MLB DFS Picks for Fanduel 4/12/21

My first MLB article for @SportsVerseHQ was a success. My lineup exceeded 200 FD points, which finished in the top 10%. I am changing up the format of the article tonight. I will be highlighting top pitchers on the slate, along with my top team stacks and I will follow-up on my top value plays by position on the slate. Let’s get right into my top plays for tonight’s MLB slate.

Reminder: If you have any lineup questions prior to lock, I will be happy to answer any of them if you comment and tag in under the article or DM me @rogersaj07. Also, if you retweet the article and DM me I will send you my player core that I will be locking into all of my lineups.

SP:

Top SP:

Gerrit Cole: $11,000

In Cole’s 1st start of the 2021 season, he wasn’t at his best against the Jays. However, I am definitely going back to Cole because the Jays have an alarmingly high career strikeout rate against Cole (33.6%). In his opening start, he recorded 8 out his 16 outs via strikeout. No one else has anywhere near the strikeout potential that Cole has. He's worth paying up for today, and hopefully the Yankees give him some run support so he can pitch into the 7th inning.

Value SP:

Freddy Peralta: $7,600

Freddy Peralta is starting for the Brewers tonight against the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs offense is in disarray, scoring only 26 runs in 9 games. Peralta pitched against Chicago in his last start and he recorded 45 FanDuel points in just 5 innings. He doesn't have the upside of Cole, but Peralta shouldn't hurt you if you want to take a chance on a Cole fade in GPP's.

Top Stacks:

New York Yankees:

The Yankees are going up against Jays pitcher Robbie Ray. Robbie Ray is making his first start of the year after opening the season on the Injured List. The Yankees have an elite lefty-killing offense that's stackable from top to bottom. 8 out of the 9 projected starters for the Yankees have a weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 105 or higher. The Yankees I am targeting in a stack are: DJ LeMahieu: $3,600 (2B/3B), Gleyber Torres: $2,700 (SS/2B), Giancarlo Stanton: $3,600, and Aaron Judge: $4,100. This stack is quite expensive, so if you want some salary relief, Gio Urshela: $2,400 can be a replacement for either Stanton or Judge.

Cincinnati Reds:

My second stack for tonight is the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds have a juicy matchup with Aaron Sanchez in hitter-friendly Oracle Park. Since the Yankees are an expensive stack, you can target the cheaper Reds bats. Joey Votto: $2,600 has been pretty disappointing this year, but he is expected to hit 3rd in the Reds order. At just $2,600, I’m using him. Jesse Winker: $3,100, should once again be the leadoff man for the Reds. Eugenio Suarez: $3,000 (SS/3B) has a .339 OBP, .268 ISO, and 121 wRC+ against righties. If you go the Urshela route for the Yankees stack, Nick Castellanos: $3,800 is an excellent option.

Philadelphia Phillies:

The Philadelphia Phillies will get another matchup against Mets starter David Peterson in a one-week span after roughing him up for 6 runs on 7 hits with 2 homers. They have six starters with a wRC+ north of 115. Their most-accomplished hitters against lefties are Andrew McCutchen: $2,800, Bryce Harper:$3,700, and Rhys Hoskins: $3,900.Harper is heating up with 2 homers in his last two games. He is still priced below $4k so I would take advantage of this salary. If he stays hot he won’t be below $4k for a while. Jean Segura: $2,300 (2B/3B) offers some salary relief.

One-Off Value Plays By Position:

1B:

• Ryan Mountcastle: $3,000 (1B/OF)

2B:

• Jed Lowrie: $2,400

3B:

• Matt Chapman: $3,100

SS:

• Carlos Correa: $3,200

OF:

• Mitch Haniger: $3,100

• Mark Canha: $2,900

• Jordan Luplow: $2,700

Core/Lineup:

I really like Gerrit Cole: $11,000 tonight. I am a Yankees so I may be a little biased when constructing my lineups. DJ LeMahieu: $3,600 (2B/3B) & Aaron Judge: $4,100 are my favorite Yankees players to stack tonight and Eugenio Suarez: $3,000 (SS/3B) is absurdly cheap tonight in a great matchup. My favorite one-off player is Ryan Mountcastle: $3,000 (1B/OF) for the Baltimore Orioles. Best of luck tonight!

Reminder: If you have any lineup questions prior to lock, I will be happy to answer any of them if you comment and tag in under the article or DM me @rogersaj07. Also, if you retweet the article and DM me I will send you my player core that I will be locking into all of my lineups.

Thanks for reading the article and best of luck on tonight's Fanduel slate!