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Dan Marcus highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 6/18/18.
We have a nice medium sized slate for Monday with a number of viable pitching options. As a result, a lot of the hitters worth targeting are concentrated on a few teams. Equally important will be hitting on value plays and there a few punt-plays worth considering, with a few youngsters in Kansas City highlighting the list.
A few stacks worth considering include Texas, Washington, Milwaukee and the Yankees.
You can also read more DFS lineup picks for DraftKings and other sports too. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me up on Twitter @DanMarcus3.
FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Gerrit Cole - SP, vs. TB ($11,000)
For high-end pitching, the choice comes down to Cole and Trevor Bauer on tonight's slate. Bauer has the edge in matchup -- both in terms of racking up strikeouts and run-scoring ability -- but Cole has a five percent edge in strikeout rate for the season. Those factors essentially wash out, meaning the decision will come down to other peripheral factors. While it can be dangerous to chase wins, it’s a necessary evil in DFS. Trevor Bauer will square off against Dylan Covey, who has actually been very strong and could feasibly keep the White Sox in the game against the Indians. Contrarily, it’s unclear who will pitch the majority of the innings for the Rays as of publishing, but their bullpen games frequently blow up, so I give Cole an edge in win upside. Finally, while negligible, Cole offers a $200 savings in salary. As a result, he's my go to pitcher in cash games.
Andrew Suarez - SP, vs. MIA ($6,600)
On the surface, there isn’t much to like about Suarez. He has a 4.92 ERA and 1.26 WHIP through 53 innings this season. However, he has a 49% groundball and 17.8 K-BB%, indicating that he has more skill than he has shown. Along similar lines, his SIERA, FIP, and xFIP all suggest his ERA should be around one run lower than his current mark. Add in a great ballpark, matchup, and price tag, and there’s a recipe for success and solid option to pay down at SP on the slate.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Eric Thames - C/1B, @PIT ($3,200)
PNC Park has the reputation of being a horrible park for batters, but that really isn’t the case, especially for left-handed batters. According to RotoGrinders Park Factors, PNC is neutral across almost every measure for left-handed batters. Though Christian Yelich and Travis Shaw are certainly viable, Thames matches their upside and comes at a fairly steep discount in price when compared to either Yelich or Shaw. The shine has come off Trevor Williams -- he’s allowed four or more earned runs in four of his past five starts -- and he’s allowed 1.29 HR/9 to left-handed batters at home this season.
Rosell Herrera - 2B, vs. TEX ($2,000)
The Royals offer a couple intriguing punt plays on Monday’s slate, as at least one of Herrera and Adalberto Mondesi is likely to get a start in an exploitable matchup against Bartolo Colon. Each is priced at 2K and each has upside well worth taking the chance. Herrera was hitting .270/.333/.516 with four home runs and six stolen bases at AAA Omaha this season while Mondesi was hitting .250/.295/.492 with 10 stolen bases in as many attempts at the AAA level. Check the Royals lineup prior to lock, but one of these two should be in the lineup and both are viable punt plays.
Chris Taylor - SS, @CHC ($3,700)
The price remains a bit prohibitive for Taylor, but he’s in a good spot to succeed for Monday’s matchup against Tyler Chatwood. In case you’ve somehow missed it, Chatwood has walked 58 batters in 63.1 innings this season and Taylor should be slotted in as the leadoff hitter for the Dodgers. That gives him the chance to get to the plate four or five times and makes him a good bet to reach base multiple times. Adding in the uspide for runs scored and extra-base hits makes Taylor a good play after getting over the sticker shock of his price tag.
Also Consider: Adalberto Mondesi - SS, vs. TEX ($2,000)
Miguel Andujar - 3B, @ WAS ($3,500)
Andujar is a nice cash game option on the slate, as Aaron Judge is the only Yankee regular with a higher wRC+ and wOBA against right-handed pitching than him. He and the Yankees have an exploitable matchup against Erick Fedde and Andujaris one of the lowest-priced cash game options at the position.
Also Consider: Colin Moran (GPP) - 3B, vs. MIL ($2,700); Anthony Rendon (Cash) - 3B vs. NYY ($3,400)
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Nomar Mazara - OF, @ KC ($3,500)
The Rangers are another team that offers plenty of options for both cash and GPP contest considerations. They get a matchup against Ian Kennedy who has been equally vulnerable to both right-handed and left-handed batters. That makes Mazara a nice cash game option (assuming health) as he has a 120 wRC+ and .352 wOBA on the season when he has the platoon advantage. If he’s out (he head been battling a wrist injury prior to hitting a home run on Sunday), Shin-Soo Choo is also a worthy consideration, though his price has been on the rise of late and he now checks $100 more expensive than Mazara.
Also Consider: Joey Gallo - OF, @ KC ($2,900) (Gallo is the tournament pivot with a home run or bust profile).
