With only two early start times Thursday, we are left with eight games to choose from for the main evening slate in DFS. There aren’t many high-end pitchers available, but there are a few second-tier options who could thrive.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/2/2019
We have an odd slate in the majors Thursday with mostly day games, including a couple that start at 12:10 PM EST. There are only two night games, so let’s dig into the entire slate and highlight some players with favorable matchups.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/29/2019
Baseball starts off the week with nine games on the schedule Monday. There are some exciting series set to begin with the Cardinals facing the Nationals and the Red Sox taking on the A’s.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/31/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Tuesday afternoon brings the MLB trade deadline, so make sure to keep your eye on the news as deals could have a significant impact on the night 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
Trevor Bauer vs. Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $11,800
DraftKings = $13,300
Bauer dominated the Pirates in his last start, recording 10 strikeouts and allowing just five base runners over seven innings. It marked the fifth time this season he hasn’t allowed a run, helping lead to his career-best 2.32 ERA. His ERA hasn’t really been aided by luck, either, considering his 2.25 FIP and .312 opponents’ BABIP. Hitters have swung at 32.3% of pitches he has thrown outside of the strike zone, helping him post a lofty 11.7 K/9. The Twins lineup is even thinner after they traded Eduardo Escobar to the Diamondbacks and they could make more trades Tuesday. Bauer stands out as one of the premier starting pitching options on the slate.
James Shields vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $6,000
Shields hasn’t been terrible this season, but his 4.59 ERA and 1.30 WHIP aren’t exactly stellar. He doesn’t have an overpowering arsenal with a 6.8 K/9 and opponents’ have actually been somewhat unlucky with a .264 BABIP against him. This matchup does lean in his favor, though, considering his 3.51 ERA and 1.22 WHIP across 13 starts at Guaranteed Rate Field. He also gets the benefit of facing a Royals lineup that has scored the fewest runs (384) in the league and just traded away one of their best hitters in Mike Moustakas. He won’t cost you much, leaving Shields with the potential to provide value in tournament play.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Jose Abreu vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,200
Abreu has had a disappointing season by his standards, but he’s closing out the month of July strong by hitting 10-for-28 (.357) with three home runs across his last seven games. Even with his down batting average overall, he still has a .357 wOBA against left-handed pitchers. In his career against Duffy, Abreu is 16-for-50 (.320) with two home runs.
Tucker Barnhart vs. Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,800
Barnhart has logged a hit in each of his last seven starts, but he didn’t finish with multiple hits in any of those contests. His overall numbers aren’t anything special with a .252 batting average and a .371 slugging percentage, but he does have a .398 wOBA against lefties. At this cheap price, Barnhart might be worth the risk in tournament play.
Others to consider: Paul Goldschmidt (first base) and John Hicks (first base)
SECOND BASE
Rougned Odor vs. Zack Godley, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,900
Odor has completely turned his season around with a great month in July, batting .357 with six home runs, 12 RBI, and six steals. He still only has 10 home runs total, but his .268 average is a drastic improvement over his .206 mark in 2017. Godley allows a ton of baserunners with his 1.53 WHIP, so look for Odor to finish the month on a high note.
Neil Walker vs. Yefry Ramirez, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,900
The Yankees brought in Walker to provide depth for their young infield, but he struggled out of the gate with his new team. Injuries have opened up regular playing time for him lately and he’s cashed in the opportunity, hitting 18-for-43 (.419) with 10 RBI and eight runs scored over his last 14 games. The Yankees are likely looking to acquire another hitter, but Walker should be in the lineup Tuesday. If you can’t pay up for Odor, Walker is an excellent cost-effective option with upside.
Others to consider: Jed Lowrie and Starlin Castro
THIRD BASE
Eugenio Suarez vs. Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900
Suarez might not get a lot of press on a bad Reds team, but he’s mashing with a .298 batting average and a .383 OBP. He also has 24 home runs and 80 RBI and should easily set new career highs in both categories. He has an incredible 218 wRC+ against lefties and could give Boyd plenty of trouble in this game.
