DFS MLB Picks (April 30, 2017)

Pitchers:

Tom Koehler - Miami Marlins: Koehler is making fifth start of season and second at Marlins Park. Has gone 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA (21.0 ip/12 ER) in four starts this season. In six spring appearances (four starts), posted a 2-2 record and 4.67 ERA (17.1 ip/9 er).

Josh Tomlin - Cleveland Indians: Tomlin is set to make his 7th career start against the Seattle Mariners. he owns a life-time record of 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA (15ER/40.2IP) vs. Seattle.

First Baseman:

Jose Ramirez - Cleveland Indians: Ramirez ranks in tbe top in in AL Home Batting Average (.475).

Second Baseman:

Robinson Cano - Seattle Mariners: Lately. Cano is 9-for-last-49 (.310) w/7 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI & 2 BB in last 7 G (4/17-c).

Shortstop:

Didi Gregorious - New York Yankees: Gregorius returned from the 10-day D.L. on Friday and is 4-for-9 (.444) with 2R, 2 doubles and 2RBI in 2G (missed team’s first 20G w/ a right shoulder strain).

Third Baseman:

Chase Headley - New York Yankees: Headley is hitting .308 (24-for-78) with 17R, 7 doubles, 3HR, 7RBI and 13BB in 22 games this season. He has reached safely in 19-of-22 games.

Catcher:

Travis d'Arnaud - New York Mets: d'Arnaud ent 2-3 with his fi rst multi-homer game and a career-high five RBI on April 28 at Washington.

Outfielders:

Jay Bruce - New York Mets: Bruce's six home runs are tied for 13th-most in the National League.

Giancarlo Stanton - Miami Marlins: Stanton hs .354 (23x65) AVG in 19 career G at home vs. the Pirates, and has hit 5 of his 7 career HR vs. Pittsburgh and 13 of his 18 RBI.

Brett Gardner - New York Yankees: Gardner hit the leadoff  HR (#1) and three-run HR (#2) in the second and was 2-for-4 in Saturday's win vs. Baltimore

DFS MLB Picks (April 27, 2017)

Freddie Freeman ranks 2nd in the MLB with a .500 on-base percentage.

Pitchers:

Noah Syndergaard - New York Mets: Syndergaard has faced 133 batters without allowing a home run dating to last year. That is the second-longest current streak as a starting pitcher (among pitchers who have made a start this year), behind St. Louis' Mike Leake (169 batters).

Edinson Volquez - Miami Marlins: Volquez is making his fifth start with Miami, and fourth road start of 2017, posting a season record of 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA (18.2 ip/10 er). In five Grapefruit League appearances, he went 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA (14.1 ip/6 er).

First Baseman:
Freddie Freeman - Atlanta Braves: Freeman ranks second in MLB with a .500 on-base pct. and fourth with a .791 slugging pct. He is third in batting average with a .388 mark. He is T3rd in home runs (8) and T4th in the NL in walks (15).

Second Baseman:

Cesar Hernandez - Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies are 7-3 (.700) when Hernandez gets 2 or more hits in a game.

Shortstop:

Jean Segura - Seattle Mariners: Segura is 6x12/.500, w/4 R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI in 1st 2 games back of the DL.

Third Baseman:

Mikael Franco - Philadelphia Phillies: Franco had a HR and four RBI last night vs. the Marlins.

Catcher:

J.T. Realmuto - Miami Marlins: Realmuto's current 6-G hitting streak is tied with Justin Bour for longest on the team.

Outfielders:

Jay Bruce - New York Mets: Bruce has nine home runs and 21 RBI in his last 24 games with the Mets dating to September 27, 2016. In his last 13 contests, Bruce is batting .308 (16-52) with four homers and 11 RBI.

Marcell Ozuna - Miami Marlins: Ozuna is 2nd in MLB in RBI with RISP (18) and AVG with RISP (.556/10x18), and is T-2 in HR with RISP (3), and T-5 in hits with RISp.

