Wednesday’s evening slate of action will be highlighted by an excellent pitching matchup between Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. They aren’t the only stud pitchers set to take the mound, either.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/14/2019
After a quiet Monday, we have a busy Tuesday across the majors with 12 games making up the main evening slate in DFS.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/27/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
August special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout
There are only seven games across the majors on Monday, leaving you with far fewer options to choose from than normal in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Patrick Corbin vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $11,100
DraftKings = $11,500
Corbin has fooled a lot of hitters this season, producing a 15.0% swinging-strike rate and an 11.0 K/9. His 3.17 ERA would be the best mark of his career, but it could actually be even better considering his 2.37 FIP. He’s only issued 2.2 BB/9 and has allowed 11 home runs across 161.2 innings, which has helped him allow fewer than four runs in 20 of his 26 starts. He’s already made five starts against the Giants this year, posting a 2.20 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and a 10.2 K/9 across those outings. Expect him to have plenty of upside again Monday.
Jon Lester vs. New York Mets
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $8,200
Lester appears to have turned things around after a brief rough patch, allowing one run and recording 11 strikeouts over 11.2 innings in his last two starts. His 3.64 ERA overall is a big improvement from last year, but his 4.74 FIP indicates he hasn’t actually pitched much better. One area of concern has been his lack of strikeouts. His 8.3% swinging-strike rate is his lowest mark since 2008, resulting in just a 7.2 K/9. Even taking all of that into consideration, he’s still a viable option against the Mets in tournament play because they have the third-lowest OPS against left-handed pitchers (.649) in baseball.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Kendrys Morales vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,000
Morales is on an incredible run right now as he has hit at least one home run in seven straight games. He’s not just hitting for power, though, going 17-for-34 during his current 10-game hitting streak. This is a major mismatch against Hess and his 6.11 FIP.
Justin Smoak vs. David Hess. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,200
Smoak has a career-high 14.0% walk rate this year, but he hasn’t been able to build off of his .270 batting average in 2017, hitting just .249 this season. He likely won’t match the 38 home runs he hit either, but he’s still provided significant power with 19 homers and 32 doubles. He has a .369 wOBA against righties, making him another great option against Hess.
Others to consider: Tyler White (first base) and Danny Jansen (catcher)
SECOND BASE
DJ LeMahieu vs. Odrisamer Despaigne, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,200
This would be a much sweeter matchup if this game was being played in Coors Field, but the Rockies will likely still be a popular stack against Despaigne. Despaigne has mostly pitched in the minors this season and didn’t stand out with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. His first two starts with the Angels have not gone well, allowing eight runs over eight innings. LeMahieu has largely had a disappointing season, but he’s coming on strong down the stretch by hitting .340 across his last 13 games.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $4,300
Gurriel was on a crazy streak of 11 straight multi-hit games before landing on the DL with an ankle injury. He missed almost a month of action and although he only has one hit in three games since being activated, he did reach base in all three contests. Hess allows plenty of baserunners with his 1.40 WHIP, which could leave Gurriel in line for a productive evening. His price is a little high on DraftKings, but he’s a great target in tournament play on FanDuel.
Others to consider: Jose Altuve and Jonathan Villar
THIRD BASE
Alex Bregman vs. Brett Anderson, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,400
Bregman is quietly one of the best hitters in baseball. He already has 24 home runs and 40 doubles to go along with a .283 average, but maybe his most impressive stat is that he has more walks (75) than strikeouts (68). Add in his 163 wRC+ against left-handed pitching and he could be a troublesome out for Anderson.
Eduardo Escobar vs. Chris Stratton, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,200
Stratton was excellent in his last start against the Mets, holding them to two runs across 6.1 innings. However, that was more than likely because of his opponent than anything else. He had allowed 19 runs over 12.2 innings in his previous three starts and has a bloated 1.52 WHIP overall. If you don’t want to pay up for Bregman, Escobar could also provide plenty of value based on his .365 wOBA against righties.
Others to consider: Miguel Andujar and Anthony Rendon
SHORTSTOP
Trevor Story vs. Odrisamer Despaigne, Los Angels Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,600
Story on the road against a righty is not normally a matchup you want to take advantage of. He has received a significant boost from Coors Field, but that can be said for many of the hitters on the Rockies. He still has excellent power upside with 26 home runs and 36 doubles, so don’t necessarily overlook him against Despaigne.
Aledmys Diaz vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,200
Diaz posted a .510 slugging percentage during his rookie season in 2016 but regressed significantly to a .392 slugging percentage last year. No longer with the Cardinals, Diaz has rediscovered his power stroke with the Blue Jays, recording 16 home runs and 18 doubles over 333 at-bats. He enters Monday with at least one hit in seven of his last eight games and is batting .282 in August, overall.
Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Trea Turner
OUTFIELD
David Peralta vs. Chris Stratton, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,500
Peralta is showing no signs of slowing down, batting .395 with nine home runs in August. He’s already blown by his previous career high with 25 home runs this year while maintaining an excellent .304 average. With his 159 wRC+ against righties, he’s someone to build around in what could be a productive Diamondbacks stack.
Billy McKinney vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,900
McKinney was buried on the Yankees depth chart in their loaded outfield, but he’s getting a chance to play after being traded to the Blue Jays. It’s only been eight games, but he’s taken advantage of his opportunity by going 9-for-23 with three home runs. The former first-round pick may never live up to lofty expectations, but he’s still only 23 years old. He doesn’t cost much on either site and is a great cheap option to plug into any Blue Jays stack against Hess.
David Dahl vs. Odrisamer Despaigne, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,800
Dahl has played well in the minor leagues with a .306 batting average and a .508 slugging percentage for his career, but he’s had a hard time earning an everyday role with the Rockies. He was finally recalled at the beginning of August and is starting to pay dividends, hitting .289 with two homers and three doubles over his last nine games. His price on DraftKings is a bit high, but he’s someone to target on FanDuel in tournament play at the very least.
Others to consider: A.J. Pollock and Carlos Gonzalez
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
August special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout
Wednesday brings 14 games across the majors, but only nine of them make up the main evening slate in DFS. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Jose Quintana vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $8,300
Quintana has had control problems this season, issuing a career-high 4.1 BB/9. His 4.12 ERA isn’t terrible, but it could be worse considering his 4.60 FIP and 1.38 WHIP. He has pitched better of late, allowing two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. Of those four starts, three of them came against bad lineups in the Tigers, Giants, and Padres. He gets another great matchup Wednesday against a Royals squad that has scored the fewest runs (414) in baseball, giving him an excellent opportunity to continue his recent run of success.
Jhoulys Chacin vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Miller Park
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,500
Chacin was hammered in his last start against the Dodgers, allowing nine runs (eight earned) and three home runs across 4.1 innings. The Dodgers have one of the best lineups in the National League, though, so don’t read too much into one bad outing. He had allowed two runs or fewer in five of his six previous starts. Don’t count on him for a lot of strikeouts with his 7.2 K/9, but he’s only allowed 13 home runs across 132 innings. The Padres have the second-lowest OPS against right-handed pitchers (.653), setting up Chacin nicely for a rebound performance.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Matt Carpenter vs. Trevor Richards, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,400
Carpenter went deep again Tuesday, marking his fourth home run in the last five games. If it wasn’t for such a horrible start, Carpenter could have one of the better cases for NL MVP. Even with his early struggles, he’s still batting .282 with a .393 OBP and 30 home runs. Keeping riding his hot bat against Richards and his 1.39 WHIP.
Yasmani Grandal vs. Mike Fiers, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,300
The A’s are making a push for the playoffs and have added a few players for the stretch run. One of the guys they brought in was Fiers, who will be making his first start since being acquired from the Tigers. His 3.48 ERA looks nice, but his 4.65 FIP indicates he is not pitching that well. He’s also had problems keeping hitters inside the park with a 1.5 HR/9. The switch-hitting Grandal has had very little success against lefties, but he has a .382 wOBA against right-handed pitching.
Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo (first base) and Jake Bauers (first base)
SECOND BASE
Javier Baez vs. Heath Fillmyer, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,700
Baez is having a great season, in general, but he’s been even hotter of late by hitting .378 with six homers and five doubles over his last 11 games. His .346 BABIP this season looks high, but it’s actually almost in line with his .336 career mark. Fillmyer has a 4.83 FIP and a 1.42 WHIP with the Royals and posted 5.75 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP at Triple-A, making Baez an extremely appealing option.
Neil Walker vs. Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,800
Walker has struggled with the Yankees, often finding himself on the bench due to the stellar play of Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. Playing time has opened up for him lately with Aaron Judge on the DL as he now starts most games against right-handed pitchers. He’s taken advantage of his opportunity, batting .364 with a home run and a double of his last 41 plate appearances. At this cheap price, he’s someone to consider against Giolito based on his 1.49 WHIP.
Others to consider: Joey Wendle and Jonathan Villar
THIRD BASE
Jose Ramirez vs. Jake Odorizzi, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $6,000
Ramirez has already tied or surpassed his previous career-highs in home runs, RBI, and stolen bases this season. His batting average hasn’t suffered at the expense of his power at .297 and he actually has more walks (74) than strikeouts (55). In three previous starts against the Indians this season, Odorizzi has allowed 16 runs (15 earned) across 13.2 innings. Look for them to have another big night Wednesday with Ramirez likely right in the middle of all the action.
