Daily Fantasy MLB Pitchers for FanDuel and DraftKings - 5/18/17

Here's where you can find some recommendations for tournament pitchers target for FanDuel and DraftKings. Find our main set of cash game picks HERE.

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Pitchers

Early Slate

Tanner Roark FD 8200 DK 8900
Opponent - PIT (Glasnow) Park - @PIT
FD - 28.47 DK - 18.83

If you are looking to load up your lineup with bats on the early slate you will most likely have to find a more affordable pitching option than Lester. Enter Tanner Roark who will be on the bump for the Nats this afternoon in Pittsburgh. He is nothing more than an average arm in the grand scheme of things and his biggest issue is the control(3.3 BB/9) but he does have some K upside(7.6 K/9) and is in a nice spot to pick up a win. The Nats are currently -130 favorites over the Pirates who rank close to the bottom in almost all offensive categories. They rank 28th in total runs scored, 28th in team wOBA(.291) and 29th in team wRC+(76) vs. right-handed pitching. The strikeout potential is limited as Roark has an average K profile and the Pirates don't K much(18.6% vs. RH pitching) but the win potential is there and that could be enough on a small slate with a ton of bats available.

Main Slate

Jordan Montgomery FD 7400 DK 8100
Opponent - KC (Duffy) Park - @KC
FD - 29.32 DK - 19.38

On the five-game main slate, we have even more difficult decisions to make at the pitcher position. After Ryu, who is already a risky option, there is not much to write home about. There is Marcus Stroman on the road with his elite ground ball prorile but a lack of strikeouts limits the upside. Then there is Julio Teheran on the other side of that matchup but he comes in with a below average K rate(6.6 K/9) and a bad 4.08 ERA and xFIP of 5.38 which tells me he is going to continue to struggle getting outs. This has me turn to the Yankees and Jordan Montgomery who comes at a nice value price on both sites and has more upside than the two names I just mentioned. So far in his rookie season, he has made six starts going 2-2 and while the ERA(4.19) has been less than impressive, he has an above average 8.7 K/9 rate and has limited opponents to three earned runs or less in five of those six starts. Like most young pitchers, control is the biggest issue(3.93 BB/9) but he will get a boost tonight facing a bad Royals team that only walks 7% of the time vs. southpaws. The Royals also rank 29th in wOBA(.258) and wRC+(56) vs. left-handed pitching and strikeout over 20% of the time. The wind has switched direction from last night and is now projected to blow in from right field which gives a slight boost to the pitching.

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