Christian Yelich - Miami Marlins: Yelich is batting .306 (11x36) over his last 9 G, with 3 HR, 9 RBI.

DFS MLB Picks (April 20, 2017)

Pitchers:
Chris Sale - Boston Red Sox: Sale has pitched 7.0+ IP and allowed 2 or fewer R in each of his 3 starts this year. Since 1962, the only other pitchers to begin their Boston careers with such a streak are Josh Beckett (3 GS, 2006), Pedro Martinez (4 GS, 1998), and Tim Wakefield (4 GS, 19950. Sale is the only pitcher in that group to also allow 5 H or fewer in each of his first 3 starts as a Red Sox.

Noah Syndergaard - New York Mets: Is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA (four earned runs/26.1 innings pitched) in four career starts against Philadelphia, striking out 30 and walking six.

First Baseman:

Carlos Santana - Cleveland Indians: Santana extended his on-base streak at Target Field to 13 games last night.

Second Baseman:

Dustin Pedroia - Boston Red Sox: Pedroia has reached base safely in 12 of his first 14 games to begin the season, hitting in 11.

Shortstop:
Francisco Lindor - Cleveland Indians: Lindor (2-for-5) extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games with a single in the first inning of last night's game.

Third Baseman:

Pablo Sandoval - Boston Red Sox: Sandoval has 5 hits in his last 2 games, his first pair of consecutive multi-hit efforts since 7/26-28/15 (3).

Catcher:

Jason Castro - Minnesota Twins: Castro (3-for-4) snapped a personal 0-for-14 collecting a season-high three hits last night.

Outfielders:
Andrew Benintendi - Boston Red Sox: Benintendi has reached base multiple times in each of his last 4 games (.529/9-for-17, 3 R, 3 2B, 3 RBI), and 5 of his last 6 (.440/11-for-25, 4 R, 4 2B, 4 RBI).

Max Kepler - Minnesota Twins: Kepler (1-for-3) extended his current hit-streak to seven games with a single in the fourth inning of last night's game.

Michael Brantley - Cleveland Indians: Brantley is hitting .381 (8-for-21) with three doubles and two home runs over his last five games.

DFS MLB Picks (April 19, 2017)

Pitchers:

Masahiro Tanaka - New York Yankees: Tanaka will make his fourth start of the season in Wednesday's series fi nale vs. Chicago-AL. He recorded his fi rst win of the season in the Yankees' 4-3 victory on Friday vs. St. Louis (6.1IP, 5H, 3ER, 2BB, 5K, 1HR). The 28-year-old will start on regular four days' rest.

Martin Perez - Texas Rangers: Perez is scheduled to make his 4th start and appearance of the season in today’s series and road trip finale in Oakland. He has allowed just one run in 10.1 IP his last 2 starts, and his 2.20 ERA is lowest among Texas starters.

First Baseman:

Mike Napoli - Texas Rangers: Napoli is 2-for-23 in his last 6 games to drop from .194 to .148. He had a season-best 2 RBIs on Monday at Oakland.

Second Baseman:

Starlin Castro - New York Yankees: Castro was the first Yankee to reach base on Tuesday night , singling to lead off the fifth. He also drove in the Yankees’ only run with a bases loaded walk with two outs in the ninth.

Shortstop:

Orlando Arcia - Milwaukee Brewers:  Arcia has appeared in 13 games, all starts at shortstop. He has not committed an error over his last 37 games dating back to last season.

Third Baseman:

David Freese - Pittsburgh Pirates: Freese snapped an 0-for-11 with a double in the 4th inning and his 4th multi-hit game of the season.

Catcher:

Robinson Chirinos - Texas Rangers: Chirinos has 2 Hs, 2 Rs, and 3 RBIs in consecutive starts (4/9 vs. OAK; Thurs. at LAA).

