DraftKings MLB Picks April 20: Who to use in the late night duel?
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings MLB Picks April 20: Who to use in the late night duel?
The Royals and Tigers are playing a matinee game, so that one is not part of the main tournament. However, the second game of that doubleheader is, so we finally have our first 15 game slate of the season! There are only four pitchers priced over $10,000 though. Let’s see who we can build around.
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The only game that is threatened by rain is in Denver, and it’s about a 50-50 chance. Make sure to keep an eye on that if you are going to try a Rockies stack.
We also have some wind to mention. I wont mention it unless sustained winds are 15MPH or more. It looks like the wind is blowing out to left in Yankee Stadium and blowing in from right in Texas. There is also a wind blowing out to right in Oakland where the heavy hitting Red Sox land next.
We will provide you with several options to build your lineup here. Want to spend all your money on pitchers and play bargain bats? We will highlight who is worth the money. Want to punt arms and pay up for the big boppers? We can help you with that as well, and everything in between!
These tips are based mostly on past performance. This is a nice tool for building a lineup, but should not be the only pieces of information you use. Stacking against a bad pitcher is always a good idea!
For you first time players, if you would like a free $20 in DraftKings dollars, use this link for the referral bonus with your first deposit of $5 or more! Then continue reading for tips on how to turn those DraftKings dollars into more!
Next: DraftKings Pitcher Plays
Top Tier:
Max Scherzer ($12,500): You wait for numbers like this to come along. The Dodgers current lineup has a pathetic .153 average in 85 at bats against the Dodgers, but they have just one home run and one RBI. ONE! That was by Matt Kemp, but he is hitting just .130 against Max in his career. The 29 strikeouts are almost a moot point. Scherzer is here to dominate the Dodgers, but he is still going to have a hard time beating Kershaw.
Clayton Kershaw ($12,200): The Nationals are hitting a solid .263 against Kershaw in 99 at bats, but they have just two homers and five runs to go with 30 strikeouts. The strikeout potential for both starters in this game is outstanding. Who is going to win? Well, Kershaw is 81-32 with a 2.03 ERA in his career at Dodger Stadium. Good luck beating that!
Justin Verlander ($12,000): The White Sox are hitting .268 on Verlander, but they only have five homers and eight runs in 97 at bats. the 31 strikeouts are a very high total, and it’s why Verlander is so expensive here. However, Verlander is just 7-8 with a 4.11 ERA in 21 career starts at New Comiskey. This isn’t without risk, but the strikeouts should mitigate any damage and leave Verlander with a solid score.
Noah Syndergaard ($11,400): The current Braves roster has had a lot of success against Thor, but it only encompasses four players. As a whole, Thor has a 3.27 ERA at SunTrust Park in two starts, and he hasn’t really been plagued by the long ball there as other pitchers have. There is some potential here, but Syndergaard has never beaten the Braves in four tries. This isn’t as solid as we would like for one of our top pitchers.
Middle Tier:
Chris Archer ($8,800): The Twins are hitting just .175 in 97 at bats against Chris Archer with just one homer and seven runs to go with a staggering 34 strikeouts. Archer is 6-1 with a 1.84 ERA in seven career starts against the Twins as well. His 3.31 career ERA at Tropicana Field in 81 starts also paints an ominous picture for the Twins. However, Archer has struggled to start off this season. He should right the ship here.
Jake Junis ($8,300): The Tigers are hitting just .190 in 42 at bats against Junis already with only two runs and eight strikeouts. Junis is off to a fast start anyway. When you add in the cavernous ballpark and the fact that this is the second game of a doubleheader and many of the veterans may sit, there is serious potential here for Junis.
Dylan Bundy ($8,000): Bundy is off to a good start this year, so Cleveland doesn’t scare me all that much. They are hitting .296 off of Bundy in 27 at bats, but the Tribe still only have one homer and two runs with four strikeouts. This is too small of a sample size to really get anything from, so I will let Bundy’s 23.8 DraftKings point average over his first four starts speak for itself.
Sonny Gray ($7,700): Gray has been hit and miss as a Yankee, but he has missed the Blue Jays in a good way. The Jays are only hitting .221 in 86 at bats against Gray with just one homer and four runs to go with a whopping 28 strikeouts. Gray doesn’t usually rack up high numbers of strikeouts, but he has against this roster. There is very good potential with Gray tonight. Enough to sneak him in there as a SP2 opposing Yankee Pinata Marco Estrada.
Drew Pomeranz ($7,500): Pomeranz has held the A’s to a .235 average in 34 at bats, and all of the damage is done by one hitter. Oh, and Pomeranz punched out nine of those 34 batters. There is risk using Pomeranz in his first start off the DL, but in a cavernous park with a relatively weak lineup in it, there is potential.
Bargain Pitchers:
Sean Newcomb ($7,400): If you’re feeling brave, the current Mets are only hitting .205 in 39 at bats against Newcomb with just one run and 12 strikeouts. Now the bad news: Newcomb has a 4.95 ERA in 13 career starts at SunTrust Park. Newcomb could make a contrarian pick because of Thor’s struggles with the Braves, but there is significant risk involved.
