MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/15/2019

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. Let’s discuss those, as well as some hitters to target. 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

Sonny Gray vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $9,800
DraftKings = $9,100

The Reds pounced on a buy-low opportunity with Gray after he had a terrible season for the Yankees in 2018. The move has done wonders for his value since he’s recorded a 3.10 ERA and a 3.46 FIP. One of his biggest areas of improvement is in the strikeout department with him now sporting a 27.9 percent strikeout rate. The Cardinals have struggled to the tune of a 87 wRC+ versus right-handed pitchers, making Gray one of the top pitching targets to consider.

Alex Young vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Chase Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $8,100

Young did not put up good numbers at Triple-A, but he’s surprisingly been able to record a 3.32 ERA with the Diamondbacks. Even though his 4.48 FIP indicates there might be some regression on the horizon, his 1.00 WHIP is very impressive. The Giants are towards the bottom of baseball in most major offensive categories, leaving Young as a cheap option with some appeal in tournament play.

CATCHER

Mitch Garver vs. Pedro Payano, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $5,300

The Twins figure to be a popular team to stack with Payano on the mound since he has a 1.71 WHIP through his first five appearances. While Garver does have better numbers against left-handed pitchers, he’s not exactly struggling with a .354 wOBA against righties. Since this won’t be the busiest of slates, Garver stands out as one of the top catchers to pursue, although his price on DraftKings is awfully high.

Others to consider: Jonathan Lucroy

FIRST BASE

Jose Abreu vs. Andrew Heaney, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,900

The Angels desperately needed help in their starting rotation, so it was a relief to get Heaney back over the weekend. He was only able to throw 3.2 innings while being on a limited pitch count, but he should be able to go deeper in this game if he is effective. His problem this season has been the long ball, allowing 1.6 HR/9. That could be an issue for him against the powerful Abreu, who also has a 151 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.

Others to consider: Christian Walker and Joey Votto

SECOND BASE

Luis Arraez vs. Pedro Payano, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,300

Arraez has quietly become an important member of the Twins. He’s hit his way into a starting job by going 23-for-73 (.315) with 15 runs scored across his last 20 contests. His limited power puts a damper on his upside, but he’s reasonably priced on both sites for this matchup against Payano, who has a bloated 1.71 WHIP through his first five appearances with the Rangers.

Others to consider: Ketel Marte and Gleyber Torres

THIRD BASE

Eugenio Suarez vs. Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,600

The Reds have a favorable matchup here against Wacha, who has a 6.10 FIP and has allowed 2.1 HR/9. His struggles with the long ball are a bit surprising since he has only allowed 1.0 HR/9 for his career, so there’s a chance some of his issues could be due to the different baseballs. Regardless, this is a great spot for Suarez, who is having the best power season of his career with a .274 ISO.

Others to consider: Eduardo Escobar and Miguel Sano

SHORTSTOP

Jose Iglesias vs. Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,000

While Iglesias might not be the biggest of names, he shouldn’t be ignored, especially for those deploying a Reds stack. He’s stepped up with the Reds trying to keep their playoff hopes alive, hitting 17-for-47 (.362) with three home runs and four doubles across his last 12 games. While he doesn’t have the platoon advantage here, Wacha has allowed a .403 wOBA versus righties this season.

Others to consider: Javier Baez and Jorge Polanco

OUTFIELD

Nicholas Castellanos vs. Drew Smyly, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,700

Castellanos is arguably one of the happiest players who was traded at the deadline. He wasn’t pleased with his home park in Detroit and the way it limited his power numbers. Now a member of the Cubs, he’s quickly made a great first impression by hitting 20-for-54 (.370) with five home runs and six doubles. He also has a 194 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers this year, making him one of the top outfielders to target.

Shohei Ohtani vs. Reynaldo Lopez, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,600

Ohtani is starting to show signs of breaking out of his slump, hitting 10-for-23 (.435) with two doubles and a triple across his last five games. When he’s on top of his game, he can be a difference-maker in DFS. He has been much better at home, leaving him with a 143 wRC+ there compared to a 116 wRC+ on the road. Even though Lopez has had some encouraging starts of late, he has a 4.98 FIP for the season, so Ohtani has the potential for another productive evening.

Jesse Winker vs. Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings =$4,100

Known for hitting for a high average throughout his time in the minors, Winker is batting just .269 this season. However, what he’s lacking in that area he’s helped make up for with 16 home runs. With the way Wacha has been struggling, and factoring in Winker’s .370 wOBA versus right-handed pitchers, rolling with him in tournament play is a viable strategy.

Others to consider: Aristides Aquino and Eddie Rosario

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.