This series uses the FantasyLabs Tools to analyze MLB stacks in the day’s slate. The series does not provide play or fade recommendations. It provides analysis.
Tampa Bay Rays
With the Lineup Builder, it’s easy to incorporate stacks into DFS rosters. The top four-man FanDuel Pro Trends stack belongs to the Tampa Bay Rays, whose current implied team total of 5.2 runs is the second-highest mark on the slate (per the Vegas Dashboard):
The Rays will likely have high ownership (which Pro subscribers can review after lineup lock via our DFS Ownership Dashboard), so stacking bottom-of-the-order batters could be a sharp move in guaranteed prize pools. Logan Morrison, Steven Souza, and Colby Rasmus are all hitting the ball well with recent batted ball distances of at least 237 feet, exit velocities of 95 miles per hour, and hard hit rates of 52 percent — and they all also have at least seven Pro Trends and 86 percent Bargain Ratings.
One player who could differentiate Tampa Bay stacks is Derek Norris, projected to hit eighth (per our Lineups page). He has strong Statcast data and a Recent Batted Ball Luck score of +41. Historically (per our Trends tool), similarly unlucky FanDuel batters with comparable lineup spots, implied team totals, and Statcast data have produced a Plus/Minus of +0.98.
New York Yankees
The top five-man DraftKings stack in the Bales Model belongs to the Yankees:
All five stacked batters have recent batted ball distance averages of at least 220 feet, and Brett Gardner in particular is hot right now with distance and fly ball differentials of +38 feet and +22 percentage points. Despite their high strikeout numbers, the Yankees in this stack all have wOBAs of at least .316 against right-handed pitching. It’s mildly concerning that Orioles righty Kevin Gausman has held opponents to a 25 percent hard hit rate over his last two games, but the Yankees are implied for a respectable 4.6 runs. Although the Yankees-Orioles game has a 38 percent chance of precipitation, only a light drizzle is expected. Be sure to monitor the weather as lineup lock approaches.
Kansas City Royals
A top four-man DraftKings stack in the CSURAM88 Model belongs to the Royals, who presently lead the slate with an 86 Team Value Rating:
The Royals are implied for a not insignificant 4.8 runs and are buoyed by the red hot Salvador Perez, who leads the slate with 11 Pro Trends and over the last 15 days has destroyed the baseball with a 255-foot batted ball distance, 93 mph exit velocity, and 59 percent fly ball rate. Batters with comparable Statcast data have historically produced a Plus/Minus of +1.00 on DraftKings. Tigers starter Matt Boyd has allowed the highest wOBA on the slate over the past 15 days and surrendered an embarrassing recent hard hit rate of 50 percent.
It’s problematic that the Tigers-Royals game has a 76 percent chance of precipitation, but that could give the Royals especially low ownership in GPPs. If the game looks like it’s going to play, the Royals could warrant some speculative exposure.
Good luck, and be sure to read our MLB Breakdown later today!
News Updates
After this piece is published, FantasyLabs is likely to provide news updates on a number of players herein mentioned. Be sure to stay ahead of your competition with our industry-leading DFS-focused news blurbs:
