DraftKings Main MLB Picks April 21: Sale or Strasburg?

ARLINGTON, TX – JULY 05: The grounds crew finishes covering the field during a rain delay prior to the Texas Rangers taking on the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Park in Arlington on July 5, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Main MLB Picks April 21: Sale or Strasburg?

We have nine games in the main DraftKings tournament. The Twins-Rays game with a 6:10 Eastern first pitch is chopped off the main one. You can only get a piece of this in pick em and showdown modes. What we are left with are several big names. The big names struggled last night. Will the same fate await tonight?

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The only game threatened by rain in is Arlington. There is a strong chance of a delayed start or an in game delay, but they should get the game in at some point. For that reason, I am staying away from the starting pitching there.

The only wind over 10 MPH tonight is blowing out to right center in Oakland. Just what the Red Sox need!

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

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 15: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the first inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on April 15, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Chris Sale ($12,000): The A’s are only hitting .224 in 58 at bats against Chris Sale with no homers and only three runs with 17 strikeouts. This is a pitcher’s park, one in which Sale has a 2.45 ERA in spanning 29.1 innings. Sale is worth the price tonight for the red hot Red Sox.

Jacob deGrom ($10,900): The Braves are only hitting .235 against deGrom in 85 at bats, but they have managed three homer and seven runs. The 21 strikeouts are also not as many as you would expect. When you add in deGrom’s 4.50 ERA in two SunTrust Park starts, you have all the ammo you need to feel good about a fade. deGrom is still a solid option, but I think we can do better. However, he is guaranteed a win against Teheran.

Stephen Strasburg ($10,500): Scherzer outdueled Kershaw last night. It could be another night for a Nats pitcher to steal the show in Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are only hitting .170 in 100 at bats against Strasburg with just two homers and seven runs to go with 34 strikeouts. His numbers may be the best of any pitcher tonight.

Middle Tier:

Zack Godley ($8,800): The Padres are hitting a solid .268 against Godley, but they only have one homer and six runs in 56 at bats. The nine strikeouts is a little low, but we know that Godley doesn’t rack up a lot of strikeouts anyway. There is good potential here against a San Diego team that could only score one run on Matt Koch.

Hyun-Jin Ryu ($8,500): The Nats are hitting a solid .256 against Ryu, but they only have one homer and four runs in 43 at bats with a solid nine strikeouts. The chances of a win here are pretty slim, but Ryu could put up solid numbers in this tier.

Yu Darvish ($7,800): Darvish’s price is depressed because of the trip to Coors Field, but the current Rockies are only hitting .162 against Darvish in 37 at bats with only one homer, three runs, and a staggering 18 strikeouts. There is risk using anyone at Coors Field, but the only Coors Field no hitter was thrown by Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo. Just food for thought….

Garrett Richards ($7,700): Richards has looked pretty strong in his last three starts, allowing just four runs in those starts, or as many as he gave up in his first start of the season. The Giants aren’t that tough of a lineup, and Richards has a 3.38 ERA in 343 career innings at the Big A.

Bargain Pitchers:

Brent Suter ($6,900): Suter has struggled some this year, and has very little strikeout upside, but he is facing a rebuilding Marlins squad. However, most of the Miami power is from the right side. Even though Suter doesn’t have a ton of strikeouts, the Marlins do strike out a lot. There is decent value here, but it doesn’t come without risk.

Jose Urena ($5,900): The current Brewers lineup is only hitting .167 in 18 at bats against Urena with really nothing to show for it. The good news ends there. Urena has a 5.87 ERA in his career at Miller Park. The Brewers are a pretty solid offense, and they are even better at home. There is some risk here.

Lucas Giolito ($5,100): Feeling brave? The Astros are hitting .318 against Giolito in 22 at bats, but the youngster has held the most potent offense in the league to only one homer and two runs. Keuchel has struggled against the White Sox in his career, so if you really want to go cheap, there are a couple of things to like about Giolito here. Want one more? Giolito holds a 3.32 ERA in six career starts in his home park.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 11: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves follows his single in the twelfth inning against the Washington Nationals during the Braves 5-3 win at Nationals Park on April 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Freddie Freeman is only 7-28 against Jacob deGrom, but he has two walks, a double, two homers, three runs scored, and three RBI. I’m in no hurry to stack against deGrom, but there are a couple of decent options here.

The more I think about it, the more I would rather stack against Jose Urena. That stack would start with Eric Thames and Travis Shaw. Both are facing an iffy right hander, and Miller Park caters to left handed power.

Clayton Richard has been torched by Arizona, and a lot of that has to do with Paul Goldschmidt. Goldy is 10-27(.370) with nine walks, three doubles, a homer, four steals, six runs, and five RBI in his career against Richard.

I’m all over Kris Bryant with lefty Tyler Anderson on the Coors Field mound. You know, with the way that Anthony Rizzo holds his own against lefties, he could be worth a look as well.

Hanley Ramirez is 3-6 with two homers and three RBI already against Sean Manaea. If you need a reasonably priced catcher, Christian Vazquez is 2-4 with a run and a RBI against Manaea.

Middle Tier:

Wil Myers is back, and Zack Godley kind of wishes he weren’t. Myers is 7-15(.467) with a walk, a double, a triple, a homer, five runs, and five RBI against Godley. The rest of his teammates are hitting just 8-41 with no homers and one run. If you are using a Padre, it should be Myers.

You aren’t going to see a lot of high averages for the Mets against Julio Teheran, but his home struggles are very real. Todd Frazier is only 3-14(.214) against Teheran, but he has a double, a homer, and three RBI. If Jose Lobaton starts again, He is 7-21 with three walks, a double, two homers, five runs, and five RBI against Teheran. Adrian Gonzalez is only 4-16 against Teheran, but he has three walks, a double, a homer, two runs, and four RBI.

