Cash games typically reward high floor rosters. You don't need to score 60 points on FanDuel or 160 on DraftKings to win money. Instead, you should aim for a nice base of around 40 and 120 points, respectively. Our MLB Cash Game Picks will highlight the top pick and a value pick at each position for both platforms.

Pitcher

Max Scherzer

FanDuel SalaryDraftKings SalaryOpponentFIPK%GB%Vegas
Run Total & ML
$11,000$12,100Phillies2.8527.90%36.70%7 WAS -210

Tyson Ross

FanDuel SalaryDraftKings SalaryOpponentFIPK%GB%Vegas
Run Total & ML
$8,600$9,500Giants3.2424%57%6.5 SD -140

Dallas Keuchel

FanDuel SalaryDraftKings SalaryOpponentFIPK%GB%Vegas
Run Total & ML
$8,300$6,700Rangers3.2118.10%63.50%8.5 HOU -130

Henderson Alvarez

FanDuel SalaryDraftKings SalaryOpponentFIPK%GB%Vegas
Run Total & ML
$7,300$6,400Rays3.5814.40%53.80%7.5 MIA -160

He has competition for the honors of being called the top pitcher starting today with the return of Chris Sale and King Felix pitching, but Scherzer is facing a dreadful Phillies lineup and doesn't have to navigate a designated hitter. Furthermore, Sale is making his first start of the season after opening the recovering from a fractured foot. Last year, Mad Max ranked tied for fourth in strikeout rate, seventh in K-BB% (20.9%) and 11th in FIP while pitching in the American League. His season debut was brilliant, but poor defense and a lack of run support left him saddled with the loss. He should get his first win of the season today as the biggest betting favorite.

Tyson Ross kicked off this season the way he pitched much of last year, superbly. He allowed two earned runs in six innings to a talented Dodgers offense. The tall righty faces a less formidable Giants offense today, and does so at home. In 2014, Ross was unstoppable at home managing a 26.7% strikeout rate and 2.40 FIP in 100.2 innings at Petco Park. The Giants are unlikely to have many answers for this workhorse, and he's an affordable alternative to the quartet of Scherzer, Sale, King Felix and Zack Greinke at FanDuel and just a little more expensive than Greinke at DraftKings.

Dallas Keuchel lacks the strikeout upside of the top two arms highlighted, but he is capable of getting empty swings when he needs them with his slider. What Keuchel does best is keep the ball on the ground. In fact, no qualified starter did a better job of coaxing groundballs than Keuchel. The southpaw walked only 5.9% of the batters he faced last year, and his ability to pound the strike zone and seek groundball contact allows him to pitch deep into games. Pitching in Texas isn't ideal from a park factor standpoint, but his price tag makes that sacrifice worth stomaching, especially on DraftKings.

Henderson Alvarez is kind of like a poor man's Keuchel. He lacks the wipeout slider to miss bats featured by Keuchel, but he keeps the ball on the ground at a very high rate. By pitching at home, he'll be facing a Rays offense without a designated hitter. His offense will get to take cuts against one of the worst pitchers starting today, and he's a sizable betting favorite as a result. He's not an SP1 on DraftKings due to his low strikeout output, but he's a fine SP2 and a good cash games target on FanDuel where wins carry heavier weight.

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Comments
sports_25tolife
Love the Charlie Blackmon play today Josh, probably my No. 1 outfield play.
JasonG4s
Kinsler and the Tigers off to a great start.
ArtVandelay10
Nice call on Snider, wish I used him more