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MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/31/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

August special! Use Code MCMLB50 at checkout

This will be our last baseball DFS article for the season. Hopefully, we’ve been able to help you turn a profit over the long grind. Let’s finish things on a high note and bring home some money Friday. 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/31/18

Zack Wheeler vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $10,000
DraftKings = $10,600

Wheeler has been fantastic of late, allowing two runs or fewer in seven straight starts. He has excellent numbers, overall, with a 3.46 ERA that is supported by a 3.31 FIP. He does a great job limiting baserunners with a 1.21 WHIP and has only allowed 12 home runs across 153.1 innings. Last year, he allowed 15 homers in only 86.1 innings. Facing the Giants earlier this month, Wheeler allowed one run and recorded 10 strikeouts across seven innings. The Giants recently lost Buster Posey for the season due to injury and just traded away Andrew McCutchen, so an already thin lineup is now even worse. Wheeler could be in line for a dominant performance.

Austin Gomber vs. Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $7,700

Gomber had very good numbers at Triple-A, posting a 3.42 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 10.0 K/9. He’s mostly pitched out of the bullpen for the Cardinals, but he’ll be making his sixth straight start Friday. He’s actually been better as a starter this season, recording a 2.51 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and an 8.4 K/9 across six outings. One of those starts came against these same Reds when he held them to two runs and recorded six strikeouts over 6.1 innings. If you want to take a chance on a cheap starting pitcher in tournament play, Gomber might be your man.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/31/18

Tyler White vs. Jaime Barria, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,400

White kept up his torrid pace Thursday, finishing the game 2-for-4 with a home run. He has logged at least two hits and a home in three of his last four games. Barria’s 3.67 ERA looks nice, but he hasn’t pitched that well based on his 4.58 FIP. Even though he is right-handed, Barria has actually struggled more against righties (.392 wOBA) than he has lefties (.262 wOBA).

Yadier Molina vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,000

The Cardinals are going to be a popular stack against Bailey. He’s having another awful season, posting a 6.17 ERA and a 1.62 FIP. He’s also allowed 21 home runs in just 96.1 innings. Molina has great numbers against Bailey in his career, hitting 19-for-47 (.404) with three home runs.

Others to consider: Matt Carpenter (first base) and Wilson Ramos (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/31/18

Daniel Murphy vs. Nick Pivetta, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,300

Although the Cubs seemed to have a lot of depth already, acquiring Murphy could prove to be a crucial move. He’s been excellent since joining the team, hitting .306 with two home runs and two doubles over eight games. Murphy has a .372 wOBA against right-handed pitchers and while Pivetta does record a lot of strikeouts, he’s allowed a .354 wOBA against lefties.

Yoan Moncada vs. Nathan Eovaldi, Boston Red Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,100

Eovaldi started out his Red Sox career on a high note, but he’s allowed 21 runs (14 earned) over 17 innings in his last four starts. He didn’t exactly face juggernaut lineups either with three of those starts coming against the Orioles, Phillies, and Rays. Moncada strikes out a ton, but he still has plenty of power with 16 home runs and 23 doubles. He’s also a much better hitter against righties, possibly making him a target in tournament play.

Others to consider: Travis Shaw and DJ LeMahieu

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/31/18

Jurickson Profar vs. Stephen Gonsalves, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,100

With the Rangers battling injuries much of the season and falling out of contention early, Profar has already played a career-high 119 games. His numbers aren’t off the charts, but he’s been excellent at home, batting .277 with a .900 OPS. Gonsalves has been hit hard in his first two outings for the Twins and things won’t get any easier for him having to pitch in hitter-friendly Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Todd Frazier vs. Andrew Suarez, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,200

Frazier has come on strong down the stretch, batting .265 with six home runs and five doubles in August. His .500 slugging percentage for the month is by far his best power stretch of the season. Suarez has allowed 18 home runs this season, 17 of which were to right-handed hitters.

Others to consider: Mike Moustakas and Matt Chapman

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/31/18

Paul DeJong vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,100

After going on a power surge earlier in August, DeJong has just one home run over his last 14 games. He has 14 for the season overall, but that’s a disappointment considering he hit 25 long balls in only 108 games last year. He’s not exactly swinging a hot bat, in general, with a .191 average in August. However, with the struggling Bailey on the mound, DeJong might be a contrarian play who could pay dividends in tournament play.

