Spotlight Pitchers: Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel with Lance Lynn | Today, 4/15/21

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 projections for the slate, relative to their projected ownership.

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Top Daily Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers | April 15

Lance Lynn (Early Slate): CWS vs. CLE — DraftKings $9,400, FanDuel $10,200

Just when Lance Lynn‘s complete game shutout of the Royals resonated within the clubhouse a week ago, Carlos Rodon had to go one-up him with a no-hitter last night. As a newcomer to the White Sox this season, Lynn is averaging 31 DraftKings and 52 FanDuel points per game on the shoulders of 11.2 K/9, 31.5% strikeout rate, a mere 3.7% walk rate, 0.95 WHIP and 1.09 FIP. Hosting the Indians, Lynn’s assignment for Thursday provides potential for considerable fantasy production.

Awesemo’s projections of 18.23 DraftKings and 32.33 FanDuel points forecast Lynn as a top option for Thursday’s first batch of games. He is projecting for 24.7% ownership on DraftKings and 24.4% on FanDuel, which is no surprise as Lynn is the clear-cut premium pitcher for the early slate (besides Jacob deGrom on DraftKings).

Squaring off with a Cleveland team projected to assign four left-handed hitters and two switch-hitters, Lynn has his hands full but has proven his splits effective. He struck out 27.1% of lefties last year and posted a .182 average against, 0.90 WHIP, .219 BABIP and 1.06 HR/9. Against fellow right-handers, Lynn struck out 24.7%, allowed a .229 average, 1.22 WHIP and .264 BABIP, though he also surrendered 1.73 HR/9 against the split. While the Indians are no slouch opponent, since last year Cleveland has a ho-hum .223 batting average, 24% strikeout rate, .301 wOBA and 86 wRC+. On an intriguing early slate of pitching options, Lynn remains one of the best.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points B, Value D

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades: Points B, Value C

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Rich Hill: TB vs. TEX — DraftKings $9,000, FanDuel $7,700

Rich Hill may in fact be a warlock. In his last start, he pitched six innings of four-hit, seven-strikeout baseball against the Yankees, with four earned runs en route to 21.1 DraftKings and 33 FanDuel points. In two starts for Tampa this season, Hill has posted a 27.5% strikeout rate, 9.90 K/9, .280 BABIP, 5.0% walk rate and .237 average against.

Awesemo Top Pitchers Tool projects Hill with a 33.2% chance of being a top-two pitcher on DraftKings and a 14.6% chance of being the top pitcher on FanDuel. Awesemo projects him for 16.15 DraftKings and 28.52 FanDuel points, making him a mid- to high-range option on Thursday’s main slate. A costly investment on DraftKings, Hill’s asking price gives him a top-two chance of 22.7% on the site, while he has a 13.2% chance of being the top-value pitcher on FanDuel. His ownership is a bit high, however, with projections of 35% ownership on DraftKings and 24.1% on FanDuel.

The Rangers will have four lefties and one switch-hitter. Last season Hill struggled against lefties, yet nothing was a condemnable blemish. While allowing just a .176 average against and .200 BABIP, Hill also had a 1.50 WHIP, 7.38 xFIP, 9.5% strikeout rate and 19% walk rate. Against opposing righties last season, Hill had a 21.5% strikeout rate, 1.12 WHIP, .208 average against, .247 BABIP and 4.59 xFIP. Since last year, the Rangers have a .220 batting average, .279 wOBA, .138 ISO, and 75 wRC+. Although Hill’s salary cost is a bit much to absorb on DraftKings, the price is fair on FanDuel and makes him worth rostering.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points C, Value C

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades: Points B, Value D


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Julio Urias: LAD vs. COL — DraftKings $10,100, FanDuel $9,600

Julio Urias is coming off a shaky start in his last outing, but drawing a lackluster Rockies opponent could help right the ship. In his two starts this season, Urias has posted an 18% strikeout rate, 6.39 K/9, 12.1% swinging-strike rate, 2.0% walk rate, .245 average against and 1.03 WHIP. He is averaging 19.4 DraftKings and 34.5 FanDuel points in those starts.

Awesemo Top Pitchers Tool gives Urias a 34.6% chance of being a top-two pitcher on DraftKings and a 16% chance of being the top pitcher on FanDuel, the best projection on the slate. However, his high price drives down his value, as he has a 17% chance of being a top-two value pitcher on DraftKings and 7.3% chance of being the top value on FanDuel. He projects for high ownership, though, so be mindful of that.

Urias projects is due to face five righties and four left-handed hitters tonight. In 2020 Urias had a .288 wOBA, 0.67 HR/9, 18.5% strikeout rate, 1.29 WHIP and .247 average against righties. Against lefties, Urias struck out 25%, allowed a .137 average, 3.66 FIP and .139 BABIP, but had a mildly concerning 1.23 HR/9. The Rockies had a .267 batting average, .329 BABIP, 23.3% strikeout rate, 11.4% HR/FB rate and 81 wRC+ against lefties since last year. Despite the excruciating asking price, Urias remains among the better pitching options available on Thursday’s main slate.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points C, Value E

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades: Points B, Value E


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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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