Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: MLB DraftKings Ideal Lineup Picks for June 1 – Bleacher Report
Even without a full slate of games, there are enough big names available Monday to put together a great daily fantasy baseball team. The key will be to pick the correct ace pitcher out of the many in action as well as a good enough lineup to put you into the money on DraftKings.
Here is a look at the best options available for both pitchers and hitters for June 1.
Pitchers
Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh Pirates ($9,900)
There are a lot of elite options Monday, with Gerrit Cole, Felix Hernandez, Clayton Kershaw, Jacob deGrom and Garrett Richards all valued at $9,500 or more. However, Cole represents the best value based on his recent performance, matchup and location.
Cole has a 2.11 ERA for the season while totaling 25 strikeouts and just two walks in the past three starts. Against an inconsistent San Francisco Giants lineup in a ballpark that ranks dead last in average offense per game, via ESPN.com, Cole should keep up his recent success.
Michael Pineda, New York Yankees ($8,800)
Al Bello/Getty Images
It might be difficult for Michael Pineda to earn a win while going head-to-head against Felix Hernandez, but the Yankees starter can still come through with a solid start. Even with some bad performances this year, the 26-year-old pitcher doesn’t hurt himself, throwing just five walks all season. He currently leads the league with a 13.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The bad luck that has cost him in the past should eventually turn around, possibly against the light-hitting Seattle Mariners.
Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals ($6,800)
For those looking to save some money at the pitching spot, Jaime Garcia holds a lot of upside for a reasonable cost.
The left-hander has two quality starts in his only two appearances this year, and after throwing five walks in his first game, he had zero in his second. If he can maintain control, Garcia can shut down a Milwaukee Brewers team that needed 17 innings Sunday to avoid an eight-game losing streak.
Hitters
Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs ($5,000)
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Even with high expectations coming into the year, Kris Bryant has lived up to them with both power and consistency at the plate. He now has a hit in 16 of the last 18 games with six home runs in that stretch while turning himself into one of the top fantasy hitters in the league.
There is no reason Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Urena—who allowed 10 hits and five runs in his only career start—should slow down Bryant’s hot start.
Wilson Ramos, C, Washington Nationals ($3,500)
Hitting a knuckleball can be a real challenge, unless you know how to do it. Wilson Ramos fits in that group after going 9-for-13 with a double and a home run in his career against R.A. Dickey.
With another shot at Dickey on Monday, Ramos is set for another big game.
Wilmer Flores, 2B/SS, New York Mets ($3,300)
A good place to save money is often the middle infield, and Wilmer Flores is someone who can fit in either spot and provide some upside. In the last seven games, he has two home runs and seven RBI, including a walk-off single.
Adding a cheap player with some pop is a smart option for your lineup.
Team to Stack
Los Angeles Dodgers
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Despite a poor series against the Cardinals, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a quality lineup that can hit a lot of home runs. This is bad news for Colorado Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick, who has a 6.38 ERA this season and is near the bottom of the league with 13 home runs allowed.
Playing in hitter-friendly Coors Field could lead to some big outputs for Dodgers stars like Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier and Joc Pederson.
Note: All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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