MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/29/18

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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After a quiet Thursday, Friday brings a full slate of 15 games in the majors. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

STARTING PITCHERS

Jacob deGrom vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $11,700
DraftKings = $13,600

This is the premier pitching matchup to target for your entry. The Mets season has been a disappointment, but deGrom has been spectacular with a 1.69 ERA, 2.14 FIP, and a 1.01 WHIP. He’s always provided plenty of strikeouts, but he currently has career-highs in both swinging-strike rate (15.2%) and strikeout rate (31.4%). When hitters do actually make contact, they haven’t squared him up with a 27.8% hard-hit rate and only five home runs in 101.1 innings. The Marlins have one of the worst lineups in baseball, leaving deGrom with tremendous upside.

Marco Gonzales vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $7,800

Gonzales had a daunting two-start week last week, facing both the Red Sox and Yankees on the road. He understandably struggled, allowing 11 runs in 12.1 innings. Before those bad outings, he had allowed three runs or fewer in six straight starts. He’s not a great source for strikeouts, but he’s shown excellent control by throwing a first-pitch strike to 67.6% of the hitters that he has faced and allowing just 2.0 BB/9. The Royals have scored the fewest runs (283) in baseball, leaving Gonzales with upside in tournament play despite his lack of strikeout potential.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

Jesus Aguilar vs. Sal Romano, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $5,200

Aguilar went deep again Thursday, marking his third straight game with a home run. He is absolutely on fire right now, hitting 16-for-36 (.444) with nine home runs and three doubles in his last 11 games. Even with Eric Thames healthy, the Brewers are not going to take Aguilar out of their lineup. Romano has allowed 1.5 HR/9 and plenty of base runners with a 1.47 WHIP, potentially setting Aguilar up for another big performance.

Yonder Alonso vs. Paul Blackburn, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,600

After a series in St. Louis without the DH limited Alonso’s playing time, the Indians return to American League play Friday. You want to avoid playing Alonso against lefties, but he’s a great option against righties since he has a .352 wOBA against them this season. Blackburn allows a ton of baserunners and doesn’t have strikeout stuff, so Alonso is a cheap option with upside if you don’t want to pay up for Aguilar.

Others to consider: Jose Abreu (first base) and Tucker Barnhart (catcher)

SECOND BASE

Dee Gordon vs. Ian Kennedy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,300

Gordon continues to hit for a high average and is 24-for-73 (.329) in his last 16 games. He provides close to nothing in terms of power, but he did score 11 runs over that stretch. Kennedy is having another bad season with a 5.09 ERA and allows plenty of base runners with a 1.45 WHIP, leaving Gordon as someone to consider despite his lack of home run potential.

Yoan Moncada vs. Yovani Gallardo, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,500

Gallardo hasn’t finished with an ERA below 5.42 since 2015. He’s only made two starts for the Rangers and didn’t pitch well in either of them, allowing nine runs and 17 total base runners in 10.1 innings. He also allowed three home runs after posting a 1.7 HR/9 with the Mariners last year. Moncada only has a .199 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, but he’s been much better against righties with a .336 wOBA.

Others to consider: Scooter Gennett and Jason Kipnis

THIRD BASE

Jose Ramirez vs. Paul Blackburn, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,400

Considering Blackburn has an 8.83 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP, the Indians could be one of the most popular stacking plays Friday. Ramirez has not only been one of the best hitters on the team this season, but he’s been one of the best hitters in all of baseball by batting .291 with 23 home runs, 52 RBI, 55 runs scored and 13 steals.

Justin Turner vs. Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,900

Turner is showing signs of getting his power stroke back, slugging two home runs in his last five games. He’s had a slow start in general since returning from a wrist injury but is 6-for-15 (.400) during that same five-game stretch. Turner not only has a .436 wOBA against lefties this year, but he is 10-for-18 with a home run and three doubles against Anderson in his career.

Others to consider: Matt Carpenter and Adrian Beltre

SHORTSTOP

Francisco Lindor vs. Paul Blackburn, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $5,300

Lindor had a rough series against the Cardinals, finishing 1-for-12 with one walk. He had homered in three straight games before the series began and is having the best power season of his career with a .539 slugging percentage. He’s still hitting for average as well at .288, so look for him to get back on track facing a much easier opponent Friday.

Kike Hernandez vs. Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,500

Even though Chris Taylor returned from a hamstring injury Thursday, the Dodgers still found a way to keep Hernandez in their lineup. He rewarded them with two hits and two RBI and is now 19-for-55 (.345) with six home runs, 12 RBI and 14 runs scored in his last 16 games. With a .359 wOBA against lefties, expect the Dodgers to start him against Anderson.

Others to consider: Jean Segura and Tim Anderson

OUTFIELD

Nelson Cruz vs. Ian Kennedy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,800

Kennedy has allowed at least 31 home runs in each of the last three seasons and is on pace to do that again this year with 15 home runs allowed in 86.2 innings. That plays right into Cruz’s wheelhouse as he already has 21 homers this year and has slugged at least 39 home runs in each of the last four seasons.

Rhys Hoskins vs. Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,900

Hoskins couldn’t buy a hit in May, batting only .161 with two home runs in the month. Hoskins then fractured his jaw after fouling off a pitch at the end of the month, forcing him to hit the DL. He came back quickly and has found his stroke again, batting .329 with seven home runs and 20 RBI in 18 games. Fedde has a 5.32 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP in four starts this season and is really only in the starting rotation due to injuries to Stephen Strasburg and Jeremy Hellickson.

Avisail Garcia vs. Yovani Gallardo, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,600

The White Sox struggle to score runs, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look to stack them against Gallardo based on how poorly he has been pitching. Garcia was one of the prime regression candidates at the start of the season as his .338 average last year was largely aided by an unsustainable .392 BABIP. Injuries have limited him to 104 plate appearances, but he has two home runs during his current five-game hitting streak and is worth the risk at this cheap price.

Others to consider: Shin-Soo Choo and Nomar Mazara