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.  The weather looks solid overall, but should monitor the game in Washington, as they have made some odd decisions in the past.

 

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.

Five Second Cheat Sheet:  Clayton Kershaw and Luis Severino are your top two options, and you should build your lineups around one of them if playing cash games.

Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: I’m not sure how others will play this, but feel like Severino is the play even if they both had the same salaries, but Sev comes with the discount. If you feel like they both will be much better than the field, then feel free to use them in gpp’s as well. That #2 SP on DK if playing cash games could be wide open, as well as routes to take for gpp’s. 

Of the top two pitchers, I prefer Luis Severino over Clayton Kershaw.  As mentioned in the playbook, Lynn and Sabathia just racked up plenty of K’s, and Severino should do the same.  As for that #2 SP spot on DK, I think you need to go cheap in order to field some decent bats, which means no Mike Clevinger unfortunately.  Tommy Milone is all over the top of our projections after his last start, but could see spending up a little more for Jhoulys Chacin, Trevor Richards, or Jose Quintana as well.  I mentioned Brian Johnson and Lucas Giolito in the playbook, but they are more of gpp only plays for me.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:

Our projections have Severino ahead of Kershaw, with Clevinger, Milone, and Richards rounding out the top five.  Milone is the top value option on both sites tonight.

 

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:  The Cubs, Yankees, Indians, and Red Sox are your top teams to target.

Thirty Second Cheat Sheet:  While those are your four teams currently at an over five implied run total, the Brewers could make for the popular pivot route.  Smaller slate means hard to argue against most gpp routes, especially when saying take the top priced pitcher who has allowed 20 earned runs over his last 20 innings, and target the team against the pitcher who pitched six scoreless in his debut.

Positional Thoughts:

Catcher:  I’m not a fan of picking a catcher, and looking like you have to target one over $4K, or try to see how much salary you have left to decide on your $2.8-$3.3K DK option.  Willson Contreras or Yasmani Grandal would be my targets if paying up over Austin Hedges and Salvador Perez, and Austin Romine or Erik Kratz would be my punt routes outside of stacking.

First Base:  Matt Carpenter has a 26 game on base streak, but would rather pivot to Anthony Rizzo, Edwin Encarnacion, or an option for the BOS/TOR game.  Plenty of other routes to take that were mentioned in the playbook, but if trying to decide between players, it’s best to pair teammates up.

Second Base:  I prefer Javier Baez over Gleyber Torres or Neil Walker, but not against either route for the third straight night. I mentioned though in the playbook that you’re going to need to spend down at either second or third tonight, or possibly both depending on your catcher and OF.  Devon Travis for the popular value play at second, with David Bote and Tommy LaStella being in play as 2B/3B options on DK.

Third Base:  Same for third base as it is for second.  Jose Ramirez is who you pay up for, while Rafael Devers is your punt option.  The addition of both David Bote and Tommy La Stella has me learning more towards going cheap at third if playing cash games.  Other routes are best for stacking. 

Shortstop: Almost have to do the opposite, and pay up for a SS tonight.  Francisco Lindor is of course your top option, with Trea Turner and Manny Machado not too far behind.  Tim Beckham and Paul DeJong (DK) are likely your best cheap options.

OutField:  As always, OF is extremely wide open tonight, and likely comes down to which of the top projected scoring teams you prefer the most tonight.  I like the Red Sox with J.D. Martinez, as well as Giancarlo Stanton and the Yankees.  Christian Yelich and Michael Brantley are other top priced options, with the other spots being best used for value plays.

On FD, Lorenzo Cain, Mallex Smith, Adam Duvall, and Melky Cabrera are all solid options if not looking to fully spend up, while Teoscar Hernandez, Lorenzo Cain, and Marcell Ozuna are salary relief targets on DK, but plenty more options are in play depending on how you see the games being played out.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team: 

Our hitting coach, James Grande, likes J.D. Martinez and Francisco Lindor if paying up, while Mallex Smith and Didi Gregorius are his top mid-priced options.  Johan Camargo and Matt Kemp are his top value plays.

Our projections have Lindor leading the way, with Baez, Aaron Hicks, Stanton, and Betts all making their way into the top five.  Rafael Devers and Tommy La Stella are the top value plays.

 

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. Out of those top five team targets, I like the Indians the best, as like the idea of loading up on their top priced bats with a Severino and Giolito pairing.  Add in some stand alones with Ozuna, La Stella, and Cain to help complete the stack.

Our stacking coach, Tom Vecchio, likes the Brewers, Blue Jays, and Yankees tonight.