Johan Camargo vs. Tommy Milone, Washington Nationals
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,100
With the Nationals thin at starting pitcher, they have turned to the journeyman Milone to fill a spot in their rotation. Milone has had some success during his minor league career, but he has a 4.35 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP over his career in the majors. Camargo has excelled with a .389 wOBA against lefties this year, making him a great option if you don’t want to pay up for Ramirez.
Others to consider: Miguel Andujar and Mike Moustakas
SHORTSTOP
Didi Gregorius vs. Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $5,000
One of the deepest lineups in baseball heading into the season, the Yankees really need Gregorius to be productive right now with Judge and Gary Sanchez both sidelined. While his numbers aren’t off the charts, he is batting .279 with two home runs, seven RBI and eight runs scored across 11 games since Judge hit the DL. He has a .348 wOBA against righties and provides significant upside against the underwhelming Giolito.
Aledmys Diaz vs. Brian Johnson, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,900
Diaz came through with another hit Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to five games. Although he broke a streak of five straight games with at least one run scored, Diaz is locked into significant playing time with Lourdes Gurriel on the DL. Johnson has posted a 3.74 ERA for the Red Sox, but that’s not likely going to hold up based on his 1.42 WHIP. At this cheap price on both sites, Diaz could provide plenty of value.
Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Xander Bogaerts
OUTFIELD
J.D. Martinez vs. Mike Hauschild, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $5,500
Martinez is flat out amazing. He’s given the Red Sox everything they could have hoped for after signing him to a big contract, batting .328 with 34 home runs and 97 RBI. With all the talented hitters around him, Martinez gets plenty of opportunities to rack up counting stats. The Red Sox are likely going to be a popular stack against Hauschild based on his 4.88 ERA and 1.55 WHIP at Triple-A this year.
Mallex Smith vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,700
When the Rays acquired Tommy Pham and Austin Meadows, it looked like Smith might be in line for a smaller role. However, the Rays sent Meadows directly to Triple-A and Pham quickly landed on the DL with a foot injury. Smith is getting all the playing time he can handle as a result and is hot right now, going 11-for-19 with six walks over his last seven games. He’s a terror when he’s on base that much, resulting in five steals over that stretch. Cashner struggles to keep runners off base with his 1.56 WHIP, making Smith a viable option despite his lack of power.
Yasiel Puig vs. Mike Fiers, Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $2,600
DraftKings = $4,400
The ability to use the DH in this series helps the Dodgers free up a bit of a logjam they have created for their lineup after adding Manny Machado and Brian Dozier. It also gives the hitters in the lineup added opportunities for counting stats without the pitcher being required to hit. Puig has at least two hits in three of his last four games and while he doesn’t have the platoon advantage against Fiers, he actually has a higher wOBA against righties (.382) than he does lefties (.283).
Others to consider: Randal Grichuk and Jackie Bradley Jr.
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/7/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
August special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout
There are some excellent pitching options Tuesday, but there could be plenty of high-scoring games, as well, with several teams throwing out their back of the rotation starters. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Carlos Carrasco vs. Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $10,600
DraftKings = $11,500
The Indians starting rotation is so deep that Carrasco doesn’t always get the recognition that he deserves. He’s having another fantastic season with a 3.66 ERA, 3.25 FIP, and a 1.13 WHIP. He’s shown excellent control by issuing only 1.9 BB/9 and his 10.1 K/9 would mark the third time in the last four seasons that he has finished with a K/9 of at least 10. This will be his second straight start against the Twins after he recorded 10 strikeouts over 7.1 scoreless innings last Wednesday. With Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier no longer on the team, this is an excellent lineup to exploit.
C.C. Sabathia vs. Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $7,400
It’s not always pretty, but Sabathia seems to find a way to get the job done more often than not. His velocity is down significantly at this point in his career, but his 3.59 ERA would be his third straight season with a sub-4.00 ERA. You shouldn’t count on him for a lot of strikeouts, though, considering his 7.3 K/9. His upside isn’t the greatest as a result, but he can still provide value in the right matchups. The White Sox have scored the seventh-fewest runs (456) in baseball and only have a .693 OPS against left-handed pitching, so Sabathia might be worth the risk in tournament play.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Matt Carpenter vs. Pablo Lopez, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,700
Carpenter is on another power surge, slugging three home runs over his last four games. He’s already set a new career-high with 29 long balls and his .281 batting average would be his highest mark since 2013. He has an insane 50.3% hard-hit rate, but his .313 BABIP is actually slightly lower than his career numbers. Lopez has allowed at least one home run in five of his six starts this season and hasn’t shown an overpowering arsenal with a 7.3 K/9, leaving Carpenter with tremendous upside once again.
