetag. He has hit safely in five of his first seven games with two home runs but is also striking out a 37.9% strikeout rate. When he puts the ball in play, he barrels it 11.1% of the time with a 50% hard-hit rate, so make some contact, Sanchez. Before he was called up, he was hitting .349 in 33 Triple-A games with 17 extra-base hits, including nine home runs. He faces Ross tonight, who is allowing lefties to slug .444 with nearly two HR/9. If you want a punt play with power upside, then Sanchez is your guy.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Houston Astros (Jose Urena, RHP)
- Minnesota Twins (J.C. Mejia, RHP)
- Cincinnati Reds (Josh Tomlin, RHP)
- Sneaky Stacks- Pittsburgh Pirates (Carlos Martinez, RHP)
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