Amed Rosario vs. Andrew Suarez, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,500

Rosario has been dreadful hitting at Citi Field, batting just .205 with a .326 slugging percentage. He’s been a much better hitter on the road, though, recording a .292 batting average and a .416 slugging percentage. While he doesn’t carry much homer upside, he’s cheap enough on both sites to at least warrant consideration for your entry. Suarez has allowed a .362 wOBA against right-handed hitters as well.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Elvis Andrus

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/31/18

Carlos Gonzalez vs. Brett Kennedy, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $5,100

Gonzalez has quietly had a very strong campaign, batting .292 with 15 home runs and 26 doubles. He’s trying to help the Rockies make a push for the playoffs, batting .322 with a .932 OPS since July 1. Kennedy hasn’t lasted more than five innings in any of his previous four starts and has a 1.95 WHIP during that stretch, so this has the makings of a high-scoring game for Gonzalez and the Rockies.

Tyler O’Neill vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,600

With the Cardinals thin in their outfield due to injuries, O’Neill is finally getting a chance to play every day. He’s provided them with plenty of power, hitting four home runs across his last eight games. He has a .521 slugging percentage for the season overall, leaving him as a great option against Bailey.

Harrison Bader vs. Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,900

Bader has also been forced into more playing time, showing a nice mix of power and speed with 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases. He’s had by far his best stretch of the season in August, batting .303 with four homers, eight doubles, and three steals. If you want to go with a Cardinals stack, he’s one of their better cheap hitters to consider.

Others to consider: Christian Yelich and Trey Mancini

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/20/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

Wednesday’s schedule is split evenly between day and night games, so let’s examine some favorable options for both slates 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/20/18

Corey Kluber vs. Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $12,100
DraftKings = $12,600

Kluber had his worst start of the season against the Twins in his last outing, allowing four runs in five innings. He had pitched at least six innings and allowed three runs or fewer in each of his previous 14 starts, so expect him to rebound quickly. He has a 2.24 ERA and his 0.84 WHIP is partly aided by his insanely low 0.9 BB/9. In his last start against the White Sox, he allowed three hits and recorded 10 strikeouts in six scoreless innings. Don’t hesitate to pay up for him in their rematch.

Frankie Montas vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $6,700

Montas really struggled in his last start against the Astros, allowing seven runs (five earned) and recording only one strikeout in 5.1 innings. He was pitching well before that outing, allowing three runs across 21.2 innings in his first three starts. He’ll certainly get a much easier matchup in this game against a Padres team that has scored the sixth-fewest runs (285) in baseball. Montas hasn’t shown big strikeout upside, but the Padres do have the second most strikeouts (710), so he’s a viable cheap option in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/20/18

Brandon Belt vs. Jose Urena, Miami Marlins
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,700

Injuries have plagued Belt during his career, limiting him to 137 games or fewer in three of the last four seasons. He’s already made one trip to the DL this season, but he’s still managed to play in 57 games. He’s putting up excellent numbers when he’s on the field, batting .296 with 12 home runs. Facing the right-handed Urena makes Belt someone to target for your entry since he has a .409 wOBA against righties this year.

Devin Mesoraco vs. Chad Bettis, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,900

Bettis has been excellent on the road this season with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He’s been on the opposite end of the spectrum pitching in Coors Field, recording a 7.76 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Bettis gives up plenty of homers with a 1.5 HR/9, leaving Mesoraco as a cheaper option with upside.

Others to consider: Ian Desmond (first base) and Yuli Gurriel (first base)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/20/18

Asdrubal Cabrera vs. Chad Bettis, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,400

The Mets don’t have a great lineup, but going against Bettis in Coors Field makes them a stacking option to consider for your entry. Cabrera has enjoyed hitting in Coors Field so far as he is 4-for-10 with two RBI in the first two games of this series. He was in a slump to start the month of June, but he’s showing signs of turning things around during his current four-game hitting streak. He only has a .308 wOBA against lefties this year, but he has a .351 wOBA against righties.

Whit Merrifield vs. Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,900

The Royals are clearly sellers heading into the trade deadline as they have already moved Jon Jay and Kelvin Herrera. Merrifield is one of the building blocks of their team, though, batting .290 with 16 steals this season. He only has four home runs, but he already has 22 doubles in 269 at-bats after finishing with 32 doubles in 587 at-bats last year. Bibens-Dirkx has only made two starts for the Rangers this season, but he wasn’t impressive in either outing as he allowed 10 runs (eight earned) in 11 innings combined.

Others to consider: Scooter Gennett and Dee Gordon

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/20/18

Matt Carpenter vs. Jake Arrieta, Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,200

Carpenter is red-hot right now, hitting 13-for-43 (.302) with five home runs in his last 10 games. His overall numbers still aren’t great, but his .282 BABIP is still significantly lower than his career mark. He has a .351 wOBA against right-handed pitchers this season despite his struggles, leaving him with the opportunity for a big game against Arrieta, who only has a 6.0 K/9.

