DFS MLB DraftKings/FanDuel Lineup Advice and Pitcher Chart 5/16/2018
Pitchers
For the Pitcher Chart as well as Hitter picks and analysis, click NEXT!
Max Scherzer
Scherzer will face the Yankees in Nationals Park. The Yankees have the second highest wRC+ in the league, but Scherzer still has an OTT of three (see pitcher chart). The Yankees lose their DH in this series, so Scherzer will face CC Sabathia instead. With the platoon advantage against the Yankees three top hitters, I love Scherzer for both cash games and tournaments. It helps that the matchup has dropped his price to $12,500.
Chris Sale
Earlier in the year, I struggled to play Sale because he wasn’t going deep into games. He’s thrown 100 pitches in four of his past five games, and reach 116 his last time out. The A’s have some solid righties in their lineup, but strike out at the tenth highest rate in the league. Sale is priced at $11,800, so he offers a slight discount over Scherzer. Sale is the biggest favorite on the slate, and has a low OTT. Lineups will determine whether Scherzer or Sale will be the top pitcher on the slate.
Garrett Richards
Once again, Richards is way too cheap. Priced at $5,800, he’s my favorite SP2 on the slate. I realize he has a tough matchup, but the Astros take a park hit and Richards has an OTT of four. With a 28.8% strikeout rate this year, I think there is enough upside to use Richards in tournaments, especially at his price. I will also strongly consider him for my cash game lineup to pair with either Scherzer or Sale.
For the Pitcher Chart as well as Hitter picks and analysis, click NEXT!
Pitcher Chart
To see my favorite hitters for today’s slate, click NEXT!
The pitching chart will be updated often. Make sure to check back for the newest information, especially if a column is currently incomplete!
Last Updated: 5/15/2018 – 8:00 PM CT
| Pitcher | Team | L/R | $Line | OTT | K | +/- | K% | IP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B. Woodruff | MIL | R | -103 | 4 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 18.3 | 5 |
| M. Koch | ARI | R | -105 | 4.5 | 4 | -0.5 | 15.3 | 5 1/3 |
| M. Harvey | CIN | R | +136 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 16.2 | 4 2/3 |
| A. Suarez | SFG | L | -148 | 3.5 | 5 | 1.5 | 27.1 | 6 |
| W. Buehler | LAD | R | -169 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 31.4 | 6 |
| C. Smith | MIA | L | +156 | 4.5 | 6 | 1.5 | 31.9 | 5 2/3 |
| T. Chatwood | CHC | R | -120 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 22.9 | 5 1/3 |
| B. McCarthy | ATL | R | +111 | 5 | 3.5 | -1.5 | 16.5 | 5 |
| J. Faria | TBR | R | -118 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0 | 19.3 | 5 2/3 |
| J. Hammel | KCR | R | +109 | 4.5 | 4 | -0.5 | 12 | 5 1/3 |
| T. Cahill | OAK | R | +228 | 5 | 4.5 | -0.5 | 33.7 | 5 |
| C. Sale | BOS | L | -250 | 3.5 | 9.5 | 6 | 34.2 | 7 |
| J. Verlander | HOU | R | -131 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 34.5 | 7 |
| G. Richards | LAA | R | +121 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 28.8 | 5 2/3 |
| J. Happ | TOR | L | -116 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 29.2 | 6 2/3 |
| Z. Wheeler | NYM | R | +107 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 20.5 | 5 1/3 |
| M. Mikolas | STL | R | -119 | 4 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 18.9 | 6 |
| L. Lynn | MIN | R | +110 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 22 | 5 2/3 |
| C. Sabathia | NYY | L | +153 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 18.8 | 5 |
| M. Scherzer | WAS | R | -166 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 40.4 | 7 |
| H. Santiago | CHW | L | 3.5 | 3.5 | 19.8 | 4 2/3 | ||
| J. Taillon | PIT | R | 6.5 | 6.5 | 21.1 | 6 1/3 | ||
| N. Pivetta | PHI | R | 5 | 5 | 25.6 | 5 2/3 | ||
| A. Cashner | BAL | R | 4 | 4 | 20.1 | 5 1/3 | ||
| T. Bauer | CLE | R | 7 | 7 | 25.9 | 7 | ||
| R. Carpenter | DET | L | 4 | 4 | 22.2 | 5 |
Key
L/R = Lefty or Righty
$Line = Money Line
OTT = Opposing team’s run total
K = Projected Strikeouts
+/- = K-OTT
K% = Strikeout Percentage
IP = Innings Projection
Many factors can change between the time I write this article and the time lineups lock. I’ll do my best to update the article, so checking back frequently is encouraged. You can also ask questions on Twitter or Facebook. I’ll do my best to get to all of them!
To see my favorite hitters for today’s slate, click NEXT!
Hitters
Anthony Rizzo/Kris Bryant
The Cubs will face Brandon McCarthy in SunTrust Park. They are one of the top offenses on the slate with a team run total of five. In cash games, I like targeting pitchers with low strikeout rates, because it means my hitters will put the ball in play more often. If they put the ball in play, they’re obviously more likely to score points. McCarthy has struggled to strike batters out this year with a 16.5% strikeout rate. I prefer Bryant over Rizzo because I believe there are multiple options at first base. I don’t mind a full Cubs stack in tournaments (including Schwarber, Baez and Contreras/Zobrist), but I like both Rizzo and Bryant for cash games.
Boston Bats
The Cubs are the top offense on the slate, but Boston is a close second. After struggling on Tuesday night and Trevor Cahill’s high strikeout rate this year, some may shy away from Boston. The Red Sox have a team run total of five in this game, so I’m going back to the well with a full Boston stack in tournaments. I love J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, and Andrew Benintendi if you’re paying down at SP2. All three hitters can score in multiple ways, perfect for cash games.
Punts
On the main slate, if you’re paying for both Chris Sale and Max Scherzer, you’ll need to find some punts. Here are some of my plays under $4,000 on DraftKings:
Hanley Ramirez – $3,900 – High team run total for Boston. Plenty of power and RBI upside.
Eduardo Nunez – $3,400 – Cahill struggles to prevent steals. If Nunez gets on base, he’ll be running.
Jackie Bradley Jr. – $2,500 – Cheap price, high team run total for Boston.
Ben Zobrist – $3,500 – Should lead off against a below-average pitcher. High team run total for the Cubs.
Justin Turner – $3,700 – Underpriced for his talent. Will face a lefty and should bat at the top of the order.
Kurt Suzuki – $3,100 – Catcher is ugly for the main slate, and Suzuki usually bats fifth.
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