DFS MLB Baseball Picks for June 23, 2021

We have a seven-game slate with first pitch at 7:05 PM EST. Today’s slate of games is highlighted by J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox, taking on Austin Meadows and the Tampa Bay Rays in Tampa Bay. The highest implied run totals tonight sit with the Houston Astros (5.9), New York Yankees (5.8), and Oakland Athletics (5.2).

The weather looks good across the board today. We are not expecting any weather related issues.

Here is a selection of today’s Core Players 50-50 MLB DFS lineup for 6/23/21 (using DraftKings Values)

James Kaprielian  – P ($9,200)

Kaprielian has impressed in his starts so far this year. He has given up just five runs in his last three games, while striking out at least six batters in each of those three games.

Matt Olson – 1B ($5,000)

Olson has four extra-base hits in four of his last five games, with two home runs and two doubles. This is a good matchup for him in Texas facing a starting pitcher with a 5.59 ERA in Mike Foltynewicz.

Jake Cronenworth – 2B ($5,000)

With his hitting streak at eight games now, Cronenworth has been one of the best hitters in baseball in the last two weeks, and that is even we mention his three home runs in his last four games.

Wander Franco – SS ($2,000)

What a debut for Franco. It’s rare that top prospects live up to the hype but a double and a home run were more than enough to exceed his price tag, and that price hasn’t gone up today.

Hunter Renfroe – OF ($3,600)

Renfroe is a player that often is homerun or bust, but when the Red Sox are facing a left-handed starter he should be considered, as he has a 0.308 batting average and has hit four home runs in just 65 at bats.

The A List

Yordan Alvarez – OF ($5,000 DK) While Alvarez’s eight game hitting streak ended last night, this is a good opportunity for him to get back on another streak especially facing a soft pitching staff in Baltimore.

Trevor Rogers – P ($9,800) – Well it can be easily to be hesitant to use a pitcher against a top lineup like the Blue Jays, Rogers has earned that respect. He hasn’t given up more than three runs in a game yet this season, and he has only given up three or more once.

The B List

Matt Chapman – 3B ($4,600) – Chapman is on an eleven game hitting streak and he now has hit two home runs and a triple in his last three games. He is still very reasonably priced when you consider his recent production.

Trevor Bauer ($10,500) – In a cash game, it is hard to look past Bauer because he sucks in so much of the ownership. I don’t love the play against the Padres who look to of figured their offence out this series against the Dodgers, but Bauer is still one of the best in the game, so I wouldn’t try to hard to talk anyone out of not using him.

The C List

Kiké Hernandez – OF ($3,200) – Hernandez really stood out to me today as a value play. In his last two games he has two doubles and a home run, and he often hits lead off for the Red Sox.

William Contreras– C ($3,200 DK) While William has gone a bit cold recently, a bullpen game from the Mets could be just what he needs to get things going. His cost is also low enough, that if all we get is a walk or a single we will take it, as he is letting you get higher value players into your lineup.

The Strategy

Cash Games – We are going to eat the chalk again today with Franco, and we want to use him to afford some of the big pitchers in today’s lineup.

GPP Games – In GPP, I think you can use a similar strategy as I have noted in cash, it’s a nice path to getting into the money. You will want to use the savings to take on some bigger bats and also key in on some of the more expensive pitchers.

Go win your lineup and tell us how you did. Twitter (@FantasyDFSX) is a good place for that.