Penned By: @Ryan_Humphries on Twitter and LineStar Chat.

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Main Slate Rundown 🏟

All 30 MLB teams are hitting the diamond today and we’ll have a 10-game set-up for this evening’s main slate beginning at 7:07 ET! We’ve got deGrom and Ohtani leading the way among the pitching options, some intriguing arms out of the mid-range of DFS pricing, Coors Field is back once again with a lofty 12-run over/under, and many other offenses will be landing in strong spots. The weather also looks clear across the country so there are no postponement concerns. It’s a great day to be a baseball addict! Let’s dive into the action, and best of luck!

Main slate match-ups with implied run totals and moneyline odds:

Main Slate Weather Outlook 💨🌦️☁️

Check LineStar's MLB Daily Dashboard to see an overview of the most up-to-date game forecasts.

Overview: The forecast is clear of rain but there are a few games where winds could have an impact.

SD @ NYM (7:10 ET): Winds blowing OUT to right at 10-15 mph.

SEA @ CHC (7:40 ET): Temps around 70 degrees at first pitch with winds blowing OUT to dead center at 10 mph. These are solid-hitting conditions at the wind-sensitive Wrigley Field, and that is partially reflected in the high 10.5-run over/under.

CWS @ MIN (7:40 ET): Mid-70s at first pitch with 10-15 mph crosswinds blowing right to left.

LAD @ SF (9:45 ET): Winds near 20 mph will be blowing OUT to center, but keep in mind that Oracle Park is designed to mitigate wind impacts.

Pitchers to Consider ⚾

Jacob deGrom (RHP), TEX | DK: $9.9k, FD: $10.6k | vs. KC

deGrom got ambushed by the Phillies in his season debut, allowing five runs on six hits over 3.2 IP (73 pitches). Then he remembered he was Jacob deGrom, and he followed up the Opening Day stinker with a dominant performance over a quality Baltimore Orioles offense in his second 2023 start last Wednesday. Against the O’s, deGrom threw six two-hit innings on 92 pitches, allowing a single run, and, most importantly, he racked up 11 Ks and netted 35.1 DKFP/58 FDFP. It’s of course just a two-game sample size, spanning 9.2 IP, but deGrom is now rocking a 46.2% kRate and a 1.74 SIERA. He now gets the pleasure of facing a Royals team that has had arguably the worst offense over the first 12 days of the season. In 283 PA vs. RHPs, Kansas City is hitting for a.175 AVG, .243 wOBA, and 47 wRC+ -- ranking dead last in all three categories. What that 47 wRC+ tells is that if you take a team of league-average players and cut their production in half, the Royals are still a little bit worse than that at the moment. Anything can happen in baseball but deGrom facing the MLB’s worst current offense should lead to nothing but good things out of the Rangers’ ace tonight.

Alek Manoah (RHP), TOR | DK: $7.7k, FD: $9.9k | vs. DET

Manoah followed the same blueprint as deGrom by getting rocked on Opening Day but bouncing back in his second start that came last Wednesday. Even though his last start did come against the woeful Royals offense, Manoah was still impressive, allowing just a single hit across 7.0 IP and 98 pitches. He’ll receive another positive match-up against the Detroit Tigers who are just slightly “better” than the Royals. In Detroit’s 226 PA vs. RHPs, they’re mustering a .213 AVG, .258 wOBA, and 61 wRC+. Manoah will make his first home start of the season tonight. In 96.2 IP at home in 2022, Manoah held an impressive 2.42 ERA, .191 opp AVG, and 0.92 WHIP. He’s not a huge strikeout pitcher but he is a guy who can still tack on around a K per inning so if he can be as efficient as he was in his previous start, Manoah should land somewhere in the 6-to-8 strikeout range. The Blue Jays are also heavily favored with -280 ML odds so we should be counting on a win/quality start bonus out of Manoah as well.

