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After a nearly four-month layoff, Major League Baseball made it's triumphant return Thursday night with a nationally televised doubleheader. Friday, however, presents DFS enthusiasts with the first big slate of the season with every team in action except for the Yankees and Nationals.
With most teams rolling out their ace, there are a lot of low run totals on the board. There's still plenty of value to be had with 14 games to choose from including attractive stack opportunities with teams like Cleveland, Oakland, and Houston.
Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news and projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports too.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Shane Bieber - CLE v. KC ($10,200)
If choosing to spend over $10,000 on a pitcher, Bieber is the best bet to get a win other than Justin Verlander, who costs over $11,000. The Indians are -220 favorites per Bovada and the team has a history of letting their starters go. Bieber averaged 6.5 innings per start last season so there are less concerns about Cleveland limiting his pitch count early in the season. Bieber is a strong strikeout pitcher giving him a high-floor in a great matchup.
Jack Flaherty - STL v. PIT ($10,500)
Flaherty was unhitable down the stretch last season allowing a sub-.200 wOBA against from August 1 through the end of the season, fully establishing himself as the Cardinals ace. In that stretch, he put up 100 strikeouts to only 17 walks in 82 innings. He was thoroughly dominant and has the chance to start this season with a bang against a punchless Pirates lineup. He pitched at least six innings in 12 of his last 13 starts last season and should be one of the few pitchers expected to go six-plus frames tonight.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Yuli Guriel - 1B, HOU (3,000)
Houston is one of the few teams with an implied-runs-total over five and Gurriel is in a great place to collect those RBI in the middle of a loaded Astros lineup. He drove in 104 runs last season and will have the platoon advantage over Mariners starter Marco Gonzalez. Gurriel should come up to bat multiple times with guys on base and offers an inexpensive way to get a piece of the Astros lineup.
Cesar Hernandez - 2B, CLE (2,500)
Speaking of inexpensive ways to get a piece of loaded lineups, Cesar Hernandez is expected to lead off for the Indians. Hernandez is a switch-hitter and a great value as the projected leadoff man for a team with one of the highest implied run totals. He's as likely as anyone to get five at-bats which will come against Danny Duffy and a bad Royals bullpen. The former Phillie is coming off a down season, but put up an on-base percentage over .350 in each of the three previous seasons and if he can get on base in this game, he will have a great chance to score runs.
Jose Ramirez - 3B, CLE ($3,500)
How quickly we forget how great Ramirez was just two years ago. Ramirez is priced as the seventh-most expensive third baseman but is in one of the most enviable spots for hitting on this slate. Cleveland is projected to score a lot of runs, and the top of that order will likely be the ones doing the damage. Ramirez is an elite contact hitter against a pitcher with a sub-10 percent career swinging-strike rate so he should have the chance to do damage vs Duffy.
Francisco Lindor - SS, CLE ($3,800)
The plan going into this wasn't to create a Cleveland-based infield stack, but the projected top-three of their batting order are in as good a spot as any to get four or five at-bats against less-than-stellar pitching. Even without stacking Cleveland, Lindor is one of the most appealing high-priced potions on the slate thanks to a .292/.370/.542 triple-slash line in 26 career at-bats against Duffy. It's hard to have a safe floor for your hitters, but Lindor is as safe as they come at shortstop.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Shin-Soo Choo - OF, TEX ($2,700)
If you plan to pay-up for pitching or a high-priced infield stack, we need to find values somewhere and there are plenty to be found in the outfield. Choo is one of the best on-base players in the game and will lead off in a game with an over/under at 9, per Bovada. Choo put up a .393 OBP vs right-handed pitching last season and will likely get at least three at-bats vs Rockies starter German Marquez.
Khris Davis - OF, OAK (2,700)
Oakland is another team with a higher projected run total with affordable options available. Here we'll highlight Davis who will bat in the middle of that order vs Angels lefty Andrew Heaney, giving Davis the platoon advantage. Davis isn't as safe of an option as the infielders, but offers tremendous upside for $2,700. He put up 40-plus homers three seasons in a row before last year and he's got a good chance of going deep against a pitcher who gave up a 43.6 percent fly-ball rate last season.
Andrew McCutchen - OF, PHI ($2,800)
McCutchen was off to a hot start last season leading off for the Phillies and will do so again this season. He'll get to face Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara who walked 3.7 batters per nine last season. McCutchen, on the other hand has had a double-digit walk-rate every season of his illustrious 11-year career. McCutchen will have plenty of opportunities to get on base with some big bats behind him.
