MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers and Top Stacks | April 12
MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers
He got a chance with the Red Sox during the wonky 2020 season, giving up 21 runs across 11 innings. Seattle and Philadelphia gave him a look in 2023, though he did not make it to The Show with either team. Last year, as a 31-year-old, he went to the KBO, where he was stellar for the NC Dinos, winning the Korean equivalent of the Cy Young Award. Tonight he has the delightful matchup against the Colorado Rockies, who are one of the worst offenses in the league.
The most decorated hurler on the slate is RHP Corbin Burnes, who has finished in the top-eight of the Cy Young Award voting each of the last five seasons, winning the award in 2021. He has been an All-Star each of the last five seasons, though he has been off to a rough start this year, though his first game was against the torpedo bats of the Yankees in New York, followed up by a meh outing in Washington. It is still early in the season, but Milwaukee has scored the third-most runs and last season they were sixth overall. Burnes should be able to handle his former team, though it will be interesting to see his overall popularity.
The third option is RHP Bryan Woo, who has flashed plenty of strikeout upside for Seattle, though he has had trouble staying healthy. Woo was a bit of a surprise pick by the Mariners, going in the sixth-round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He had just 69.1 innings at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he was mostly a reliever over three seasons. The M’s liked his pitch offerings and decided to make him a project and see if he could build up the stamina to be a regular in the rotation. So far he has done that, when healthy, enjoying his favorable home park and also playing for a team that has prioritized his availability.
The Rangers were a middling offense last year and it looks like more of the same this season. It was all the way back in 2023, that Texas tallied the third most runs in the league, with an All-Star laden lineup. Woo has done a nice job of limiting power, even to opposite-handed batsmen. If he can mitigate the efforts of Corey Seager, Joc Pederson and Jake Burger, he should be able to flirt with a quality start and a handful of strikeouts.
There are no terrifying bats in the Washington offense, especially with CJ Abrams hurting his hip on a successful stolen base attempt last night. The Nationals have some intriguing youngsters like Dylan Crews, James Wood and Luis Garcia, plus adequate veterans such as Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe, but there is nobody who even comes close to the likes of Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, Trea Turner or even Kyle Schwarber.
MLB DFS Picks: Top Stacks
Main Slate Primary Target: Los Angeles Dodgers
On tap tonight is a matchup with RHP Ben Brown, who has had a rough go in his three outings, starting with the Tokyo Series against tonight’s opponent. Across 11.2 innings, he has allowed 11 runs, with a whopping nine walks. The 15 strikeouts are nice, but if he can’t get his walks under control, it is going to be ugly more often than not.
Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts are the other two MVPs at the top of the LA lineup, with continually improving Teoscar Hernandez hitting cleanup. He had been a maven against southpaws, but the two-time All-Star has really come into his own in same-handed matchups.
Michael Conforto was a great add for the Dodgers, who can afford to use him in a platoon situation. He holds his own against fellow-lefties, but he should slot higher in the order with a right-handed hurler on the mound.
Switch-hitting Tommy Edman is better against lefties, as is likely nine-hole hitter Andy Pages. Catcher Will Smith has been pushed down the order with the addition of Conforto and improvements for Hernandez, though he is still in play on DraftKings and Yahoo, to meet the backstop requirement. Max Muncy never gets cheated at the plate and the free-swinging lefty could put one in the cheap seats, if he is able to connect against Brown.
Early Slate Primary Target: Tampa Bay Rays
Smith-Shawver is among the top prospects in the Atlanta organization, though he has been brought along slowly, after being a seventh-round selection in the 2021 MLB Draft. To coax the high schooler away from playing football and baseball at Texas Tech, Atlanta ponied up close to a million dollar signing bonus. The strikeout potential is there, though there are still command and control issues for the 22-year-old.
This afternoon will be pleasant for the fans, with temperatures in the mid-70s and a 40%-45% humidity range. The best part for everyone, except for the pitchers, is a 12-to-17 mph breeze out to right field. This will definitely benefit lefties Brandon Lowe, Jonathan Aranda and Kameron Misner. Yandy Diaz is always in play as a non-traditional leadoff hitter, who has excellent OBP. Junior Caminero and Jake Mangum can be sprinkled in as appropriate.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks
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Miami is facing RHP Trevor Williams, who is a subpar starter. In turn, with Alcantara on the mound as detailed in the DFS section above, the Marlins have all of the advantages that should help enable them to lead by two runs after five innings.