Pablo Lopez (RHP), MIN | DK: $7.3k, FD: $9.6k | vs. CWS

He hasn’t faced the most difficult competition (Royals & Marlins), but nonetheless, Lopez has looked excellent through his first two starts in a Twins uniform. Through his 12.1 IP, he has allowed a single run (0.73 ERA) and just nine total hits + walks (0.73 WHIP) while boasting a huge 36.4% kRate, 30.6% CSW%, and an 84.0 mph average exit velocity (95th percentile). The White Sox (110 wRC+ vs. RHPs, ranks 9th) will be a tougher test than what Lopez has previously dealt with early in this season, but he will get the benefit of pitching in his home ballpark for the first time and Target Field has rated out as the #9 most pitcher-friendly ballpark. Lopez is more appropriately priced on FanDuel and is firmly in play if you’re not going with a guy like deGrom or Ohtani, but his $7,300 salary on DraftKings makes him an excellent SP2 candidate.

Other Pitchers to Consider:

Shohei Ohtani (RHP), LAA | DK: $9.7k, FD: $10.8k | vs. WAS

Dustin May (RHP), LAD | DK: $9.2k, FD: $9.5k | @ SF

Team Stacks to Target 🎯

Disclaimer: Stacking in MLB DFS is not a requirement but it is a very common strategy used to take down GPPs. This strategy is covered in more detail in the MLB DFS strategy guide linked in the header at the top of this newsletter. Check out the MLB StackFinder on LineStar.

Obligatory Coors Field Stacks:

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kyle Freeland (LHP), COL

Colorado Rockies vs. Miles Mikolas (RHP), STL

Non-Coors Stacks:

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Matt Manning (RHP), DET

+ Blue Jays: 5.2 implied runs.

+ Blue Jays are playing their home opener tonight. The Rogers Centre is a solid hitter’s ballpark, particularly for home runs (ranked #8 for HRs in 2022).

+ Toronto has been a top-five offense vs. RHPs: 250 PA, .287 AVG (1st), .351 wOBA (4th), .360 OBP (2nd), 127 wRC+ (4th).

+ In 66.0 career innings pitched on the road, Matt Manning has a 5.73 ERA, .294 opp AVG, .336 opp wOBA, 1.47 WHIP, and a low 16.5% kRate.

+ Detroit’s bullpen has allowed a league-high 2.29 HR/9 this season paired with a poor 6.18 ERA, 5.21 xFIP, 1.45 WHIP, and 17.4% kRate.

- Toronto could stand to show off a bit more power, as they’re generating just a .133 team ISO this season.

Favorite TOR Bats: Vlad. Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman | Bargain Bat: Kevin Keirmaier

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Alex Wood (LHP), SF

+ Dodgers vs. LHPs: .376 wOBA, .254 ISO, 133 wRC+

+ The Dodgers have hit Alex Wood well in the past. In 149 PA vs. Wood, the current LAD roster has a .301 AVG and .386 wOBA against him.

+ SF Bullpen: 6.27 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 18.2% HR/FB Rate.

-/+ Oracle Park is one of the worst hitter’s ballparks. However, even though the park design mitigates the wind factor, some 20+ mph winds blowing out to center tonight could still be a net positive.

- Primary LAD bats are pricey.

Favorite LAD Bats: Mookie Betts, Will Smith, JD Martinez | Bargain Bat: James Outman

Low-Owned Stack That Just Might Work Out 🤔

Los Angeles Angels vs. Josiah Gray (RHP), WAS

+ Angels laid a bit of a stinker last night when they were fairly chalky, so expected much lower ownership on a larger slate today.

+ Josiah Gray is prone to giving up the long ball. He gave up three HRs in his season debut to the Braves and in 30 PA vs. RHBs, he is allowing a huge .267 ISO.

+ WAS Bullpen: 5.00 xFIP & 17.4% kRate.

- Since Ohtani is pitching, he won’t be available to roster as a part of any Angels offensive stacks.

