Wednesday, June 9, has a nice three-game afternoon appetizer before the 12-game main slate at the usual time. Let’s get into the top MLB DFS picks for pitchers and stacks for Yahoo, DraftKings and FanDuel.
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MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers and Top Stacks, Wednesday, June 9
Yahoo Stack of the Day: New York Mets at RHP Matt Harvey — 5.3 implied runs
There were a lot of runs in last night’s game, but 10 of the 13 were plated by the Orioles. While Pete Alonso did hook up his supporters with a pair of round-trippers, they accounted for all three Mets runs and two of the four hits. Tonight gamers can go right back to the well with New York.
Baltimore is so desperate for pitching that it keeps rolling out Matt Harvey in the rotation. While he has only allowed eight home runs in 12 starts, he has not completed the fifth inning in well over a month, and at this point he is more like a glorified opener who generally gets pulled at some point during the second time through the opposing batting order. The 6.62 ERA and 1.61 baserunners per inning provide a truer picture of how sketchy things have become.
On Yahoo, the Mets salaries have ticked up compared to yesterday, and that should keep their popularity in check. Tonight the top MLB DFS picks for this stack should be Francisco Lindor and Dominic Smith, who will have the platoon advantage against Harvey. Jonathan Villar returned from his hamstring injury and should be batting leadoff again, making the top of the order plus Alonso a solid primary stack. Outfielder Billy McKinney has extra-base upside and is a fine differentiation play coming at a discounted salary on several of the DFS sites.
Afternoon Slate
San Diego Padres vs. RHP Jake Arrieta— 4.8 implied runs
This afternoon the Padres are going to be a core part of the player pool. They are squaring off against Jake Arrieta, who still has a little name recognition left, though it was all the way back in the 2017 season with the Cubs and the 2018 season with the Phillies when he was last a “stay-away” pitcher. He has been struggling since his April 30 start, after which he was placed on the injured list for a thumb abrasion, or possibly to clear his head/rest his arm. Including that outing he has allowed nine home runs in his last 25 innings while seeing his strikeouts (16) disappear.
Even without Trent Grisham, San Diego has a deep lineup that rivals any other team in the league. They have a nice combination of power, which all DFS gamers are aware of. However, they also lead the league with 64 stolen bases, which is a whopping 21 more than second-place Kansas City. Fernando Tatis Jr. is one pace for a 40/30 season even while playing through his shoulder issue. Manny Machado and Tommy Pham provide a nice blend of extra-base hit and steal upside. Jurickson Profar can be infuriating with his seemingly myriad of ways to not get on base, but when he does he tends to score — he is third on the team in runs scored and second in steals. Jake Cronenworth is a rich man’s Profar, and gamers seem to be reticent to select him for their lineups. Last but by no means least, Wil Myers and Eric Hosmer round things out as the steady veterans who are doing the little things that keep this offense humming on all cylinders.
Late Slate
Minnesota Twins vs. RHP Gerrit Cole — 4.3 implied runs
Chalk donkeys and those possessing a frail constitution can skip this section. Gerrit Cole is under the microscope for his variable spin rates and for his dodgy answer with regards to using a foreign substance for better control/grip in his last press conference. While Cole is undeniably a good pitcher, if it is the recently scrutinized “spider tack” or some other gripping aid that is making him a “great” pitcher, then the wheels could come off the wagon tonight. Additionally, baseball can be a very cerebral sport, and countless players have imploded when they “get inside their own head,” making tonight’s start must-watch viewing for seamheads everywhere.
Nelson Cruz will be 41 at the end of the month and is dealing with a variety of nagging aches and pains, but he is expected to be in the lineup today. Even with seemingly half their lineup on the injured list (Max Kepler, Byron Buxton, Luis Arraez, Mitch Garver and Jake Cave), the Twins are still an above-average offense. Josh Donaldson, Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano are a scary gauntlet to run, and there have been hints of promise from youngsters Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach. The Twins are an excellent leverage play against the field on the late slate, and they are a solid contrarian secondary stack on the main slate.
Spotlight Pitchers
Top Target: RHP Lance Lynn vs. Toronto Blue Jays — 3.6 implied runs
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $49 | FanDuel $10,400 | DraftKings $10,500
Though his name is not particularly inspiring for DFS gamers, recognize that Lance Lynn has become a complete pitcher. This season, he is in the Cy Young conversation through the first third of the season, with a 1.23 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 7-1 record, five quality starts and just over a strikeout per inning. Over 10 starts, he has allowed three runs just once, two runs three times, one run once and six times he did not allow a single earned run.
Toronto is a top-shelf offense, but they are severely lacking in quality left-handed hitters. Cavan Biggio is out for the foreseeable future, which leaves such luminaries as Joe Panik, Rowdy Tellez and Reese McGuire to carry the torch. Who would have ever guessed that Billy McKinney of all people would be so dearly missed by the Blue Jays?
Wild Card: LHP Austin Gomber at Miami Marlins — 3.9 implied runs
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $46 | FanDuel $9,500 | DraftKings $6,000
Southpaw Austin Gomber gets a nice park upgrade away from his home digs in Coors Field. Ever since he was mega-chalk in his final April start in San Francisco when he allowed nine earned runs in 1.2 innings, Gomber has been stellar. In the middle of May he held the Padres to just one earned run in home-and-away starts, and last Thursday he blanked the Rangers in Denver, allowing just three hits across half a dozen innings. The salary is a bit of a stretch on FanDuel when Lynn is just $1,300 more and Casey Mize is $700 less. With two pitchers on Yahoo, even as the third-most expensive player on the list, Gomber is a strong consideration, particularly with several discounted bats available. On DraftKings this is a gimme, so expect the Gomber/Mize pairing to be a popular one.
Final Thoughts for the Wednesday, June 9 MLB DFS Slate
With every team in action and most of the games being played in favorable hitting weather tonight, gamers only need to play pitchers and hitters they are comfortable with. As always, be mindful 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.
