MLB Expert Picks Preview: Monday, April 27th
Every day when the MLB schedule features four or more games, you can find expert picks for the day’s games on FanDuel below. These expert picks will provide a solid foundation for your lineups, and will include analysis and insight you can use in any sort of contest. You can expect these picks and analysis to be posted every day by 2 PM Eastern, or 10 AM for early slates.
Monday, April 27
Pitchers
One of tonight’s best pitching options is Corey Kluber, the only problem is the Indians-Royals game starts at 6:10 PM ET. Since that game, along with the Red Sox-Blue Jays game, will only be included in the “All Day” slates with no major GPPs, I don’t think those games are worth covering in this write-up. That goes for the hitters, too.
James Shields – $8,100 – Without having Corey Kluber available in tonight’s regular GPPs, Shields easily becomes the #1 option, especially when you factor in his extremely reasonable $8,100 price tag. Shields has been excellent so far this season posting a 2-0 record, a 3.24 ERA, and a 10.44 K/9 rate and that’s including a start at Coors Field. Now he gets to face the Astros, who lead the MLB in Ks, and this game will take place in the friendly confines of Petco Park. Besides that, instead of having to face the Astros with a DH, he’ll get to face Colin McHugh, who will be looking for his second career hit at the plate. There might not be a better possible matchup for a pitcher to have.
Collin McHugh – $8,500 – Maybe I’m crazy, but my second favorite pitching option is also pitching at Petco Park in the same game. Like Shields, McHugh enters this game with a perfect record (3-0) and he has a 2.41 ERA (1.74 FIP!), with a slightly lower 8.68 K/9 strikeout rate. The Padres’ offense has been pretty hot lately, but this is still spacious Petco Park so I’m not too worried. Also like Shields, McHugh gets to face his pitching counterpart at the plate which should help his K total and pitch count.
Other Options – David Price, John Lackey, Cole Hamels, Jimmy Nelson
Catchers
Brian McCann – $2,800 – McCann is off to a slow start this season, but for only $2,800 you can get a guy who has some serious power and hit 23 HRs last season. If you dig a little deeper, 19 of those HRs came at home in Yankee Stadium and 15 of those came against RHP’s. Considering this game is at home, against a right-handed rookie pitcher it’s hard to look past McCann.
Wilson Ramos – $2,600 – Wilson Ramos has hit lefties well his entire career (.316 avg, .361 wOBA) and Eric Stults has consistently been one of the worst Lefty starters in the Majors. Not only that but Stults managed to give up 26 HRs (20 HRs to Righties) last season despite pitching half of his starts in Petco Park. I think all of the Nationals’ righties make for solid plays tonight and Ramos is no exception.
Other Options – Buster Posey, Nick Hundley, AJ Pierzynski
First Base
Paul Goldschmidt – $4,500 – Paul Goldschmidt crushes lefties (.428 career wOBA) and especially crushes lefties when he’s playing in his home park in Arizona (.435 career wOBA). Also, Tyler Matzek has some of the craziest career splits (albeit in a reasonably small 132 IP sample size) I’ve ever seen. So far in his career he’s only given up a .217 wOBA to left-handed hitters and a .368 wOBA to right-handed hitters. Everything lines up for Goldy to have a big night tonight.
Miguel Cabrera – $4,100 – Any time Miguel Cabrera is only $4,100, he has to be considered, no matter who is pitching against him. When that pitcher is a very mediocre lefty, he’s extremely tough to pass up. I think he’s a definite cash game option at 1B if you can’t afford Goldschmidt and I’ll likely have quite a few shares of him in my GPP lineups as well.
Logan Morrison – $2,200 – All of the Mariners get a big park bump today playing in Arlington and if you need to save money and/or want to punt first Base then Logan Morrison is probably your guy. He’s off to a rough start this season, but he has 54 career HRs and has the potential to hit 20 HRs in a full season’s worth of ABs. Don’t be surprised if he goes deep against Gallardo.
Other Options – Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Davis, Prince Fielder
Second Base
Robinson Cano – $3,800 – Even at Safeco Field, Robinson Cano is usually a great play each and every night his price is below $4,000. When he’s playing in Arlington he’s a borderline must-play for cash games and someone you need to have shares of in your GPPs.
Jimmy Paredes – $3,000 – Has anyone in baseball been hotter than Jimmy Paredes this past week? His price has finally risen up to 3k but as long as he’s batting second or third in the Orioles’ lineup he still seems like a pretty good play. Clearly he can’t keep up the pace he’s been on, but against RHP’s he’s posted a .433 BA, a .575 wOBA (!), and has 3 HRs so far and now he gets to face Hector Noesi. It might not be a bad strategy to play him every night until he cools down a bit.
Other Options – Ian Kinsler, Chase Utley, Aaron Hill (punt)
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