- Primary Angels bats are still going to eat up a large chunk of lineup salary.

Favorite LAA Bats: Mike Trout, Hunter Renfroe, Gio Urshela | Bargain Bat: Logan O’Hoppe

One-Off Bats ☝️

A maximum of one hitter per team will be listed below. Feel free to use these players as one-off options, one-half of a two-man mini-stack, or a core piece to a full team stack.

Default cut-off to qualify as a 'Bargain Batter' is <$4,100 on DraftKings

2B/OF Mookie Betts, LAD | DK: $6.2k, FD: $3.8k | vs. Alex Wood (LHP), SF

1B Vlad Guerrero Jr., TOR | DK: $5.7k, FD: $3.9k | vs. Matt Manning (RHP), DET

OF Julio Rodriguez, SEA | DK: $5.7k, FD: $4.1k | vs. Hayden Wesneski (RHP), CHC

1B Paul Goldschmidt, STL | DK: $5.6k, FD: $4.2k | vs. Kyle Freeland (LHP), COL

1B Matt Olson, ATL | DK: $5.4k, FD: $4.3k | vs. Luis Cessa (RHP), CIN

OF Hunter Renfroe, LAA | DK: $5k, FD: $2.8k | vs. Josiah Gray (RHP), WAS

SS Corey Seager, TEX | DK: $5k, FD: $3k | vs. Jordan Lyles (RHP), KC

2B Ryan McMahon, COL | DK: $4.8k, FD: $3.2k | vs. Miles Mikolas (RHP), STL

2B Nico Hoerner, CHC | DK: $4.6k, FD: $2.8k | vs. Chris Flexen (RHP), SEA

Bargain Batters 💸

Note: Additional hitting value may open up once all official starting lineups are released. For now, here are some cheap hitters who are projected to be on the field tonight and find themselves in a good spot to pay off their modest DFS salaries.

OF Daulton Varsho, TOR | DK: $4k, FD: $3.4k | vs. Matt Manning (RHP), DET

C Sean Murphy, ATL | DK: $3.8k, FD: $2.4k | vs. Luis Cessa (RHP), CIN

C Cal Raleigh, SEA | DK: $3.7k, FD: $2.9k | vs. Hayden Wesneski (RHP), CHC

SS Orlando Arcia, ATL | DK: $3.1k, FD: $2.4k | vs. Luis Cessa (RHP), CIN

OF Jordan Walker, STL | DK: $2.9k, FD: $3.3k | vs. Kyle Freeland (LHP), COL

1B/3B Mike Moustakas, COL | DK: $2.7k, FD: $2.7k | vs. Miles Mikolas (RHP), STL

1B/2B Donovan Solano, MIN | DK: $2.3k, FD: $2.1k | vs. Lance Lynn (RHP), CSW

Home Run Calls of the Day 💣

Ryan’s PrizePicks Power Play of the Day⚡

Here is a two-pick “Power Play” I’m liking for today's MLB action over on PrizePicks! Nothing is ever a guarantee to hit but I put my own money on these picks so I don't just lightly throw them out there without believing they'll cash! If it hits, it will return 3x the wager.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. MORE than 1.5 Total Bases

Julio Rodriguez MORE than 0.5 Runs

🆕 Props AI 🆕

In LineStar’s ongoing mission to improve, innovate, and help you reel in some cash, we are introducing Props AI for MLB! This tool can help you find value and mispriced odds on player props from sportsbooks and, more specifically, for PrizePicks and UnderDog Fantasy!

Speaking of props, put the Props AI tool to use by signing-up for UnderDog Fantasy for 2-months of LineStar Premium (Promo code: LINESTAR). Plus $100 deposit match for new customers. What many people may not realize is that you can legally place prop bets in most states using UnderDog (or PrizePicks) – it’s called Pick'Em and it’s insanely easy.

Best of luck out there today, everyone!