After looking at all of the tools available on 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.  In addition to the example lineups, 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 believe 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.

The pitching matchups tonight do not leave many solid options to consider.  José Berrios looks to be the to pitcher to target across all sites tonight. With the potential for delays in Boston, both Gray and Porcello are taken off the table, which leaves only Gio González as a potential pivot off of Berrios.  Both the Rockies and White Sox have lower implied run totals, but I like the floor and upside slightly more with Berrios, and feel the industry will be heavily on him as well. On FD, I can see some Chris Stratton exposure in order to pay up for any bat you want to.

On DK, the #2 SP spot is pretty wide open.  Gio González is in play, but you could also save $3K with Ian Kennedy .  I don’t recommend fully going cheap, but I can see a Tropeano sighting or two.  Kennedy is going against Vegas, so it may come down to if you feel comfortable with some cheaper bats over a cheaper pitcher.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  In our pitching coach today, Jonhenry Holt, has Berrios as his pitcher to pay up for, with Stratton as his FD value, and Tropeano for DK value.

Our projections have Gio over Berrios in the top spot, and Stratton as the value play.

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 most nights, but as mentioned in the playbook, I’m not against going with Buster Posey tonight.  On DK, the catcher spot is wide open, and it’s best to target someone from a team that you already have players in your lineup from. You can pay up for Gary Sánchez , but I would rather target a Matt Wieters for $1.2K less.

If not using Posey at first on FD, any of the $3.4-$3.5K options are in play, but you can also look down to one of the under $3K options playing for a team with a high run total.  Cheslor Cuthbert is very cheap as a first base option on FD if wanting to pay up elsewhere. I am not a huge fan of the top-priced DK options at first, and I would place Albert Pujols or Lucas Duda in the mix at a mid-tier price.  You can also pay down for a Twins player, with Joe Mauer over Logan Morrison as the safer cash game play.

Ian Kinsler is high on our projections list if looking for value, but Brian Dozier , Howie Kendrick , and Whit Merrifield are all in play depending on which team you are targeting.  DJ LeMahieu makes for the lower owned pivot.

Plenty of routes to take, but I’m leaning Mike Moustakas over Nolan Arenado Anthony Rendón at third.  Cheslor comes into play as a pivot off of Mous on DK, and Eduardo Escobar if your looking to save salary.

I would suggest either Trea Turner or Trevor Story over Didi Gregorius , but don’t mind him in a Yankees stack.  Can go cheaper to Escobar or Freddy Galvis , but only on FD tonight.

OF is always wide open, as I feel the sites want you to punt with one of the three spots, as well as pay up for one of them.  Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are the top-priced options to target if paying up, but the Boston and New York bats are worth a look as well.  Both sites offer Eddie Rosario as a cheap OF option batting in the clean up spot, while FD also adds in Franchy Cordero as a minimum leadoff batter.  I suggest always trying to target the top-projected run total teams, while pairing up a player or two from those teams. OF does provide the most flexibility, and sometimes best to wait to see what your salary restrictions could be before filing that last OF spot.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  In our hitting coach today, James Grande, likes Trea Turner and Aaron Judge if paying up, and likes pairing Judge up with Neil Walker .  Trevor Story would be his cheaper shortstop pivot off of Turner.

Our projections have a Mike Trout and Justin Upton combo taking the top two spots, with Ian Kinsler in 5th.  Two other second baseman also make the top six overall in Dozier and Whit. While both sites have Kinsler as a solid value play, Eddie Rosario is towards the top for both sites, with Belt an FD special, and Whit a DK one.

GPPs:

If playing GPPs, 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. On a small slate you’ll see stacking combos from every team in your GPP tonight.  I like the Twins and Royals the most, with the Giants as a late night or single game target over the Padres.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:  Our stacking coach today, Tom Vecchio, is high on the Yankees and Royals tonight. He would target the power bats of the Yankees, and Duda and Mous from the Royals.

Final Thoughts:

FanDuel:  Berrios or Gonzalez, Posey, a 3B between $3.7-$3.9, Harper or Trout, Rosario and Cordero.  That leaves you with roughly $3.1K for final three spots.

DraftKings:  Tough with pitching but going Berrios and Gio for example. Have no issues with Kennedy though.   Wieters, Mous, Turner, and Rosario leaves you with roughly $3.5K for final four spots. Mauer or Kendrick helps open up salary as well as going off Gio to Kennedy.