Very interesting slate in that we have the top four teams that strike out the least against right-handed pitching – the Padres, Astros, Mets, and Angels. The two pitchers I want to pick on were very easy to identify so the construction was pretty straight forward. It comes down to paying up for Walker Buehler or not. He’s the best pitcher on the slate, but he’s the most expensive and has a difficult matchup against the Padres. There are two teams projected for fewer than four runs (SD and MIA). There are two teams projected for at least five runs (BOS and NYM).
Weather doesn’t look like it will be a factor.
Here’s our 50-50 MLB DFS lineup for 4/22/21 (using DraftKings Values)
| Pitcher | Walker Buehler | $10,000 | |||
| Pitcher | |||||
| Catcher | Buster Posey | $3,900 | |||
| First Base | Darin Ruf | $3,200 | |||
| Second Base | |||||
| Third Base | |||||
| Short Stop | Javier Baez | $4,600 | |||
| Outfield | Franchy Cordero | $3,000 | |||
| Outfield | |||||
| Outfield | |||||
Salary Remaining $000
Walker Buehler ($10,000)
The matchup isn’t great because the Padres are 30th in strikeouts. They are only 27th in ISO against right-handed pitching, though. Buehler did face them on April 16th and allowed seven hits and two earned runs while striking out four in six innings. He’s the most talented pitcher on the slate and there’s only one other matchup I like so I’m paying up for the “safety” of Buehler.
Buster Posey ($3,900)
We are picking on Daniel Castano. The 26-year-old lefty has 34.2 total major league innings to his name. Last season, the K/9 was 3.64 while the BB/9 was 3.34. So far in five innings this year, he’s allowed three hits, one earned run, walked two, and has not struck out a batter. The swinging strike rate is a measly 2.7 percent. Last season, it was at 8.9 percent. He isn’t allowing barrels or hard hits but the FIP is 4.27. In addition, the Miami bullpen has the 6th-highest FIP so far. As for Posey, he has four home runs and is slashing .316/.381/.632 in 42 plate appearances.
Darin Ruf ($3,200)
Ruf has two home runs and a stolen base in 22 plate appearances. The walk rate is 13.6 percent while the strikeout rate is 22.7 percent. The ISO is .316 but the slash is only .158/.273/.474. Yuck. The BABIP is only .083 so he’s been unlucky to begin the season. I want all the righties against Castano and Ruf has a career .259 ISO against left-handed pitching.
Javier Baez ($4,600)
Mets lefty Joey Lucchesi has a .459 SLG against righties and 41 of 46 career home runs allowed have been to right-handed batters. Javier Baez has a career .244 ISO against left-handed pitching. Now, Baez has a ton of swing-and-miss to his game. The strikeout rate is 48.4 percent this season but the ISO is .233 and he’s clubbed four home runs and stolen five bases, so there are multiple paths to providing the fantasy goodies.
Franchy Cordero ($3,000)
Cordero is in the mold of Baez, as the strikeout rate is 41.5 percent. The slash is .270/.341/.324 but it’s been BABIP fueled (.500). The ISO has only been .054 though. He has a career .181 ISO. There’s a reason why Cordero is $3,000 but I want to attack Dunn. It just takes one barrel.
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Here’s our full 50-50 MLB DFS lineup for 4/22/21 (using DraftKings Values)
| Pitcher | Walker Buehler | $10,000 | |||
| Pitcher | Aaron Sanchez | $7,100 | |||
| Catcher | Buster Posey | $3,900 | |||
| First Base | Darin Ruf | $3,200 | |||
| Second Base | Wilmer Flores | $4,100 | |||
| Third Base | Rafael Devers | $5,800 | |||
| Short Stop | Javier Baez | $4,600 | |||
| Outfield | Franchy Cordero | $3,000 | |||
| Outfield | Alex Verdugo | $4,400 | |||
| Outfield | Austin Slater | $3,900 | |||
Salary Remaining $000
Aaron Sanchez ($7,200)
Sanchez has been decent to start the season. In 14.2 innings, he’s allowed four earned runs, one home run, walked four, and struck out 12. The swinging strike has been 9.9 percent and the FIP is at 3.55. This is all about the matchup, though. The Marlins are 13th in strikeouts and 30th in ISO against right-handed pitching.
Wilmer Flores ($4,100)
All the righties for the Giants against Castano. In his career, Flores has a .273/.315/.501 slash with a .228 ISO against left-handed pitching.
Rafael Devers ($5,800)
Devers is en fuego to start the season. He has five home runs with a .271/.362/.542 slash. He is barreling 20.5 percent of pitches and has an average exit velocity of 94.5 mph. Now he faces Justin Dunn, who is the other pitcher I want to pick on today. Dunn has a 5.97 FIP and 8.7 percent swinging strike rate. He’s walked 10 batters in 9.2 innings and the BABIP is a crazy low .095. There are storm clouds brewing and the Red Sox bats could make it rain runs.
Alex Verdugo ($4,400)
We are attacking Dunn with lefties and Verdugo is one of the best. He has three home runs on the season but the strikeout rate is only 12.9 percent. The slash is .295/.357/.525 and the ISO is .230.
Austin Slater ($3,900)
Slater bats right above the pitcher, which stinks, but I want righties against Castano. Slater has a 35.1 percent strikeout rate, which is no bueno, but the ISO is .180 and he has two home runs with two stolen bases on the season.
Alternative Moves…
Kris Bryant – 3B ($4,500 DK) I’m attacking Lucchesi with righties. In his career, Bryant has a .285 ISO against left-handed pitching. So far this season, he has five home runs already and the ISO is at .358.
I don’t like any of the other pitchers on this slate.
Go win your lineup and tell us how you did. Twitter (@FantasyDFSX) is a good place for that.