Outfielders:

Adam Frazier - Pittsburgh Pirates: Frazier has scored four runs total over his last four games.

Jacoby Ellsbury - New York Yankees: Ellsbury has reached base safely in each of his last 20 games with an official plate appearance (since 9/26/16).

Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh Pirates: McCutchen has hit safely in his last nine games (12-36, .333, 2 HR).

DFS MLB Picks (April 8, 2017)

Pitchers:

Jordan Zimmerman - Detroit Tigers: Zimmermann has made three career starts against the Red Sox and has a 1-1 record with a 6.06 ERA (16.1IP/11ER) and 13 strikeouts.

Adalberto Mejia - Minnesota Twins: Mejía made six appearances (1 start) in spring training, going 1-0, 1.88 ERA (14.1 IP, 3 ER) with four walks and 14 strikeouts. he was named the club's fifth starter on March 30, making his first-career Opening Day roster.

First Baseman:

Joey Votto - Cincinnati Reds: In his last 13 appearances vs. the Cardinals beginning on Aug. 2, 2016, Votto is hitting .415 (22-53, 6 2B, 1 3B, 2HR, 9RBI). His 22 hits are the most by any player vs. St. Louis in that span.

Second Baseman:

Brian Dozier - Minnesota Twins: Dozier us currently tied for the MLB lead with three stolen bases in 2017 (Eduardo Nuñez, Raúl Mondesi). He is a career .269 (85-for-316) hitter with 17 HR, 48 RBI in 81 games vs. the White Sox. His17 HR vs.them are tied for the most vs. any team (also 17 vs. Cleveland).

Shortstop:

Tim Anderson - Chicago White Sox: Anderson has three hits in his last eight at-bats after starting the season hitless in his first five plate appearances.

Third Baseman:

Nicholas Castellanos - Detroit Tigers: Castellanos went 1-for-3 with one run, a triple and a walk in his last game.

Catcher:

Jason Castro - Minnesota Twins: Castro is tied for the MLB lead with six walks in 2017. He is hitting .266 (17-for-64) with 5 HR, 12 RBI in 17 career games vs. the White Sox.

Outfielders:

Byron Buxton - Minnesota Twins: Buxton is a career .256 (20-for-78) hitter with 5 HR, 14 RBI in 26 games vs. the White Sox.

Jose Peraza - Cincinnati Reds: During spring training, Peraza led the team in hits (23) and at bats (27).

Robbie Grossman - Minnesota Twins: Grossman has a hit in 7 of his last 8 games (10-for-30) at Guaranteed Rate Field.

DFS MLB Picks (April 7, 2017)

Pitchers:

Ivan Nova - Pittsburgh Pirates: NOva faces Atlanta today. Against them, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in one career start. He pitched 7.0 scoreless innings and struck out six batters while winning a 3-0 decision over Randall Delgado at Turner Field on 6/11/12.

Mike Foltynewicz - Atlanta Braves: Foltynewicz enters today’s start vs. Pittsburgh with a career-best five-game winning  streak. He has compiled a 3.88 ERA (22 ER/51.0 IP) during his run, which spans nine games and dates to 8/7/16. His streak is tied for the third-longest active winning streak among starting pitchers.

First Baseman:

Freddie Freeman - Atlanta Braves: Freeman posted a .489 (23-for-47) batting average in 18 spring games in 2017. He had three XBH, including two HR and 14 RBI. He poked a three-run home run last Friday night in an exhibition game vs. the Yankees at SunTrust Park.

Second Baseman:

Dustin Pedroia - Boston Red Sox: Pedroia played his 1,400th career game Wednesday, passing Dom DiMaggio (1,399) for 11th on the Sox’ all-time games played list. He reached in his 11th straight Opening Day start at 2B on Monday. The only Red Sox to start as many consecutive Opening Days at any position for the Red Sox is Carl Yastrzemski, who started 12 straight years in LF from 1961-72. Pedroia ranks among franchise leaders in hits (9th, 1,685), 2B (7th, 375), XBH (9th, 523), runs (10th, 875),
 SB (T-6th, 134), and TB (8th, 2,489).

