DraftKings Early MLB Picks April 28: Should we fade Carrasco?

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 23: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals walks on to the field for batting practice before their game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on April 23, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Early MLB Picks April 28: Should we fade Carrasco?

Are you ready for some baseball? Okay, a LOT of baseball! We have 17 games today with twin bills on tap in KC and San Francisco. DraftKings split the day into two eight games slates with the odd start time between the Braves and Phillies finding itself available only in showdown and pick em modes. We will cover the first eight games here!

More from DraftKings

There is no rain in the forecast for the afternoon, but there is some wind. There is a stiff wind blowing in from left at Wrigley, which should keep runs down. The wind is blowing straight out at 15mph in Washington and San Francisco. We also have a pretty stiff wind blowing in from left in Cleveland.

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

OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 22: David Price #24 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum on April 22, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

David Price ($11,100): The Rays never should have let David Price go. His former team is just 16-127(.126) since his departure from Tampa with just two runs. TWO! The 35 strikeouts is almost a moot point since the other stats are so dominant. Price looks primed for a monster game this afternoon. Pair him with either Quintana or Guerra to start your build! For the record, Brad Miller has both RBI against Price, but is just 5-30 against him.

Walker Buehler ($8,000): Buehler pitched well in his first start of the season in stark contrast to his pitching last September. I like Buehler again here against the Giants. There is a lot of potential here.

Middle Tier:

Jose Quintana ($7,600): You usually don’t think pitcher’s duel when you see the Cubs-Brewers in a matinee at Wrigley. We could get that today. The Brewers are hitting only .216 in 153 at bats against Quintana with no homers, eight runs, and 34 strikeouts. Guerra’s numbers are even better! This is one place where I am comfortable using Quintana. There aren’t many.

Chris Stratton ($7,400): Stratton is off to a great start this year, but the Dodgers are hitting .273 against him in 44 at bats. However, the Dodgers have only hit one homer, but driven in five and only struck out eight. That home run was hit by Grandal, who likely wont catch both games. If Grandal sits, I like Stratton even more.

Jake Odorizzi ($7,000): This could be a difficult one to buy into based on what the Reds offense did to the Twins last night, but Odorizzi has the numbers to back it up. The current Reds are only hitting .185 against Odorizzi in 27 at bats with two homers, three runs, and six strikeouts. Those are solid enough numbers to roll the dice with Odorizzi, but Cincinnati has been pretty hot lately.

Bargain Pitchers:

Junior Guerra ($6,600): DraftKings doesn’t think much of Guerra’s past stats against the Cubs. However, that is not the only reason I like Guerra today. Sure, the .146 average that the Cubs have on Guerra in 41 at bats with just one solo homer with 12 strikeouts is great, but Guerra has pitched very well in three starts this year. He is averaging 20.8 DraftKings points over those three starts. You usually get those numbers from someone priced in the five figures. Guerra is my SP2 this afternoon in every lineup.

Yonny Chirinos ($4,700): Chirinos made his first two major league starts against the Red Sox, and pitched very well in those two games. The Sox mustered just four hits over those two games and just one run while striking out seven times. Can Chirinos shut them down again?

Jeremy Hellickson ($4,600): Hellickson is dirt cheap with good reason. However, he has been serviceable in his two starts this year. This looks like a tough spot for him, but Hellickson has held the Diamondbacks to a .125 average in 40 at bats with four runs and ten strikeouts. The Nationals have also hit Patrick Corbin well, so there is some hidden value here. Of course, Hellickson could go off the rails and give up eight runs too.

BALTIMORE, MD – APRIL 21: Jose Ramirez #11 of the Cleveland Indians celebrates hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning with Edwin Encarnacion #10 during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 21, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Paul Goldschmidt has scored three of the four runs for the Diamonbacks against Jeremy Hellickson, but he only has one hit in four at bats. The three walks that he has earned have resulted in the higher run total. Can Goldy finally get to him today?

Joey Gallo is 1-3 with a two run homer against Jaime Garcia already. This could be a day to stack Rangers righties, but Garcia is pitching pretty well in the early going.

Mike Leake got destroyed in his last start, so despite decent numbers against Cleveland, I would rather stack against him. That said, the wind is blowing in today. Jose Ramirez is 2-7 with a walk, a solo homer, and three runs against Leake. Edwin Encarnacion is 2-8 with a walk, a double, a homer, two runs, and two RBI against Leake.

Middle Tier:

Joey Votto for $4,200 looks like a steal. He has homered in four straight games after a slow start. What do you know, he holds the platoon advantage in a place that is nice to left handed power. Also, whoever starts at catcher for the Reds could be worth a look too.

We don’t know which game Yasmani Grandal will start, but if it’s the day game, Grandal is only 1-4 against Chris Stratton, but the hit is a three run homer.

For a team that punishes lefties, the White Sox didn’t do much damage against Danny Duffy last night. Well, today they get Danny Duffy lite in Eric Skoglund. Skoglund has had a rough go of it so far this year. Expect that to continue. I’m all over Jose Abreu and Matt Davidson for sure. NOTE: Skoglund will now start the night game, but I’m still on a White Sox stack during the day. It’s not just limited to right handers anymore though!

