Buckle up, buttercups. It’s time for a big 11-game MLB DFS main slate tonight, so there is no shortage of options for lineups. This evening, we work to put last night behind us. Three of our starting picks were out of their respective lineups, leaving players scrambling to find replacements. That should not be an issue on a Friday night.
As usual, the focus is going to be on guys who present good value for the price before filling out the lineup with a few big-money studs. My favorites will be listed after the value plays. Thursday night was not our best showing, but together we move forward. Time to rack up the points and stuff those bankrolls headed into the weekend. Strap in and let’s pick some winners.
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***All prices listed are DraftKings***
Value on the Hill
MacKenzie Gore – vs Atlanta ($5,000)
Gore makes his 2022 debut for the San Diego Padres on Friday night. The 23-year-old had a respectable spring, fanning 16 batters over 12 innings. The Atlanta lineup presents plenty of potential issues for a rookie, but outside of one 16-run explosion they have averaged less than three runs/game in their other seven. Having not seen Gore before, combined with his strikeout upside could spell issues for the Braves in this one. On top of that, the price for a starter with that kind of advantage is impossible to pass up.
Carlos Rodon – at Cleveland ($9,800)
Thanks to a great deal on Gore, there is more room to spend on the second half of your pitching duo. To echo the sentiment of Atlanta, Cleveland also has a strong lineup, albeit a young one. Rodon is familiar with pitching in Cleveland as a member of the White Sox, and he already knows a handful of their players. The 2021 All-Star received a no-decision in his first outing against Miami this season, but tallied just a 1.80 earned run average, a 1.00 WHIP, and struck out 12 Marlins over five innings. Lock him in for another double-digit strikeout performance and an easy win as long a Chicago puts a few runs on the board.
Value in the Field
Gavin Lux, 2B – vs Cincinnati ($2,900)
After not taking the field with the starting unit last night, we are going back to the well with Lux again. Vladimir Gutierrez takes the bump for the Reds in this one. He is a capable starter, but often is prone to struggling in the first two innings. Lux comes in scorching with a .353/.400/.588 triple slash. He could easily have a multi-hit night while scoring twice and driving in a couple runs if he continues to swing a hot bat. Even if he does not get to Gutierrez, he will find some success against an unproven Cincinnati relief corps coming off a bullpen game.
Tyler Naquin, OF – at Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,500)
PIVOT: Jose Siri, OF – at Seattle ($3,300)
Staying in the same matchup, Naquin is not getting the attention he deserves for the Reds. The left-handed batter has plenty of pop and although he has only hit one ball out of the park this season, he’s compiled a 1.036 OPS to go with a .333 average. The Dodgers are putting Tony Gonsolin on the mound, and in his last outing, he pitched to a 2.00 WHIP in just three innings of work. Although Gonsolin was viewed as a potential strikeout machine, he has yet to display that prowess thus far in his short career. The Reds have made contact consistently this season, including Naquin, who also carries base-stealing ability to go with his keen eye.
The Cincinnati outfield is crowded, and while I expect Naquin to get the start in a lefty/righty matchup, Jose Siri is a great pivot if you need it. Siri is on a hot stretch to begin the season, slashing .455/.538/.818 thus far. He also carries plenty of potential stolen base upside. The Houston Astros game begins 30 minutes prior to the Reds’, but the lineup for Cincinnati will be available by then. Slide Siri into that spot if Naquin is not expected to start.
Nico Hoerner, SS – at Colorado ($3,400)
Hoerner was in yesterday’s lineup here before word came down that he was being given the night off, so he is likely to return tonight. Although the shortstop has had a slow start to the year (batting just .235), he has already picked up his first homer and stolen base. Hoerner is a career .270 hitter in limited playing time, and now that he is a fixture in the middle of the infield on any given night, it can’t be expected that the aforementioned .235 average in 2022 will stick for long. He gets a tall order tonight, facing German Marquez for the Rockies. However, playing in the NL Central, Hoerner is no stranger to quality opposition on the mound. Expect him to drop a couple bloop singles behind the infield defense, and for manager David Ross to give him the green light to run on at least one occasion.
Stud Finder: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B – TOR), Josh Donaldson (3B – NYY), Tyler Stephenson (C – CIN), Marcus Semien (2B – TEX), Shohei Ohtani (OF – LAA), Aaron Judge (OF – NYY)
Money saved on the high-upside value plays leaves a hefty chuck of change. Go crazy picking out some big boppers for the rest of the lineup. The pitching across the league in tonight’s slate isn’t much to write home about. We could see some high-scoring affairs on a potentially crazy Friday evening. Stock those lineups and settle in for a fun night of baseball. Good luck, and let’s make some money.
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