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Hello there, MLB DFS grinders! We have a split Wednesday slate and the focus of this article will be on the three-game early only slate for DraftKings and FanDuel. We have some good pitching options and good stacks to consider so let's dive on in and find the best plays for both your cash game and tournament lineups.
While most of our MLB DFS coverage here at RotoBaller is geared towards the main slate, I wanted to give you some of my favorite pitchers and bats for these early games that will help you cash in tournaments and cash game contests. I'll highlight my favorite pitching options here first and then give you some hitters at each price tier to consider as well as my favorite teams to stack up! You can read our DraftKings DFS lineup picks for the main slate and FanDuel DFS lineup picks for the main slate as well.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel and DraftKings slates beginning at 2:05 PM on 6/9/2021. 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 MLB DFS lineup picks for the main slate here, and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. Let's get to it!
MLB DFS Pitchers
Yu Darvish vs. CHC ($9,800 DK, $10,500 FD)
The top pitcher on this slate is easily Yu Darvish. Darvish is 6-1 on the season with a 2.25 ERA and has picked up the win in three out of his last four starts. While he hasn't gone long in his last two starts (both going five innings roughly), he has managed to record at least five strikeouts in four straight games. This Cubs lineup can be pretty top-heavy as they have four batters with an ISO greater than.185 against right-handed pitchers but they also have five batters with strikeout rates that hover above 21% and as a team, they sport a 24.4% strikeout percentage against this handedness. With a good park shift for Darvish, this should make him the top arm on the slate on either site.
Sean Manaea vs. ARI ($8,400 DK, $9,600 FD)
After a somewhat shaky start to the season, Manaea has settled in over his last couple of games and has produced a quality start in four of his last six outings while managing to produce at least six strikeouts in four of those games as well. This is a risky matchup against a Diamondbacks team that hits left-handed pitching very well and they have a lineup that is full with right-handed batters but righties have a .129 ISO against him this season with a 30.4% flyball percentage. Manaea is more of a tournament option but it would also be best to hedge this spot if you do decide to roster him.
Others to consider: Sammy Long vs. Texas Rangers
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MLB DFS "Bats Worth Paying For"
Matt Olson – 1B, OAK vs. ARI ($5,400 DK, $4,200 FD)
Olson is one of my favorite spend-up options on the slate and for good reason. he is one of the top Oakland bats when it comes to hitting right-handed pitching as he is hitting .282 against them while also having an ISO of .274 against that handedness. Peacock throws two primary pitches (sinker and changeup) and Olson has a .220+ ISO and an XwOBA of .485+ against both pitch types.
Fernando Tatis Jr. – SS, SDP vs. CHC ($6,000 DK, $4,700 FD)
Tatis Jr. is just one of the best all-around players in all of baseball and fading him in cash games on a three-game slate might not be wise to do. He leads the Padres with a .397 ISO and a .702 slugging percentage while also hitting .305 and 15 home runs against right-handed pitchers. He comes into this matchup with a 55% hard-hit rate against righties and Arrieta gives up hard contact roughly 40.2% of the time.
Ketel Marte – OF, ARI @ OAK ($5,000 DK, $3,700 FD)
Marte is one of the Diamondbacks bats that we always have to worry about and he has done well against left-handed pitching this year. In just 18 plate appearances against this handedness this season, Marte has recorded 10 hits with two of those both going yard. He currently has a .215 ISO and a .581 slugging percentage against lefties and profiles well against both Manaea's sinker and change as he has an XwOBA of .362+ against both pitch types.
MLB DFS Values
Brandon Belt – 1B, SFG @ TEX ($4,100DK, $2,500 FD)
Belt looks to be back and healthy for the Giants which provides another big-time bat for them in their lineup. In his return game, Belt recorded three hits and one walk while also scoring one run. Even though he is hitting just .235 against righties this season, he has eight home runs off of this handedness which is the second most on the Giants team. For his price tag on both sites, you can't go wrong with his upside.
Jed Lowrie – 2B/3B, OAK vs. ARI ($4,100 DK, $2,900 FD)
Just like Olson above, the matchup for Lowrie might be too good to pass up on with the splits against Peacock. Lowrie has a .174 ISO and a 12.9% walk rate against right-handed pitchers and has a .502 XwOBA against Peacock's sinker which he throws roughly 70% of the time against lefty batters.
LaMonte Wade Jr. – OF, SFG @ TEX ($3,600 DK, $2,200 FD)
Wade Jr. could be one way to get some value in your lineup while also getting a piece at the top of the Giants lineup. He is hitting .310 on the season and has collected a hit in four straight games. He goes up against veteran pitcher, Kyle Gibson, who throws a mixture of pitches to both sides of the plate and Wade looks to profile well against the mixture that Gibson throws to lefties.
Also Recommended: Mitch Moreland vs. Matt Peacock
MLB DFS Hitter Stacks
Oakland Athletics vs. Matt Peacock
The A's look to be one of the top offensive stacks on this three-game early slate. The opposing pitcher on the bump, Matt Peacock, comes into this matchup with a 4.68 ERA and while he has held right-handed bats to just a .214 batting average and an ISO of just .057, lefties have roughed him up as they are sporting a .339 ISO and a batting average of .304 against him. The A's have some good lefty bats to consider as Matt Olson, Jed Lowrie, Mitch Moreland, and Seth Brown would be the first ones to consider for your A's stacks.
San Diego Padres vs. Jake Arrieta
The Padres are another team that could be a popular stacking option but they should also be considered on this three-game slate. They have a team ISO of .187 against righties this season and are only striking out 19.5% of the time which matches up well since Arrieta is only producing an overall 17.3% strikeout rate which is very low. Both sides of the plate are hitting above .250 against Arrieta and lefties are sporting a .218 ISO against him. The usual Padres suspects are in play with Tatis Jr., Cronenworth, Hosmer, and Machado while also including Wil Myers to be different from a stacking perspective.
Other recommended stacks: San Francisco Giants vs. Kyle Gibson
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