MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/10/18

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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STARTING PITCHERS

Trevor Bauer vs. Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $12,000
DraftKings = $13,600

Bauer continues to thrive in what is shaping up to be his breakout campaign. He has allowed two runs or fewer in four straight outings and has allowed more than three earned runs in a start only twice all year. He has a 2.45 ERA as a result, which is supported by his 2.17 FIP and 1.09 WHIP. His 13.1% swinging-strike rate is almost four percentage points higher than last year and has helped him post a career-high 11.6 K/9. After allowing at least 20 home runs in three straight seasons, he has given up just five homers in 121.1 innings. The Reds are in the top-third of baseball in runs scored, but Bauer’s tremendous strikeout upside still makes him a great option.

Jhoulys Chacin vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $8,500

Chacin has been a valuable addition to the Brewers starting rotation, recording a 3.63 ERA, 3.84 FIP, and a 1.29 WHIP across 19 starts. He has only allowed 0.6 HR/9, which is no surprise considering he has a 0.8 HR/9 for his career. That’s particularly impressive since he spent six seasons pitching his home games in Coors Field as a member of the Rockies. The Marlins continue to struggle offensively, scoring four runs or fewer in 9 of their last 14 games. They have also hit the third-fewest home runs (77) in baseball overall. Chacin doesn’t provide a lot of strikeouts with a 7.2 K/9, but he this matchup leaves him with potential in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

Wilson Ramos vs. Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,300

Ramos came through with another productive game Monday, finishing 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored. His home run came off of Francisco Liriano and he now has a .393 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season. He’ll face another one in Boyd on Tuesday, giving him significant upside once again.

Jose Martinez vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $4,300

Martinez’s struggles on defense have started to eat into his playing time. That won’t be an issue Tuesday, though, with the Cardinals getting the benefit of using the DH playing in Chicago. Martinez is certainly having another impressive offensive season, batting .296 with 13 home runs and 53 RBI. Covey started out hot but has regressed to the point where he now has a 5.54 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP for the season overall.

Others to consider: Paul Goldschmidt (first base) and Jesus Aguilar (first base)

SECOND BASE

Whit Merrifield vs. Aaron Slegers, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Target Field
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,300

Merrifield is 21-for-47 (.447) during his current 11-game hitting streak. He’s been one of the few bright spots in the Royals offense as he is batting .303 with a .369 OBP overall. He only has five home runs, but he continues to cause problems on the base paths with 16 steals. Slegers is not an overpowering pitching with a career 6.6 K/9 in the minors, leaving Merrifield with a favorable opportunity to continue his recent hot streak.

Brock Holt vs. Yovani Gallardo, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,400

Gallardo has not pitched well in four starts with the Rangers, posting a 5.87 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He has allowed four home runs in just 23 innings and finished with three or fewer strikeouts in three of those four outings. Holt is 6-for-17 (.353) in his last four games and is one of the cheap Boston hitters to consider in what could be a high-scoring game.

Others to consider: Brian Dozier and Daniel Robertson

THIRD BASE

Eduardo Escobar vs. Ian Kennedy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,400

Ian Kennedy has been on the DL with an oblique injury but will be activated to start Tuesday. He’s having another rough campaign for the Royals with a 5.11 ERA, 4.81 FIP, and a 1.42 WHIP. Escobar has a .391 wOBA against right-handers this season and is 9-for-21 (.429) with two home runs in his career against Kennedy.

Matt Carpenter vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rated Field
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,800

With Covey on the mound, the Cardinals will likely be one of the most popular stacks. Covey has allowed a .364 wOBA to lefties, making Carpenter one of the Cardinals hitters to focus on. He has rebounded from his early-season slump and has a .382 wOBA against righties, which would be his fourth-straight season with a wOBA of at least .378 against them. He’s expensive on DraftKings, but his price on FanDuel is really appealing.

Others to consider: Justin Turner and Matt Duffy

SHORTSTOP

Paul DeJong vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,100

DeJong missed about a month and a half with a hand injury, but he has at least one hit and one run scored in all three games since his return from the DL. He doesn’t have the platoon advantage in this contest, but he’s hit righties well this season with a .368 wOBA. His numbers were betters against left-handed pitchers last year, but he didn’t exactly struggle against righties then either with a .351 wOBA.

Chris Taylor vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $4,200

Lauer has a 4.84 ERA and a 4.73 FIP for the season, but he’s been much better lately by allowing three earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts. He still had a 1.51 WHIP during that stretch, though, and has had problems keeping runners off base all season. He has allowed a .386 wOBA to righties, making Taylor a viable option at a reasonable price.

Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Xander Bogaerts

OUTFIELD

A.J. Pollock vs. Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,400

Anderson has a 3.48 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP on the road this year, but a 4.37 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP at Coors Field. He has thrown seven fewer innings at home, but he has allowed three more home runs there than he has on the road. Pollock is still working his way back from a lengthy DL stint, but he does have at least two hits in two of his last three games and posted a .356 wOBA against lefties in 2017.

Matt Kemp vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,500

Kemp’s return to the Dodgers has gone better than anyone could have expected as he is batting .316 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI. He is crushing lefties again with a 170 wRC+ and it should also be noted that nine of the 10 home runs that Lauer has allowed this year have come off of right-handed hitters.

Harrison Bader vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,900

Bader has been forcing his way into the lineup for the Cardinals, hitting 14-for-37 (.378) with a home run and four doubles in his last 11 games. With Dexter Fowler batting only .167 this season, Bader should continue to receive plenty of at-bats. He’s not that cheap on DraftKings, but his low price on FanDuel makes him an intriguing tournament play against Covey.

Others to consider: Andrew Benintendi and Shin-Soo Choo