Brian Tulloch 
Welcome back MLB DFS fans! Tonight, we have another solid slate on DraftKings with big prizes pools to take down so let’s get started with our top MLB DFS picks for today’s slate!
For those of you new to Picks and Pivots, the goal of this MLB DFS article each and every day is to provide you a “First Look” overview of the slate where we use DraftKings pricing as a baseline to help us get started. Rather than simply write out the “top plays,” this article will focus on slate strategy and roster construction with a GPP mindset to help you get started on your initial builds. Without further ado, let’s dive into today’s slate!
MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: Starting Pitcher Breakdown:
We open up today’s MLB DFS slate and assuming the NYM/WAS and MIA/BAL games play after some soaking rain during the day, we should get a full 10 game stack to sort through including another game in Coors Field.
While we may not have the big name arms on this slate, that does not mean we lack for K upside and I think paying up for both arms today is a viable route.
Lance Lynn ($9.9K) sets up as my favorite SP1 on this slate as a result of his right-handed heavy match-up against Oakland. Since the start of last season, Lynn’s splits show a drastic story as his K rate versus LHB of 22.8% pales in comparison to his 35.2 rate against RHB.
The Oakland line-up today will likely have 6 RHB in it and this is a match-up Lynn excelled in last season, putting up 21, 28 and 31 DK points in 3 of his 4 starts with 8, 8 and 12 K’s in those three outings.
Lucas Giolito ($9.1K) from a pure metrics perspective may be the best arm on the slate as his 31.7% K rate and 15.1% swinging strike rate rank among the best of any arms on this slate. This Milwaukee line-up has been one we can pick on early in 2020 as we have seen ceiling games from guys like Kyle Hendricks (45 DK pts) and Tyler Chatwood (28.5) who simply do not have the K arsenal that Giolito has.
MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: Bats and Stacks:
The game in Coors Field is obviously going to get the most attention with the large majority of it coming from the Rockies side against Kevin Gausman. One way to get exposure to this stack without paying for the top bats, is to go with a cheaper bottom of the order stack in Matt Kemp, Chris Owings and Tony Wolters who are all under $4K on DraftKings. This trio last night as an example combined for 30 DK points and it becomes an excellent cost effective way to stack the best offense on the slate.
The other high IRT stack outside of Coors is going to be the Angels who welcome Mike Trout back (BABY NARRATIVE). The Angels outside of Trout could be a solid value stack as well as outside of Trout/Rendon – the entire lineup here for LAA is under $4K so you can get pieces of a stack here with a 5+ IRT for bargain prices.
Fletcher/Upton/Goodwin/Pujols and La Stella make for a nice complimentary stack with the team I really want to focus on today for upside.
I feel like this is going to be the team I end up stacking more than any other this season – but as long as the White Sox are all priced in this $4K-ish range everyday, you have the opportunity to get a power-packed stack with two top arms seemingly every slate.
Now the match-up against RHP Brandon Woodruff is not one I think will jump off the page, but the fact that 1-7 in this White Sox lineup have .200+ ISO marks against RHP since the start of last season is what really stands out.
The best way to attack Woodruff is with lefties as his 1.33 HR/9 mark to LHB is materially higher than RHB at .53 HR/9. Woodruff also makes his living with a high GB rate so if you are going with White Sox bats here, you want to find guys who profile that they can get the ball in the air.
So start with the lefties – Grandal, Moncada, Mazara, Garcia and you can round out a stack with Encarnacion who leads the team with a 48% FB rate against RHP since the start of last year and is a whopping 20% higher than his GB rate which is key against a guy like Woodruff.
MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: The Wrap Up
Today is a day I think we pay up for both arms to start and build our stacks around with mid-range power. With so much focus on the Rockies bats as the clear cut top stack, I think either fading or stacking the bottom of the order gives you a totally different look and fill.
Stick around in Discord today and let’s talk some baseball!
Let’s get it tonight my friends!
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