Eduardo Escobar vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,700
Colon has found a way to hang around, but he hasn’t pitched well with a 5.02 ERA and a 5.12 FIP. His 1.26 WHIP is largely aided by the fact that he doesn’t walk many batters, not because he doesn’t allow a lot of hits. He doesn’t miss many bats, either, with a 5.4% swinging-strike rate and a 5.2 K/9. The Diamondbacks will likely be a popular stack Tuesday, Escobar included.
Others to consider: Manny Machado and Miguel Andujar
SHORTSTOP
Didi Gregorius vs. Yefry Ramirez, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,900
Whenever the Yankees are playing at home, Gregorius vaults up towards the top-tier of shortstops in DFS. He is batting .240 with five home runs on the road, but he has a .283 average and 13 homers at Yankee Stadium. Add in his .351 wOBA against righties and Gregorius could provide plenty of value for your entry.
Chris Taylor vs. Wade Miley, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,200
Miley has a sparkling 2.01 ERA across five starts this year, but don’t get too excited based on his 3.97 FIP and 1.39 WHIP. He also has more walks (13) than he does strikeouts (12). He was a disaster for the Orioles last year with a 5.61 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP over 32 starts, so expect his ERA to climb sooner rather than later. Taylor is 13-for-45 (.289) with seven runs scored and nine RBI since the All-Star break, putting him on the map against Miley based on his reasonable prices on both sites.
Others to consider: Elvis Andrus and Jose Peraza
OUTFIELD
A.J. Pollock vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,200
Pollock didn’t cash in on a great matchup against Martin Perez on Monday, finishing the game 1-for-5. He’ll get a chance to redeem himself against another struggling pitcher in Colon. Pollock does have better numbers against lefties, but he’s hit righties well also with a .377 wOBA.
Avisail Garcia vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,500
Garcia has been injured for much of this season, which has been a major disappointment considering his excellent performance in 2017. Although his walk rate is a ridiculously low 1.7%, he’s hit .277 with 11 home runs in only 181 plate appearances. He has a .368 wOBA against lefties and has also had plenty of success against Duffy as he is 11-for-33 (.333) against him in his career.
Leonys Martin vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,900
Bailey came off the DL last week and allowed only two runs over 6.2 innings against the Cardinals, striking out eight batters. It was a rare strong performance based on his 6.29 ERA and 1.63 WHIP overall. It was only the fourth time in 13 starts that he didn’t allow a home run and just the second time that he struck out more than four batters in a game. Don’t shy away from stacking against him because of one good outing, he’s still not a good pitcher at this stage of his career. The Tigers might not have a lot of great hitters, but Martin stands out based on his .340 wOBA against righties this year.
Others to consider: Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/25/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
July special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout
There are only four games that make up the main evening slate in DFS, leaving far fewer options to choose from than normal. 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
David Price vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $9,500
Price had a 3.66 ERA entering July, but a horrible start against the Yankees where he allowed eight runs in 3.1 innings did serious damage to his numbers. He has a 4.17 ERA and a 4.29 FIP overall, which would be his highest marks since his first season as a starter in 2009 with the Rays. His swinging-strike rate is down significantly at 8.9%, but he’s still managed to record a 9.0 K/9. This could be a start to help pad his stats as the Orioles have scored the second-fewest runs (367) in baseball. In his previous outing against them this season, Price allowed two runs and recorded eight strikeouts over nine innings.
James Shields vs. Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $6,000
On a night with such a limited slate, there aren’t a lot of great cheap options for starting pitchers. Shields’ 4.26 ERA and 4.38 FIP don’t jump off the page, but that’s a significant improvement from last season. Not only has he done a better job limiting baserunners with a 1.26 WHIP, but he also cut down his 2.1 HR/9 last year to 1.0 HR/9 this season. His upside isn’t great due to his 6.6 K/9, but he might still be worth the risk in tournament play.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Jose Abreu vs. Tyler Skaggs, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,600
Abreu has batted at least .290 with 25 home runs in each of his first four seasons, but he’s got a ways to go if he is going to accomplish both feats in 2018. His 14 home runs are respectable, but his batting average sits at just .253. One reason for his struggles is likely his .283 BABIP, which is significantly lower than his .328 career mark. He does still have a .363 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, making him a viable option at such a reduced price.
