MLB DFS Picks for FanDuel 6/17/22

We have a beautiful 11 game MLB slate tonight with no weather concerns. Aside from the Coors game, stacking is tough to tackle despite there being an abundance of games. The main reason for that is because of the number of stud pitchers available, which also makes locking in one of them a difficult situation. Let's dive into my breakdown of the MLB main slate on FanDuel!

REMINDER: RTs on the article post on twitter at @SportsVerseHQ are appreciated, as well as following my personal Twitter, @cobioconnell. If you would like to see my lineup package for the NBA/NFL/MLB seasons, message me there. Thank you!

Weather Concerns:

No weather concerns!

Top Pitchers:

1) Carlos Rodón ($10700) -

Carlos Rodón holds the title for top pitcher in this article, but the decision on who to roster tonight is exceptionally close between the four guys mentioned - Rodón, Montas, Skubal, and Gray. For me, this is a true 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D situation, so I would go with whatever way your gut is leaning tonight. I ultimately gave the spot to Rodón because of his high upside and cakewalk matchup against the Pirates, but he isn't a perfect play. Rodón is coming off a 52 FD point game against the Dodgers and his strikeout rate of 30.60% is enticing, but those K numbers have come down in recent starts as he is averaging just 5 Ks per game in his last six. He has also been relatively inefficient in those starts, as he went 6 innings just twice. Nonetheless, the Pirates have an 86 wRC+ against lefties, and are striking out at a 24.30% rate. Even with his current concerns, Rodón is an intriguing DFS option.

2) Frankie Montas ($10200) -

Much like all the best options on this slate, Montas provides immense fantasy upside, but is not a perfect candidate. It is your job to sort through the strengths and flaws of these pitchers to come up with your final choice. Montas has been quality this season with a modest 26.10% strikeout rate, 3.16 SIERA, and opponent average of .219. He also has a strong matchup tonight against a Royals team that has an 89 wRC+ against righties, but they strikeout at a 21.00% clip, which isn't too bad. The main issue with Montas is that he plays for the Athletics, which has equated to only 3 wins for him on the season, and wins are a crucial factor in generating fantasy points for pitchers.

3) Tarik Skubal ($9900) -

Tarik Skubal has emerged in phenomenal fashion this season with a high strikeout rate of 27.60%, while mitigating runs as evident in his 2.96 SIERA and 2.71 ERA. He has came back to Earth a little in his two recent starts as he allowed 7 runs across 11 innings, but 4 of those runs came against a hot Blue Jays offense in 4 innings. The reason why Skubal is at the bottom of my rankings for my personal pitcher options is because he carries the toughest matchup. The Rangers aren't too fearful of an opponent, but they boast an impressive 116 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. If you think Skubal can handle this offense, he has the potential to finish as SP1.

Value Pitcher:

Jon Gray ($8600) -

Of my four pitcher considerations today, Jon Gray was the only one who fit the criteria for a value play, so the decision to put him here was easy. Gray has been the definition of hit-or-miss this season as he totals three games of 35+ FD points with two of those being 49+, but he also has five games of less than 20 FD points, although three of those came earlier in the season when his pitch count was more monitored. Also, it is worth noting that Gray's starts this year include playing against PHI, SEA, TOR, NYY, LAA, HOU, and CLE, all of which are among the league's best offenses. Gray's peripherals aren't amazing - he does have a strong 26.00% strikeout rate, but he carries a 4.85 ERA, although his SIERA is much better at 3.82. The main reason why Gray is an elite option is not entirely because of who he is, but rather who he is facing. I have picked on the Tigers all season, and it has generally been successful, and that isn't a surprise. They have a horrendous 65 wRC+ against righties, and strikeout at a very high 24.90% rate. If you need extra salary to get to Coors, Gray is your guy.

Other strong pitching options: Framber Valdez ($10100), Robbie Ray ($9200)

Top Stacks:

1) Padres -

The Padres were a write-in for the top stack of this slate with their implied total of 6.72, nearly a full run higher than the second highest team, and other half of the Coors game, the Rockies. The Padres hitters are loving the fact that they get to go from hitting at Wrigley with strong winds blowing out, to hitting in the best hitters ballpark in baseball at a high temperature with wind blowing out. All those scenarios create for a hitters dream, which will make the Padres chalky. They get to go against lefty Kyle Freeland who has a 4.61 SIERA, and is allowing a .269 average against. Freeland has done a good job of suppressing hard contact and fly balls with just a 31.90% hard hit rate and 34.70% fly ball rate, but I am not sure it matters with the current conditions. Machado, Cronenworth, Profar, Voit, Kim, and Alfaro are the top options.

2) Dodgers -

Despite having just the sixth highest total of teams on this slate, the Dodgers are still my second favorite stacking situation. They draw the matchup against Zach Plesac who has been better as of late, but his numbers across the season aren't the best. He is allowing 1.32 HR/9 on a 48.80% pull rate, and has a 4.70 ERA while allowing opponents a .268 average. He has looked good in his three recent starts, but those came against the Athletics, Orioles, and Royals - all poor offenses. The Dodgers are far from a poor offense, so I like their odds of showing up tonight. It also helps that their salaries are friendly, making it easy to fit them in with a top pitcher. All of their bats can be considered, but Betts, Freeman, and Trea are the best options, as usual.

3) Giants -

This last stacking spot was interchangeable with the Twins and Rockies, but I gave it to the Giants in the end. The Giants aren't always on my radar as they play in the most pitcher friendly park in the league and frequently pinch hit, but they are at a hitter friendly park tonight, making them a real option. Zach Thompson will be on the mound against them, and although he isn't terrible, he is allowing the most HR/9 on the slate at 1.62. That number is somewhat surprising as both his 28.40% hard hit rate and 34.20% fly ball rate are low, but his 4.50 ERA is not something to shy away from. It is also possible that the Pirates throw out their worst bullpen players if the game gets away from them early with Rodón on the mound for the Giants, which would benefit the bats as well. Pederson, Belt, and Longoria are my favorite targets.

Secondary Stacks/One-offs: Twins, Rockies, Diamondbacks, Cardinals