Felix Hernandez ($6,800): What’s left of the Rangers lineup is hitting only .236 against King Felix with three homers, 16 runs, but only 39 strikeouts in 161 at bats. Felix is a different pitcher than he was five years ago. As long as you realize that going in, you can get out of this without being disappointed in a solid outing.
Lance Lynn ($6,400): Lynn followed up an awful Twins debut by shutting out the Astros for five innings in his next start. Lynn has held the Rays to a .189 average in 53 at bats with just two runs scored and 18 strikeouts. We all know the Rays strike out a lot, and if Lynn can handcuff the Astros for five innings, he can certainly handle this team. Lynn is one of my favorite bargains tonight.
Mike Minor ($6,200): The Mariners are hitting a pathetic .148 in 27 at bats against Minor with just one run and six strikeouts. It’s a small sample size, but if there was ever a chance for Minor to hit it big against the Mariners, it’s here. King Felix is struggling here, so there is potential here.
Top Tier:
The Yankees have destroyed Marco Estrada for 18 homers and 34 runs in only 191 at bats. Gary Sanchez as four of those and seven RBI despite a .211 average against Estrada. Tyler Austin has two hits in three tries against Estrada. Both of them are home runs and he has driven in three.
Freddie Freeman didn’t get the memo on Thor. Actually, he should write the one on how to hit him. Freeman is 5-9 with a double, a triple, a homer, and four RBI against Thor already, and his price is down a bit facing an ace.
Eric Thames and Travis Shaw are definitely on my radar against young righty Trevor Richards away from his massive home park. Miller Park caters to lefties anyway. Any Brewers lefty is in play tonight, but especially these two.
Joey Votto is 13-34(.382) with five walks, four doubles, a triple, a homer, three runs, and four RBI in his career against Michael Wacha. If Devin Mesoraco is in the lineup, he’s worth a look. Mesoraco is 4-13 with a double, a homer, a steal, and four RBI off of Wacha.
It seems as though all Anthony Rizzo needed was a small DL stint get going. Rizzo went 3-4 in his return yesterday, and now he gets a trip to Coors Field. This could be fun!
The Diamondbacks have smoked Tyson Ross. None more than Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt is 8-24 with seven walks, a triple, two homers, a steal, seven runs, and six RBI in his career against Tyson Ross. Whichever catcher starts is also worth a look. Jeff Mathis and Alex Avila are a combined 3-3 with a homer, a steal, and four RBI against Ross.
Middle Tier:
Almost all of the damage against Justin Verlander has been done by Jose Abreu. Abreu is 14-35(.400) with five walks, two doubles, five homers, a steal, nine runs, and six RBI in his career against Verlander. The rest of his teammates have no homers and just two RBI in 62 at bats against Verlander.
James Shields entered the game against Oakland on Wednesday just in time to lose it in extra innings. It was just a precursor to tonight. The Astros have hit Shields hard, starting with Yuli Gurriel. Gurriel is already 2-3 with a double and two RBI against Shields.
Carlos Santana is 2-7 with a double, two walks, a solo homer, and three runs scored against Ivan Nova. Maikel Franco is 3-12 with a homer and two RBI.
Do I trust anyone against Clayton Kershaw? Not really, but Ryan Zimmerman is 8-25(.330) with a walk, a double, a homer, a steal, five runs, and two RBI against Kershaw in his career.
Josh Bell is definitely in play against Ben Lively. He has only faced Lively twice, but Bell came away with a triple, a run, and a RBI.
Yadier Molina is 5-12 with a walk, a double, a solo homer, and two runs scored in his career against Brandon Finnegan.
Albert Pujols is 7-19(.368) with five walks, a double, three homers, six runs, and nine RBI in his career against Jeff Samardzija.
Bargain Shoppers:
Jeimer Candelario is 3-5 with a double in his career already against Jake Junis. Candelario had a big day yesterday. Can he carry it into today’s doubleheader?
You aren’t going to get great numbers for $3,100, but Chris Davis does have a homer and two RBI against Trevor Bauer. The bad news is that Davis is just 2-10 lifetime against Bauer.
Mitch Moreland is 4-12 with two homers and five RBI in his career against Kendall Graveman. The kicker here is that the rest of the Red Sox have little experience against Graveman. He is prone to blow ups, and the Red Sox are red hot. This is another great place to stack.
Top Tier:
Fresh off of his huge day today, Manny Machado gets to face Trevor Bauer. Machado is 8-12 with three walks, two doubles, three homers, six runs scored, and four RBI in his career against Bauer. it may be another day for a Machado middle infield stack!
Didi Gregorius is only hitting .237 against Estrada, but he has three homers and five RBI. Oh, and the wind is blowing out to right. Neil Walker is worth a look as well. Walker is 8-27(.296) with two walks, two doubles, a triple, two homers, four runs, and four RBI off of Estrada.
DJ LeMahieu is 4-16 with a walk, a triple, two runs, and five RBI in his career against Kyle Hendricks. This game is under threat of rain, and I’m betting that Kyle Hendricks hopes it’s rained out.
