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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on April 26th, 2022. Brian Entrekin's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Welcome back to another edition of the FREE DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks. Today we have an 11-game slate on tap. With 11 games, there will be arguments for many pitchers and many stacks to build around. There is no Coors Field in play, and as of this writing, there are only three-game totals of nine-run or higher. Once again, a slate is set up for solid pitching. I'm afraid I have to disagree when breaking down the slate, but we will see how the cookies crumble.
It's a large slate meaning there will be a lot of ways to build tonight. The main pitching is $8K or higher; the value arms are less potent than recent slates. With that being the case, we will need to find values with bats, and on an 11-game slate, we can make that happen. There are many nice ways to stack tonight, not just the three listed below. Check out my podcast MLB DFS Quick Hits to get the full slate run down.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for Fanduel and DraftKings on 4/26/2022. The lineup 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. 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 and ask away!
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Carlos Rodon - P, SF vs. OAK ($10,100 DK, $11,100 FD)
I try to avoid recommending the captain's obvious, high-priced picks, but I cannot ignore Rodon tonight. This is like trying to ignore Corbin Burnes yesterday or even Rodon in his last start. Rodon has been a beast in his first three starts. He has thrown at least five innings in each start, with at least eight strikeouts and only two total runs allowed. Rodon only allows 3.4% barrel rates, with a 31% hard-hit rate. But it gets better as he only allows a 65.2% contact rate with a 16.8% SwStr rate and 35.4% K-BB. Rodon has been ridiculously locked in and will face an A's offense that some Triple-A teams will laugh at. So lock Rodon in tonight and move along.
Josiah Gray - P, WAS vs. MIA ($8,400 DK, $9,000 FD)
After a rocky first start against the Mets, Gray has bounced back nicely in his last two starts. He has thrown at least five innings in each start, allowing just one run, and striking out 13. Gray has had walk issues in the past, and he has walked five in his last two starts, but even with all the walks to start the season, Gray has a 31% strikeout rate and 19% K-BB. Gray will face a Marlins team tonight who is striking out nearly 24% of the time versus RHP. Gray has 20+ fantasy point upside at a decent price tag for your GPP lineups.
Other options: Sandy Alcantara at WAS ($9,400 DK, $9,500 FD), Max Fried vs. CHC ($9,000 DK, $8,500 FD), Kevin Gausman vs. BOS ($8,700 DK, $10,200 FD), Eduardo Rodriguez at MIN ($6,300 DK, $7,100 FD)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Hunter Dozier - 1B/3B/OF, KC at Dallas Keuchel ($2,800 DK, $3,000 FD)
The Royals are in a great spot tonight against the pitch-to-contact disaster known as Dallas Keuchel. That brings that value of Dozier into play. In six of his last seven games, Dozier has hit safely with five extra-base hits, including three home runs. Dozier is still striking out too much, 32.1% of the time over the previous seven games, but he is barreling the ball 31.6% with a 52.6% hard-hit rate when he does make contact. He will take on Keuchel, who has allowed 13 runs over his first two starts and has allowed RHH to hit .364 with a .535 SLG. Dozier and the Royals are an excellent stack tonight.
Santiago Espinal - 2B/SS, TOR vs. Nick Pivetta ($2,900 DK, $2,700 FD)
Most of the second-base plays tonight are pay-up spots but look at Espinal if you want some savings. After going 1-3 on Monday, Espinal has hit safely in seven of the last ten games. He has two doubles and two home runs over that stretch while throwing in a stolen base. Espinal is not throwing in multi-hit games, but his .276 ISO, 13.6% barrel rate, and 50% hard-hit rate all play in that loaded Jays' lineup. If stacking up the Jays tonight or just looking for a value play, give Espinal a great look against the struggling Pivetta.