Jonathan Lucroy vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $2,800
Lucroy had a productive first two games of this series, hitting 3-for-8 with a double, a home run and two walks. He hasn’t been much of an offensive threat this year batting .243 with two homers, but his wOBA is over 30 points higher against lefties than it is against righties. Perez has been horrible with an 8.05 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP, leaving Lucroy as someone worth considering based on the relief he can also provide to your budget.
Others to consider: Mitch Moreland (first base)
SECOND BASE
Rougned Odor vs. Edwin Jackson, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,300
With a double in Tuesday’s contest, Odor extended his hitting streak to six games. He’s been hot for a much longer stretch than that, though, as he is 28-for-83 (.337) across his last 23 games. Jackson has a 2.93 ERA through his first five starts, but his 4.23 FIP and crazy-low .198 opponents’ BABIP indicate he’s had plenty of luck on his side. Continue to ride Odor’s hot bat.
Jed Lowrie vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,000
Lowrie played a key role in Tuesday’s wild come from behind victory, finishing the game 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. The performance broke his 0-for-18 streak that saw his batting average drop 13 points. He did still draw four walks during that stretch and has a .358 OBP that would be one of the highest marks of his career. He’ll bat from the right side of the plate against Perez, which is good news considering Perez has allowed a .467 wOBA to righties this year.
Others to consider: Jonathan Schoop
THIRD BASE
Alex Bregman vs. Jon Gray, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $5,500
Bregman is on a prolonged stretch of excellent hitting as he is 55-for-177 (.311) with 15 doubles and 16 home runs since June 1. He has also shown an excellent eye at the plate this entire season, drawing 59 walks and striking out only 55 times. Although he doesn’t get the platoon advantage versus Gray, he hasn’t exactly struggled against righties with a .380 wOBA.
Matt Chapman vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,100
With Perez on the mound for the Rangers, the Athletics are going to be a very popular stack. As we continue to seek out their right-handed bats, Chapman weighs in as a great option on both sites based on his price. His home run in Monday’s contest was his first since June 10, but he is 18-for-55 (.327) with six doubles over his last 14 games.
Others to consider: Adrian Beltre
SHORTSTOP
Xander Bogaerts vs. Dylan Bundy, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,200
Bogaerts might not get a lot of headlines in a stacked lineup with stars like Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez, but he’s having a great season. His power numbers are up significantly with a .526 slugging percentage that is over 100 points higher than his career mark. His batting average hasn’t suffered any either at .280. He actually has a higher wOBA against righties (.378) than he does lefties (.334) as well.
Elvis Andrus vs. Edwin Jackson, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,800
Andrus has homered in back-to-back contests and is 9-for-22 (.409) during his current six-game hitting streak. His numbers are down overall, but he’s certainly enjoyed hitting at home with a .348 average and all four of his home runs coming there this season. If you don’t want to pay up for Bogaerts, Andrus could provide significant value against the underwhelming Jackson.
Others to consider: Marcus Semien
OUTFIELD
Khris Davis vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,300
Davis was one of the few hitters left out of the offensive explosion Tuesday, but then he made his mark by hitting a three-run homer in extra innings. He’s now homered in three straight games, bringing his total to 25 for the season. With Perez’s struggles against right-handed hitters already detailed, Davis is one of the premier outfield options Wednesday.
Stephen Piscotty vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,200
Piscotty showed a lot of promise with the Cardinals in 2016 but had a disappointing 2017 campaign before being traded to the Athletics. He’s doing his best to show last season was a fluke, batting .263 with 14 home runs and 27 doubles in 93 games. Most of his production has come recently as well since he has gone 49-for-163 (.301) with 11 home runs since June 1.
Mark Canha vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,600
Yes, load up with Athletics for your outfield. Canha didn’t miss out on the party Tuesday, finishing 1-for-3 with a home run, two walks and three runs scored. He’ll face his third left-handed starting pitcher of the series, which is right in his wheelhouse since he has a .432 wOBA against lefties this year.
Others to consider: J.D. Martinez and Joey Gallo