Jed Lowrie is on fire lately. Lowrie is 4-8 with five walks, a double, a homer, three runs, and three RBI in his career against Drew Pomeranz.
Middle Tier:
Ian Kinsler is 5-18 with a double, two runs, and two RBI in his career against Jeff Samardzija.
Jason Kipnis is 3-6 with a solo homer in his career against Dylan Bundy. That is Cleveland’s only career round tripper against Bundy so far.
The Royals aren’t lefty killers per se, but try telling that to Daniel Norris. Whit Merrifield is 4-9 with a triple, a homer, two runs, and two RBI against Norris. Alcides Escobar is 8-16 with a walk, a double, a triple, a homer, four runs, and three RBI against Norris already.
Cesar Hernandez is dangerous leading off for the Phillies right now. He is 3-8 with three runs scored so far against Ivan Nova, so there is some value here.
It should come as no surprise that the current Mets that have hit Sean Newcomb well are Asdrubal Cabrera and Wilmer Flores. Cabrera is 5-9 with a double and a run against Newcomb so far. Flores is 2-3 with a run scored, and we all know what he does to left handed pitching.
The Cardinals have pummeled Brandon Finnegan to the tune of a .324 average with seven homers and 15 RBI in just 68 at bats. Greg Garcia is a huge part of that. Garcia is 2-6 off of Finnegan. Both hits are home runs and he has driven in three. Matt Carpenter has destroyed the fellow lefty as well. Carpenter is 4-11 with three walks, two homers, four runs, and five RBI against Finnegan.
Bargain Shoppers:
Starlin Castro is 6-20 with a walk, a double, a triple, three runs, and a RBI in his career against Jhoulys Chacin. The Marlins aren’t long on power, so there is potential here if you want to roll with Chacin.
Jurickson Profar is dirt cheap, he’s starting, and he is 5-9 with a walk, a double, four runs, and two RBI against Felix Hernandez. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is very cheap and could be worth a look as well.
Jose Peraza is already 3-7 with a double, two runs, and a RBI in his career against Michael Wacha. Scooter Gennett is 9-28(.321) with a double, two runs, a steal, and three RBI in his career against Wacha.
Dansby Swanson is off to a nice start, and is 3-5 with a steal, a run, and a RBI off of Noah Syndergaard.
Next: Top Outfield Plays
Top Tier:
The dangerous Yankees outfield has shown Marco Estrada just how dangerous they are. Giancarlo Stanton is 5-14 with two doubles, three homers, five runs, and four RBI against Estrada. Aaron Judge is 7-17(.412) with three walks, two doubles, two homers, three runs, and five RBI against Estrada. Aaron Hicks and Brett Gardner have also hit homers against Estrada, but they have not hit him well overall.
Mike Trout is 4-12 with a walk, two doubles, a steal, two runs, and two RBI so far against Jeff Samardzija. Justin Upton is worth a look as well. Upton is 3-11 with a walk, a double, a run, and three RBI against Shark.
Tommy Pham is expensive, but he is 5-10 with four walks, a double, three steals, and four runs in his career against Brandon Finnegan. Pham could do some serious damage leading off for the Cardinals tonight.
Charlie Blackmon is 3-11 with two walks, two runs, and a RBI in his career against Kyle Hendricks. Ian Desmond is only 2-9, but he has a walk, a double, a homer, and three RBI against Hendricks. Carlos Gonzalez is 5-17(.294) with a walk, two doubles, a homer, two runs, and three RBI off Hendricks.
I don’t trust Jon Gray against the Cubs, so I do trust the left handed power of Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber in Coors Field.
Christian Yelich has looked much better since coming off the DL. I like him quite a bit at home against Trevor Richards.
Yoenis Cespedes is in play for me against Sean Newcomb in Atlanta. I’m going to forego a full on stack because most of the Mets power is from the left side, but Cespedes and Flores are near locks tonight. Todd Frazier is worth a look too.
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Middle Tier:
David Peralta is 5-16 with three walks, a triple a run, a steal, and three RBI against Tyson Ross.
Josh Reddick is 8-25(.320) with two doubles, a triple, three homers, five runs, and five RBI in his career against James Shields.
This is a hitter’s park with a young pitcher on the mound. The Padres are short on lefty power, but Hunter Renfroe‘s power is worth using here even from the right side.
Bargain Shoppers:
Teoscar Hernandez has been hitting well for the Jays lately, and he is the only current Toronto player that has hit a home run against Sonny Gray. There is real potential at this price.
Hunter Pence is worth a look against lefty Andrew Heaney for his cheap price. The Giants don’t have a lot of power, but any righty in this lineup could be worth a shot.
Shin-Soo Choo is 13-56(.232) with ten walks, two doubles, a homer, eight runs scored, and three RBI off of Felix Hernandez. Nomar Mazara is 3-11 with a homer and seven RBI off of Hernandez.
Good luck out there, and check out our picks for FanDuel baseball, along with our PGA picks. Still in NBA mode? No worries, we have the NBA DFS covered for the playoffs as well!