DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Monday 9/12/22

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Pitcher

Framber Valdez FD 11000 DK 10700
Opponent - DET (Eduardo Rodriguez) Park - DET
FD - 39.65 DK - 20.51

Valdez checks all the boxes today and it starts with his consistency with rice straight starts allowing two or fewer earned runs. In that time, he has also seen his K rate spike with eight or more punchouts in four of those starts. He now gets an elite matchup against a Tigers offense that ranks dead last with a .279 wOBA/81 wRC+ and as a big favorite, is my top pitcher in all formats on Monday.

Spencer Strider FD 10400 DK 10100
Opponent - SF (Alex Cobb) Park - SF
FD - 39.03 DK - 21.35

The rookie of the year awards have been a runaway in both leagues and it’s been Strider in cruise control in the NL. He has gone 6-1 over eight second half starts while recording a 2.14 ERA/2.07 xFIP and elite 38.5% K rate. He now faces a struggling Giants team that has fallen of the map in the standings and struck out over 26% of the time over the last month. It’s a double pay up kind of night and Strider is an elite play in all formats.

Catcher/First Base

Nathaniel Lowe FD 3600 DK 4200
Opponent - MIA (Braxton Garrett) Park - MIA
FD - 8.84 DK - 6.7

If we are going to be paying up for two pitchers tonight, we best find some mid-tier value bats and the Rangers offer just that. It starts at first base with Nathaniel Lowe who has been one of the hottest bats in baseball down the stretch sporting a .396/.460/.693 slash line since mid August. He and the Rangers get a terrific matchup against Bryan Hoeing who has been roughed up for 10 this and eight earned runs in his first two appearances. All things considered, Lowe is my top play at first and one of my top overall PTS/$ plays on this slate.

Yuli Gurriel FD 2300 DK 3300
Opponent - DET (Eduardo Rodriguez) Park - DET
FD - 8.04 DK - 6.2

More value at first base with Yuli Gurriel who checks almost every box starting with the matchup. He and Astros face a struggling Eduardo Rodriguez who has given up eight earned runs including five long balls in his last two starts. For Gurriel, he is rarely going to win you a GPP on his own but he has been consistent in the short term with hits in three straight and six of his last eight games and best of all comes nice and cheap on both sites.

Second Base

Cavan Biggio FD 2400 DK 2700
Opponent - TB (Cooper Criswell) Park - TB
FD - 8.87 DK - 7.65

The Jays are a team who have a very fluid lineup, especially at the bottom half of the lineup and really ride the hot hand. Lately it has been Cavan Biggio providing value with hits in seven of his last eight starts with two doubles and three home runs prompting a boost up to the six-spot. He has also been better against lefties lately so I am not worried about the matchup against Yarbrough. This one is more about punt price on both sites allowing us to easily pay up for two stud pitchers. Lock and load in all formats.

Jeff McNeil FD 2600 DK 4600
Opponent - CHC (Javier Assad) Park - CHC
FD - 9.56 DK - 7.35

The Mets are an expensive team to stack and won't work if paying up for both pitchers on DraftKings but for cash games, McNeil makes a ton of sense as a one-off piece. He has been hitting right in the middle of the big bats(Alonso, Lindor) and comes much cheaper and has also been red-hot with multiple hits in three of his last four games(8 for 16) with five RBI. The matchup also lines up, despite a small sample size, as Assad has struggled with left-handed bats. I will have exposure to McNeil in all formats.

Shortstop

Jeremy Peña FD 2500 DK 4100
Opponent - DET (Eduardo Rodriguez) Park - DET
FD - 8.64 DK - 6.65

Vegas tends to believe in E-Rod a lot more than I do, especially considering the recent form as he has been crushed for five home runs in his last two starts. More than anything, I like the Astros value at or near the top of the lineup helping us to the elite, double pitcher build. Jeremy Pena fits that as he checks all the boxes starting with his spot in the two-hole in the lineup and value price on both sites. He has also been excellent for the Astros down the stretch coming in with hits in 10 of his last 11 games and has also been more productive against lefties. Add it all up and you have a top PTS/$ play at the shortstop position.

Also Consider: Bo Bichette(TOR) or Francisco Lindor(NYM) if wanting an elite, top-priced shortstop in your build

Third Base

Justin Turner FD 3400 DK 4700
Opponent - ARI (Ryne Nelson) Park - ARI
FD - 10.76 DK - 8.12

The Dodgers lead all teams in implied runs tonight and the only reason I have not loaded up the article with them is the direction I have chosen at starting pitcher limiting the high-priced bats I can fit into my lineup. Good news here as Turner, as even on a smaller slate, is somehow only the sixth most expensive third basemen on DraftKings making it a nice way to get exposure. More good news as he has also been terrific down the stretch posting a .394/.457/.718 slash line over his last 19 games. I will have exposure in all formats.

Josh Jung FD 2100 DK 2000
Opponent - MIA (Braxton Garrett) Park - MIA
FD - 7.65 DK - 5.82

If you are looking to straight punt the position, the Rangers' 2019 first-round pick is in play here. After taking 2020 off, he has progressed nicely in the minors making some swing changes and finally made his debut last week and has tallied hits in two of three games including a home run in his first major league at-bat. He faces another former first-round pick in Braxton Garrett who has flashed some upside but also struggled at times. Jung hit lefties much better at the AAA level and at these prices, I am willing to take a risk if it means loading up on pitchers.

Outfield

Michael Harris II FD 3600 DK 4600
Opponent - SF (Alex Cobb) Park - SF
FD - 9.22 DK - 7.05

Sitting a distant second behind Strider in the NL Rookie of the Year odds is Michael Harris who continues to impress and play a big role for the playoff-bound Braves. Going back to the beginning of August, he has put together an elite .362/.407/.677 slash line working his way up to the six-hole in the lineup and if not for a loaded lineup, would probably be higher. The matchup is average-at-best against Alex Cobb but there are 20 mph winds and high humidity in San Fran today which has me liking the Braves a whole lot more. Harris also comes with a nice mid-tier price eon both sits and will be a part of my builds in all formats.

TJ Friedl FD 3000 DK 2800
Opponent - PIT (Bryse Wilson) Park - PIT
FD - 9.25 DK - 7.11

The Reds are not really a team to get too excited about but on this slate, Friedl checks a lot of boxes starting with the value pricing. He has also been consistent down the stretch with hits in 10 of his last 14 games including seven multi-hit efforts and has now been hitting leadoff for the better part of a week. To top it off, the Reds get a plus matchup against Bryse Wilson who has given up three or more earned runs five straight and seven of his last nine starts(4.50 ERA/4.93 xFIP). I am not sold on FanDuel but at his sub $3K DraftKings price, I will have exposure in all formats.

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