Alex Bregman- 3B, HOU at Taylor Hearn ($4,700 DK, $3,400 FD)
Bregman went 0-4 on Monday night, but last week he was raking. He hit safely in five of six games with three extra-base hits. Bregman had four extra-base hits with a .286 ISO, 16% walk rate, and 1.147 OPS. Bregman was locked in last week, and now he gets a nice matchup versus Hearn. Hearn has allowed eight runs over his previous two starts (6.2 IP). He is also getting smoked by RHH early on, allowing them to hit .417 with a .667 SLG. Bregman is my top play at 3B tonight and one of my top overall plays on the slate.
Javier Baez- 2B/SS, DET at Chris Paddack ($4,300 DK, $3,100 FD)
Baez started the season well with hits in four of his first five games. Then he hit the IL. He returned on Sunday and went 0-4, but the important is Baez is back and ready to crush in a juicy matchup versus Paddack. He will take on Paddack, who has only allowed five runs over his first two starts, but there has been a lot of contact made in those starts. Last season, Paddack struggled versus RHH, allowing them to hit .325 with a .547 SLG and 1.8 HR/9. The shortstop position is loaded up top, and I am good with many of them, but I am all about Baez if you want to save a few bucks.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Andrew Vaughn- OF, CWS vs. Daniel Lynch ($4,100 DK, $2,800 FD)
Vaughn is hitting .300 to start the season with three home runs and an awe-inspiring 15.9% strikeout rate. Vaughn is excellently putting the ball in play, which is excellent, with a 12.1% barrel rate and 54.5% hard-hit rate. He will face the lefty Lynch tonight, which is fantastic news as he mashes LHP. This season Vaughn is hitting .455 with a .364 ISO and 1.273 OPS, while last season, he hit .269 with a .286 ISO and .938 OPS. Vaughn feasts on LHP and has just been hitting great, in general, this season. Enjoy some discounted Vaughn in your GPP builds.
Joc Pederson - OF, SF vs. Daulton Jefferies ($4,000 DK, $3,200)
JOC JAMS!!!!! Pederson continues to mash to start the season as he added another home run on Monday. He now has six home runs on the season while he is hitting .362 and only striking out 19.6% of the time. Pederson feasts on LHP and is currently leading off with Yaz on the COVID-IL, adding to Pederson's fantasy value. He will face Jefferies tonight, who has limited the damage to three runs in his last two starts but has allowed ten hits and a 10% barrel rate. Joc and the Giants are a sneaky stack tonight, and at worse, you can target Joc in your GPP builds as a one-off play.
Jesus Sanchez- OF, MIA at Josiah Gray ($3,600 DK, $3,300 FD)
I like Gray tonight, but Sanchez is an elite GPP play if you are fading Gray. He has hit safely in six of his last nine games, with multiple hits in each game. He has five extra-base hits with a .237 ISO, 8% barrel rate, and 44%. Sanchez is mashing the ball, and that includes a 114 mph maxEV. Gray is solid but walks a lot of hitters and has trouble with the longball. If Gray slips up, Sanchez will make him pay, and this cheap price tag will make many laugh at DK and FD.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks (Zach Davies, RHP)
Oh, look, it's just another night where the Dodgers are a great and likely chalky stack. First, they will take on Davies, who has allowed seven runs and three home runs in his last two starts. Next, look to stack up the values in Cody Bellinger and Gavin Lux, but look hard at the RHH like Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Will Smith, and more as Davies showcases some reverse splits.
Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros (Jake Odorizzi, RHP)
Odorizzi has been getting torched this season, and now it is the Rangers' turn to knock Odorizzi out of the rotation officially. Lefties are destroying him while RHH is doing just fine as well. Look into Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, but enjoy some value with Nathaniel Lowe, Adolis Garcia, and others.
Kansas City Royals at Chicago White Sox (Dallas Keuchel, LHP)
It's stack the Royals time against Keuchel. I already mentioned Dozier above but do not forget Whit Merrifield, Salvador Perez, and the currently streaking Bobby Witt Jr. There are many ways to stack up the Royals, so do not be shy and enjoy some of the value.
There are many stacking options tonight so check roster rates and lineups as they are released to get different with your builds.
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