Wednesday brings a lot of day games across the majors, leaving just five games to choose from for the main evening slate in DFS. While quality pitching options are hard to come by, the night still has plenty of great hitters to choose from.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/6/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Baseball kicks off the week with 10 evening games Monday, leaving plenty of quality options to choose from in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Cole Hamels vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $9,000
Hamels being traded to the Cubs should provide a significant boost to his value. He was terrible pitching at home for the Rangers, posting a 6.41 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP across 10 starts. He has a 2.69 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP over his other 11 starts outside of Globe Life Park in Arlington. The move to the National League helps, as well, since he will get to avoid the DH. He will have to navigate the DH playing in Kansas City on Monday, but the Royals have scored the fewest runs (413) in the league.
Matthew Boyd vs. Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angels Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $7,600
Boyd closed out July on a high note, allowing three runs and recording 20 strikeouts over 19 innings in his last three starts. Two of those starts came against the Royals and the Reds, but one was against the potent Red Sox lineup. Boyd has been aided by a .264 opponents’ BABIP this season, but his 4.22 ERA is actually slightly higher than his 3.84 FIP indicates that it should be. He does have a respectable 8.2 K/9 and can provide value in the right matchup, which could be the case Monday since the Angels have the third lowest OPS against lefties (.656) in baseball.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Anthony Rizzo vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,800
The Cubs have been hitting Rizzo leadoff lately and the move has paid off as he’s batting .370 with a .458 OBP in that spot of the order. He’s also slugged six home runs, helping to boost his total to 17 for the season. While he may have a hard time hitting at least 30 homers for the fifth straight season, he could still be in line for a big finish to the season. Lefties have held Rizzo to a .266 wOBA this year, but he’s a great option against Junis since he has a .374 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
Jose Martinez vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,000
Martinez has found himself on the bench more often than not lately because he is a defensive liability. However, with Dexter Fowler and Tyler O’Neill injured, he’s going to see some time in the outfield moving forward. He can hit, posting a .298 average and a .462 slugging percentage. Chen has allowed a .374 wOBA to righties this year, making Martinez a cost-effective option with upside.
Others to consider: Jose Abreu (first base) and J.T. Realmuto (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Javier Baez vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,500
Baez is showing no signs of slowing down, batting .362 with five home runs, five doubles and 14 RBI over his last 16 games. He’s already set new career-highs in home runs and RBI and is making a case to be named the NL MVP. Don’t worry about him not having the platoon advantage against Junis because Baez has a .376 wOBA against righties.
Ben Zobrist vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,700
Zobrist only hit .232 last year, but he was dragged down by an abnormally low .251 BABIP. He’s been on the opposite end of the spectrum this season with a .335 BABIP, leading to a .310 batting average. He’s in line for some regression, but that might not start Monday considering his .391 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Neil Walker
THIRD BASE
Jurickson Profar vs. Wade LeBlanc, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,700
LeBlanc has hit a bit of a rough patch, posting a 6.11 ERA across his last five starts. He has a 3.50 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP at home overall but has had issues on the road with a 4.57 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Profar is finally getting a chance to play every day and is swinging a hot bat right now as he is 22-for-72 (.306) with 14 runs and 12 RBI over his last 21 games. He’s also excelled with a .361 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season.
Jedd Gyorko vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,000
Gyorko slugged 30 home runs over 400 at-bats in 2016 but followed that up with only 20 homers across 426 at-bats last year. His power numbers have continued to regress this year with just eight homers in 246 at-bats. However, his 181 wRC+ against lefties still makes him someone to consider in tournament play at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Miguel Andujar and Maikel Franco
SHORTSTOP
Didi Gregorius vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,100
Gregorius’ batting average is down this year, but his walk rate has almost doubled at 8.1%. He’s already reached the 20-homer plateau for the third-straight year and his 10 steals are a new career best. He’s more deadly at Yankee Stadium, but he could still put up big numbers Monday considering Covey’s 5.57 ERA and 1.57 WHIP.