Anthony Rendon is 2-5 with a double, a solo homer, and two runs against Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ryan Zimmerman could also be worth a look. Zimmerman is also 2-5, but has no counting stats.

If you aren’t sure about Cubs, or just don’t want to pay for them, the Angels are the next best option. Albert Pujols is 11-37(.297) with two walks, three doubles, four homers, seven runs, and nine RBI in his career against Derek Holland. Martin Maldonado is worth a look at catcher against a lefty.

The White Sox have demolished lefties, and Dallas Keuchel is not exempt to that. Jose Abreu is 6-15 with a double, two homers, four runs, and three RBI off of Keuchel. Welington Castillo is 5-13(.385) with a walk, a double, two runs, and two RBI against Keuchel.

Bargain Shoppers:

Here we have another good pitcher with a bad matchup. Even this decimated version of the Rangers is hitting .316 against James Paxton. Adrian Beltre is 9-16(.562) with four walks, a double, a homer, four runs, and six RBI off of Paxton already. Robinson Chirinos is only 1-5 against Paxton, but the hit is a home run.

I’m a big fan of J.T. Realmuto against the young lefty Brent Suter. Brian Anderson is not a name you will normally find on here, but he holds the platoon advantage in a hitter’s park.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – SEPTEMBER 19: Addison Russell #27 of the Chicago Cubs, right, celebrates with Jon Jay #30 after scoring off of an RBI double by Javier Baez during the fifth inning of a game on September 19, 2017 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Everyone in the Astros lineup could hit Lucas Giolito tonight. If you are stacking Astros, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa should definitely be the start.

If you want to stack Coors again, do it on the Cubs side tonight as well. Javier Baez and Addison Russell are definitely in here against lefty Tyler Anderson. Russell has the Cubs’ only homer off of Anderson so far in 14 at bats.

Robinson Cano is 7-18(.389) with a double, a homer, four runs, and two RBI in his career against Bartolo Colon. Jean Segura could be worth a look too. Segura is 3-11 with a double, two steals, and three runs off of Colon.

Middle Tier:

Asdrubal Cabrera is 7-23(.304) with two walks, two doubles, two runs, and a RBI against Julio Teheran. Those numbers aren’t all that great, but Cabrera has also swiped two bases. There is value here.

Ian Kinsler is 1-3 with a triple and a run so far against Derek Holland. Andrelton Simmons is 5-13 with a steal and two runs off Holland.

Corey Seager is only 1-5 against Stephen Strasburg, but that one hit is a home run. His price is down a bit facing an ace, but maybe not far enough.

Yoan Moncada is starting to figure out the majors a little. He is only 1-3 against Dallas Keuchel, but he has three walks, a run, and a RBI.

Jed Lowrie is on fire anyway, and he is about the only current A’s player that can hit Chris Sale. Lowrie is 8-20 with two runs and two RBI against Sale. The rest of the team is just 5-38 with one run.

Starlin Castro is the biggest hitting star that the Marlins have right now. He has held his own this year, and there is potential against Brent Suter here. The same is true for youngster Miguel Rojas.

Bargain Shoppers:

Dansby Swanson is really cheap, and he is 1-3 with three walks and a run against Jacob deGrom. There are points available here.

Nick Ahmed is cheap, and he is 5-11 with a steal, two runs, and a RBI against Clayton Richard. Chris Owings is 6-17(.353) with a double, a triple, a homer, three runs, and five RBI off Richard.

Next: Top Outfield Plays

TEMPE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: Chris Young #24 of the Los Angeles Angels poses during Los Angeles Angels Photo Day at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 22, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

A.J. Pollock is 4-14 with a walk, three doubles, a homer, two steals, four runs, and four RBI in his career against Clayton Richard.

It’s Mookie day! Mookie Betts is 4-8 with a triple, two homers, three runs, and five RBI already against Sean Manaea. With the wind blowing out in Oakland, don’t be shocked if Betts adds to these totals.

Mike Trout is 14-45(.311) with seven walks, three doubles, a triple, three homers, a steal, nine runs, and 12 RBI in his career against Derek Holland. You want Trout in your lineup tonight! Chris Young is also worth a look against a lefty. Young is 2-5 with two walks and a RBI against Holland, but he hits all lefties well. There is potential here.

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Middle Tier:

Jay Bruce is 7-28 with four walks, two doubles, two homers, three runs, and five RBI in his career against Julio Teheran.

Dee Gordon is 12-32(.375) with a double, a homer, four runs, and three RBI against Bartolo Colon. If Ichiro Suzuki is in the lineup, you may want to play him. Ichiro is 30-109(.275) with a walk, two doubles, a triple, three homers, a steal, 14 runs, and nine RBI in his career against Colon.

Josh Reddick is 2-3 against Lucas Giolito so far. If I had to pick one Astro to take him deep, I think it would be Reddick, followed closely by George Springer.

Matt Kemp is 8-24 with two walks, three doubles, a homer, two runs, and three RBI in his career against Stephen Strasburg.

Carlos Gonzalez has only faced Yu Darvish twice. Darvish struck him out once, but CarGo got revenge with a solo homer.

Bargain Shoppers:

Nick Markakis is 7-23(.304) with a homer, two runs, and three RBI off of Jacob deGrom.

Avisail Garcia is one of my favorite bargain plays. Garcia is 7-17(.412) with a walk, a double, a homer, four runs, and four RBI against Dallas Keuchel.

Lewis Brinson, once a top prospect for the Brewers, smacked two homers in the first game of this series. Apparently he’s upset with the Brewers for trading him. I could see him hitting another off of lefty Brent Suter.

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!