DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Thursday 6/9/22

Now’s your chance to get DFSR PRO, which will give you access to our MLB, NBA, PGA, NHL, and NFL optimizers and our new player lab! Get started for free by clicking the button below.

Pitchers

Gerrit Cole FD - P 10800 DK - SP 10400
Opponent - MIN (Dylan Bundy) Park - MIN
FD - 34.49 DK - 19.41

We have a ton of pitching options on this main slate tonight and I will start with a pitcher in Cole who provides an elite floor for multiple reasons. First of all, the Yankees are almost always -200 or great favourites when he is on the mound and he has completed six or more innings in eight straight starts giving him huge win equity. Then we look at the strikeouts and see he has tallied nine or more in three straight and six of his last eight starts with an elite 33% K rate. The matchup is average-at-best as the Twins are a Top 10 team against right-handed pitching but we are getting an elite pitcher whose price is trending back down. I will have exposure in all formats.

Nick Pivetta FD - P 9100 DK - SP 8400
Opponent - LAA (Shohei Ohtani) Park - LAA
FD - 31.45 DK - 16.52

After not making it through five innings in any of his first five starts, Pivetta has been elite over his last six going 6+ innings in each while allowing one or fewer earned runs in five of those starts for a 1.32 ERA. He is never going to give you that ultimate K upside but does have five or more in seven of his last eight with 7+ three times. What stands out the most here is the matchup against the struggling Angels who, going into Wednesday night, had lost 13 straight games while scoring just over three per game and striking out 24.9% of the time(2nd most in that time). With Mike Trout likely to miss his second straight game, Pivetta is our top PTS/$ pitcher on this slate.

Also Consider: Max Fried(ATL) who is a big home favourite against a bottom-five Pirates offence or for more value Connor Pilkington(PHI) who is a home favourite against another bottom-five offence

Catcher/First Base

Matt Olson FD - 1B 3600 DK - 1B 5300
Opponent - PIT (JT Brubaker) Park - ATL
FD - 13.18 DK - 9.81

The Braves have been red-hot winning seven straight games and have been carried by the offence that is scoring 7.4 runs per game during that stretch. For Olson, it has been a slow start to his tenure with the Braves but the good news is that the bat seems to be coming around with the rising temperatures as he comes in with hits in six straight and nine of his last 10 games with six doubles and two home runs. He also gets a plus matchup against a below-average pitcher in JT Brubaker who has struggled more against lefties. Fire up Olson in all formats.

Trey Mancini FD - 1B 3100 DK - 1B 4700
Opponent - KC (Kris Bubic) Park - KC
FD - 10.53 DK - 8.05

Paying up for pitching and multiple bats shouldn't be an issue on this smaller slate with the matchup between the Orioles and Royals and their weak pitching. My exposure for the O's starts at first base with Trey Mancini who has been one of the few bright spots as he enters the night hitting .303 with a .361 wOBA and 139 wRC+. He has been even better in the short-term with hits in nine of his last 11 with four multi-hit efforts, four doubles and three home runs. If you need a bit of salary relief from the top options, Mancini is in a great spot and in play in all formats tonight.

Second Base

DJ LeMahieu FD 3300 DK 4400
Opponent - MIN (Dylan Bundy) Park - MIN
FD - 10.43 DK - 8.08

The Yankees got smacked around on Wednesday and their offence which was held to just one run will be looking to rebound tonight. They get a plus matchup against Dylan Bundy who has given up nine earned runs over his last two starts and four or more earned runs in four of his last six starts. For ultimate GPP upside, I always like spending all my outfield money on the Judge/Stanton combo but for cash, I will continue to lean on LeMahieu with his mid-tier pricing at the leadoff spot to get exposure.

Andrés Giménez FD 3600 DK 4200
Opponent - OAK (James Kaprielian) Park - OAK
FD - 9.51 DK - 7.38

The Guardians have hung around as a Top 10 offence for over two months now and while they don't have the flashy bats like the Yankees(outside JRam), they have a ton of depth. One of those depth pieces and one of my favourite under-the-radar middle infielders is Gimenez who gets overlooked mainly due to his spot down in the order. That hasn't stopped him from producing as he enters with hits in 10 of his last 11 games with three doubles and three home runs pushing his average up to .310 for the season with a near-elite .380 wOBA. I don't think we need to force him in cash games but love it as a GPP pivot.

Shortstop

Amed Rosario FD 2600 DK 4200
Opponent - OAK (James Kaprielian) Park - OAK
FD - 11.23 DK - 8.8

We will stick with the Guardians as we head to one of the tougher positions on the slate as the top guys are either overpriced or in bad matchups. Neither can be said for Rosario who may not be the upside play you want to load up on for GPP but is a very solid floor play as he comes in with hits in eight of his last nine games and is hitting .299 since early May. He also gets a ton of opportunity hitting 2nd in the lineup ahead of slugger Jose Ramirez. All things considered, he is my top PTS/$ play in cash games at the position.

Also Conisder: Dansby Swanson(ATL) who is now hitting near the top of the Braves lineup and has the best matchup of the top-tier shortstops or Isiah Kiner-Falefa(NYY) as a value play

Third Base

Austin Riley FD 3800 DK 5700
Opponent - PIT (JT Brubaker) Park - PIT
FD - 11.19 DK - 8.47

We have two elite-priced but very deserving third basemen in great spots tonight with JRam and Riley but for cash, I lean the latter as he is much easier to build around with a price that is much cheaper on both sites. He has also been on a torrid pace over the last three weeks and change hitting .358 over the last 16 games with nine multi-hit efforts, seven home runs, and 16 RBI. He has been better against lefties this season but is still no slouch against righties with a .334 wOBA, 111 wRC+ and .229 ISO. All things considered, he is my top play at third and one of my top plays to build around on this slate.

Tyler Nevin FD 2300 DK 2300
Opponent - KC (Kris Bubic) Park - KC
FD - 8.57 DK - 6.58

It has been a huge week for the Nevin family as father, Phil took over as the interim manager for the Phillies while son, Tyler got recalled from Triple-A over the weekend. He doesn't get regular playing time but hits lefties well and should be in the lineup today in a matchup against the Royals that is projected to hit the over. This isn't a core play but if you are loading up elsewhere and just looking for a punt, Nevin is most definitely in play.

Outfield

Ramón Laureano FD 2800 DK 4100
Opponent - CLE (Konnor Pilkington) Park - CLE
FD - 9.07 DK - 6.91

cash games, I like loading up at pitcher and in the infield tonight and will take the value in the outfield to make it happen. That starts with Ramon Laureano who checks all the boxes starting with his form as he comes in red-hot with hits in 12 straight games including five multi-hit efforts and doubles in three of his last four. Even more, is the fact he is very strong against left-handed pitching and hits near the top of the order, as well. Considering the price on both sites, he is not only my top PTS/$ play in the outfield but one of my favourites on the entire slate.

Anthony Santander FD 3100 DK 3600
Opponent - KC (Kris Bubic) Park - KC
FD - 10.98 DK - 8.36

Not often do you see multiple Orioles players in our articles but today is an exception as they get a plus matchup against Kris Bubic and the Royals. Nothing about Santander's .233 average is going to get you excited to use him tonight but the good news is that he comes in with hits in seven of his last eight games. While he strikes out a little more against southpaws, we can live with it as he also has a higher average, slugging %, and ISO in the split. I am not loving the price on FanDuel other than for GPP stacking with his best value on DraftKings as a one-off punt to load up elsewhere.

GRAB A FREE TRIAL OF OUR PROJECTION SYSTEM, AND CHECK OUT DFSR PRO!