RADIO
Happy Monday, everyone. I hope you had a great weekend filled with baseball. We welcome the work week back with a seven-game slate. Today's slate is unappealing, as we have some mediocre pitching options. The value at pitching seems dreary, and I will be looking to avoid anyone cheaper than 9K on both sites tonight. That said, we will focus today on finding value in our offenses to squeeze in the top-priced arms on today's slate.
The cheapest pitching on today's slate is facing the league's worst offenses. Tommy Henry makes his 2023 debut against the Royals. The struggling Jose Suarez squares off against the Athletics. Colin Rea faces the strikeout-happy Tigers at home. I assume one of these arms will get ownership with the scarce pitching value on this slate. This will create a good leverage situation, so we must consider which arms will get the ownership.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/24/2023 and the slate locking at 7:07 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 that out of the way, it's onto the picks! Follow me on Twitter @CaseyW22 for more free betting and DFS advice.
Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 10% off using code BALLER! 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, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Spencer Strider, ATL vs. MIA ($10,900 DK, $11,200 FD)
Pitching seems very hard on this slate, but for me, it’s one of the easiest slates of the year. This is a perfect example of a KISS (keep it simple stupid) slate in which others will try to get cute. I will be locking in Spencer Strider up top and figuring out my SP2 after that. Strider is head and shoulders the most talented arm on this slate and gets one of, if not the best, matchups facing the Marlins at home.
Quadzilla was exceptional in 2022 as he emerged on the scene with an 11-5 record, 2.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a ridiculous 38.3% K. He looks to have not skipped a beat as in 2023; he already is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a 40.9% K. Strider is even better at home as he had a 2.17 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and a 40.7% K in Truist Park in 2022. His opponent, the Miami Marlins, has a 24.3% K in 2023 against right-hand pitching. They also have a .140 ISO and a .302 wOBA, both bottom seven in baseball, against the split. Please keep it simple stupid, and click Strider's name to start your lineups.
Sonny Gray, MIN vs. NYY ($9,300 DK, $10,600 FD)
Outside of Strider, I have two options, and I will be mixing and matching the two. On FanDuel, play Strider and don't even think about it. On DraftKings, I'll start with Sonny Gray pitching at home against the daunted New York Yankees. Gray has been about as good as you can be to start 2023. He enters his fifth start with a 2-0 record, 0.82 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 28.3% K. Gray has also seen a 2.3% jump in his SwStr this season. We will see if it will be sustainable for an entire season, but I’m buying in for now.
The Yankees lineup is a bit banged up at the moment. Of course, facing Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, and Gleyber Torres in the middle of the order can be intimidating. But, outside of those three, the lineup quickly falls off. They are eighth-worst in baseball with a 24.8% K against right-hand pitching. If Gray can navigate Judge, Rizzo, and Torres here, he should have another great outing. I expect him to gain some ownership because of his start to 2023, and when a good, not great pitcher is chalky against a talented offense, there is always a reason to fade.
Jordan Montgomery, SF vs. STL ($9,500 DK, $9,000 FD)
If you want to zig a little here while everyone else zags, then Jordan Montgomery is your guy. His FanDuel salary is also cheap enough to pivot away from Strider, but I will play Strider. Montgomery will not jump off the table here with stuff, as he’s 2-2 with a 4.84 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 19.6% K in 2023. The intriguing thing here is his FIP and BABIP. He has a 2.91 FIP and a .333 BABIP, which tells me he has been extremely unlucky to start this year. I’m willing to take a chance on positive regression with a good real-life pitcher in Montgomery.
It also helps that his opponent, the San Francisco Giants, has a 30.2% K against left-hand pitching in 2023. The K rate comes with a .121 ISO and a .271 wOBA which are both bottom ten in big leagues against this split. All of these numbers scream bounce back start here for Montgomery. Let’s add that he’s a perfect pivot as he is in the same price range as Sonny Gray and should be much lower owned. I think I may have just talked myself into my SP2.
Also consider: No One. That's all, folks.
Want more MLB DFS tools and content? Our MLB Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Discord Chatrooms, where members can chat with our MLB analysts. Check out this recent big win from RotoBaller's Jon Anderson on DraftKings - join in on the winning!
🍾 BOOM!! A huge congrats to Jon, winning a juicy $50k last night!
Be sure to read his premium MLB #DFS articles 3x a week, all his other excellent analysis, and give a follow @JonPgh - all very much worth it 👌
Win Big With #RotoBaller ➡️ https://t.co/1uotAV6253 https://t.co/ipSgrl5dOr
— RotoBaller (@RotoBaller) May 10, 2022
DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Bobby Witt Jr. - SS/3B, KC vs. Tommy Henry ($5,100 DK, $3,300 FD)
Bobby Witt Jr. gets a dream matchup against his better split with Tommy Henry tonight. His price on DraftKings is fair, but he is way too cheap on FanDuel. Getting this kind of upside at our shortstop position is very intriguing. Witt has a .230 ISO, .308 wOBA, and a 36.4% hard hit since 2022 against lefties. He’s even hotter this year with a .300 ISO, .383 wOBA, and a 40.0% hard hit. He can run as well, so the upside with Witt is immense.
