After looking at all of the tools available at 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 feature to share your thoughts, and receive any feedback leading up to first pitch. Good luck!
Please note that this was written before all lineups have been posted, which may open up new routes to consider. Weather looks to be solid at the moment.
From the top of the playbook: Full 15-game MLB slate tonight, but still suggest leaning more towards GPP’s for MLB during this time of the season. Overall, there are currently zero games with a 10 or higher projected game total, with the Yankees checking in as the highest projected scoring team by a solid margin tonight. FD seems to really want you to do a stars and value type lineup, and I think you can create some solid four by four team stacks, even with paying up for pitching. DK’s pricing tonight is trying to trap you into taking a cheap pitcher, and although I’m likely falling for that route, you may be able to grab the higher priced pitchers for lower ownership in GPP’s. Finally, there are plenty of solid bats to consider tonight, and if stuck trying to decide between two similar priced players, it’s always best to try to pair up players from the same team in your lineups. Weather currently looks good, but always best to monitor it leading up to lock time.
Top Pitching Targets:
There are plenty of other routes to take with details given in the playbook, coaches, and our other tools if wanting to look elsewhere. I provided my overall options in the playbook, with some additional thoughts below.
Five Second Cheat Sheet: Max Scherzer vs the field tonight for pitching, but plenty of pivot options in play for those not playing cash style games.
Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: Masahiro Tanaka is your other top priced option in a good spot, while Cole Hamels leads the way for over the other similar priced options. Can easily go cheap tonight with pitching on DK, with Gio González as my preferred option, but plenty of others are in play. FD has enough value bats that you can take whatever pitcher that you want to.
I spoke about plenty of routes in the playbook, and likely comes down to personal preference plays for GPP’s tonight. I do like Hamels spot, but with the Walker Buehler vs Jack Flaherty matchup best suited as a GPP pivot. I mentioned above that DK is tempting you to target the value pitching tonight and have no issues with a large group of them mentioned in the playbook. Gio González is my preferred, but Jorge Lopez vs José Berrios is a solid pivot off the LAD/STL one. Anderson and Eflin are likely best suited for those entering multiple lineups.
Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:
Our pitching coach, Tom Vecchio, likes Scherzer and Buehler as top plays, with Hamels and Keuchel as his mid-value targets. Gonzalez would be his top value play.
Our projections have Scherzer leading the way, followed by Tanaka, Flaherty, Hamles, and Eflin. Tomlin is the top value option across the board.
Top Hitting Targets:
There are plenty of other routes to take with details given in the playbook, coaches, and our other tools if wanting to look elsewhere. I provided my overall options in the playbook, with some additional thoughts below.
Five Second Cheat Sheet: While no games have 10 or higher projected run totals, the Yankees have a projected run total much higher than the field tonight.
Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: After the Yankees, the Indians and Cubs are the only other two teams with implied run totals of over five runs, but plenty of value bats from the Phillies, CWS/BAL, and other teams depending on how you see the slate playing out are definitely in play, as the Yankees play could be based off Estrada more than the Yankees recent offense.
Positional Thoughts:
Catcher: Gary Sánchez , JT Realmuto, and Wilson Ramos are likely the best options if paying up, while the rest of the field is best used for stacking. Caleb Joseph would be my punt play, while the catchers from the SEA/LAA and COL/SF games are solid pivots.
First Base: I do prefer Anthony Rizzo over the other top options if paying up, while Carlos Santana makes for a solid mid-priced pivot. Plenty of punt options at first base depending on your team targets, and I mentioned a few routes in the playbook.
Second Base: I think second and SS or both stacked tonight, and if trying to decide between similar priced players, it’s always best to try to pair up teammates. Jonathan Villar is a steal on FD, but so are César Hernández , Dawel Lugo , and Chase d'Arnaud depending on your team targets. If paying up, I would stick with the Cubs and Daniel Murphy , but won’t talk you out of José Ramírez , Robinson Canó , or José Altuve .
Shortstop: SS doesn’t have the pure punt options that 2B provides tonight, but it does have the same top priced bats. Javier Báez , Trevor Story , or Francisco Lindor are my preferred plays, but could see going other routes based on your team targets. Other routes were given in the playbook, highlighted by Adalberto Mondesí .
Third Base: Expect Nolan Arenado to be popular, while Kris Bryant leads the pivot options for me, and Wil Myers as the higher risk one. Alex Bregman has been on fire, and other routes were provided in the playbook.
Outfield: Plenty of routes to go in the OF, but would stick with Giancarlo Stanton , Mike Trout and Charlie Blackmon as your top targets depending on the site you play on. Nick Martini could be popular if still playing Cash games but looks like a GPP trap for me. Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty are my targets from that OAK/TB game, but leaning on the CWS/BAL, and well as the Phillies for value bats tonight. Nelson Cruz continues to hit homers, and plenty of other routes provided in the playbook.
Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:
Our hitting coach, James Grande, likes Story and Stanton if paying up, while Cano and Cruz join Murphy as his mid-priced targets. Harrison and Devers would be his value plays.
Our projections have Stanton well above the field, with Baez behind him. Haniger, Bregman, and Betts round out the top five.
GPP’s:
If playing GPP’s, your best approach is stacking. Pick a game, or two teams that you think will blast off, then 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. I mentioned my team targets, as well as some four pack stack routes in the playbook, but I do like going cheap with pitching tonight on DK and going with a value and top priced four by four pack on FD. I don’t mind the Yankees, but a team like the Cubs or Rockies could be much less owned.