MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/22/2019

Thursday brings another fun night of DFS with plenty of intriguing games on the schedule. There is no shortage of top-tier pitchers available, so this might be a good day to pay up at the position. After pouring through the matchups, here are 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

Mike Soroka vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $9,300
DraftKings = $10,000

After Julio Teheran shut down the Marlins yet again Wednesday, it’s Soroka’s turn to try and assert his dominance over one of the weakest lineups in baseball. He’s thrived against them across three previous starts, giving up just three runs (one earned) over 22 innings. While his 19.7 percent strikeout rate does limit his upside, this matchup might be too good to pass up.

Ryan Yarbrough vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $9,300

I’m not high on any of the really cheap pitching options for this slate. Yarbrough is a tad less expensive than Soroka, but you’ll still have to add in a few cheap bats if you want to squeeze him into your entry. His return to the starting rotation has gone really well with him pitching 15 shutout innings over his last two outings. Look for him to keep things rolling against the Orioles, who he has recorded nine strikeouts against and allowed just two runs across 9.2 innings this season.

CATCHER

Tyler Flowers vs. Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $2,300
DraftKings = $3,400

With Brian McCann (knee) on the IL, Flowers takes over as the starting catcher for the Braves. His 34 percent strikeout rate is certainly alarming, although his .190 ISO is his highest mark since 2012. Alcantara has a mediocre 4.92 FIP to go along with a 1.42 WHIP, making Flowers an appealing cheap options for a Braves stack or a one-off if you want to save money at catcher.

Others to consider: Will Smith

FIRST BASE

Max Muncy vs. Jacob Waguespack, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $5,200

The Dodgers’ lineup couldn’t take advantage of the weak Blue Jays’ pitching staff Wednesday, but they still came away with the victory thanks to Muncy’s walk-off home run. He’s now gone deep in five straight games, raising his ISO to .281 for the season. While pricey, he can be a DFS difference-maker when he’s on a tear like this.

Others to consider: Jose Abreu and Howie Kendrick

SECOND BASE

Nick Solak vs. Ross Detwiler, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,600

As we try to target some cheaper options so you can pay up at pitcher, Solak checks in as a great target at second base. He hit exceptionally well after joining the Rangers’ Triple-A squad, recording a .305 ISO and a .421 wOBA over 30 games. He’s carried that success into the big leagues, hitting 4-for-11 with a home run and two doubles since being recalled. Detwiler checks into this game with a 7.33 FIP, so to say that he has struggled would be an understatement.

Others to consider: Jose Altuve and Ozzie Albies

THIRD BASE

Anthony Rendon vs. Steven Brault, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,600

The Nationals’ lineup is firing on all cylinders right now. Rendon has been one of the key reasons for their success, hitting 21-for-54 (.389) with three home runs and four doubles across his last 12 games. He continues to have success against left-handed pitchers, posting a .412 wOBA against them for the season, overall. Brault is an underwhelming southpaw with his 1.42 WHIP, leaving Rendon with a tremendously high ceiling.

Others to consider: Yoan Moncada and Justin Turner

SHORTSTOP

Tim Anderson vs. Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,800

Anderson enters this contest on one heck of an eight-game hitting streak. He has seven multi-hit performances during that stretch, leaving him 17-for-35 (.486) with a home run and five doubles. While he doesn’t walk much, he has cut down on his strikeout rate and posted an excellent .332 batting average. Jurado has an inflated 1.51 WHIP, leaving Anderson with an excellent opportunity to extend his hitting streak.

Others to consider: Corey Seager and Elvis Andrus

OUTFIELD

Ronald Acuna Jr. vs. Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,900

Acuna will cost you a pretty penny on both sites, but he has one of the highest upsides of any player at any position. He’s already launched 36 home runs to go along with 29 stolen bases, scoring 106 runs in the process. He’s also stepped up with the Braves dealing with several injuries by hitting 23-for-66 (.348) with 10 home runs over his last 16 games.

Shin-Soo Choo vs. Ross Detwiler, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,800

Choo might not stand out as the best player to target on the Rangers since he won’t have the platoon advantage versus Detwiler. However, with Detwiler allowing a .350 wOBA to left-handed hitters, Choo could still provide value. He’s once again been one of the most consistent hitters on the Rangers and has already hit 20 home runs, giving him a .202 ISO that is his highest mark since 2008.

Delino DeShields Jr. vs. Ross Detwiler, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,200

Injuries have forced DeShields back into a prominent role for the Rangers and he’s doing his best to salvage his rough campaign by hitting 9-for-29 (.310) with two doubles and five steals across his last eight games. Don’t count on him for power numbers, but with how much Detwiler has struggled, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see DeShields on base a time or two in this contest. If that’s the case, he could provide plenty of value at this price with his speed.

Others to consider: Cody Bellinger and Michael Brantley

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.