RADIO
Mark Strausberg highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 5/4/21, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
Welcome Rotoballers to another set of Tuesday FanDuel lineup picks! We have practically a full slate of games on the main slate tonight. If you have questions about the earlier two games in the six o'clock (EST) hour, feel free to hit me up on Twitter with questions (@MarkStrausberg). But the focus will be on the main slate.
We are going to have a little fun given that May Fourth is National Star Wars Day. And we should see some epic battles, featuring some of the best in the galaxy so far this year. And if you think that's the last Star Wars reference, you don't know me too well, do you?
Read below to find out what player I will be trying to "force" into your lineups, as I provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 5/04/2021. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also check out today's DraftKings MLB DFS lineup picks, and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. With that out of the way, read my picks, and let your feelings guide you....
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Jacob deGrom - NYM at STL ($12,500)
DeGrom's salary might be higher than the bounty put on Han Solo. But he has been so lights-out this year, that a much lower salary might have been laughable. He had only 46 FanDuel points in his last outing, his worst outing since his very first start back on April 5th, when he had only 43 FanDuel points. In 35 innings, he has given up two runs and stuck out 59 batters. He has an infinitesimal WHIP of 0.57 and an equally ERA of 0.51. He is looming large like the Death Star and could give it a good run for the most powerful weapon in the galaxy.
The Cardinals might have more firepower than some of the teams deGrom has previously faced. However, they too should provide minimal resistance. Through 5/2, the Cards have the league's sixth-worst OBP. If the Mets can give him just a little bit of run support, deGrom should be able to walk away with a win. Then again, deGrom seems to have an aversion to walking, as he only allowed four walks this year as well.
Yes, deGrom is expensive. But the only way I'd fade him in single-entry cash games is by playing other slates. Sooner or later, deGrom will have a poor outing. We all know that. But I'm riding him until it happens, and I don't see Tuesday night being the night. However, for those of you playing multiple line-ups, there are some other options.
GPP Play
Shane McClanahan, TBR vs LAA ($5,700)
I like this kid a lot.
Not as much as my colleague Erc Samulski, but pretty close. However, I doubt I can add anything more of consequence than what Eric said here:
I dug into Shane McClanahan's debut yesterday for @RotoBallerMLB #CatchersCorner #FantasyExamRoom pic.twitter.com/8TQpNN0wa7
— Eric Samulski (@SamskiNYC) April 30, 2021
If I am looking to save money on pitching, McLanahan will be the play. My concern with McLanahan in my GPPs is that he will be heavily owned at this criminally low price. The bigger fear is that he will be on an extremely limited pitch count, which will make me very angry. But as I believe we all know, fear and anger lead to the dark side. Start McLanahan.
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - 1B/3B, TOR @ OAK ($4,000)
Unlike Darth Vader/Anakin and Luke, there was never any mystery about who was Guerrero's father. But the force is strong with this one, who has a mind-boggling 1.114 OPS right now. With a .337 average and seven HRs, there is no need for any Jedi mind trick to convince you to play Vlad.
Kyle Seager - 3B, SEA vs BAL ($3,300)
I'm sure it never happened, but I picture Momma Seager and Pappa Seager doing Yoda impersonations raspily whispering, "There is another...."
Because the Seagers, like the Skywalkers, have more than just one worthwhile offspring. And the elder Seager, Kyle, often brings with him a dependable floor. He currently has 13 hits in his last ten games. Between the platoon advantage and facing off against Jorge Lopez and his 7.48 ERA, I think he gets to 14.
Nick Solak - 2B/OF, TEX a@ MIN ($3,300)
Solak's ADP this preseason had him being taken just inside the first 15 rounds and typically the 19th second-baseman off the board. But Solak is proving to be more than some meaningless nerf herder. Solak has just as many HRs as the more costly and aforementioned Guerrero. He is hitting .288 and has a couple of stolen bases to boot. He's not that fast that he made the kessel run in under 12 parsecs, but I remind you he did swipe more than 20 bases in the minors just a few years ago. Solak offers us quite a bit and he will be a carbonite fixture in my lineups today.
Isaiah Kinser-Fiafala - SS, TEX @ MIN ($3000)
Emperor Palpatine has less power than the amount of power available to us at shortstop tomorrow. And if you are going with the cheap McLanahan, I'd spend up and grab Bogaerts, Bichette, or even splurge for Tatis. But should deGrom be the pitcher of choice for your team, IKF absolutely needs to be on your radar. The left-handed Happ has been one of the few bright spots not named Cole for the Yankees this year. He currently sports a 1.96 ERA. But the right-handed IKF is hitting .277 with five homers and is averaging double-digit FPPG. Getting that kind of production at this low price is a deal that even a Jawa can appreciate!
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
George Springer - OF, TOR @ OAK ($3,900) and Christian Yelich OF, MIL @ PHI (3,800)
I am grouping these two players together as they have a lot in common. Both are major studs who have done very little to start the season due to injury. But both have returned this week and are making up for the lost time. You can have fun starting both of them and then paraphrase the Emperor by saying to your friends, "I am afraid to say that they are fully operational".
Trent Grisham - OF, SDP vs MIA ($3,800)
Tipping the scales at 224 pounds and less than six feet, Grisham might look more like an Ewok than he does Lando Calrissian. But given the heights of Grisham's production this season, maybe he should be joining Lando in Cloud City. Grisham is hitting .321 with four HRs so far this season. The last time he failed to get a hit was nearly ten days ago on August 24th. He gives us both the high floor and the high ceiling we want at $3800. Unfortunately, his salary keeps going higher and higher, but it will need to make the jump at lightspeed to keep up with the production Grisham is constantly providing.
Good luck with your entries and remember, may the Force be with you, always.
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