Today’s baseball schedule features a jam-packed slate of 12 games, offering plenty of opportunities for MLB DFS plays. In this breakdown, we will evaluate each game and pinpoint the players who provide the best value for your daily fantasy lineups. Let’s kick things off by exploring some possible MLB DFS value picks.
MLB DFS Value and Advice | April 21
Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies
Aaron Nola is one of the top pitching options on the slate in a favorable matchup against Colorado. Nola has a 28.2% strikeout percentage since the start of last season, which is second highest on the slate. The Phillies offense is also one of the top stacks in a good matchup against Rockies starter Noah Davis.
Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees
Both teams have strong offenses, and both starting pitchers are decent. Yusei Kikuchi will take the mound for Toronto and Domingo German for New York. Kikuchi has had issues with limiting power. This makes Aaron Judge a very strong one-off play for today’s slate and Volpe offers MLB DFS value. Do not sleep on Anthony Rizzo from the left side, though, as Kikuchi is vulnerable against hitters from either side of the plate.
Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles
This game features some cheap plays if you need to save money, with Tyler Wells in a favorable matchup at $6,200 on DraftKings and the Tigers’ cheap power-hitting lefties Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter. The most appealing spot in the game is more expensive, however, as the Orioles run out a lineup full of good left-handed hitters against Michael Lorenzen.
Miami Marlins at Cleveland Guardians
There is not much interest in this game overall, but Guardians starter Zach Plesac does have power issues, so taking some shots at hitters like Jazz Chisholm or Jorge Soler makes sense. Also, keep an eye on the weather as this game could be impacted by rain.
Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves
Both teams have solid offenses, but both starting pitchers can shut down opposing hitters. Hunter Brown will take the mound for Houston and Bryce Elder for Atlanta. There is not a ton of interest in this game, but there is always merit to stacking Houston or Atlanta when they are not popular simply because of how much talent both lineups have.
Oakland Athletics at Texas Rangers
Jon Gray is a strong pitching option against a weak Oakland offense. Gray has struck out 25.5% of hitters since the start of last season. J.P. Sears has had issues with right-handed power in his career, so Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung stand out as strong plays.
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Boston Red Sox at Milwaukee Brewers
Freddy Peralta is an intriguing GPP option, as he is not receiving much ownership due to the presence of Nola and Shohei Ohtani on the slate. Peralta has the fourth-highest strikeout percentage on the slate since the start of last season, giving him plenty of upside despite a lower median projection. On the other hand, Nick Pivetta is a decent pitcher but has had issues with giving up home runs.
In terms of bats, Milwaukee offers some relatively cheap home run upside in Jesse Winker, Rowdy Tellez and William Contreras. Additionally, Brice Turang does not have much power but offers stolen base upside at close to minimum salary. Christian Yelich and Willy Adames are also playable at higher price tags.
Washington Nationals at Minnesota Twins
This game has weather concerns since it is expected to snow in Minnesota, so keep an eye on updates. If the game plays, Tyler Mahle is a good pitcher play in a favorable matchup against the Nationals. Trevor Williams has been extremely bad against left-handed hitters since the start of last season, making Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach, Edouard Julien and Joey Gallo stand out as potential plays. However, the cold weather is not ideal for hitting, so these players do not look as good as they otherwise would.
Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels
It looks like the Royals are expected to open with Taylor Clarke and have Ryan Yarbrough follow him. Angels Stadium is much more favorable for hitters than Tropicana Field, where Yarbrough has spent most of his career. As such, this is a high-upside spot for the Angels offense. Unfortunately, Ohtani is not rosterable as a hitter in this matchup, but he is still arguably the top pitching play on the slate, having struck out about 33% of hitters since the start of last season.
San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks
This game has a surprisingly high total, considering both pitchers’ talent levels. Zac Gallen is especially impressive, and there is potential for him to limit the Padres offense. On the other hand, Fernando Tatis Jr. is up to $5,100 on DraftKings, but he also picked up outfield eligibility, making him more useful in lineups with Xander Bogaerts.
St. Louis Cardinals at Seattle Mariners
This game is not particularly exciting, as it features two good but not great pitchers in a favorable pitcher’s park. Steven Matz is a little underpriced on DraftKings at $7,300, making him a viable SP2 for those who need the savings.
New York Mets at San Francisco Giants
Joey Lucchesi is expected to make his first major league appearance since 2021 after recovering from Tommy John surgery. He has a career 24.5% strikeout percentage and 3.99 xFIP. He will not go deep into the game, but he is just $5,400 on DraftKings. Anthony DeSclafani struggles with left-handed power, but this park also kills home runs. If targeting some Mets, Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil are primary options.
