DraftKings Main MLB Picks April 26: Build around Chris Sale

CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 25: A Cleveland Indians fan holds up a sign as he walks outside prior to Game One of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field on October 25, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Main MLB Picks April 26: Build around Chris Sale

The Seattle and Cleveland game has a 6:10 first pitch, so that was cut off into just a showdown. It is also available in the eight game pick em slate, which encompasses all but the first two games of the day. That leaves us four games in the main DraftKings tournament. The pitchers are better as a whole than they were in the day games though.

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It doesn’t look like any rain for any games today, which is a welcome break from the norm in April 2018. There isn’t even any wind to worry about here.

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

BALTIMORE, MD – MARCH 29: Starting pitcher Dylan Bundy #37 of the Baltimore Orioles works the first inning against the Minnesota Twins in their Opening Day game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 29, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Chris Sale ($13,000): The Blue Jays are only hitting .220 off of Sale with five homers and seven run in 132 at bats with 35 strikeouts. Those numbers make Sale the elite play tonight. He should be worth this massive price tag, but Bundy is an acceptable fade because of his opponent. If you get creative, you could stack cheap Orioles and still afford Sale and Bundy.

Dylan Bundy ($9,800): I am a bit nervous about Bundy being priced this high, but he has earned it. The Rays are only hitting .147 in 34 at bats against Bundy with one homer, two runs, and a huge 12 strikeouts. That’s better than one every three batters! The Rays still strike out a lot. Bundy could be in for a really nice game here.

Middle Tier:

Jake Junis ($8,300): Junis has never faced the White Sox, but he has been brilliant in three of his four starts this year. The White Sox lineup is decent, but there isn’t enough in it to move me off of Junis. The only team that has got to him so far is the Angels, and they have a pretty loaded lineup. Junis looks like a pretty safe option here.

Kyle Hendricks ($6,900): Hendricks has held the Brewers to a .215 average in 144 at bats with five homers and 12 runs to go with 31 strikeouts. Hendricks isn’t really known as a strikeout pitcher, so that’s why he is cheaper tonight. You can still have a solid performance without strikeouts. Hendricks is a very good SP2 option.

Bargain Pitchers:

Marco Estrada ($5,000): Hey, don’t laugh. You guys have been coming here long enough to know that I can back this up. In fact, Estrada’s numbers against Boston are better than Sale’s against Toronto. The Red Sox are hitting just .179 against Estrada in 156 at bats with only three homers and 11 runs. Estrada only has 35 strikeouts, but if he is recording outs and not allowing runs, that makes him a great value at this price.

Lucas Giolito ($4,500): It takes a giant leap of faith to go with the struggling Giolito, but there is potential here. The Royals are only hitting .196 against Giolito in 51 tries with a homer, five runs, and seven strikeouts. Personally, I think that Giolito against a struggling offense is worth taking a chance on in at least one lineup.

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 11: Hanley Ramirez #13 of the Boston Red Sox rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on April 11, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Hanley Ramirez is 8-27(.296) with four walks, four doubles, a homer, five runs, and two RBI in his career against Marco Estrada. If only his could teach his teammates what he knows about the ways of Estrada. Mitch Moreland has also homered off of Estrada, but he is just 4-18 against him.

If Kris Bryant is able to play, you want him in your lineup against Chase Anderson. Bryant is 6-18 with a walk, a double, three homers, and four RBI against Anderson in his career. Want Anthony Rizzo? He is just 1-12 against Anderson.

Middle Tier:

Willson Contreras is 5-9 with three doubles, a steal, two runs, and a RBI in his career against Chase Anderson.

Travis Shaw is 5-15 with two walks, a double, three homers, and seven RBI already against Kyle Hendricks. The rest of the team has two homers and five RBI in 129 at bats. Shaw is a very strong play here tonight. Jett Bandy is 1-4 with a solo homer off of Hendricks. If Bandy is in there, he is worth a look.

Lucas Duda is 2-5 with a walk, a homer, and three RBI so far against Lucas Giolito. Salvador Perez is only 1-6 against Giolito, but that hit is a home run.

Bargain Shoppers:

Thinking about using Chris Archer against Baltimore? I wouldn’t. The O’s have hit Archer hard, including a 6.69 ERA in seven career Camden Yards starts. I would much rather go with an Orioles stack, and there are cheap components that have hit Archer hard. Chris Davis is 7-28 with nine walks, two doubles, three homers, seven runs and nine RBI. Davis even has a steal against Archer! Pedro Alvarez is 6-17(.353) with a walk, three doubles, two homers, four runs, and four RBI against Archer. Caleb Joseph can be added as well. Joseph is 2-7 with a double and a solo homer off of Archer.

Kendrys Morales is 10-34(.294) with a walk, two doubles, three homers, and seven RBI in his career against Chris Sale. The rest of the team has two homers and three RBI in 98 at bats. If you want to take a shot at Sale tonight, Morales is the best way to do it and he is really cheap.

BALTIMORE, MD – APRIL 22: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 22, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

You knew Manny Machado would be on here. Machado is 12-43(.279) with four walks, a double, a homer, six runs, and three RBI in his career against Chris Archer.

Middle Tier:

I’m a big fan of Yoan Moncada here. He looks to be figuring things out, so even the fact that he is facing off against Jake Junis doesn’t worry me. Tim Anderson is worth a look if you are playing the Spring Series and trying to rack up those steals.

Whit Merrifield is also worth a look leading off against Lucas Giolito. The price on Giolito suggests that DraftKings doesn’t believe that the Royals will continue to struggle against Giolito. Do you?

Bargain Shoppers:

Jonathan Villar is 5-19(.263) with a walk, a homer, two steals, two runs, and two RBI in his career against Kyle Hendricks. He is definitely worth a look in what is looking to be a weak middle infield night.

Next: Top Outfield Plays

MILWAUKEE, WI – APRIL 03: Ryan Braun #8 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits the game-winning home run in the ninth inning to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 at Miller Park on April 3, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Ryan Braun is 7-26(.269) with a double, a steal, four runs, and two RBI in his career against Kyle Hendricks. There isn’t a lot of upper tier outfielders tonight, so even the struggling Braun is worth a look.

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Middle Tier:

Adam Jones is 10-40 with three walks, two doubles, a homer, five, runs, and five RBI in his career against Chris Archer. Trey Mancini is 2-7 with a double, a walk, and two RBI if you need another cheap part of the stack.

Mallex Smith has scored both of the Rays runs against Dylan Bundy, and is 2-5 with a walk. He is about the only Tampa player I would consider tonight.

Albert Almora is 3-10 with a walk, two doubles, a homer, and five RBI so far against Chase Anderson. Ian Happ has a RBI double in his two at bats against Anderson if you’re willing to take a chance on someone who is struggling.

Bargain Shoppers:

Teoscar Hernandez and Randall Grichuk have both hit solo homers against Chris Sale, and they would cost you a combined $5,900.

Jackie Bradley is only 3-15 against Marco Estrada, but he has a homer and two RBI. Thinking about Mookie Betts? He is just 3-23 against Estrada!

If you’re looking cheap, Jon Jay could be an interesting pick. Jay is 2-3 with a steal and a run scored against Lucas Giolito already.

Next: Early DraftKings MLB Picks

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!