DraftKings MLB Picks April 24: Should we use Maeda?
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings MLB Picks April 24: Should we use a Maeda?
The DraftKings slate is a little off again tonight. The 5:10 eastern first pitch of Seattle and the White Sox got shoved into a showdown. The Yankees-Twins, Cubs-Indians, and Reds-Braves are also only available in pick em and arcade modes. That leaves the classic slate with only 11 of the 15 games, which still makes no sense with this wonderful thing called late swap.
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The Orioles game is in severe threat of postponement. The game in Pittsburgh is also under threat of rain, but not as much as in Baltimore. The wind is blowing out in San Fran to right, so the Washington righties receive a bit of a boost. There wind is blowing in in Pittsburgh, and there could be some fairly stiff crosswinds in Baltimore and Philly.
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:
Charlie Morton ($11,200): Morton has held the Angels to a .236 average in 148 at bats with two homers and 14 runs, but just 25 strikeouts. Those are rather pedestrian numbers, so if you are using Morton, you’re basically betting against Ohtani. I’m fine with that after Ohtani’s last start.
Shohei Ohtani ($9,900): Ohtani was decimated by the Red Sox in his last start, so there is significant risk here against Houston. However, the Astros were shut out last night by Tyler Skaggs. Tyler Skaggs! There is serious potential here for Ohtani as well.
Kenta Maeda ($9,300): Maeda is not all that consistent, but this is a great place for him against the Marlins. The Marlins don’t score a whole lot of runs and strike out quite a bit. Another reason to like Maeda? He is 16-7 with a 3.04 ERA in 31 career Dodgers Stadium games.
Middle Tier:
J.A. Happ ($8,000): The Red Sox are only hitting .196 against Happ with only two homers and seven runs in 153 at bats. Happ isn’t much of a strikeout guy, and the Red Sox are a dangerous team. However, Porcello has been battered by the Blue Jays, so there is solid potential for a win here.
Andrew Triggs ($7,600): Triggs pitched well against the Rangers in his only start against them, allowing two runs and striking out seven. I think I’m more inclined to stack the Rangers power lefties instead of relying on Triggs, who was roughed up a little in his last start.
Bargain Pitchers:
Vince Velasquez ($7,000): Arizona is hitting just .211 in 19 at bats against Velasquez with no runs and 11 strikeouts. Those are really good number, but the chances of Velasquez repeating that performance are not all that good. Still, Ray doe not have good career numbers in Philly, so there is potential here.
Alex Cobb ($6,700): Cobb gets to take on his former team. This is a good spot for Cobb assuming the game is played. However, considering the potential weather issues and the overall inconsistency of Cobb, I may stay away from this. However, the potential against the Rays is intoxicating.
Top Tier:
Eric Lauer will be making his debut tonight, so Nolan Arenado is definitely at the top of a lot of lists. Many will be stacking Rockies. It paid off last night, and it could again tonight.
Wil Myers is 3-5 with a walk, a double, two runs, a steal, and a RBI in his career against Kyle Freeland. Christian Villanueva is a great play if he can return to the lineup. Villanueva has two solo homers in two at bats off of Freeland.
Middle Tier:
Justin Smoak is 8-30 with six walks, two doubles, three homers, six runs, and ten RBI in his career against Rick Porcello. Steve Pearce is 4-9 with two doubles and a run. Kendrys Morales is only 8-39(.305) against Rick Porcello, but he does have two homers, five runs, and seven RBI.
Miguel Cabera is 2-5 with a double, a homer, two runs, and two RBI in his career against Chad Kuhl. This could be a high scoring game despite the wind blowing in.
Mike Moustakas is definitely worth a look against struggling righty Zach Davies. Lucas Duda could be as well.
Albert Pujols is 7-28 with five walks, two doubles, four runs, and five RBI in his career against Charlie Morton. Martin Maldonado is 6-10 with two walks, a double, two runs, and a RBI off of Morton.
