Last night we had Spencer Strider chasing perfection, only to be thwarted by his own teammate Matt Olson’s Bill Buckner-esque error in the 7th. Mercifully for Olson, Jean Segura golf swung at a pitch way below the zone in the next inning to get the Marlins’ first hit of the game. So close to what would have been only the 24th perfect game in MLB history. We also got a barn burner out of the A’s and Angels in a 10-inning thriller that had major Pac 12 after dark vibes. The Rays continued their home win streak vs. the champs, and the O’s got to Chris Sale early and often, pulling out a narrow 5-4 victory to stay at 2nd in the AL East. 

This is for the Tuesday 4/25 4:05 PM PST slate on DraftKings. As always, make sure to double check lineups before first pitch.

Tonight’s Props

Thrive Fantasy Picks

George Springer over .5 Hits

Pete Alonso over .5 RBIs

Mike Trout over .5 Hits

Fernando Tatis Jr. under .5 Stls

Writer’s Record

2-3-1

Diamondbacks ML @ -145

I’m not convinced by Brady Singer, who’s in a tough spot on the road vs. the top team in the NL West. 

St Louis Cardinals ML @ -106

The Cards got shut out last night in a CG by Alex Cobb. Today, the Giants are electing to go the route of an opener with John Brebbia. Quite the contrast to last night’s strategy and should yield different results for the Cardinals.

DFS Pillar Plays 

Nestor Cortes

Position: P

Salary: $9,900

There aren’t a ton of options here for pitching. No real aces going at this time slot. With that said, Nestor Cortes stands out as one of the more reliable options. He’s been terrific this year and very consistent. He’s already faced the Twins once and in that game went 7 and struck out 7. He’s not going to kill you and he’s going to be out there long enough to get outs and rack up points. 

Matt Olson

Position: 1B

Salary: $5,900

Olson had that big error last night, but he also got on base 3 times and scored 2 runs. This Braves team is in a different class than this Marlins squad. Don’t be surprised if Olson takes his frustrations out on Bryan Hoenig, who’s making his first start of the year for the Marlins. 

Xander Bogaerts

Position: SS

Salary: $5,500

The X-man has been one of the most consistent hitters in the league this year. Who knows where this Padres team would be without his production. They’ve been one of the league’s biggest disappointments to this point, but not because of Bogaerts.

Brandon Nimmo

Position: OF

Salary: $4,300

The Mets got a day off yesterday after their west coast road trip and begin what should be a relaxing homestand vs the Nats. Nimmo has been a crucial part of this Mets offense as the leadoff man. He’s sitting at a .350 batting average and is currently top 20 in OPS. 

DFS Value Plays (<$4000 Salary)

Whit Merrifield

Position: 2B/OF

Salary: $3,600

The former Kansas City Royal has been a consistent contributor to this Blue Jays offense. The two-time All star is currently on a 10-game hit streak, with a game of rest in between. He’s averaging a respectable 7.4 FPPG and will at least give you something on the board. He’s not explosive but he does have a solid floor. If you’re looking for boom-or-bust potential, look elsewhere. This is more of a high-floor, low-ceiling play.

Christian Walker

Position: 1B

Salary: $3,200

Christian Walker missed a game after he got hit by a pitch Saturday. He came in as a pinch hitter last night, so he should be good to go today. He faces Brady Singer on the mound for KC, who’s given up at least 5 ER in each of his last 3 starts. Not great. 

Mason Miller

Position: P

Salary: $5,700

This is value price for the pitcher position. Miller has only one start under his belt, but he really impressed. His stuff is sensational and he looks to be the real deal. Finding talent was never an issue for the A’s.