Welcome to today's daily fantasy post! Remember that you can find our posts on the DFS home page, as well as the fantasy page. Bookmark those sites now!
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Let's get to today's interesting facts, using DraftKings prices for the entire 15-game night slate. Please note that much of the information in this post is being published several hours prior to game times, so check MLB lineups later to confirm that any recommended players are included.
5 Things to Watch:
1. Many players changed teams before Monday's deadline - check out our fantasy deadline tracker for details. For today, be wary of using any of the players involved (Beltran, Lucroy, etc.) until you know they've arrived with their new teams and are in lineups.
2. Madison Bumgarner is the day's biggest favorite at minus-220 over the Phillies. The highest projected run totals are Marlins-Cubs and Dodgers-Rockies at 11, while the lowest is 6.5 for Yankees-Mets. How can a game with Jose Fernandez pitching have such a high run total?
3. Yo, BvPers: Jason Kipnis ($5,200) is 7-for-13 with a homer vs. Kyle Gibson ... Jose Abreu is 8-for-14 with two homers vs. Anibal Sanchez. Teammate Adam Eaton ($4,300) is 6-for-14 with two homers vs. Sanchez, and we'll round out the trio by noting that Melky Cabrera ($3,800) is 15-for-34 vs. Sanchez ... Nolan Arenado ($5,300) has two homers in 10 at bats vs. Brandon McCarthy ... Nelson Cruz ($4,700) is 9-for-25 with a couple of homers vs. David Price.
4. Ryan Braun (side) is still day-to-day, while Yoenis Cespedes (quad) isn't expected to play Tuesday.
5. The Red Sox are calling up OF prospect Andrew Benintendi ($2,300), but he's likely to sit tonight instead of facing lefty Wade LeBlanc. Benintendi batted .312 with nine home runs and 16 stolen bases between A-ball and Double A. The Brewers will call up SS prospect Orlando Arcia ($3,200), and moved Jonathan Villar to third base.
Yesterday's recap:
Brandon Guyer got traded to the Indians, so he wasn't such a good Deal of the Day. Nelson Cruz went oh-fer as our must start, and a Cubs' stack only produced if you used Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo. At least we suggested a cheap Aaron Hill, who hit a home run.
Must Start of the day: Jacob deGrom, NYM
Without Carlos Beltran, an already weak Yankee lineup is worse. Terrible, even. deGrom isn't cheap at $11,500 and opposes Masahiro Tanaka, but he's less expensive than Bumgarner and Fernandez. He should dominate the Yankees.
Deal of the day: David Dahl, COL
Has a $3K salary and is tearing it up with 66 DK points in his first seven big-league games. Faces Brandon McCarthy, who has been pitching well but is fly-ball heavy. Not good at Coors, right?
Avoid of the day: Mark Trumbo, BAL
Has whiffed 10 times in 25 career at bats vs. Yu Darvish.
Stack of the day: Chicago White Sox
Yes, we know you want to use the Red Sox. Go ahead if you can afford it. Otherwise, a sneaky alternative can be the White Sox against the awful Anibal Sanchez, who has allowed 19 earned runs over his last four starts. Eaton/Melky/Todd Frazier/Tim Anderson (plus either Abreu or Justin Morneau) can help you afford premium pitching.
Starting pitchers:
Jacob deGrom, NYM: "Must Start of the day."
Lance McCullers, HOU: Any starter is risky against the Blue Jays, but McCullers ($10,300) has as much strikeout upside as anyone on the board. As a tournament play, he's always an option.
Gerrit Cole, PIT: Against the Braves for $9K? Sure.
Matt Shoemaker, LAA: $8,500 against an A's lineup that just lost Josh Reddick.
Adam Wainwright, STL: Waino ($8,100) has been pitching pretty well, and he'll face a Reds' lineup that lost Jay Bruce via trade. There are plenty of solid SP options tonight.
Dylan Bundy, BAL: How risky are you willing to get to save money? Bundy ($4,400) has 43.3 DK points over his last two starts, and 49 strikeouts in 52 innings on the season. He'll face the Rangers at home tonight.
Catchers:
Yasmani Grandal, LAD: At Coors for $4,200, he's in play. Has three homers in his last 10 games.
Nick Hundley, COL: At Coors for $3,300, he's also in play.
First basemen:
Albert Pujols, LAA: Has five multi-hit games in his last seven starts. $4,100 vs. rookie lefty Sean Manaea.
Hanley Ramirez, BOS: $4,000, and has hammered LHP this season (1.015 OPS). This rationale didn't work Monday, so Hanley owes us one.
Justin Morneau, CWS: If he bats fourth or fifth, he'll be a really nice option vs. Sanchez for $3,200.
Second basemen:
Dustin Pedroia, BOS: Has been hot lately, $4,600 vs. LeBlanc.
Trea Turner, WAS: Leadoff hitter for $3,200 vs. LHP Robbie Ray. On fire, with six double-digit DK games in his last seven.
Third basemen:
Hernan Perez, MIL: $4K, with 93 DK points over his last five games. Will bat in a prime spot in the order vs. Luis Perdomo. Also fits at OF.
Todd Frazier, CHW: $3,900, part of White Sox stack.
Shortstops:
Jonathan Villar, MIL: Why so cheap at $4,500 vs. Perdomo?
Tim Anderson, CHW: $3,700, part of White Sox stack.
Marcus Semien, OAK: Want a cheap homer threat here? Semien is it for $2,700.
Outfielders:
Mookie Betts, BOS: Sure, if you can afford the $5,200.
Mike Trout, LAA: $5K, in a really nice spot vs. Manaea.
Adam Eaton, CHW: $4,300, part of White Sox stack.
Melky Cabrera, CHW: $3,800, part of White Sox stack.
Travis Jankowski, SD: Leading off, steals bases, $3,300 vs. Zach Davies.
David Dahl, COL: $3K, and tearing it up with 66 DK points in his first seven big-league games.
Aaron Altherr, PHI: At $2,300, the cheapest usable outfielder. He's facing MadBum, but he bats fifth and has 41 DK points in his first four games of the season.