Shortstop:

Jose Iglesias - Detroit Tigers: Iglesias finished Spring Training with a .314 (16x51) batting average with three runs scored, three doubles and four RBI in 21 games.

Third Baseman:

Nicholas Castellanos - Detroit Tigers: Yesterday against the White Sox, Castellanos went 1-for-4 with a double and a run earned. He hit the first Opening Day home run of his major league career on Tuesday against the White Sox.

Catcher:

Sandy Leon - Boston Red Sox: Leon fell a triple shy of the cycle Wednesday, ending the game with a 3-run walk-off HR in the 12th inning. According to Elias, he became the first catcher in Red Sox history to hit a walk-off HR in a shutout win. Elias also notes he was just the 4th Red Sox hitter with an extra-inning walk-off homer to end a shutout (first since Dave Stapleton in 1980). Leon was also the last player to hit such a HR and catch all 12+ innings of a shutout was STL's Del Rice in 1950 (4/30 vs. CHC, source: Elias).

Outfielders:

Emilio Bonifacio - Detroit Tigers: Bonifacio batted .278 (15-for-54) in 23 spring games, with two doubles and five RBIs.

Mookie Betts - Boston Red Sox: Betts has 24 hits in his last 15 games vs. AL Central opponents (.375/.403/.609), having reached safely in his last 10 such games, hitting in 9.

Jackie Bradley Jr. - Boston Red Sox: Bradley singled twice on Wednesday, including his 300th career hit, and stole his first base of 2017, improving to 23-for-25 (92%) in his career.

DFS MLB Picks (April 6, 2017)

Pitcher:

Jason Hammel - Kansas City Royals: Hammel earned a career-high 15 wins in 2016 with the Chicago Cubs, five more than his previous career high done four times (2009, ‘10, ‘14, ‘15). He had a 0.75 ERA (2 ER in 24.0 IP) through his first four starts, the second-best mark by a Cubs’ starter through four starts since 1920, according to Elias, trailing only Steve Stone (0.51 ERA in 1976). He won a career-high six straight starts following the 2016 All-Star break, posting a 0.95 ERA (4 ER in 38.0 IP) during that stretch. The Cubs went 17-13 (.567) in his 30 starts last season.

Kyle Gibson - Minnesota Twins: Gibson went 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA (28.1 IP, 5 ER), five walks and 19 strikeouts in Grapefruit League play in 2016. He led Minnesota in games started (7), innings pitched and strikeouts. His 1.59 ERA ranked second among qualified starters in both spring training leagues, and his 28.1 IP ranked second.

First Basemen:
Joey Votto - Cincinatti Reds: Votto led off the seventh inning of Wednesday’s 2-0 win vs Phi with his first HR of the season to snap the scoreless tie. It was the 222nd home run of his career, tying Jason Bay for fourth all-time among players born in Canada.

Second Baseman:
Brian Dozier - Minnesota Twins: Dozier hit .256 (10-for-39) with 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI in 14 spring games. 2017 marks his fifth straight season as a Twins Opening Day second baseman.

Shortstop:

Aledmys Diaz - St. Louis Cardinals: Diaz is batting a cool .400 in April, leading the Majors in the month over the last two seasons. After joining the club on the second day of the season in 2016, Diaz batted .423 (30‐71) with eight doubles, one triple, four home runs and 13 RBI. He picked up two hits in his first two at bats of the 2017 season (double, single) on Sunday night and also stole two bases.

Third Baseman:

Nicholas Castellanos - Detroit Tigers: Castellanos was on the Tigers Opening Day roster for the fourth consecutive season. He hit the first Opening Day home run of his major league career on Tuesday at the White Sox. He posted a .377 (23x61) ba$  ng average with 10 runs scored, nine doubles, four home runs and 15 RBI in 22 Grapefruit League games. He tied for the Grapefruit League lead with nine doubles, while he was tied for second with 23 hits and tied for seventh with 15 RBI.

