MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/7/2019

We only have five games making up the main evening slate of DFS on Wednesday. Also, it will be an early start time at 6:40 PM EST, so be ready to get those lineups in early. Let’s dive into the matchups and highlight some of the better players to consider. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our MLB Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

STARTING PITCHERS

Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $10,000

Losers of nine of their last 10 games, the Red Sox need to quickly get back on track if they want to get into the playoffs. As it stands, they seem all but eliminated from reaching first place in the AL East with them entering play 17 games behind the Yankees in the loss column. They’ll try to get back in the win column against the Royals, who could be in for a tough night against Rodriguez since they have the second-lowest wRC+ (75) against left-handed pitchers in baseball. Rodriguez also as a 3.89 FIP at Fenway Park this season compared to a 4.65 FIP on the road.

Zac Gallen vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $9,200

The Diamondbacks and Marlins made an intriguing trade of young players at the deadline that resulted in Gallen landing with Arizona. He pitched well in his first seven starts with the Marlins, posting a 3.57 FIP and a 28.5 percent strikeout rate. He also had a 33.6 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A, so the punchouts are nothing new. While not overly cheap, rolling with him in your entry will at least provide some savings compared to Rodriguez.

CATCHER

Austin Romine vs. John Means, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,900

Romine is going to be sad to see this series with the Orioles come to an end. He’s torched them through the first two games, hitting 4-for-9 with two home runs and two doubles. Means is without question the best starter that the Orioles have, but given the limited slate of games we have to work with, Romine is still a great option to consider.

Others to consider: Yasmani Grandal

FIRST BASE

Eric Thames vs. Trevor Williams, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $4,000

With the right-handed Williams on the mound, Thames should find his way into the lineup for this contest. Williams has not only allowed an uncharacteristically-high 1.4 HR/9 this season, but left-handed hitters have posted a .380 wOBA against him. Despite striking out a ton once again, Thames has shown he can provide value based on his .349 wOBA and .236 ISO.

Others to consider: Christian Walker and Mitch Moreland

SECOND BASE

Luis Urias vs. Yusei Kikuchi, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – T-Mobile Park
FanDuel = $2,200
DraftKings = $2,600

It’s been a rough go of it for Urias since he was called up from the minors with him hitting .138 with a 54 wRC+. He’s been unlucky with his .178 BABIP, but his 23.9 percent hard-hit rate isn’t helping in that department, either. Still, if you’re looking to save money at second base, he’s someone who could provide value against Kikuchi, who has been awful with his 5.95 FIP.

Others to consider: Ketel Marte and Hanser Alberto

THIRD BASE

Rafael Devers vs. Glenn Sparkman, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,600

It’s going to be tough to pass up on Devers even with his hefty price tag. This matchup against doesn’t get much better against Sparkman, who has allowed 20 home runs over just 88.2 innings and a .380 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Devers has gone deep in two of his last four games and is having by far the best power season of his young career with a .247 ISO.

Others to consider: Manny Machado and Mike Moustakas

SHORTSTOP

Fernando Tatis Jr. vs. Yusei Kikuchi, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – T-Mobile Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,100

The Padres have a lot to be excited about with Tatis. While it seems improbable, he’s actually exceeded expectations since being called up by posting a .270 ISO and a .401 wOBA. His .419 BABIP is not sustainable, but his BABIP is going to be higher than most players based on his speed and ability to hit the ball hard. Currently, he has a 41.3 percent hard-hit rate. With Kikuchi allowing 2.1 HR/9, don’t be surprised if Tatis hits a home run in this contest.

Others to consider: Xander Bogaerts and Kevin Newman

OUTFIELD

J.D. Martinez vs. Glenn Sparkman, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,300

After sitting out Monday with a back issue, Martinez returned to the lineup Tuesday and finished 2-for-4 with a double. He’s continued to play well despite the Red Sox struggling as a team, hitting 23-for-58 (.397) with five home runs and four doubles over his last 15 games. If you can find a way to make it work with your budget, rolling with the duo of Devers and Martinez could provide significant dividends.

Cameron Maybin vs. John Means, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,600

At this point, it feels like just about any hitter who puts on the pinstripes this season is going to perform well. The Yankees have had multiple players step up in the absence of their injured stars, Maybin being one of them. He also recently spent some time on the IL, but he’s stormed back into action by hitting 8-for-27 (.296) with a home run and four doubles over eight games. His price on DraftKings is a little high, but he’s an appealing tournament play option on FanDuel.

Trent Grisham vs. Trevor Williams, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,200

The trade deadline has resulted in some exciting young players being called up from the minors. Grisham is one of them after he thrived at Triple-A with a 193 wRC+. He’s been able to carry over that success into his first five games, hitting 5-for-15 with a home run and a double. Considering Williams’ struggles against lefties and the fact that Grisham doesn’t cost much on either site, he’s a very appealing option to help balance out your budget.

Others to consider: Andrew Benintendi and Bryan Reynolds

Author Bio:

Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.