Spotlight Pitchers: Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel with Jacob deGrom | Today, 4/23/21

MLB’s 2021 regular season is in full swing, and the Awesemo.com Spotlight Pitchers article is here to help guide the slate of pitching decisions for both DraftKings and FanDuel. Each day will feature breakdowns of starting pitchers using Awesemo’s MLB Top Pitchers Tool by identifying some of the best daily fantasy baseball starting pitching plays on each slate based on Awesemo’s top value and top-scoring daily fantasy baseball projections for the slate, relative to their projected ownership.

Check out more of Awesemo’s daily fantasy baseball tools and projections.

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Top Daily Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers | April 23

Jacob deGrom: NYM vs WAS — DraftKings $10,900; FanDuel $12,500

The Mets return home to take on the Nationals and send Jacob deGrom to the mound. Averaging 36.2 DraftKings and 60 FanDuel points seems unlikely to continue, deGrom had 14 strikeouts in one performance and is consistently dominant. With a 34.4% strikeout rate, 5.7% walk rate, 2.77 xFIP and 17.5% swinging strike rate over the past two seasons, any price for him is justifiable.

Awesemo Top Pitchers Tool gives deGrom a 30.8% chance of being a top-two pitcher on DraftKings and a 9.4% chance of being the top pitcher on FanDuel. He is also projected to be the top pitching option, though his price drops his value projections to 6.6% top-two value on DraftKings and 3.3% top-value on FanDuel. DeGrom’s daily fantasy baseball ownership projections of 52.9% DraftKings and 32.5% on FanDuel convey that the field is hardly scared off by the ridiculous salary point.

The Nationals are projected to roll out six righties and one switch-hitter, a convenient matchup for deGrom. Last season against right-handed hitters, deGrom earned 14.44 K/9, a 42.2% strikeout rate, 3.1% walk rate, 0.80 HR/9, .195 average against, 0.83 WHIP and 1.50 FIP. Granted, those numbers against lefties were hardly any worse, as he dominated everyone.

Washington is righty heavy, the projected lead-off lefty Andrew Stevenson, switch-hitter Josh Bell batting cleanup and Kyle Schwarber batting fifth could theoretically give deGrom some speed bumps. It is doubtful, however, as none of the three are hitting above Stevenson’s .219, and all three strike out upward of 25%. The Nationals have swung for a .252 batting average, 21.1% strikeout rate, .328 on-base percentage, 94 wRC+ and 11.3% HR/FB rate through last season. On a loaded Friday slate of pitching options, deGrom stands above the pack despite his staggering price point.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points A, Value D

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades: Points A, Value A


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Tyler Glasnow: TB vs TOR — DraftKings $10,100; FanDuel $11,200

Tyler Glasnow is off to a fantastic start to the season and draws the Blue Jays at home. In four starts, Glasnow has been masterful, averaging 30.5 DraftKings and 50 FanDuel points. A matchup with a right-handed Toronto roster will put him to the test, while Glasnow’s potential for significant fantasy totals remains great.

Awesemo Top Pitchers Tool gives Glasnow a 19.2% chance of being a top-two pitcher on DraftKings and a 6.3% chance of being the top pitcher on FanDuel. But like deGrom, the sky-high price tags make Glasnow a 4.7% top-two value on DraftKings and 0.40% top-value on FanDuel. Glasnow’s MLB DFS ownership projections of 31.7% DraftKings and 12.5% on FanDuel forecast him at a fraction the ownership of deGrom.

Toronto will use six right-handed hitters in the dome at Tropicana Field. Last season Glasnow tossed 14.42 K/9, a 37.9% strikeout rate, 1.19 WHIP and a .200 average against righties, though he also walked a concerning 10.5% and allowed 2.45 HR/9. He fared slightly better against lefties, with an identical .200 average against while mitigating the damage at a better rate (1.07 WHIP, 0.96 HR/9, 7.9% walk rate).

With power scattered throughout the Toronto order, the concern for Glasnow lies in his fly-ball propensity, particularly his 49.2% of batted balls to right-handed opposition (25.8% resulting in home runs). Power right-handers Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Randal Grichuk could give Glasnow some issues. Facing right-handed pitching, the Blue Jays earned a .245 batting average, 22.3% strikeout rate, .422 slugging percentage, 101 wRC+ and a 15.5% HR/FB rate. But Glasnow’s strikeout rate is up, the home runs are non-existent, and he is at half of deGrom’s ownership on DraftKings.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points A, Value D

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades: Points A, Value B

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Dylan Cease: CWS vs TEX — DraftKings $6,600; FanDuel $6,600

Dylan Cease draws the start against the Rangers. Though he is averaging just 11.7 DraftKings and 23 FanDuel points in three starts against some tough opposition (Angels, Red Sox, Royals), Cease’s strikeout rate is up, and he provides significant savings in daily fantasy salary on both sites.

Awesemo Top Pitchers Tool gives Cease a 6.7% chance of being a top-two pitcher on DraftKings and a 3.6% chance of being the top pitcher on FanDuel. His value projections are even better, a 13.8% top-two value on DraftKings and 6% top-value on FanDuel. Cease’s daily fantasy baseball ownership projections of 10.10% DraftKings and 3.4% on FanDuel make him an affordable option without too much of the field’s investment.

The Rangers are projected for a balanced batting order of five left-handed hitters and four righties. Last season’s splits for Cease were a bit better against righties but not overwhelmingly so, with a 23.3% strikeout rate, .202 average against and 1.28 WHIP against right-handed hitters. Against lefties Cease posted a 13.2% strikeout rate, .256 average against and 1.56 WHIP, though his 1.89 HR/9 causes hesitation.

Texas poses a threat with the heart of their order of lethal lefties David Dahl, Joey Gallo and Nate Lowe batting second, third, and fourth. However, they are averaging nearly a 29% strikeout rate between them, while the Rangers against right-handed pitching have swung for a .218 batting average, .295 on-base percentage and 82 wRC+ since last season. On a massive 14-game slate with plenty of batters to get to, Cease provides salary relief at moderate ownership.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points C, Value A

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades: Points C, Value A


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Once a man of 12-team teaser parlays and an abundance of season-long fantasy leagues, Chris "TopherSquints" Giordani gradually honed his fascination for sports and plus-money wagers toward Daily Fantasy Sports. A homegrown Awesemo student from the early stages of the site's inception, he became infatuated with the contrarian DFS mindset and eventually combined his passion for writing with Daily Fantasy at the Sports Gambling Podcast's website blog. Currently, Chris Giordani resides in Orange County, California, enjoys binging on stand-up comedy, and long strolls through the DraftKings lobby.

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