After looking at all of the tools available of FantasyAlarm, the example lineups page should be used to help validate your thoughts, as well as help you consider some options that may not have been on your radar for the slate.  Instead of posting example lineups today, below you will find a breakdown of possible routes to take when building your MLB lineups tonight. While we are focused on FanDuel and DraftKings, this breakdown can be used for all sites.  Please use our live chat features to share your thoughts, and receive any feedback leading up to first pitch. Good luck!

Pitching:  I always start my lineup building with pitching, as it’s the most important part of building your lineups. I tend to look for pitchers who I can can pitch six innings, strike out six, and give up no more than two runs.  Feel free to set up whatever parameters you want to, but should set yourself some type of “floor” when it comes to how you select your pitchers.

Unfortunately, today’s slate selection doesn’t provide that many top options tonight.  Charlie Morton is the top priced pitcher tonight, and likely the top owned pitcher if playing cash games.  On FD, he’ll leave you with roughly $3.3K per player, and there really isn’t a “safer” option on today’s slate.  If off of him, I can see users having some Clevinger and Roark love, but don’t really think it’s worth going cheaper than that today.

DK will be interesting tonight, as Morton’s price tag is a hefty one at $11.1K.  While I can see users still going with the other options above, I think you can use that second pitching spot on a flier tonight if looking to save some salary.  If that’s the case, I prefer Johnson, but can see spending up a little more for Garcia or going full punto with Mitchell.

 

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our pitching coach today, Howard Bender has Morton as his top guy, with Walker and Clevinger as options if paying up.  He’s focused on targeting some potential high strikeout teams in the Blue Jays and Rockies, which places Lopez and Mitchell as his value plays.

Our projections has Morton as the top pitcher, followed by Walker and Clevinger.  Tillman is by far the worst projected starter today, and should be avoided.


 

Top Hitting Targets:   

On FD, I think avoiding a catcher outside of stacks due to the deep first base options is the way to go.  On DK, if not on the top option in Gattis, take a look at the Washington/Atlanta game, as both catchers are at or near minimum price.  

If playing cash games, paying up for Goldy, or down to Smoak should be the two popular plays.  I can see users going elsewhere to a player like Alonso for cheap, or any of the top priced guys, but will be locking in either Goldy or Smoak, with Smoak being the likely play at first.  

As mentioned in the playbook, second base is Altuve or punt for me tonight.  Houston and Toronto will be the top two targeted teams tonight, and when punting, I like to try to stick with the top teams.  Travis leading off for the Jays is a solid cheap route to take, as well as his teammate Solarte.

Third base is similar to first base for me, as it’s likely either Bregman or Davidson if paying cash games.  On wide open slates, I try not to overthink cash games, and just plug and play the best options for the price when available, and like Smoak, Bregman and Davidson are just too cheap on FD at the moment.

Shortstop may be the most wide open position in terms of ownership tonight.  Correa is def the top option, but Eaton is taking the L/L break which gives Turner the leadoff spot, and a potential few stolen bases night.  As mentioned in the playbook, I don’t mind punting at the SS spot with a Anderson, Marte, or Simmons pick.

OF is another wide open one, but suggest trying to punt one spot, pay up for one, and then see what you have salary wise for that third spot. Harper, Springer, and Blackmon take up the top spots, but a player like Betts and Pollock have to be considered for a discounted price. I mentioned plenty of cheap options in the playbook, but Redick, Granderson, and Kemp lead the way in the value department for me.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our hitting coach today, Jon Impemba, is big on Blackmon if paying up, as well as Abreu and Rendon.  Sticking with the CHW/TOR game for value plays, he’s high on Smoak and Solarte from Toronto, and Anderson to pair up with the Sox that smash left handed pitching.  He added a second Anderson, Brian, as a sneaky Miami value option to consider.

Our projections have the three big Houston bats as the top three hitters, and are high on Blackmon as well.  It does have a surprise with Alonso being the second highest projected 1B after Freeman, and Wil Myers as the top OF option after Springer and Blackmon.

 

GPP’s:  

If playing gpp’s, your best approach is stacking.  Pick a game, or two teams that you think will blast off, and go all in on them.  Yes, entering your cash lineup, or another type of lineup can cash in a gpp, but if looking to finish in the top 1%, you need to hit with a stack.Of course, houston and Toronto will be the two popular ones tonight, but as mentioned in the playbook, a case can be made to stack every team tonight. After the two mentioned above, I like Washington and Chicago, with Cleveland and Oakland being my more sneaky stack routes.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our stacking coach today, Tom Vecchio is high on Arizona and Boston tonight, with Lamb and Hanley as his sneaky plays from those two teams in his stacks.


Final Thoughts:

FanDuel:  Morton, Smoak, and Davidson with a top priced outfielder like harper, and cheap OF option like Granderson leaves you with roughly $3,275 per player for the other four spots.


DraftKings:  Morton, a value pitcher like Johnson, Smoak, Harper, Bregman, Granderson, and a punt catcher option like Stewart leaves you with roughly $4,650 per player for the other three spots.