MLB Cash Game Picks : 6-9-15

Cash Game Locks: MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball

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

Today's slate is loaded with many a talented arm, but when factoring in opponent, Corey Kluber stands out as one of the top two cash games options. Max Scherzer is tasked with facing the Yankees at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, and he's opposing Masahiro Tanaka, so I'll be passing on the most expensive arm. Even with a slow start, Kluber has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year. The righty is fifth in strikeout rate, second in K-BB% (26.5%), third in FIP and xFIP (2.37). He's facing a very strikeout-happy Mariners squad that has posted the third highest strikeout rate (23.6%) against right-handed pitchers. Even when the M's are putting the ball in play, they aren't doing a ton of damage ranking tied for 22nd in wRC+ (89). In addition to having sky high strikeout upside, Kluber and the Indians are the biggest betting favorites today, making him a strong bet to pick up a win. He's an easy top pick without accounting for cost, and even as a five-figure option, he's worth it on most cash games rosters.

If you're looking to pay for a sub-five-figure arm so that you can pony up for some of the big total at Coors Field, Francisco Liriano makes for a great pick. Depending on which sports book you check, Liriano is either the second or third biggest betting favorite tonight. He and the Pirates are opposing Taylor Jungmann and the Brewers. Jungmann is a rookie who is making his first big league start and has been getting rocked at the Triple-A level. He's totaled a 6.47 ERA and a 3.88 FIP. The FIP suggests he's been a bit unlucky, but his 11.2% walk rate isn't going to cut it at the big league level. I fully expect the Pirates to hammer Jungmann and provide run support. As for Liriano, he's been very good this year, as his numbers in the table above indicate. He's pitching in his pitcher-friendly home ballpark (PNC Park), and the Brewers have been god awful against southpaws this year. They rank 29th in wRC+ (65) and have struck out in 23.0% of their plate appearances. Liriano isn't always the most efficient pitcher and his control can escape him at times, but this is an instance where I'm willing to roll the dice with him in cash games when factoring in all of the variables.

Catcher

I really like Russell Martin's price point and matchup a lot. The right-handed hitter hits righties at an above average clip, and Dan Haren sports a reverse platoon split. Haren has allowed a .334 wOBA to them since 2012. Martin hits in a solid lineup spot and also hits in a great ballpark. Rogers Centre has right-handed batter park factors of 116 for doubles/triples, 119 for homers and 103 for runs, per StatCorner. The Blue Jays are tied for the second biggest team over/under run total, and that adds to the appeal of using Martin.

First Base

First base is always loaded, and today is no exception. With so many talented and expensive pitchers getting the ball, paying down at first base is a no brainer. Lucas Duda is a great target on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He's facing a rookie right-hander, Chris Heston, who struggles mightily with left-handed batters. Heston has faced 136 lefties in his big league career and allowed a .387 wOBA. Duda should be licking his chops.

Eric Hosmer got the tout as a cash games pick yesterday, and he's back here again today. He actually has an even more favorable matchup today. Trevor May is getting his footing at the big league level this year, but he's still the owner of a .349 wOBA against left-handed batters in his career. While May is no longer a train wreck at the big league level, he's still worth picking on with an extremely talented hitter like Hosmer. Hosmer is turning in a banner year, and he's especially good against righties. The cleanup hitter has 147 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers this year and totaled a .214 ISO, .398 wOBA and 160 wRC+. His pricing isn't even close to reflective of his breakout, and until his pricing catches up, he'll remain one of my favorite options at first base in cash games when he's facing an average or worse right-handed pitcher.

Second Base

Jose Altuve is too pricey for cash games usage at DraftKings when considering the other options, but he's under priced on FanDuel and a great option in cash games and GPPs there. Altuve is one of the best hitters in the game against southpaws. Since 2012, he's tied for 15th in wRC+ and wOBA against lefties among all qualified hitters. He's also a great base stealer. The diminutive second baseman has stolen 17 bases in 23 attempts this year, and he swiped 56 in 65 attempts last year. Tyler Flowers is a catcher who has been somewhat giving in the running game allowing 22 stolen bases in 39 games played this year (34 starts). Geovany Soto has been relatively easy to steal on as well allowing 11 steals in 13 attempts in 28 games (22 starts). Altuve nicely blends a high floor thanks to his high contact rate with a high ceiling thanks to his prowess against southpaws and top flight stolen base skills.

Howie Kendrick returned to the starting lineup and his customary cleanup spot Monday, and tonight, he's a cheapish second base option facing a southpaw, against whom he thrives. Kendrick isn't Altuve good against lefties, but he's not a far cry away and he offers a bit more power (albeit with less stolen base upside). Robbie Ray is one of the worst pitchers on tonight's slate, and in 11 appearances (eight starts) in the majors spanning 39.2 innings, he's the owner of a 4.26 FIP and 4.39 xFIP. Right-handed batters have pounded him and totaled a .389 wOBA.

Third Base

I hate third base tonight. The top hitters are either facing the handedness of pitcher they aren't as good against, or they're facing one of the better pitchers on the slate. Enter Pablo Sandoval as nifty salary relief. He's been bad over the last month, but his overall season numbers against righties this season are strong. In 142 plate appearances against righties this year, he's totaled a .157 ISO, .366 wOBA and 135 wRC+. Those certainly aren't terrible numbers, yet Sandoval is a minimum salary option on FanDuel and an insanely cheap pick at DraftKings. Miguel Gonzalez is a non-imposing pitcher and his .313 wOBA allowed to left-handed batters since 2012 shouldn't deter you from using Panda.

Shortstop

My preference is to pay up at pitcher and elsewhere on the diamond tonight, and that's reflected in Jung-ho Kang being my cash games pick at shortstop. Troy Tulowitzki is easily the top option at shortstop, and Jhonny Peralta is very good as well, but both are exceptionally tough to budget for. With that in mind, I'll take the rookie shortstop who is facing a bad rookie pitcher making his first big league start at a fraction of the cost. Kang hasn't been overwhelmingly good against righties this year, but he's been passable. I'm less enamored with him at FanDuel than DraftKings, but since I expect Jungmann to get rocked, it stands to reason I'll be using Pirates hitters. Kang is cheap exposure to arguably the worst pitcher getting the ball tonight.

Outfield

Andrew McCutchen is the crown jewel of picking on Jungmann. According to Minor League Central, Jungmann owns a reverse platoon split allowing a .678 OPS to lefties and a .710 OPS to righties in his minor league career. McCutchen is one of the best offensive players in the game, and he should be fresh after a game off last night. Cutch is pricey, but he's a worthwhile expenditure.

Carlos Gonzalez has woken from his early-season slumber. He's in the middle of a six-game hit streak with four multi-hit efforts and an extra base hit in three straight. I'm not chasing his heater, though, I'm looking to grab a guy with a track record of excellence who remains under priced. The cleanup hitter for the Rockies has thrived at Coors Field facing righties. The left-handed batter will be hitting with park factors of 107 for singles, 118 for doubles/triples, 124 for homers and 136 for runs scored. Don't be fooled by Michael Wacha's 2.18 ERA and fade hitters facing him, his 3.56 FIP and 4.01 xFIP paint a clearer picture of his work.