Catcher:

Alex Avila - Detroit Tigers: Avila layed in 20 games during Spring Training and hit .116 (5x43) with three runs scored.

Outfielders:

JaCoby Jones - Detroit Tigers: Jones hit the first home run of his major league career on Tuesday at CWS with a three-run homer off of José Quintana -- became the first Tigers rookie to homer on Opening Day since Kirk Gibson in 1980.

Robbie Grossman - Minnesota Twins: Grossman hit .238 (10-for-42) with 4 2B in 18 spring training games. 2017 marked his third career Opening Day (2 with Houston in 2014 and ‘15).

Tyler Collins - Detroit Tigers: Collins played in 24 games during Spring Training and hit .259 (14x54) with three runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and 13 RBI.

DFS MLB Picks (April 4, 2017)

Pitchers:

Jake Arietta - Chicago Cubs: Arietta posted a 5.79 ERA (9 ER/14.0 IP) in four Cactus League starts, striking out 17 batters, while walking just four. He made his final Spring start, March 28 vs. the Giants (4.0 innings). In 2016, Jake went 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA (68 ER/197.1 IP). He limited opponents to an MLB-best .194 batting average. He was named to the N.L. All-Star team, his first All-Star nod.

Justin Verlander - Detroit Tigers: Verlander has started 39 games in his career against the White Sox and has a 19-13 record with a 3.84 ERA (269.2IP/115ER) and 228 strikeouts. Verlander has won his last four decisions vs. Chicago (AL) and has posted a 2.39 ERA (49.0IP/13ER) and 59 strikeouts over the seven-start stretch. Verlander made three starts against the White Sox last season and compiled a 1-0 record with a 2.57 ERA (21.0IP/6ER) and 28 strikeoutss.

First Baseman:

Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers: Cabrera hit .429 (12x28) with two runs scored, three doubles, one home run and three RBI in 11 games during Spring Training. He played in six games with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic and hit .190 (4x21) with two runs scored, one home run and three RBIs.

Second Baseman:
Jonathan Villar - Milwaukee Brewers: Villar is .310 (9-for-29) in 7 career games against the Rockies with 4 runs, 4 doubles, 4 RBI, 4 walks and 4 steals after Monday's game.

Shortstop:

Trevor Story - Colorado Rockies: Story drove in one run with one hit in four at-bats in his first game of the 2017 season against Milwaukee on Monday.

Third Baseman:
Nolan Arenado - Colorado Rockies: Arenado is a .415 (27-for-65) with 18 runs, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers and 16 RBI hitter against the Brewers. He has safely hit in all 7 games he has played at Miller Park and is a .500 (14-for-28) batter with 4 doubles, 3 homers, 9 RBI and 2 walks.

Catcher:

Omar Navaraez - Chicago White Sox: Naveraez has gone 8-21 (.381) with RISP, 7-21 (.333) vs. LHP and 12-48 (.250) with two strikes.

Outfielders:

Melkey Cabrera - Chicago White Sox: Cabrera led the White Sox in doubles (42) and batting average (.296) last season. He ranks among the American League leaders since 2015 in doubles (5th, 78), multihit games (T6th, 104) and three-hit efforts (T7th, 28). His .313 (94-300) RISP mark since 2015 is ninth-best in the AL. Cabrera is hitting .320 (48-150) with RISP in Chicago since 2015.

Charlie Blackmon - Colorado Rockies: Blackmon recorded his first RBI at Miller Park in his 11th career game at the ballpark on Monday.

Ryan Braun - Milwaukee Brewers: Bruan became the fourth player in franchise history to start at least 10 games on Opening Day, joining Robin Yount (19), Paul Molitor (12) and Jim Gantner (11).