FanDuel DFS – MLB Lineup Picks, Sleepers and Advice for 6/2/15

The fruits of MLB Tuesday are always bountiful, especially today. Sixten games on the slate, thanks to a Dodgers - Rockies doubleheader. Game one in Colorado is the only day game scheduled, with first pitch at 3:10 eastern time.

My goal with these DFS picks, as always, is to try to choose players who will outperform their expectations on FanDuel. These players can be high-cost players, or they can be sleepers, but we are always looking for players that have a chance to return the greatest value. Let’s get to it.

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DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider for FanDuel

I'm going to build a lineup around two different starting pitchers today. I'm not sure any one of them is my favorite, but if I had to choose, I'll lean Syndegaard, as the opportunity for a lot of strikeouts is stronger there.

Noah Syndegaard ($8,300) versus the Padres

Syndegaard and his electric fastball take to the spacious confines of Petco Park tonight in San Diego, and the opportunity for 7+ strikeout game is ripe for the taking. Through four starts this season, Syndegaard is averaging 8.03 K/9 and his ERA is just 1.82. The Padres' hitters he matches up with are striking out in nearly 22 percent of their at-bats against right-handed pitching and their slugging percentage is a lowly .372. He may not garner much in the form of run support this evening, but I still think he's a solid choice and a great value tonight. Ten pitchers have a steeper price tag.

Lance Lynn ($8,800) versus the Brewers

The theme of today's strategy is match high strikeout pitchers with great opportunity: teams that strikeout in more than 20% of their at-bats and do so without garnering many extra-base hits and home runs. Lynn has that opportunity in front of him as he faces the Brewers at home in St. Louis, a park he's also fared far better at than he has on the road in his career. Walks have been a little bit of an issue this season, but the strikeouts are over nine per nine innings and here is the good news: the Brewers, with their .238 batting average, have only a .295 OBP against RHP, the fifth worst mark in the majors. Basically, they don't take many walks, and so I don't think free passes will be a Lynn cause for concern tonight. All of that adds up to Lynn being a pretty good candidate for 6+ strikeouts and a win.

 

Offenses to Target for FanDuel Stacking

Not too many great looking stacking opportunities tonight, so I'll just outline the two I think are decent enough to run with.

Tigers' 1-6 hitters versus Graveman

For not having too many left-handed bats in their lineup, the Tigers sure do handle right-handed pitching just fine. They're second in the majors with a .337 OBP against that group and the .412 slugging percentage is pretty strong, too. Graveman has been fairly awful this season through six starts with a 5.56 FIP.

Nationals' left-handed hitters versus R.A. Dickey

This one reads similar to the Dodgers' opportunity against De La Rosa, minus the park factor. The Nationals have been pounding the ball, and though he's not a LHB, Ian Desmond has been on a tear and hits in the number two hole. I think pairing him with Denard Span and Bryce Harper could really pay off.

Reds' left-handed hitters versus Sean O'Sullivan

I'd look to grab Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Skip Schumacher here versus a weak starter in a great park for producing home runs.

Others to Consider: Red Sox LHB versus Mike Pelfrey, Dodgers RHB versus Jorge De La Rosa

 

DFS Catchers to Consider for FanDuel

Nick Hundley - C - Dodgers ($3,000)

Pretty fair price especially when you consider he has park, history and pitcher factors going for him. He's owned De La Rosa dating back to 2008 with a .539 slugging percentage.

Roberto Perez - C - Indians ($2,300)

If he gets the start tonight, he's definitely the bargain of the day among backstops. He's a .448 slugger against right-handed pitching this season and comes in swinging a hot bat.

 

DFS Infielders to Consider for FanDuel

Prince Fielder - 1B - Rangers ($4,100)

Fielder has a coveted combination of a strong history versus the starting pitcher, great platoon numbers, park factors, and comes in swinging a hot bat over the past two weeks. There won't be many lineups I build today that don't include Prince.

Joey Vott0 - 1B - Reds ($3,600)

Minus a hot streak, this opportunity reads quite like Prince Fielders' does. Votto faces a weak starter in Sean O'Sullivan and owns a .428 OBP against right-handed pitching this season.

Jason Kipnis - 2B - Indians ($4,700)

You've got to dig deep into your pockets to pay for him, but he's worth every penny. It's arguable that no hitter had a better month of May, and Kipnis is a .443 slugger against right-handed pitching, with that number ballooning to .623 overall in the past 14 days against all pitchers.

Dustin Pedroia - 2B - Red Sox ($3,100)

If you don't want to break the bank on middle infielders (who does?), then Dustin is your man tonight. He's got park factors, owns a .482 slugging percentage in the past two weeks, and faces off against Mike Pelfrey. Yes, Pelfrey has had a good season so far, but I still don't trust him.

Brett Lawrie - 3B - Athletics ($2,600)

I'd consider this price tag a bargain. Lawrie is heating up, playing at a decent park for home runs and is slugging .513 since the middle of May.

Todd Frazier - 3B - Reds ($4,500)

Frazier is the more expensive version of Lawrie tonight. (Yes, he's a more talented hitter, too.) His slugging percentage is over .800 in the last five series the Reds have played in. The bat couldn't be hotter.

Ian Desmond - SS - Nationals ($3,200)

His double digit game hitting streak recently came to an end, but I'll be deploying him in my Nationals stack tonight.

Andrelton Simmons - SS - Braves ($2,300)

If you're looking for a punt man, it's Simmons. He's been coming around in the past two weeks, hitting .314 over that stretch.

 

DFS Outfielders to Consider for FanDuel

Jay Bruce - OF - Reds ($3,100)

Since the middle of May, Bruce is reaching base in nearly half of his plate appearances (.455 OBP). That's pretty damn good, and paired with park and pitching factors, it becomes plenty enough reason to roster Bruce tonight.

Josh Hamilton - OF - Rangers ($3,100)

It's great to see Hamilton back in a baseball uniform and healthy. He's taken Jeff Samardzija twice in their five previous matchups.

Bryce Harper - OF - Nationals ($5,800)

An excellent choice if you can find the dough.

Scott Van Slyke - OF - Dodgers ($3,000)

Van Slyke is slugging .511 in his career against lefties and should be slotted right in the middle of the order tonight against De La Rosa.

 

DFS Q&A with Max Petrie @ 6PM on 6/2

Leave your question and come back at 6pm when Max answers everything. For our regular MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat, click here.