MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/13/2019

After a night of terrible pitching options Monday, there is no shortage of aces Tuesday. Quality hitters are bountiful, as well, which makes things interesting. Let’s dig into the matchups and discuss 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

Jack Flaherty vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $9,000

Flaherty has a great matchup here against the Royals. Their lineup has been a problem all season, ranking them in the bottom third of the league in home runs, OPS and runs scored. Flaherty comes into this start on top of his game, allowing four runs and racking up 49 strikeouts over 38.1 innings in his last six starts. Even though his road numbers aren’t great, this is still a great spot to deploy him at a reasonable price.

Dustin May vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $7,500

Clayton Kershaw was originally slated to start this game, but the Dodgers decided to push him back a day, so May will take the hill. It’s a great matchup since the Marlins continue to have one of the worst lineups in baseball and this game will be played at pitcher-friendly Marlins Park. May is one of the more highly regarded pitching prospects in baseball and was excellent in his last start against the Cardinals, allowing one run and recording seven strikeouts over 5.2 innings. At this cheap price, he’s hard to resist.

CATCHER

Yadier Molina vs. Glenn Sparkman, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $3,000

Molina has been activated off the IL after missing over a month with a thumb injury. He wasn’t playing well before the injury, recording a 70 wRC+. However, he’ll have an excellent opportunity to return with a strong performance against Sparkman, who has a 5.95 FIP and a 1.48 WHIP. While I’d avoid him in cash games, Molina could be worth the risk in tournament play.

Others to consider: Travis d’Arnaud

FIRST BASE

Jesus Aguilar vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,700

The Rays like to platoon players, so it made sense when they brought over Aguilar in a trade with the Brewers to play first base and DH against left-handed pitchers. He’s quickly made a good first impression with his new team, hitting 12-for-31 (.387) with a home run and five RBI across 10 games. He even has as many walks as he does strikeouts (four) during that stretch. Lauer has struggled to keep men off base, leaving him with a 1.39 WHIP, so this has the makings of another valuable stat line from Aguilar.

Others to consider: Paul Goldschmidt and Danny Santana

SECOND BASE

Gleyber Torres vs. John Means, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,400

Torres has destroyed the Orioles. After hitting three more home runs during a doubleheader Monday, 13 of his 26 home runs this season have come against them. His price is still reasonable likely because of his recent bout with a core muscle injury, making this a prime opportunity to deploy him for your entry.

Others to consider: Max Muncy and Niko Goodrum

THIRD BASE

Gio Urshela vs. John Means, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,000

As good as Torres has been against the Orioles, there are few hitters in the league right now as hot as Urshela. He has thrived as an injury replacement for the Yankees and is now 29-for-58 (.500) with eight home runs and eight doubles across his last 15 games. While Means has been the best starter for the Orioles this season, Urshela is still an excellent option to target.

Others to consider: Eugenio Suarez and Kris Bryant

SHORTSTOP

Paul DeJong vs. Glenn Sparkman, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,100

Another problem that Sparkman has is keeping hitters inside the ballpark considering he’s allowed 21 home runs over 93 innings. That could prove to be his downfall against DeJong, who checks into this game with 19 home runs. His price on FanDuel isn’t great, but a recent slump has left him with a reasonable price on DraftKings, making him a nice cost-effective player to consider in a Cardinals stack.

Others to consider: Trevor Story and Jordy Mercer

OUTFIELD

Nicholas Castellanos vs. Jason Vargas, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,500

Castellanos is happy to be out of Detroit. Between the weak lineup around him and the unfavorable ballpark, his numbers have been a bit disappointing. The trade to the Cubs could end up being a huge boost to his value and he’s already provided increased production by hitting 17-for-46 (.370) with four home runs and six doubles over 11 games with the team. He also has a 184 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers for the season, leaving him with plenty of upside against Vargas.

Cameron Maybin vs. John Means, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,600

Maybin has bounced around the majors in recent years, but he’s found a home with the Yankees. Initially brought in to provide depth for their injury-riddled outfield, Maybin has worked his way into a regular role by producing a 141 wRC+. He should be in the lineup with a lefty on the mound, making him great option to include in any Yankees stack.

Travis Demeritte vs. Yusei Kikuchi, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,700

While this is not a sexy game by any means, that doesn’t mean a few players can’t still provide value. Demeritte had put up some impressive numbers in the Braves’ organization, compiling a .399 wOBA and 20 home runs at Triple-A this season. Acquired in the deal that sent Shane Greene to the Braves, Demeritte now has a chance to play every day for a Tigers team that desperately needs an offensive boost. Kikuchi has been bad with a 5.88 FIP this season, so if there ever was a time to take a chance on Demeritte, this is it.

Others to consider: Mike Trout and Aristides Aquino

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.