Nolan Gorman - 2B, STL vs. Alex Cobb ($4,400 DK, $3,400 FD)
How good has Nolan Gorman been to open up 2023? The Cardinals finally gave the man some respect and moved him into the three-hole yesterday between Goldschmidt and Arenado. He did eventually get pinch hit for. But if he continues to hit three, he is way too cheap for his new role. Gorman has a .339 ISO, .435 wOBA, and a 46.3% hard hit against right-hand pitching this season. Cobb is a quality arm, but we’re riding the hot hand here with Gorman.
Salvaador Perez - C, KC vs. Tommy Henry ($4,800 DK, $2,700 FD)
I do my best to try and give you different plays, but I love the Royals so much here today that I will write up three of them in my favorite play section. Salvador Perez has been a lefty masher for years, and there’s nothing new in 2023. Perez has a .263 ISO with a .333 wOBA. He fills a challenging catching position with some upside for us as well. The FanDuel salary makes him the best value on the board. We will be riding heavy with the Royals tonight.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Hunter Renfroe - OF, LAA vs. Ken Waldichuk ($5,100 DK, $3,700 FD)
Hunter Renfroe will face Ken Waldichuk and his slate leading 3.15 HR/9. Waldichuk has been awful to start his big league career to right-handed bats. He has already given up six home runs to righties this season, including four doubles and 25 total hits. In 2022 Renfroe had a .233 ISO, .353 wOBA, and a 45.6% hard hit against lefties. To start 2023, in 19 plate appearances, he has a .353 ISO, .596 wOBA, and a 40.0% hard hit. I think this stack will be chalky, and Waldichuk is due for some positive regression, but Renfroe will be my favorite one off of the day.
Edward Olivares - OF, KC vs. Tommy Henry ($3,200 DK, $2,500 FD)
Edward Olivares is my favorite value on the Royals today as he gets lefty Tommy Henry. Olivares has a .215 ISO, .324 wOBA, and a 42.0% hard hit since the start of 2022 against lefties. As we will get into a bit later in the stack section, Tommy Henry is downright bad, and the price on Olivares is too reasonable to pass up. With Melendez leaving early yesterday, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Olivares hit two or four in the lineup.
Brent Rooker - OF, OAK vs. Jose Suarez ($3,400 DK, $3,100 FD)
Brent Rooker has come out hot this season, hitting dead in the middle of the A’s lineup against left-hand pitching. Jose Suarez has been awful to start 2023, allowing 21 hits and a 9.26 ERA. Rooker has a .214 ISO and a .380 wOBA to start the season against left-hand pitching and has already hit four home runs. Rooker is cheap on both sites and has a ton of upside at this price.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
1. Kansas City Royals vs. Tommy Henry
Could you have guessed that the Royals would be my top stack tonight? As I stated earlier, we need to look for cheap bats to fit our top-end pitching. The Kansas City Royals fit that mold outside of two bats, as they don’t have anyone in their projected starting lineup above $3,500 on DraftKings. On FanDuel, they don’t have a single player over $3,300. I believe Tommy Henry may also get some ownership here at $5,000 on DraftKings, so the Royals will also provide us some leverage. *Checks player pool, Franmil Reyes is not listed on DraftKings, so that is a bit of a bummer, but get your exposure on FanDuel if he returns from his paternity leave.
Henry has a 6.33 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in four starts this year in Triple-A Reno to start the season. In nine starts in the big leagues in 2022, Henry had a 5.36 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 41.5% FB, and 1.91 HR/9. This should be Brandon Pfaadt making this start, but for now, let’s take the opportunity to pick on Henry. In 2022 Henry had a .330 ISO, .201 wOBA, 41.4% FB and a 41.4% hard hit against right-handed batters. Against lefties, he had a .437 ISO, .257 wOBA, 33.3% FB, and a 48.3% hard hit. I won’t focus on handiness, but instead, I will be playing the best bats knowing Henry won’t last long. Here is Henry giving up another home run, just in case you didn't know what would happen tonight after reading this article.
Favorite Plays: Salvador Perez, Bobby Witt Jr., Edward Olivares, Franmil Reyes (FanDuel only), Vinnie Pasquantino
2. Oakland Athletics vs. Jose Suarez
I cannot believe I’m writing up the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals as my top two stacks, but here we are. Jose Suarez has been downright awful to start 2023, and the A’s have a couple of bats that can get to him here. Suarez has given up 21 hits in 11.2 innings to start this season, including 13 runs. Righties have hit him to a .217 ISO and a .457 wOBA. I also expect him to get a little ownership, so again, there is some leverage here in stacking up Oakland. I do not think I will play Oakland and Kansas City together, but these two teams are perfect for squeezing in expensive arms and still getting some upside elsewhere with bats.
Favorite Plays: Brent Rooker, Esteury Ruiz, Jesus Aguilar, Jordan Diaz, Aledmys Diaz
Also Consider:
3. Los Angeles Angels vs. Ken Waldichuk
4. Toronto Blue Jays vs. Lance Lynn
5. Atlanta Braves vs. Edward Cabrera
DraftKings and FanDuel Cores
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