Jean Segura vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,600
Perez was initially slated to start Sunday against the Orioles, but he was pushed back a day in favor of Drew Hutchinson. That’s good news for the Mariners since Perez has an unsightly 6.50 ERA and a 1.97 WHIP. He’s allowed 10 home runs in only 45.2 innings and doesn’t miss many bats with a 5.9 K/9. Segura might not carry the greatest home run upside, but he’s batting .309 and could be on base plenty in this game.
Others to consider: Trevor Story and Elvis Andrus
OUTFIELD
Nelson Cruz vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,200
Cruz is on another power surge, slugging four home runs in his last five games to bring his total to 29 for the season. He’s been one of the most consistent power hitters in baseball, hitting at least 39 home runs in four straight seasons. With Perez’s propensity to give up the long ball, Cruz is someone to build your lineup around.
Jason Heyward vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,000
Heyward isn’t exactly knocking the cover off the ball, but he’s made significant strides this season to bat .283 with a .347 OBP. He has a career-low 11.7% strikeout rate and his 31.8% hard-hit rate is his highest mark since 2012. Junis has allowed a .360 wOBA against left-handed hitters, making Heyward a viable option at his reasonable price on both sites.
Harrison Bader vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,800
Bader was already starting to see more playing time after Tommy Pham was traded to the Rays, but the injuries to Fowler and O’Neill is going to leave him with all the starts he can handle. He has a promising mix of power and speed, finishing with 20 home runs and 15 steals at Triple-A in 2017. He’s only gone deep six times with the Cardinals this year, but he’s flashed his speed with 11 steals and is batting a respectable .271. If you want to take a chance on a cheap outfielder in tournament play, Bader could provide value against Chen.
Others to consider: Kyle Schwarber and Mitch Haniger
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/1/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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After a quiet night that included a rainout Thursday, baseball is loaded with 15 night games Friday. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Chris Sale vs. Houston Astros
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $11,000
DraftKings = $11,000
Sale is coming off of his worst start of the season after allowing six runs in 4.1 innings against the Braves. The Braves have the highest OPS against left-handed pitching (.827) in baseball, so it wasn’t a favorable matchup, to begin with. Even with that blowup, Sale still has a 2.76 ERA, 2.94 FIP, and a 0.96 WHIP this year. He has continued to be one of the best strikeout pitchers with a 12.5 K/9 while also posting a career-high 15.9% swinging-strike rate. The Astros lineup is no cake walk either, but Sale is still a great option with his strikeout upside.
Nick Pivetta vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $10,000
Pivetta has been dominant in his last four outings, allowing three runs to go along with 32 strikeouts in 24 innings. He only issued four walks and gave up just one home run during that stretch as well. After pitching poorly in 26 starts last year, Pivetta has made significant improvement overall this season, resulting in a 3.26 ERA and a 2.75 FIP. He has been working ahead in the count, throwing a first-pitch strike to 65.7% of the batters that he has faced. Add that to his 10.4 K/9 and a much improved 2.2 BB/9 and Pivetta has an excellent 1.09 WHIP. This will be his second start of the season against the Giants after he held them scoreless while recording seven strikeouts in five innings during their first matchup. The Giants have struck out the third-most times (528) in baseball, leaving Pivetta with the potential for another valuable performance.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Jesus Aguilar vs. Hector Santiago, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,300
Aguilar has been mostly limited to facing left-handed pitching in his career but was forced into an everyday role this year with both Eric Thames (thumb) and Ryan Bruan on the DL at the same time. He played so well that he is still starting even though Braun has returned. Not only did eight of his nine home runs come in May, but he is also hitting .307 overall this season. His average will likely fall once his .355 BABIP normalizes, but he is a great source of power. With a career .360 wOBA against lefties, Aguilar might be able to do a lot of damage against the struggling Santiago.
