DraftKings Early MLB Picks April 21: Stack Cards against Homer

MILWAUKEE, WI – APRIL 02: Paul DeJong #12, Yadier Molina #4, and Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after DeJong hit a home run in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 2, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Early MLB Picks April 21: Stack Cards against Homer

We have five early games on our Saturday, with three pitchers priced as aces. Are any of them worth using? They aren’t all named like aces! Let’s see who is really worth working with this afternoon.

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There is no rain in the forecast for today, and there isn’t much for wind either. It’s blowing in in St Louis and Philly, but only at 10 MPH. This looks like a good weather day!

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

CINCINNATI, OH – APRIL 15: Carlos Martinez #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches in the second inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 15, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Carlos Martinez ($11,200): Martinez’s numbers do leave something to be desired if you are going to spend this much. The Reds are only hitting .237 against Martinez in 135 at bats, but they have six homers, 14 runs, and 31 strikeouts. All of those numbers are rather average. However, facing off against Homer Bailey is a guaranteed win if CarMart can last five innings. That should not be an issue today.

Aaron Nola ($10,600): The Pirates are hitting a solid .257 against Nola, but they have not homered and have only scored two runs in 35 at bats with eight strikeouts. There is good potential against Steven Brault here tonight. Nola has a great chance at a win, and has pitched pretty well against Pittsburgh thus far.

Mike Clevinger ($10,100): The current Orioles are only 6-24 against Clevinger with no runs and six strikeouts. It’s hard to ignore the tear that Machado is on, but he is about the only Oriole that got to the Tribe last night. There is very solid potential here, especially against Chris Tillman.

Middle Tier:

Marcus Stroman ($7,900): There isn’t a lot to like about pitching this afternoon, despite some inflated prices. The Yankees are only hitting .237 against Stroman in 114 at bats with five homers, 12 runs, and 25 strikeouts. Not great numbers by any means, but good enough to consider against youngster Jordan Montgomery. However, Stroman has a 5.12 ERA in seven starts at New Yankee Stadium.

Bargain Pitchers:

Jordan Montgomery ($7,600): Montgomery pitched well against the Blue Jays in his career, and he has a 3.57 ERA in 17 career starts at Yankee Stadium. The Blue Jays roughed up the Yankees last night, but why take a chance with Stroman when you have Montgomery out there? The Blue Jays do hit lefties pretty well, so there is some risk involved. Otherwise Montgomery wouldn’t be this cheap.

Mike Fiers ($7,200): The Royals are hitting a robust .338 against Fiers in 68 at bats, but they have only managed two homers and seven runs to go with 11 strikeouts. The Royals offense is struggling right now. They are the only team in the majors averaging less than three runs per game. There is good potential here despite less than stellar past stats.

FanDuel MLB: SEATTLE, WA – APRIL 1: Edwin Encarnacion #10 of the Cleveland Indians hits a two-run home run off of relief pitcher Juan Nicasio #12 of the Seattle Mariners that also scored Yonder Alonso #17 of the Cleveland Indians during the eighth inning of a game at Safeco Field on April 1, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won the game 5-4. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Edwin Encarnacion has destroyed Chris Tillman. Edwin is 18-60(.300) with four walks, three doubles, four homers, 11 runs, and seven RBI against Tillman so far. What’s next? How about a Cleveland stack?

Middle Tier:

I stacked Cardinals yesterday, and I’m doing it again. St Louis is hitting .397 with six homers and 27 runs in 146 at bats against Homer Bailey. If Yadier Molina is in there, he’s the start of the stack. Molina is 17-42(.405) with two walks, three doubles, three homes, five runs, and seven RBI against Bailey. Jose Martinez is new to the party, but he is already 4-7 with a walk, a homer, three runs, and five RBI against Homer.

Maikel Franco is 2-3 with a run, a double, and a RBI against Steven Brault so far. Brault has only faced three current Phillies so far, and they haven’t been kind to him. I don’t think the rest of the team will be either, so Carlos Santana is definitely worth a look here.

Bargain Shoppers:

The Tigers have hit Danny Duffy hard, but it’s not the usual suspects. Victor Martinez, in his $3,300 glory, has three of the Tigers’ four homers off of Duffy. V-Mart is 15-39(.385) with five walks, two doubles, three homers, five runs, and six RBI in his career against Duffy. Miggy could be worth a look too. Cabrera is 9-38(.237) with nine walks, three doubles, five runs, and six RBI against Duffy.

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 03: Didi Gregorius #18 of the New York Yankees reacts after he hit a three run home run in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays during Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on April 3, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Didi Gregorius is worth a look again. Gregorius is 6-24 with a walk, two doubles, four runs, and a pair of RBI against Stroman. However, given Stroman’s rocky history at Yankee Stadium, there is potential here.

Manny Machado is 2-6 with two walks and a run scored so far against Mike Clevinger, but it’s kind of hard to fade him right now. Don’t be surprised if Machado homers again.

Middle Tier:

Matt Carpenter is 18-36 with two walks, three doubles, a steal, six runs, and four RBI against Homer Bailey. Kolten Wong is 6-14 with four walks, two doubles, a triple, a steal, a run, and a RBI off of Bailey.

Jason Kipnis is 4-17(.235) with four walks, a double, two homers, three runs, and four RBI against Chris Tillman in his career. Francisco Lindor is only 2-8 so far, but he has a walk, a double, a run, and two RBI.

Cesar Hernandez leading off a suddenly hot lineup against a questionable lefty at home? Absolutely! Scott Kingery is worth a look as well.

Bargain Shoppers:

Jose Iglesias is 7-22(.318) with a walk, a double, a triple, four runs, and a RBI off of Danny Duffy. Newly minted leadoff man Dixon Machado is hitting well right now, and could be worth a look at the top of this order despite his 0-7 career mark against Duffy.

Next: Top Outfield Plays

NEW YORK, NY – MAY 27: Fans of Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees sit in a section called The Judge’s Chambers during their game against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium on May 27, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Aaron Judge has roughed up Marcus Stroman. Judge is 6-14(.429) with two walks, three homers, a steal, five runs, and four RBI against Stroman. Brett Gardner is 9-37(.243)with three walks, two doubles, two homers, four runs, and five RBI off of Stroman, and comes much cheaper.

Nick Castellanos is 8-30(.267) with a double, a triple, a homer, two runs, and five RBI in his career against Danny Duffy. He is worth a look today despite his cavernous home park.

Rhys Hoskins is definitely worth a look against lefty Steven Brault. Aaron Altherr is off to a horrible start. Maybe he can start to turn it around against Brault.

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Middle Tier:

Tommy Pham is leading off, and is 3-8 with a walk, a run, and two RBI against Bailey so far. Harrison Bader comes cheap, and is worth a look. Bader is 1-2 with a walk and a two run homer off of Homer.

It is the Reds outfield that has gotten to Carlos Martinez. Adam Duvall is 5-12 with a double, a homer, and two RBI off of Martinez. Scott Schebler and Phillip Ervin have both taken Martinez deep, and they are 4-17 against him lifetime. Joey Votto, Scooter Gennett, and Billy Hamilton have the other homers off of CarMart, but they are a combined 14-75(.187) against Martinez.

Bargain Shoppers:

I will fade Teoscar Hernandez for no man, woman, nor beast right now. Speaking of beast, that is Teoscar over the last week. And he is still just $3,200!

Next: MLB DFS Picks and Pivots

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!