Bargain Shoppers:
There’s a lot of low level value for the PIrates. Francisco Cervelli is 2-4 with a walk, two doubles, a run, and three RBI in his career against Jordan Zimmerman. David Freese is 4-11 with a walk, a double, a homer, two runs, and two RBI off of Zimmerman. Even Josh Bell is only $3,500! Against Zimmerman! That’s a steal!
Jonathan Lucroy is 6-16(.375) with four walks, a double, a homer, four runs, and three RBI in his career against Cole Hamels. Matt Chapman is 3-6 with a double, two runs, and a RBI against Hamels.
Christian Vazquez is 4-14 with a walk, a double, two runs and a RBI in his career against J.A. Happ. He is worth a look as a cheap catcher.
Top Tier:
The popular middle infield stack is definitely going to be Trevor Story and DJ LeMahieu at Coors against a rookie. You will have to pay a pretty penny for it too, but there is enough value pitching that it could work out pretty well.
Middle Tier:
Eduardo Nunez is 6-21(.286) with a walk, a double, a run, and two RBI off of J.A. Happ. Nunez is worth a look as long as he is starting.
Paul DeJong is perfect in four tries against Steven Matz. He has a walk, a single, and two solo homers in his career against Matz. Matt Carpenter is 1-3 with two walks, a double, and two runs against Matz.
Bargain Shoppers:
Chad Pinder is perfect against Cole Hamels. He has two walks, three doubles, three solo homers, and four runs in eight at bats against Cole Hamels. That’s right. A $3,300 Chad Pinder has reached base all eight times he has come to the plate against Hamels.
Kike Hernandez with a lefty on the mound is never a bad idea. Especially when the lefty is Dillon Peters. Peters has struggled for most of his young career so far.
Next: Top Outfield Plays
Top Tier:
J.D. Martinez is 3-10 with two walks and two runs so far against J.A. Happ. He is definitely worth a look despite Happ’s stellar history against Boston.
Khris Davis is 4-13 with five walks, three homers, four runs, and five RBI against Cole Hamels. Should we really stack A’s against a guy like Hamels? The stats say so.
Tommy Pham is also perfect against Steven Matz. In five plate appearances, he has a walk, two singles, a homer, a steal, two runs, and two RBI against Matz. Marcell Ozuna is 4-13 with two walks, a double, a run, and two RBI against Matz.
Christian Yelich has abused Ian Kennedy in his career. Yelich is 5-12 with two doubles, a triple, a homer, three runs, and two RBI in his career against Kennedy. Lorenzo Cain is 1-2 with a walk and two runs against Kennedy. Ryan Braun has also homered against Ian Kennedy, but he is just 4-17 lifetime against him.
If Charlie Blackmon is in the Rockies lineup, he will be in mine again. David Dahl is a great value pick to help offset the cost.
I like Yasiel Puig quite a bit against young lefty Dillon Peters. Chris Taylor is worth a look as well.
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Middle Tier:
If the game in Baltimore happens, Adam Jones and Trey Mancini have both homered off of Jake Faria. they are a combined 6-18, so there is value here.
Corey Dickerson is 7-13(.538) with two doubles, a homer, five runs scored, and three runs in his career against Jordan Zimmerman. I’m all over a Pirates stack for super cheap. There is a chance of rain in Pittsburgh though.
Andrew McCutchenis 3-8 with a homer and two RBI in his career against Tanner Roark.
Bargain Shoppers:
Aaron Altherr is 2-6 with a solo homer in his career against Robbie Ray. Odubel Herrera is 5-12 with a pair of runs against Ray. The best part, unless you were planning on using Ray of course: Ray has a 4.76 ERA in Citizens Bank Park.
Kevin Pillar is 10-36(.278) with a walk, four doubles, two steals, three runs, and a RBI off of Rick Porcello. Teoscar Hernandez has only faced Porcello three times, but he is still hitting well in the early going and is worth a look at his price.
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!