Brian Anderson vs. Derek Holland, San Francisco Giants
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,700

Anderson has taken full advantage of being given an everyday role with the Marlins, batting .294 with a .373 OBP. His BABIP is high at .363, but his 41.1% hard-hit rate is encouraging. Holland has allowed a .360 wOBA to righties this year, making Anderson a viable option for your entry despite his lack of home run upside.

Others to consider: Nolan Arenado and Anthony Rendon

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/20/18

Didi Gregorius vs. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,800

Gregorius has officially busted out of his prolonged slump as he is 13-for-33 (.394) across his last nine games. Not only does he have a .359 wOBA against righties this year, but 12 of his 14 home runs have come at Yankee Stadium. Once one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball, Hernandez has had trouble getting left-handed hitters out as he has allowed a .350 wOBA to them this year.

Amed Rosario vs. Chad Bettis, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $3,500

Rosario is 7-for-21 (.333) during his current five-game hitting streak. It’s no coincidence that streak has come on the road as Rosario is batting .282 away from Citi Field this year. With Bettis’ considerable struggles in Coors Field, Rosario could provide value based on his cheap price on both sites.

Others to consider: Manny Machado and Marcus Semien

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/20/18

Brandon Nimmo vs. Chad Bettis, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,000

Nimmo has been one of the bigger surprise success stories in baseball this year as he is batting .287 with 12 home runs and seven stolen bases. His BABIP is high at .358, but his 12.6% walk rate and 43% hard-hit rate are good signs for his continued success. His .454 wOBA against right-handers makes him someone you can build your entry around with Bettis on the mound.

Juan Soto vs. Andrew Cashner, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Nationals Park
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,600

Cashner will be activated from the DL to start this game, but he wasn’t pitching well before going down with a back injury. He allows a lot of base runners with a 1.69 WHIP and has had troubles keeping hitters in the ballpark with a 1.6 HR/9, which has lead to his 4.98 ERA and 5.17 FIP. Soto continues to shine since being recalled from the minors, posting a .326 batting average and 1.013 OPS.

Lonnie Chisenhall vs. Reynaldo Lopez, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Progressive Field
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,200

Chisenhall still doesn’t have a home run this year, but he’s been an asset to the Indians with a .339 average and a .439 OBP. His .404 BABIP won’t hold, but his .385 wOBA against righties makes him someone to consider in tournament play against Lopez, who doesn’t exactly have an overpowering arsenal with a 6.6 K/9 for his career.

Others to consider: Aaron Hicks and Nomar Mazara

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/19/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

There are a few aces taking the mound Tuesday, but there are also a lot of bad pitchers projected to start that could lead to some big offensive numbers. 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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/19/18

Justin Verlander vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $11,500
DraftKings = $13,300

Verlander has not allowed more than three earned runs in a start this season and he has four starts where he hasn’t allowed a single run. The end result has been a 1.61 ERA, 2.48 FIP and a 0.76 WHIP in 15 outings. He has thrown a first-pitch strike to 65.2% of the batters that he has faced and has a 12.8% swinging-strike rate, which has helped result in a 10.8 K/9. The Rays don’t score many runs, leaving Verlander with the potential for another excellent outing.

Vince Velasquez vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $8,800
DratfKings = $8,600

Velasquez’s 4.74 ERA is a bit deceiving. He allowed 10 runs over 3.2 innings in one start against the Brewers but has allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of his 14 outings. A lot of his struggles last year were due to his 1.50 WHIP and a 1.9 HR/9, but he’s improved in both areas with a 1.30 WHIP and a 1.2 HR/9 this season. His strikeout rate is up significantly at 28.3%, mirroring his 2016 campaign when he finished with a 27.6% strikeout rate and looked like a promising young piece the Phillies could build their rotation around. He doesn’t always pitch deep into games because of elevated pitch counts, but his strikeout upside is significant enough to make him a viable option in tournament play.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/19/18

Paul Goldschmidt vs. Felix Pena, Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,700

Goldschmidt buried himself in a deep hole by batting .144 with three home runs in May. He’s trying to make up for lost time in a hurry, batting .426 with eight home runs so far in June. He has boosted his overall batting average to .265 in the process and his .523 slugging percentage isn’t far off from his .531 career mark. Pena will be making his first start of the season after posting an underwhelming 3.78 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in Triple-A, leaving Goldschmidt with an excellent opportunity to continue his recent success.

