DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Thursday 4/14/22(Main Slate)

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Pitchers

Walker Buehler FD - P 10500 DK - SP 9700
Opponent - CIN (Reiver Sanmartin) Park - LAD
FD - 35.36 DK - 18.81

As expected, pitching has been a roller coaster ride early in the season but I am starting to get more confident as teams are now entering the second time through the rotation. Despite being limited to 78 pitches, Buehler looked good on opening day going five innings, allowing two earned runs on just four hits while striking out five. He is now the biggest favorite(-250) on this slate, and by a wide margin, and facing a Reds team that sits second to last in team wOBA(.257) and wRC+(59) early in the season. Buehler is our top projected pitcher on this slate and a core play in all formats.

Charlie Morton FD - P 9000 DK - SP 9300
Opponent - SD (Joe Musgrove) Park - SD
FD - 33.5 DK - 18.04

Morton's first start of the season was eerily similar to Buehler's as he went 5.1 innings, gave up two earned runs, and struck out five on 78 pitchers. He is a power pitcher who has recorded a 29% K rate since the start of 2019 and backed it up with a 12.5% swinging-strike rate. It aligns well with the matchup as he faces a Padres team that is still without their superstar, Fernando Tatis Jr, and are scoring just 3.7 runs per game while striking out 24% of the time. There is most definitely a path to 90 pitches for both these pitchers so paying up for both on DraftKings is not out of the question but my favorite spot to use Morton is on fanDuel where he the 8th most expensive pitcher on the main slate.

Catcher/First Base

C.J. Cron FD - 1B 4100 DK - 1B 4500
Opponent - CHC (Justin Steele) Park - COL
FD - 15.83 DK - 11.9

The Rockies are off to a hot start winning four of their first five games and they are back home tonight where it comes as no surprise they lead all teams in implied runs. They face a young lefty in Justin Steele who has struggled against power-hitting righties so that is where we will start things tonight. Cron is coming off a very productive first season with the Rockies and has carried it over into 2022 as he comes in with hits in four of five games with two long balls. Cron is in play on both sites but his best value easily comes on DraftKings in the mid $4K range.

Jared Walsh FD 3300 DK 4600
Opponent - TEX (Dane Dunning) Park - TEX
FD - 11.23 DK - 8.47

The Angels got off to a slow start offensively but have picked it up in the short-term scoring 10 runs in a two-game sweep of the Marlins. They now get one of the best matchups on the main slate going up against Dane Dunning who has been average-at-best(4.42 ERA) since coming into the league in 2019. For cash games, it is always tough fitting Ohtani or Trout at their prices so I will start with Walsh who hits cleanup behind the superstars. Walsh is coming off a career year and is off to a solid start to the 2022 campaign hitting .300 and already one bomb in the bag. I do prefer Cron on DraftKings at the same price but on FanDuel, it's Walsh for me at the huge discount.

Second Base

Jack Mayfield FD 2600 DK 3000
Opponent - TEX (Dane Dunning) Park - TEX
FD - 8.33 DK - 6.35

Sticking with the Angels here as an injury to David Fletcher has given Mayfield some added playing time and he has made the most of it. Not only is he very cheap on both sites but he is hitting in the middle of the lineup and has hits in all three games along with a double, triple, and a home run. If paying up for multiple pitchers tonight, Mayfield is a near lock at his price on both sites given he is back in the middle of the lineup tonight. Stay tuned to chat or the sheet for updates throughout the day.

DJ LeMahieu FD 3300 DK 5100
Opponent - TOR (Kevin Gausman) Park - TOR
FD - 8.92 DK - 6.91

I have Lemahieu listed second here as the Draftkings price doesn't have me sold on a player who is now hitting 5th in the lineup. What I do like is the fact DJ is a two-time batting champ and now hitting behind a loaded top-of-the-lineup better yet, he is heating up with multiple hits in two straight including two doubles and double-digit fantasy points in each. While the DK price makes me want to throw up, I love the low $3K range for LeMahieu on FanDuel with his multi-position eligibility.

Shortstop

Trea Turner FD 3600 DK 5600
Opponent - CIN (Luis Cessa) Park - CIN
FD - 15.64 DK - 12.04

This position is somewhat of a nightmare on the main slate so let's pay right up for Turner who isn't hitting the cover off the ball just yet but does have hits in all five games. He also benefits from hitting in the middle of arguably the best offense in baseball and he contributes in every way possible both on the baseball field and in the fantasy game. Given the scarcity at the position, Turner is my top pay-up on DraftKings tonight and is easily a core play on FanDuel where he still sits in the mid $3K range.

Also Consider: Jack Mayfield(LAA) who is eligible at SS on FanDuel or for GPP, Marcus Semien(TEX), and Corey Seager(TEX) should be low owned facing Ohtani but if only goes 4-5 innings, their bullpen has stunk up the show(6.31 ERA) early in the season. 

Third Base

Anthony Rendon FD 3000 DK 4100
Opponent - TEX (Dane Dunning) Park - TEX
FD - 11.32 DK - 8.51

It has been a bit of a slow start for Rendon who has just two hits on the season but the good news was the second was also his first home run which came in his last game. This is much more about another tough position and the fact Rendon comes at a discount considering the talent and the fact he hits right behind Ohtani and Trout in the lineup. The Angels bats are relatively all healthy at the same time and when they heat up, Rendon's price likely climbs fast so I will take the buy-low here in a plus matchup on a very high-upside offense.

Max Muncy FD 2900 DK 4300
Opponent - CIN (Luis Cessa) Park - CIN
FD - 14.86 DK - 10.98

Muncy has a wide range of position eligibility across the fantasy realm but Kris Bryant 3B eligible on FanDuel, I looking more to using Muncy on DraftKings. His early-season numbers are very similar to Rendon's but same story, as we know the talent is most definitely there and he hits in the middle of an elite lineup. Oddly enough he is also coming off his first home run of the season so maybe it's a sign(PSA: We don't factor in "signs" for the model lol). Tonight, the Dodgers face an opener in Luis Cessa with lefty, Reiver Sanmartin, expected to see the bulk of the inning as the long reliever. I am not worried about the lefty/lefty matchup as Muncy was terrific in the split with a .406 wOBA and 158 wRC+ last season. Safe in all formats.

Outfield

Kris Bryant FD - OF 4000 DK - OF 4400
Opponent - CHC (Justin Steele) Park - COL
FD - 18.23 DK - 13.75

I started the article off talking about the Rockies and how Cron is underpriced on DraftKings and we can also add Bryant to that list making them my top two-man stack on this slate. Bryant signed a monster deal with the Rockies in the offseason and he is holding up his end early on recording hits in all five games. Like Cron, he also has very strong splits against left-handed pitching with a .399 wOBA and 148 wRC+ since the start of the 2019 season. He isn't a priority on FanDuel but at his current price on DraftKings, he is one of my top overall plays on this slate.

Andrew Benintendi FD 3100 DK 3800
Opponent - DET (Casey Mize) Park - DET
FD - 10.25 DK - 7.87

The Royals aren't a team I get too excited about stacking but I do like them tonight in this matchup. It starts with Benintendi who is off to a terrific start with hits in three of five games with two three-hit efforts and four RBI. He faces Casey Mize who is fastball heavy(55%+) and Benny is a plus hitter against the heater for his career. I will be looking to most of the Royals bats in GPP tonight but Benintendi is in my player pool in all formats at his current price point.

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