MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/3/2019
As far as odd schedules go, Monday’s slate in the majors is right up there. There will only be four games, three of which will make up the main evening slate in DFS. By the way, the slate doesn’t start until 9:40 PM EST. While we don’t have a lot of options at our disposal, let’s examine some of the best players to target. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our MLB Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Aaron Nola vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $9,600
DraftKings = $9,600
Nola is hands down the best pitcher available, so expect his ownership percentage to be through the roof. With that being said, it’s hard to fade him, even in tournament play. The Padres have scored the fifth-fewest runs (232) and struck out the third-most times (581) in the league, so don’t worry that Nola hasn’t been as dominant as he was last year. This is still a spot for him to thrive.
Robbie Ray vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $9,200
After Nola, it’s ugly. Ray has a tough matchup against the Dodgers, but he still might be worth rostering. The main reason is his ability to rack up strikeouts in bunches. He currently has a 30 percent strikeout rate, which would be his third-straight season reaching that threshold. The Dodgers also have a lot of left-handed hitters, so Ray might be able to provide some value. I like his price on FanDuel a lot more than I do his price on DraftKings.
CATCHER
Robinson Chirinos vs. TBD, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – T-Mobile Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,800
The Mariners are going to deploy an opener for this game, but they have yet to announce who that will be. Following the opener will be Wade LeBlanc to pitch the bulk of the innings. He’s been a disaster with a 5.21 xFIP, although he has been a bit unlucky based on his .330 BABIP allowed. A key stat is that he’s allowed eight home runs over just 28.1 innings. That brings Chirinos and his .230 ISO into play.
Others to consider: J.T. Realmuto
FIRST BASE
Rhys Hoskins vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,500
Hoskins stands out as the best option at first base with the left-handed Lauer on the mound for the Padres. Lauer has been very pedestrian with his 4.51 xFIP and he doesn’t strike out many hitters, leaving him with a 19.7 percent strikeout rate. Hoskins has owned lefties with a .418 wOBA against them this season.
Others to consider: Edwin Encarnacion and Daniel Vogelbach
SECOND BASE
Enrique Hernandez vs. Robbie Ray, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,900
While the Dodgers have a lot of lefty bats, Hernandez is one of the key righties that they lean on whenever a left-handed pitcher is on the mound. He has a career .361 wOBA against them, which includes a .364 mark this season. His .224 batting average this year has been bogged down by his .250 BABIP and increased strikeout rate, but he does at least have nine home runs.
Others to consider: Ketel Marte and Cesar Hernandez
THIRD BASE
Kyle Seager vs. Corbin Martin, Houston Astros
Stadium – T-Mobile Park
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,400
After spending most of the season on the IL, Seager has returned to man third base on a regular basis for the Mariners. He hit his first home run Sunday, giving him three extra-base hits in nine games. While he traditionally struggles with his batting average, he has launched at least 20 homers in seven straight seasons. Martin has already allowed six home runs over 16.1 innings, so Seager might be worth taking a chance on in tournament play.
Others to consider: Yuli Gurriel and David Freese
SHORTSTOP
Alex Bregman vs. TBD, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – T-Mobile Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,900
With so many of the Astros’ best hitters on the IL, Bregman is left to try and carry their lineup for the time being. While he might have fewer RBI opportunities as part of a limited lineup, his upside is still off the chart with a struggling left-hander in LeBlanc on the mound. Of note, he is only eligible at shortstop on FanDuel since he is listed at third base on DraftKings.
Others to consider: Jean Segura and Tim Beckham
OUTFIELD
Andrew McCutchen vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $5,400
McCutchen is someone to target whenever a lefty is on the mound since he has a career 157 wRC+ against them. His first year with the Phillies hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, but he’s hot right now after hitting 17-for-54 (.315) with four home runs and five doubles across his last 14 games.
Chris Taylor vs. Robbie Ray, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,400
Taylor is another right-handed bat that the Dodgers normally rely on when facing a lefty. Righties have held Taylor to a .268 wOBA this season, but he has a .339 wOBA versus lefties. If you want to squeeze Hoskins and Bregman into your entry, also deploying Taylor can go a long way to helping offset their price tags.
Myles Straw vs. TBD, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – T-Mobile Park
FanDuel = $2,000
DraftKings = $3,500
With the Astros dealing with a myriad of injuries, they’ve decided to call upon the speedy Straw to help offset their losses. His power stroke is virtually nonexistent, but he stole 70 bases combined between Double-A and Triple-A last year. He flashed his wheels Sunday, swiping three bases against the A’s. He’s another cheap bat worth considering if you want to save money in the outfield.
Others to consider: Domingo Santana and Scott Kingery
Author Bio:
Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.