MLB DFS action on Friday, April 9, features nine games across three slates with giant contests on Yahoo, DraftKings and FanDuel. Before locking in lineups, make sure to check out Awesemo’s daily fantasy baseball top stacks, picks, rankings and projections. Let’s dig into some MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy baseball stacks, including the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds.
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MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Hitters and Stacks, Friday, April 9th
Yahoo Stack of the Day: Toronto Blue Jays vs. LHP Andrew Heaney — 5.0 implied runs
Keep in mind that the Blue Jays’ home field is currently TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla. This is also their Spring Training facility, and note that they will be in Florida at least through April. Though, as the weather warms up, they may go to Buffalo, N.Y. (where they played last year) — or even Toronto — depending on travel restrictions.
Toronto is going to roll out a very right-handed-heavy lineup against Andrew Heaney. He has done a masterful job against opposite-handed hitters, with a 25.1% strikeout rate since the beginning of 2018. However, he has allowed a .202 ISO, 42.5% hard-hit rate and a 1.69 K/9 in this timeframe. Generally he keeps baserunners to a minimum, but unlucky sequencing can strike at any time.
The priority MLB DFS picks should be Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez. This takes into account salary, position and likely batting order position. Danny Jansen will be at the bottom of the order, but at $8 on Yahoo he is a fine option at catcher.
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Afternoon Slate
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. RHP Joe Ross — 5.5 implied runs
Last year Nationals pitcher Joe Ross opted out of the abbreviated season for health concerns. While he has not made an appearance since Washington’s World Series run in 2019, this also has allowed him to hopefully be healthy for once. Unfortunately for Nationals fans, that is the end of the good news. Ross has shown flashes of upside, but he projects better as a reliever than a starter. Across his five seasons in The Show, he has managed 57 starts in 78 appearances for just 335.1 innings. The biggest concern with Ross is the elevated walk rate and lack of strikeouts. This inevitably leads to runners in scoring position when he gives up extra-base hits.
For the three-game afternoon slate, the Dodgers will be popular, but do not let that dissuade from loading up. Even with Cody Bellinger out, this is still a fierce lineup. Look to the lefties first, with Corey Seager and Max Muncy leading the way. The next priority tier should include Justin Turner and Mookie Betts, then gamers can use the bottom third of the order for differentiation and salary relief.
Late Slate
Cincinnati Reds at RHP Taylor Widener — 5.3 implied runs
Tonight the Chase Field roof will be open, with a game-time temperature in the mid- to upper-90s. That will lessen the impact of the humidor and improve the hitting conditions. Caleb Smith has been pulled from the rotation, so Taylor Widener will make his second start of the season. While he was slated to take the mound on Saturday, he is still on regular rest.
This spring there was talk of Widener working out of the bullpen and potentially be in the mix as a closer, but Arizona has opted to keep him in the rotation out of necessity. Jesse Winker has been dealing with a non-COVID illness, though if he is at the top of the lineup tonight, he should be a priority. If it is Tyler Naquin starting in his place, he is a nice option as well despite being a pinch-hit risk if a lefty comes in out of the bullpen.
Nicholas Castellanos has flashed early power, and he is being protected in the lineup by Eugenio Suarez and Mike Moustakas, who both have above-average pop. Joey Votto will be 38 in September, but he is never an easy out. Both Nick Senzel and Jonathan India are differentiation plays on the main slate, and they should be priority plays on the late slate for the salary relief they provide.
Final Thoughts for the Friday, April 9th MLB DFS Slate
Tonight’s main slate is a short one compared to what Fridays typically bring. As the weather warms up, there will be fewer afternoon games. Keep in mind that salaries and scoring formats differ across the various fantasy sites, and a home run play on Yahoo may be a below-average MLB DFS pick on DraftKings or FanDuel.
