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.