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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on April 24th, 2022. Mark Kieffer's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 4/24/2022 Main Slate at 1:00 pm Eastern Time.
The lineup will range from some elite players to mid-priced options, and value plays. The main slate is nine-games on DraftKings and FanDuel.
You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, find me on Twitter @Mark_Kieffer and ask away!
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Shane McClanahan- P, TB vs. BOS ($8,700 on DK, $9,500 FD) - Better DraftKings option
Shane McClanahan has the second-highest K-BB% out of all the probable starters on this slate when counting starts from 2021 and 2022. He is a better play on DraftKings due to his strikeout upside than FanDuel because he is unlikely to get a quality start but does have a chance to get the win. That said, he did go six innings against Chicago in his last start on 80 pitches. Boston does not have a high strikeout rate as a team, they are No. 18, but their offense as a whole is off to a slow start (.137 ISO, No. 17).
Adam Wainwright- P, STL @ CIN ($9,600 DK, $8,400 FD) - Better FanDuel 0ption
Adam Wainwright does not have numbers that jump off the page. Over 2021 and 2022, his K-BB% is just 15.5% - worst than JT Brubaker for example. That said, I think he makes for a solid cash game option. Cincinnati has a 28.3% strikeout rate (No. 1), .255 OBP (No. 30), 0.94 ISO (No. 28), .278 SLG (No. 30). Wainwright has already been stretched out to 92 pitches. He can go out there and get a quality start or get a win, and even if his strikeouts are average, Cincinnati is unlikely to do major damage to him as they aren't much of a threat.
Logan Webb- P, SF @ WAS ($10,000 DK, $10,300 FD)
The main thing I do not like about Logan Webb on this slate is his price. He is the most expensive pitcher on FanDuel and is the second most expensive pitcher on DraftKings. His K-BB% in 2021 and 2022 combined is No. 3 among the starting pitchers on the slate. Washington does not strike out that often (21.3%, No. 21), their other metrics such as OBP, ISO, and SLG are in the bottom ten of the league in each category. I am not likely to play him at his current price.
Josiah Gray- P, WAS vs. SF ($8,200 DK, $8,200 FD)
Josiah Gray makes for a potential GPP play for me. In 2021 and 2022 combined, his strikeout rate was 25.8%. San Francisco is No. 5 in strikeout rate in the league so far. The bad, is Gray has a 11% walk rate, a 2.22 HR/9, and San Francisco is tied at No. 8 for most runs scored so far this year. That's what makes it a GPP play: there is strikeout upside, but there is the blowup potential too.
A Word About Gerrit Cole and Lucas Giolito
In years past on a Cole or Giolito slate, we have considered rostering these players. With Cole, he makes for an interesting tournament play on DraftKings where he is the most expensive pitcher on the slate but has not pitched like it. On FanDuel, Cole is priced at $8,800 and I could see him being a little more popular as some will think "this is the best pitcher in the league but he is just the fourth most expensive on the slate".
With Giolito, the Twins present a good strikeout matchup for him but he is coming back from an abdominal injury where he threw 61 pitches 16 days ago, and he said he threw about 50 pitches while on the IL. He is too expensive for how much he is likely to throw here.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Austin Riley- 3B, ATL vs. Jesus Luzardo ($3,600 DK, $3,700 FD)
Austin Riley is going up against Jesus Luzardo, a pitcher that has allowed 1.72 HR/9 in 2021 and 2022 combined with a 13% K-BB% and 4.59 xFIP. I like his value on DraftKings relative to the rest of the position. On FanDuel, Ke'Bryan Hayes ($3,100) and Alex Bregman ($3,400) offer a slightly better value than Riley does here.
Dansby Swanson- SS, ATL vs. Jesus Luzardo ($2,400 DK, $2,500 FD)
This is more of a play on the price, I promise I am not going to suggest a bottom half of the order Atlanta Braves stack. Swanson had a .190 ISO in 2020 and a .201 ISO in 2021. This year his ISO is.... .078. Typically people will say to wait and see as Swanson is in bad form. To me, we can't predict when a player will snap out of a cold streak. All I know is he is facing a bad pitcher and is typically a player more expensive than this when he is in form. I would rather take the discount now and hope I catch him on a good day.
FanDuel has several values at SS I really like: Paul DeJong ($2,600), Brandon Crawford ($2,800), and Jeremy Pena ($2,800). These guys are $3,900 to $4,900 on DraftKings.
Jonathan Schoop- 2B, DET vs. Chad Kuhl ($3,900 DK, $2,500 FD)
This is more about Chad Kuhl and Schoop's home run upside than anything else. While Kuhl is off to a good start this year (1-0, 0.87 ERA), his xFIP this season is 4.02. This is a pitcher with a career 4.62 xFIP and in the last two seasons, his K-BB% was 9.5%.
Jesus Aguilar - 1B, MIA vs. Bryce Elder ($3,600 DK, $2,400 FD)
This play is really simple: Bryce Elder is a rookie that hasn't proven himself yet. In his two starts, he has a K-BB% of 4.4% and an xFIP of 4.75. Yes, it is a small sample size but it often takes some pitchers some time to figure out how to pitch in the big leagues. I am willing to target him here with Aguilar. Garrett Cooper is a good pivot in case Aguilar isn't starting.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Adam Duvall- OF, ATL vs. Jesus Luzardo ($2,400 DK, $3,100 FD)
I do not want to sound like a broken record continuing to suggest Atlanta players, but Duvall is too cheap (especially on DraftKings). He has a .225 ISO against lefties and I am willing to roster him at his price, especially on DraftKings
Joc Pederson- OF, SF vs. Josiah Gray ($3,300 DK, $3,200 FD)
Joc Pederson is off to a great start this year: .297 average, .333 OBP, .568 SLG, and three home runs. Gray is someone who has given up the long ball. He is seeing the ball well and comes into the game hitting well.
Dylan Carlson- OF, STL vs. Nick Lodolo ($3,800 DK, $2,800 FD)
While Dylan Carlson is off to a slow start, batting .196 with a .239 SLG, those numbers will improve. Over the course of his career, his OBP against lefties is .364. That is 50 points up from how he fares against right-handed pitchers. He could very well be batting at the top of the order in a hitters ballpark in a game Saint Louis could do very well in.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Detroit Tigers vs. Colorado Rockies (Chad Kuhl, RHP)
This one might not catch people off guard as I was hoping for as Detroit did has played well this weekend. While Chad Kuhl is 1-0 with a 0.87 ERA, his career xFIP is 4.62 in a 450-inning sample size. Detroit is even priced down a little bit and this is a spot I'd love to attack if they aren't super chalky.
Atlanta Braves vs. Miami Marlins (Jesus Luzardo, LHP)
Jesus Luzardo had the one good start and then he got blown up. Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson and Adam Duvall fare better against lefties than righties and should be included in any Braves stack you wish to build.
Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (JT Brubaker, RHP)
How brave is it to tout a team to stack the day after they score 21 runs? Truth be told -> JT Brubaker is an average pitcher at best, and that Pittsburgh bullpen has been used the last two days quite a bit.
Miami Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves (Bryce Elder, RHP)
While many people might go with Atlanta, I like Atlanta too, I am more than happy to pick the other side of this game as well. Bryce Elder is a rookie that is unproven and has a K-BB% of just 4.4% with a 4.75 xFIP. Jazz Chisholm, Jorge Soler, Jesus Sanchez, and Jesus Aguilar should be part of your Marlins stack assuming they are all in the starting lineup here.
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