Dominic Smith vs. German Marquez, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,000

This could be a high scoring game with two bad pitchers in Marquez and Jason Vargas taking the mound. Marquez has a 5.13 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 14 starts and has struggled even more with a 7.71 ERA and a 1.90 WHIP at Coors Field. If you’re stacking Mets on Tuesday, Smith is a great option based on his price.

Others to consider: Ian Desmond (first base) and Devin Mesoraco (catcher)

SECOND BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/19/18

DJ LeMahieu vs. Jason Vargas, New York Mets
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900

Stacking Rockies will probably be the most popular play of the night. Vargas has been awful this year with a 7.39 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP across eight starts. He hasn’t thrown more than five innings in any of his starts and has allowed eight home runs in 35.1 innings. LeMahieu has a .433 wOBA against lefties this year, which would mark his third straight season with a wOBA of at least .397 against left-handed pitchers.

Jed Lowrie vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,800

Lowrie was one of the hottest hitters in baseball over the first month of the season as he entered May batting .339 with six home runs. He’s cooled off dramatically since, batting .255 with three home runs in May and .228 with no home runs so far in June. He is 6-for-13 with two doubles in his last three games and this matchup is in his favor against the struggling Lauer, who has a 6.20 ERA and a 1.98 WHIP. If you can’t squeeze LeMahieu into your lineup based on his price tag, Lowrie is a cost-effective option with upside.

Others to consider: Asdrubal Cabrera and Daniel Descalso

THIRD BASE

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/19/18

Nolan Arenado vs. Jason Vargas, New York Mets
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,700

Arenado has significant home and road splits. He is hitting .276 with a .868 OPS on the road, but he is batting .339 with a 1.020 OPS at Coors Field. He also destroys left-handed pitching, posting a 211 wRC+ against them this season after finishing with a 220 wRC+ last year.

Adrian Beltre vs. Jason Hammel, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,700

Beltre is locked in since returning from his second stint on the DL this season, batting 16-for-47 (.340) with two home runs and 10 RBI in 14 games. The Rangers lineup is finally at full strength with Elvis Andrus back from the DL as well, opening up the possibility of more counting stats for Beltre. Arenado has significantly more upside based on his power, but Beltre is also someone to consider against Hammel, who hasn’t been impressive with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.

Others to consider: Jeimer Candelario and Colin Moran

SHORTSTOP

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/19/18

Trevor Story vs. Jason Vargas, New York Mets
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,500

Story looked like one of the best young players in baseball after hitting .272 with 27 home runs in only 97 games in 2016. He took a step backward last year, finishing with a .239 average and 24 home runs in 145 games. One reason for his struggles was his 34.4% strikeout rate. He’s cut that down to 26.4% this season, which has helped lead him to a .268 average. He hasn’t sacrificed his power numbers, either, as he has 15 homers. His home and road splits are even more dramatic than Arenado’s since 12 of Story’s 15 home runs this season have come at Coors Field.

Amed Rosario vs. German Marquez, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,600

Rosario is batting only .207 at Citi Field this season but he has been much better on the road with a .283 average. He took advantage of the friendly confines of Coors Field on Monday, finishing 3-for-5 with two doubles. He’s not exactly having a great season with a .246 average and four home runs, but he sticks out as a nice value play based on this matchup.

Others to consider: Elvis Andrus and Freddy Galvis

OUTFIELD

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/19/18

Brandon Nimmo vs. German Marquez, Colorado Rockies
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,800

The Mets have struggled to score runs, but that certainly hasn’t been Nimmo’s fault. He couldn’t have had a better start to this series against the Rockies, finishing 4-for-6 with two home runs and four RBI Monday. He has been one of the Mets most consistent hitters and he has a .459 wOBA against righties, making him someone to build your lineup around Tuesday.

Odubel Herrera vs. Luke Weaver, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,100

Herrara is heating up, hitting 9-for-23 with three home runs in his last five games. Weaver is going in the opposite direction, allowing 13 runs (11 earned) over 19.1 innings in his last four starts. Righties only have a .281 wOBA against Weaver this season, but lefties have had much more success with a .340 wOBA.

Mark Canha vs. Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres
Stadium – Petco Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,600

Canha’s overall numbers aren’t very good with a .244 average and a .758 OPS this season. He especially struggled in May, hitting just .183 with a .226 BABIP. However, he is a cheap option to target against lefties since he has a .384 wOBA against them this year.

Others to consider: Juan Soto and Nomar Mazara