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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on April 15th, 2023. John Brubaker's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Saturday RotoBallers, and happy baseball season! This is John Brubaker dropping some of my favorite plays for today's slate! I'm so excited that MLB DFS back, and here's a chance to start the season off on the right foot! We have a pretty different slate tonight relative to last week, with the first difference it being, well a night slate. We have a nice main slate, with twelve games on tap. It's also a Coors slate, so we'll have to take that into account.
We don't have any slate differences today, which is always a good thing. That way I don't have to make selections that may be on one slate and not the other. I have big ideas for this slate, so let's get right to it. I would like to note, my writeups will get a bit more detailed as the season goes on, as I'm still making adjustments to my projection model this early on in the season.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/15/2023 and the slate locking at 1:05 pm ET. The lineup picks will range from some elite players to mid-priced options, and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. Now that we got all of that out of the way, it's onto the picks!
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Freddy Peralta, MIL at SD ($10,700 DK, $9,800 FD)
I'll start things off with Freddy Peralta. Peralta is coming into his third start of the season coming off of two masterful starts to start the 2023 campaign. He's thrown 12 innings while allowing just six hits and one earned run while striking out 14. He is due for some regression given that he's walked six batters in 12 innings, and he's taking on a tough San Diego lineup. However, he projects to a 3.66 xFIP and 26.64% strikeout rate this afternoon.
Carlos Carrasco, NYM at OAK ($8,600 DK, $7,500 FD)
My favorite pitcher on the slate, and I believe a must-play on FanDuel, I'll take a look at Carlos Carrasco next. Carrasco's start to the season has been just about the complete opposite of the aforementioned Freddy Peralta. Carrasco has allowed 11 earned runs on 10 hits and seven walks across 8.2 innings pitched this season. He gets a chance to get right against the Athletics today, and my model hasn't bought into the slow start for Cookie, projecting him to a 3.45 xFIP and 24.24% strikeout rate.
Also consider: Steven Matz (DK), Braxton Garrett
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Pete Alonso - 1B, NYM vs. Shintaro Fujinami ($5,200 DK, $3,800 FD)
As far as hitters go, I'll take a look at Pete Alonso to lead things off. Polar Pete is hitting .250 with 12 hits on the season, six of which have been home runs. Alonso projects to a .368 wOBA and 34.7% hard contact rate against A's starter Shintaro Fujinami, who's struggled in his first two starts of the season. More on that later!
Nolan Gorman - 2B, STL vs. Roansy Contreras ($4,100 DK, $3,400 FD)
I'll take a look at Nolan Gorman and the St. Louis Cardinals next. Gorman has started the season off hot as well, coming into this one hitting .333 with four homers and 12 RBIs across his first 12 games of the year. He has a .472 wOBA on the season, but my model projects him to a .316 wOBA and 45.5% hard contact rate against Pittsburgh starter Roansy Contreras today. He's 1-2 with a single against Contreras in just two at-bats against him.
Alejandro Kirk - C, TOR vs. Calvin Faucher ($3,900 DK, $2,700 FD)
I'll wrap things up on the infield with Alejandro Kirk behind the dish. My fantasy catcher has gotten off to a slow start this season, hitting just .219 with seven hits and one homer on the season. While his season wOBA sits at just .287, my model projects him to a .357 wOBA and 41.69% hard contact rate against Tampa righty Calvin Faucher today. Whether it's Faucher or Josh Fleming that Kirk sees throughout today's game, he's in a good spot.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Mike Trout - OF, LAA vs. Nick Pivetta ($5,900 DK, $4,400 FD)
I'll lead off the outfielders with Mike Trout. Trout has started this season hitting .261 with three homers and nine RBIs in the early season. He's also logged 12 walks thus far and comes in with an OPS of .955 and a wOBA of .418. My model projects him for a .408 wOBA and 42.19% hard contact rate against Nick Pivetta, a pitcher who he's yet to get a hit off in three at-bats in his career.
Randy Arozarena - OF, TB vs. Yusei Kikuchi ($6,200 DK, $3,900 FD)
I'll take a look at Randy Arozarena next. It may have taken 14 games, but the Rays finally took their first loss of the 2023 season last night against Toronto. Arozarena has been a big part of that, hitting .315 with three homers and 16 RBIs on the season. My model projects Randy for a .321 wOBA and 42.29% hard contact rate against southpaw Yusei Kikuchi this afternoon. Randy is 3-11 off of Kikuchi in his career, with two singles and a homer.
Marcell Ozuna - OF, ATL vs. Kris Bubic ($2,800 DK, $2,500 FD)
I'll wrap things up with Marcell Ozuna. Well, Ozuna's 2023 so far has been about as ugly as it gets, as he's coming into this one just 3-36 (.083 for those who are counting). However, two of those hits are homers, and that's what we're looking for here. He's projected to a .320 wOBA and 37.89% hard contact rate against Kris Bubic, a pitcher who's struggled in the past but is coming into this start on a bit of a roll. It'll be the first time Ozuna faces Bubic, and I think he gets to the lefty today.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
New York Mets vs. Shintaro Fujinami
I'll stake a look at the New York Mets for my first stack of the day against Shintaro Fujinami and the A's. The Mets exploded for 17 runs on 11 hits, and a whopping 17 walks last night. They'll take on Fujinami today who's coming into this one with a small, yet ugly track record. He's allowed 13 earned runs across 6.2 innings across two starts. My model projects the Mets to have a collective .345 wOBA and 36.1% hard contact rate today.
Favorite Plays: Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Starling Marte, Brandon Nimmo, Mark Canha
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Yusei Kikuchi
I'll wrap the article up with the best team in baseball this early in the season, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays took their first loss of the season last night, a 6-3 defeat to Jose Berrios and the Jays. They'll take on Yusei Kikuchi here, a pitcher who has actually had some success against them for his career (3-0, 1.88 ERA in five appearances). However, my model projects the Rays to a .310 wOBA and 42.29% hard contact rate against him today, so I'll most likely be higher on the Rays than the public here.
Favorite Plays: Yandy Diaz, Wander Franco, Isaac Paredes, Randy Arozarena, Harold Ramirez
Also Consider: Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals
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