MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/21/2019

Wednesday brings plenty of tough choices across the DFS landscape with 11 games on the schedule. In particular, there are a lot of viable pitching options. Let’s dig into the matchups and discuss some of the better players 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

Patrick Corbin vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $10,300
DraftKings = $10,800

While Justin Verlander has the best matchup of the night against the Tigers, he’s going to eat up a significant portion of your budget. Another top-tier pitcher who will at least cost a little bit less is Corbin, who has had an excellent campaign with a 3.39 FIP and a 28.5 percent strikeout rate. He also has a juicy matchup against the Pirates, who have the worst wRC+ (73) against left-handed pitchers in baseball.

Julio Teheran vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $8,000

Working our way even further down the price scale brings us to Teheran, who doesn’t exactly instill a lot of confidence with his 4.54 FIP and 1.34 WHIP. However, he has dominated the Marlins across four previous starts this season, allowing one run and recording 22 strikeouts over 25 innings. If you’re looking to spend more on hitters, Teheran is one of the top budget-friendly pitchers to target.

CATCHER

Will Smith vs. Wilmer Font, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,600

Smith’s career in the big leagues is off to an insane start with his .488 ISO. He’s also 10-for-26 (.385) with five home runs and two doubles during his current eight-game hitting streak. While he obviously won’t be able to sustain those type of power numbers, don’t expect this to be the game that he cools off considering the Blue Jays will be deploying their bullpen after Font opens. While they have some intriguing young hitters, their pitching staff is among the worst in baseball.

Others to consider: Christian Vazquez

FIRST BASE

Sam Travis vs. Drew Smyly, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,100

The Red Sox are likely going to be a popular stack against Smyly, who has given up 16 runs (14 earned) and six home runs over his last 15.2 innings. That’s really nothing new for him based on his 7.09 ERA and 6.92 FIP for the season, overall. Travis is 16-for-49 (.327) with a 1.016 OPS over his last 19 games, making him one of the top cheaper options to get some exposure to the Red Sox.

Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo and Max Muncy

SECOND BASE

Joe Panik vs. Adam Plutko, Cleveland Indians
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,300

If you want to load up on players on the Red Sox and Dodgers, you’ll need to take some chances on cheap players from other teams to make them work within your budget. Panik might be one of those cheap players to consider in tournament play. He’s been thrust into a prominent role for the Mets with Robinson Cano (hamstring) and Jeff McNeil (hamstring) on the IL. So far, so good, considering he is 9-for-27 (.333) with nine runs scored across nine games with the team.

Others to consider: Jose Altuve and Whit Merrifield

THIRD BASE

Hunter Dozier vs. Aaron Brooks, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900

For those looking to fade the Red Sox and Dodgers, the Royals also present a great opportunity to provide production. Brooks hasn’t been able to slow down opposing lineups at all, allowing 28 runs (27 earned) and seven home runs over his last 22 innings. Dozier is certainly one of the most dangerous hitters on the Royals with his .377 wOBA and .266 ISO.

Others to consider: Alex Bregman and Justin Turner

SHORTSTOP

Corey Seager vs. Wilmer Font, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,200

When healthy, Seager has the potential to provide significant production. He’s been doing just that lately, hitting 11-for-32 (.344) with three home runs and six doubles over his last eight games. He only struck out two times during that stretch, helping lower his strikeout rate for the season to 18 percent. At his reasonable price on both sites, he makes a lot of sense for a Dodgers stack.

Others to consider: Trea Turner and Nicky Lopez

OUTFIELD

J.D. Martinez vs. Drew Smyly, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Fenway Park
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,100

While Martinez hasn’t been as prolific as he was during his first season with the Red Sox, it’s hard to complain about a guy with a .250 ISO and a .387 wOBA. He’s launched 28 home runs already, giving him a shot at reaching 40 long balls for the third straight year. Don’t be surprised if he goes yard in this matchup considering he has a 232 wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers.

Mark Canha vs. J.A. Happ, New York Yankees
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,200

This is a big series for the A’s as they try and fight their way to a Wild Card spot. They emerged victorious Tuesday in part due to Canha hitting a home run. He’s stepped up for them in a major way down the stretch, hitting 20-for-57 (.351) with two home runs and two doubles over his last 15 games. He has followed up his .390 wOBA against left-handed pitchers in 2018 with a .360 wOBA against them this season, making him an excellent mid-tier option with Happ on the mound.

Brett Phillips vs. Aaron Brooks, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,600

Phillips once again showed his combination of speed and power at Triple-A this season, recording 18 home runs and 22 steals. With the Royals well out of reach for a playoff spot, they’ll give him a chance to prove himself in the majors down the stretch. Considering how poorly Brooks has pitched, Phillips is a viable target to at least consider in tournament play.

Others to consider: Cody Bellinger and Alex Gordon

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.