Greg Bird vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,900
Bird has been limited to four games due to injury this season, logging at least one hit in each of his last three contests. He has a ton of talent, but injuries have really hampered his career after bursting onto the scene with 11 homers in 46 games in 2015. Including this season, Cashner has allowed a wOBA of at least .378 to left-handed hitters in three of the last four years. Bird won’t destroy your budget either, making him a viable option to consider.
Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo (first base) and Wilson Ramos (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Javier Baez vs. Zack Wheeler, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,800
Wheeler has managed to stay healthy so far this season but has a 5.40 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He only has four starts this year where he has allowed two or fewer earned runs, three of which came against bad lineups in the Marlins and Padres. Baez doesn’t struggle against right-handed pitching as he has a .378 wOBA against them this season, making him one of several Cubs who could have a big night.
Joey Wendle vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Safeco Field
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,400
Wendle has played his way into a starting role with the Rays, batting .295 with a .344 OBP. Even though he doesn’t have much power, he does have at least one hit in 11 of his last 12 games. Leake is not an overpowering pitcher, but he’s been even worse this season with just a 5.3 K/9. If you don’t want to pay up for Baez, Wendle is a cheap option who could provide value.
Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Scooter Gennett
THIRD BASE
Mike Moustakas vs. Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,400
Moustakas has followed up his career season last year by hitting .280 with 12 home runs in 55 games. He only had 85 RBI in 2017 despite hitting 38 home runs, but he’s already chipped in 39 RBI this season. With a .390 wOBA against righties this year, he could put up big numbers against Montas, who has a 5.77 ERA and 1.65 WHIP for his career.
Pedro Alvarez vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,400
With a rainout Thursday, Gray will be pushed back a day to start Friday. He’s been terrible in his 10 starts, recording a 5.98 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. The Yankees have tried making Austin Romine has personal catcher since they have had some success together in the past, but Gray has still allowed five runs each in two of his last three starts. Alvarez is only batting .190 this year, but he has a lot of power and a career .341 wOBA against right-handers.
Others to consider: Justin Turner and Yairo Munoz
SHORTSTOP
Manny Machado vs. Sonny Gray, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = 5,200
Machado has loved hitting at home, posting a .362 average there this season compared to a .296 mark on the road. 10 of his 16 home runs have also come at home despite having 23 more plate appearances on the road. With the way Gray has been pitching, Machado could be in for a huge night.
Andrelton Simmons vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,400
Simmons is on a nine-game hitting streak where he has hit 14-for-36 (.389). He is batting a robust .337 on the season overall, but he could experience some regression since his .339 BABIP is 57 points higher than his career mark. That may not start Friday, though, considering he is 12-for-26 (.462) in his career against Colon.
Others to consider: Chris Taylor and Jean Segura
OUTFIELD
Mike Trout vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $6,000
It’s not hard to argue for playing Trout regardless of who is taking the mound. He has a tremendous combination of power and speed and has also hit .302 with a crazy .444 OBP. He has absolutely destroyed Colon in his career, hitting 10-for-18 (.556) with three home runs. Don’t be afraid to pay up to get him into your entry.
Nicholas Castellanos vs. Jaime Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,300
Castellanos only has five home runs this season, but he already has 18 doubles and three triples. He is also batting a career-high .332, but that has largely been aided by his .410 BABIP. He is crushing lefties with a 197 wRC+ against them this season and gets to face the struggling Garcia, who has a 5.52 ERA and 1.51 WHIP.
Ben Zobrist vs. Zack Wheeler, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,900
Zobrist only hit .232 last year and entered this season in a fight for playing time with the Cubs having so much depth. He’s doing his best to show his poor performance last year was just a fluke, batting .291 with a .379 OBP so far. He has hit righties particularly well with a .382 wOBA and should be a part of any Cubs stack at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Brandon Nimmo and Khris Davis