Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: MLB DraftKings Studs and Duds for April 13
One week into the MLB season, superstars are once again dominating daily fantasy. Names like Chris Sale, Andrew McCutchen and Jose Bautista have already gotten off to fiery starts this season. Meanwhile, others like Joc Pederson and J.D. Martinez are also putting up noteworthy numbers.
With most of those players hitting the field again on Monday, DraftKings owners can implement them into their lineups. Given the fact that there are 14 games, here's a little more information on the top studs and duds for MLB daily fantasy.
Studs
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Pitcher: Scott Kazmir, Oakland Athletics ($7,200)
Not typically viewed as one of the biggest names among starting pitchers, Scott Kazmir has reinvented himself with the Oakland Athletics. The No. 2 starter behind Sonny Gray, both have provided a solid one-two punch for the franchise and fantasy owners.
As ESPN Stats & Info points out, the duo was stellar in the opening games:
The Houston native has regularly baffled his hometown team. Kazmir finished 2014 with a 2.63 ERA, 26 strikeouts and just one home run allowed over four starts against the Astros. Even with a full repertoire of aces to choose from on Monday, Kazmir will provide great value and production against Houston.
Infielder: Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,700)
In a small sample size, no Diamondbacks player has produced against Andrew Cashner the way Paul Goldschmidt has. Arizona's biggest slugger has four hits in nine at-bats with one homer, three RBI and a .500 on-base percentage against Cashner.
Goldschmidt has also been on a tear already this season with a .412 average and two home runs before going hitless on Sunday. Look for him to get back on track against Cashner and potentially even hit his third long ball of the season.
Outfielder: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins ($5,000)
Noticing a theme here with the stud batters? Sure, grabbing a player like Dee Gordon might provide solid numbers in spurts in Marlins Park, but the sluggers provide the surefire numbers.
Giancarlo Stanton hasn't done that so far, but Monday provides a sparkling opportunity.
In seven at-bats against Shelby Miller, Stanton has three hits. Of those, two have landed over the outfield wall. A superstar in the making, Stanton will finally put up the huge numbers he's expected to produce on Monday for daily owners.
Duds
Pitcher: Mat Latos, Miami Marlins ($7,800)
A huge factor in the Atlanta Braves' three-game sweep against the Marlins was Mat Latos getting shelled. Miami's offseason acquisition from the Cincinnati Reds was underwhelming in his first outing, allowing seven earned runs on six hits and two walks.
That left his ERA at 94.50 for the season thus far. Look for that number to go down, but not by much, against the same lineup.
Atlanta has gotten off to a nearly perfect start at 5-1 with its only loss coming on Sunday. Boasting a more patient lineup with Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis leading the way, the Braves will likely open up the scoring against Latos again, reducing any fantasy value he has at nearly $8,000.
Infielder: Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Boston Red Sox ($4,500)
Through six games with the Boston Red Sox, Pablo Sandoval has nine hits in 30 at-bats. That's good enough for a .300 average. He also has two walks to carry a .344 OBP during his first week with the Sox.
With all that said, why is Sandoval still listed as a dud for daily owners? His power outage in Boston so far.
Despite some consistency with the Red Sox, the Panda still has not registered an extra-base hit. No doubles, triples (not likely) or homers means his value is still low for fantasy owners. Getting his first crack at Fenway Park on the home side, don't expect that power outage to come to an end just yet.
Outfielder: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles ($5,100)
I know what you're thinking: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I can follow you for the first two, but Adam Jones?" Yes, the same player that went 4-for-4 on Friday will project as a dud on Monday solely due to his matchup.
Michael Pineda has owned Jones during their careers. The right-handed pitcher has allowed just three hits and no home runs against the fellow right-handed batter. Even with a .381 average coming in, Jones likely won't be able to have any production unless the Orioles get into the Yankees' bullpen.
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