The Royals aren’t usually a team I look to stack, but with Carson Fulmer on the mound, I will make an exception. This would start with Mike Moustakas, who is also a nice stand alone option today. Drew Butera is worth a look if you want a cheap catcher.

Justin Smoak is 8-28(.286) with four walks, three doubles, two homers, four runs, and three RBI against Bartolo Colon. Yangervis Solarte is 5-9 with three runs and two RBI already. Russell Martin is 4-12 with three doubles, a run, and two RBI against Colon in his career.

Bargain Shoppers:

You may notice the conspicuous absence of Carlos Carrasco from the pitcher write up. Well, its because the Mariners are hitting .301 against Carrasco is 103 at bats off of him with seven homers and 15 runs. That’s a lot of damage! Ryon Healy is 4-10 with a walk and a solo homer off of Carrasco. And so it begins….

Joe Mauer has put up solid points this year, but has done it very quietly since he has little power. Mauer could be a sneaky cheap play against Sal Romano this afternoon. Jason Castro, despite his early struggles, is worth a look against righty Sal Romano.

CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 23: Yoan Moncada #10 of the Chicago White Sox reacts by pointing to the sky after hitting a home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 23, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Brian Dozier is worth a look against Sal Romano. Romano has looked better lately, but he could blow up at a moment’s notice. Eduardo Escobar is worth a look as well for just $3,500.

Continue that White Sox stack with the hot hitting Yoan Moncada. Tim Anderson looks like a solid play as well. Any right handed batter is worth a look for the White Sox again today.

Patrick Corbin is priced way too high for my taste today. I would rather stack Nat’s righties here, starting with Trea Turner leading off. Howie Kendrick is 6-19(.316) with three runs and five RBI so far against Corbin.

Middle Tier:

Robinson Cano is 9-23(.391) with a walk, two doubles, two homers, three runs, and seven RBI against Carlos Carrasco. Jean Segura is 3-10, but has no counting stats.

I like Whit Merrfield leading off against a weaker pitcher like Carson Fulmer. Alcides Escobar makes a great cheap punt at shortstop as well.

Bargain Shoppers:

Scooter Gennett only has one hit in four tries against Jake Odorizzi so far, but it is a home run. Gennett looks too cheap for the potential of the Reds offense today.

Devon Travis is 2-3 with a double, a run, and a RBI against Bartolo Colon so far.

Brandon Crawford, despite the lefty-lefty matchup, is 5-12 with two walks, a double, two solo homers, and five runs against Alex Wood already.

Jonathan Villar is really cheap, and he is 4-9 with a walk, a double, a run, and a RBI against Jose Quintana so far.

Next: Top Outfield Plays

CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 26: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Chicago Cubs hits a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning on April 26, 2018 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

The Cubs have really struggled against Junior Guerra. Well, except for Kyle Schwarber. He has the only homer and only RBI off of Guerra in his three at bats against him.

Bryce Harper hits some lefties well. Patrick Corbin is one of those. Harper is 3-7 with a walk, two doubles, a run, and a RBI so far against Corbin.

I’m not sure enough that the Red Sox are going to get to Chrinos that I am going with a full on stack, but I definitely like Andrew Benintendi here. Rafael Devers is my second favorite Bostonian today.

More from FanSided

Middle Tier:

Max Kepler hits righties pretty well at home. He is worth a look at a pretty low price.

I still haven’t decided whether I’m going to stack against ageless wonder Bartolo Colon, but the stats support it. Teoscar Hernandez is 1-2 so far, but with no counting stats. Kevin Pillar is 6-11 with a walk, a homer, a steal, three runs, and two RBI off of Colon. Curtis Granderson is 5-17(.294) with two walks, a double, two homers, five runs, and seven RBI in his career against Bartolo.

Lorenzo Cain is very familiar with Jose Quintana from their time together in the A.L. Central. Cain is 19-66(.288) with a walk, seven doubles, eight runs, and four RBI against Quintana.

Bargain Shoppers:

The Reds offense seems to be waking up lately. Billy Hamilton is included in that. Hamilton had a big game last night, and is always a threat due to his speed on the bases. He just has to get on one first. Scott Schebler is 2-3 with a double and a homer against Jake Odorizzi so far. He is worth a look as well.

The Mariners outfielders are all cheap, and they have done the most damage off of Carlos Carrasco. Ben Gamel is 3-5 with two doubles and a solo homer off of Carrasco. Mitch Haniger is 2-4 with a walk and a solo homer against Carrasco as well.

Abraham Almonte is on fire anyway. Throwing him out there against Carson Fulmer seems like a good idea. The struggling Alex Gordon and Jon Jay hold the platoon advantage if you like that sort of thing.

Ryan Rua is dirt cheap, and is the Rangers’ version of Kike Hernandez. If a lefty is on the mound, Rua is worth a look.

Next: Main Slate 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!