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It's Friday and for several teams, it's Opening Day at home! Of course that comes with it plenty of afternoon baseball beginning with the Yankees and Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. ET. Indeed, it's a great day to be a baseball fan.
It has certainly been a fine start to the 2024 MLB season overall, but also for our free daily DFS picks! Let's keep the good times rolling and get our weekend started on the right note!
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 04/05/2024 and the slate locking at 6:40 p.m. ET. The lineup picks will range from some elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential. Follow me on X @BKemp17 for more DFS advice.
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Aaron Nola at Nationals ($9,000 DK, $10,100 FD)
The first start of his 2024 season didn't go as planned as Aaron Nola yielded seven earned runs on 12 hits with only three strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Phillies on March 31. However, he gets a far better matchup on Friday as he hits the road to take on the Washington Nationals.
The Nationals aren't off to a poor start offensively, with a .333 wOBA on the season, but it's safe to say that number will head south as the season moves along. They have struck out in an elevated 24.3% of their trips to the plate, however, good for 20th in the league. They actually struck out at a second-ranked 18.9% K% last season but also sat 21st in wOBA.
Nola endured a down 2023 season but his 3.82 SIERA wasn't nearly as poor as his 4.46 ERA while he still posted a healthy 19.8% K-BB%. However, he has also put forth a 24.6% K-BB% or better in three of his last four seasons.
Freddy Peralta vs. Mariners ($9,300 DK, $9,800 FD)
It's a whale of a pitching matchup on Friday in Milwaukee as Freddy Peralta and the Brewers host Logan Gilbert and the Mariners.
While Gilbert is a fine option himself, it's Peralta boasting the higher ceiling to his ability to generate strikeouts. After all, he did so at a bit-time 30.9% clip last season and worked to a 3.86 ERA alongside a 22.9% K-BB% in the process. He punched out eight Mets hitters in a win in the season opener on March 29.
Only the Twins struck out more than the Mariners and their 25.9% K% last season, meaning Peralta is a high-ceiling option on this seven-game slate.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Ozzie Albies, 2B - ATL vs. Tommy Henry ($5,500 DK, $4,000 FD)
We had success when we targeted D-backs lefty Tommy Henry in his first start of the season against the Rockies, and we'll go right back to the well with the Braves' Ozzie Albies on Friday night.
A switch-hitter, Albies has long fared far better against left-handed pitching. He sports a career .337 average with a .934 OPS versus left-handed pitching versus a .251 average with a .761 OPS against righties. Those are some seriously wide splits that need to be taken advantage of in this matchup.
J.T. Realmuto, C - PHI vs. Patrick Corbin ($4,400 DK, $3,200 FD)
The Philadelphia Phillies have seen plenty of Patrick Corbin, and several of them have impressive numbers against the lefty, one of which is catcher J.T. Realmuto.
The veteran enters this one, having hit .344 (11-for-32) with two homers, two doubles, four walks, and a 1.015 OPS against him across a 38-plate-appearance sample size. He even swiped three bags off of lefties last season and 16 total, by far the most in baseball among catchers.
He should get plenty of run-producing opportunities out of the projected cleanup spot tonight.
Jeremy Pena, SS - HOU vs. Cody Bradford ($3,900 DK, $2,800 FD)
We always want to include some players who are lighter on the wallet, as Jeremy Pena makes for a sound value look on this slate, taking on lefty Cody Bradford.
While he boasts excellent control, Bradford worked to a 5.30 ERA last season and allowed a hefty 1.77 HR/9 in his 56 innings of work at the big-league level. He was better at Triple-A but has consistently yielded very few ground balls in his minor-league tenure.
Pena has mashed early this season, hitting .400 with two homers in 27 trips to the plate. His power tapered off last season, but he owns a career .308 average with a .829 OPS against left-handed pitching. That will play at this price.
Also consider: Alec Bohm, Yoan Moncada, Jonathan India
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Spencer Steer, OF - CIN vs. Jose Quintana ($4,700 DK, $3,500 FD)
Once again, we're going to take advantage of favorable splits against a left-handed pitcher with the Reds' Spencer Steer.
The 26-year-old has hit .312 with a .929 OPS in his young career against left-handed pitching against a .253 average with a .764 OPS off of same-handed pitching. He is also white-hot to begin the season, hitting .435 with a homer, two doubles, a triple, a stolen base, and eight runs driven in across 25 plate appearances.
Add in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and we're in business with Steer out of the two-hole tonight.
Adam Duvall, OF - ATL vs. Tommy Henry ($4,000 DK, $2,600 FD)
Veteran Adam Duvall's value is heightened at FanDuel, but he is still a cost-efficient player on both sites tonight as he takes on lefty Tommy Henry.
The 35-year-old still packs plenty of punch as he homered 21 times in just 92 games last season, while his .284 isolated power a season ago was the third-highest mark of his career.
There aren't gaping splits in this matchup as Duvall's power has come nearly equally against both lefties and righties. No big deal there as it just means he can handle righties coming out of the bullpen. For now, we'll look for him to take care of one of the weaker starting pitchers on the slate at a cheap rate.
Gavin Sheets, OF - CWS vs. Brady Singer ($3,500 DK, $2,300 FD)
We can go even cheaper and look toward White Sox outfielder Gavin Sheets as he takes on right-hander Brady Singer tonight in Kansas City.
Singer isn't terribly susceptible to the long ball and owns a career ground-ball rate of slightly over 50%. Sheets also endured a down 2023 season that saw him homer just 10 times in 118 appearances. At the same time, he still owns a strong .171 ISO for his career, a figure that rises to .186 against right-handed pitching.
He has just two hits in his 19 career trips to the plate against Singer, but one of those knocks went for a home run. He knows that darn well entering this matchup.
Also consider: Chas McCormick, Nick Castellanos, Mickey Moniak
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
1. Atlanta Braves vs. Tommy Henry
Favorite Plays: Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley
2. Houston Astros vs. Cody Bradford
Favorite Plays: Alex Bregman, Chas McCormick, Jeremy Pena
3. Philadelphia Phillies vs. Patrick Corbin
Favorite Plays: J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos
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