MLB GPP Tournament Picks: 6-4-17

The purpose of this column is to highlight some players with upside and well-suited for tournaments. While the majority of the hitter picks will likely have power upside, that's not necessarily the case for all the listed options. Other contextual factors such as batting order, ballpark, opposing pitcher, price, speed, etc also come into play, and you'll see these items sprinkled into the write-ups below. Along with that, we'll be gauging the ownership levels, giving you some plausible pivots from the popular choices in a given game slate.

MONITOR WEATHER REPORTS TODAY.

Top GPP Pitcher

This may be my chalkiest pick of the season but it is a Sunday and the pitching options aren't amazing. Sale has been pitching like the best pitcher in the league so far this year, and if Toronto has been heating up you shouldn't be too concerned using Sale today. Sale is only beat in K rate by Justin Verlander, and no pitcher has a lower walk % than Sale. He also has 16.1% Swinging Strike rate which is the highest on the slate.

Needless to say Sale has both the most upside on the slate, while also being the safest pitcher. If you really want to differentiate Verlander or Kenta Maeda make fine plays too. I have learned to expect for odd outcomes on Sunday's so far this season so I am fine riding the chalk here and hunting for some value bats today.

Oh by the way the last time he faced the Blue Jays (Admittedly without Josh Donaldson) he went 8 innings with 11 K's and a 1.38 ERA.

Top GPP Hitters

The top two first base options today are both safer plays in Joey Votto and Miggy. I would like to get at least three high value bats in my lineups along with Sale today. Cabrera is a smidge cheaper than Votto, so I am heading that direction unless I can squeeze Votto in on DraftKings. His numbers are beyond solid against lefties this season, and Holmberg isn't a household name so Cabrera and other Tigers should be able to do some serious damage today. They are also projected for the second highest run total of the slate. No way Cabrera doesn't find himself some points today.

We have Seager projected for the third most points today and he also costs less than the top two options today. Zach Davies shouldn't intimidate you very much, and if he does look at Seager's wOBA and ISO against right-handed pitching. I am thinking he will be chalky today due to his price and matchup, but I am still heading here today so I can hopefully fit in another power bat elsewhere in the lineup.

A .347 wOBA and 1.27 ISO are safe and we have all seen Seager's tremendous upside.

Phillips is coming off of a 12 point DraftKings game but his prior three games were ugly with a bunch of zeroes. We will need some value plays today if we want to get Sale and some elite plays in our lineups so I am looking towards Phillips for some salary relief today.

Although he has struggled since returning from injury, he is still hitting .290 on the season, and had been a consistent producer prior to his three game skid. I am not expecting a monstrous day for Phillips, but some safe points along with salary cap relief. A .265 wOBA isn't terrible and Garrett has had plenty of ups and downs this season as a rookie. I like the vet to get some points on the board today.

Odubel was my value play of the day last Sunday and he rewarded us with a goose egg. Actually, everyone in my picks did besides Kole Calhoun. Anyhow, I am going back to the well again for some serious cap relief. Herrera is coming of a very solid outing last night with 2 doubles and 16 DraftKings points. A concern is Herrera is a lefty and so is Moore so the Phillies could look elsewhere today. If that happens a pivot to a another value play, perhaps another sub for a regular can get you the stars and scrubs bats you want for a Sale/Maeda lineup on DraftKings, and Sale + 3 studs on FanDuel.

If he plays we have him projected for 6.55 DraftKings points today and that will make him a solid value play.

Good Luck everyone!