Tucker Barnhart vs. Jason Vargas, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $2,300
DraftKings = $3,700
Barnhart is struggling right now, batting .170 across his last 18 games. This might be just the matchup he needs to get back on track considering Vargas has an 8.23 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP. Barnhart has also excelled against lefties this year with a .382 wOBA.
Others to consider: Jake Bauers (first base) and Kendrys Morales (first base)
SECOND BASE
Rougned Odor vs. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,400
Odor has been a different hitter since the calendar changed to July, batting .340 with nine home runs and eight doubles over 106 at-bats. His batting average is up to .269 for the season overall, which has helped make up for his decrease in home runs. He’s only batting .239 on the road this season, but he’s recorded a .295 average with a .500 slugging percentage at home.
Jonathan Villar vs. Tyler Glasnow, Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium = Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,800
Villar is likely going to get plenty of playing time down the stretch for an Orioles team that stripped it’s lineup at the trade deadline passed. The move to Baltimore has paid off for him so far as he is 8-for-17 (.471) through four games. He has struggled to build off of his breakout 2016 campaign where he hit 19 home runs and stole 62 bases, but he can still wreak havoc on the base paths and is worth considering in tournament play at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Whit Merrifield and Joey Wendle
THIRD BASE
Eugenio Suarez vs. Jason Vargas, New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,300
Suarez is likely going to be a popular play Tuesday based on his 213 wRC+ against lefties. Vargas gives up a ton of runs and doesn’t provide the Mets with much length, which helps make the case for Suarez even stronger considering their lack of quality arms in the bullpen. He doesn’t come cheap, but he could be a player to build your entry around.
Jurickson Profar vs. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,800
Hernandez has a respectable 4.02 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP at home, but he’s been crushed on the road with a 7.58 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. The Rangers are a far better offensive team at home, so expect them to be one of the most widely used stacks for the evening. Profar has better numbers against lefties, but he’s 23-for-77 (.299) with 15 runs and 13 RBI over his last 22 games overall.
Others to consider: Colin Moran and Kyle Seager
SHORTSTOP
Aledmys Diaz vs. Drew Pomeranz, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Rogers Centre
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,000
Diaz has seen steady playing time with Lourdes Gurriel on the DL and has taken advantage of the opportunity by going 8-for-24 (.333) with four home runs over seven games. Although he doesn’t walk much, he’s quietly rebounded from a disappointing 2017 season to bat .261 with 14 home runs overall. Pomeranz has allowed six runs across 9.2 innings in two starts since being activated from the DL and has pitched poorly, in general, this year with a 6.56 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP.
Andrelton Simmons vs. Jacob Turner, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,000
Turner appeared in four games for the Marlins earlier this season, allowing 10 runs over 5.2 innings. He’s moved on to the Tigers and has since made 11 starts at Triple-A, but he didn’t exactly pitch well there with a 4.01 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 6.3 K/9. With a 5.26 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP for his career in the majors, the Angels could be in for a big night even with Mike Trout sidelined. Simmons is batting .306 with only 22 strikeouts this year, so he could be on base plenty in this game.
Others to consider: Francisco Lindor and Jose Peraza
OUTFIELD
Nelson Cruz vs. Bartolo Colon, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,500
Cruz failed to take Martin Perez deep Monday, but he still finished the game 2-for-5 with a walk. He’ll get another excellent chance to hit one out of the park Tuesday since Colon has given up 1.8 HR/9. Colon doesn’t fool many batters at this stage of his career with a 5.2 K/9, so don’t be surprised if Cruz and the Mariners hang a crooked number on him in this contest.
Kole Calhoun vs. Jacob Turner, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,100
Calhoun’s .207 average still looks horrible, but he’s batting .294 over 29 games since July 1. He hasn’t just hit for average during that stretch, either, recording 11 home runs, 27 RBI and 23 runs scored. With how poorly Tuner has pitched, it’s hard to pass up Calhoun based on his reasonable price on both sites.
Shohei Ohtani vs. Jacob Turner, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,400
Ohtani’s elbow injury has prevented him from pitching, but he’s still been able to DH for the Angels while he works his way back to the mound. He’s pretty much unplayable versus lefties considering his .243 wOBA against them. However, he has a .422 wOBA against righties with all 11 of his home runs coming against them.
Others to consider: Joey Gallo and Mark Canha