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DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 11, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 11, 2017

Welcome back for another exciting installment of our daily fantasy baseball picks. With no afternoon games, we get a full 15-game slate tonight so let’s jump in and take a look at a couple of the top pitchers and some stacking options. 

Starting Pitchers
 

Carlos Carrasco
Opponent – @ TB
Park – Tropicana Field
Vegas Favorite (CLE -135)
Vegas Total (8.0)

This slate is chalk full of risk and it starts at the pitcher position. On DraftKings, it seems almost crazy to pay $12K+ for Rich Hill in cash games. Pitch count has been a word that follows almost every Dodgers pitcher, especially since Kershaw went down. I think it is an alright GPP play considering the matchup but for cash games, I will take the discount and roll with Carlos Carrasco. Sure, he has struggled giving up five earned runs in back to back starts but is running a very unsustainable BABIP right now and is likely to see some positive regression real soon. Despite the struggles, he has kept his xFIP in the mid 3’s and has an elite 9.78 K/9 rate and 12.5% swinging strike rate. He gets a boost in upside tonight as the Rays strike out 25% of the time vs. right-handed pitchers and have been even worse over the last 14 days striking out 28% of the time.

Charlie Morton
Opponent – @ TEX
Park – Globe Life Park in Arlington
Vegas Favorite (HOU -125)
Vegas Total (9.5)

This play is definitely GPP only as it comes with a ton of risk but on the flip side also comes with a ton of upside. The Rangers have a scary offense that ranks inside the Top 10 when looking at runs scored and they also play in a very hitter friendly ballpark, especially in the heat of summer. With that said, they have seen an elevated K rate(27.2%) over the last 14 days with a league average wOBA and wRC+. This fits my strikeout model perfectly tonight as Charlie Morton provides his own upside with a 9.82 K/9 rate and he has also been very steady this season with a 3.78 ERA and 3.71 xFIP. The risk is there but you aren’t going to find a pitcher without any and at least Morton gives us access to some huge upside at a price below $10K.

Top Stacks

I am much more excited about stacking than I was last night as there are currently nine teams with an implied run total greater than five and two teams sitting at over 5.5 right now. My favorite team to stack tonight is the Dodgers once again as they get a matchup vs. another left-handed pitcher after putting up eight runs in another win last night. I will be heavy on Chris Taylor, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, and Enrique Hernandez. If you are looking for some lower ownership with your stack tonight there is a chance the Brewers come lower owned than usual thanks to their struggles lately. They do have a ton of power upside and get an elite matchup vs. Homer Bailey who has given up five or more earned runs in five of his nine starts this season. For the Brew Crew, I am targeting Eric Thames, Ryan Braun, Domingo Santana, and Travis Shaw.

 

 

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 10, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 10, 2017

With just two afternoon games today, I will be concentrating on the 10-game main slate tonight and providing my top pitchers and stacks. Let’s dig in and take a look.

Starting Pitchers
 James Paxton - LineupLab - DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks

James Paxton
Opponent – vs. LAA
Park – Safeco Field (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (SEA -180)
Vegas Total (7.5)

There are five pitchers over $10K tonight on DraftKings and all of them display some sort of upside. This should help neutralize the ownership and allow us to choose our favorite option. For me, it’s James Paxton who has been nothing short of dominant in the second half. He has won all five of his starts, posted a 1.41 ERA/1.95 xFIP and is walking just over a half batter per nine with an elite 11.53 K/9 rate and 13% swinging strike rate. The matchup could be a bit better as the Angels strike out a tick less than league average but overall they rank 29th in wOBA and 27th in wRC+ vs. left-handed pitching.

Lance Lynn
Opponent – vs. KC
Park – Busch Stadium (Pitchers Park)
Vegas Favorite (STL -140)
Vegas Total (8.5)

The options at the second starting pitcher position for DraftKings are limited tonight if you are looking in the mid tier. For the most part, this will have me paying up for two high-end options but in the lineups I want to upgrade bats, I will be looking to roster Lynn. He doesn’t provide a ton of upside(7.7 K/9 rate) but has been extremely consistent all season. He has held opponents to two or less earned runs in seven straight starts and in 17 of his 23 starts this season. He also gets a very good matchup vs. the Royals who rank in the bottom third of the league when looking at runs and also when looking at wOBA, wRC+ and ISO vs. right-handed pitching.

Top Stacks

Jose Altuve - draftkings fanduel mlb lineup picks - Houston Astros - LineupLab

Stacking is a little bit tougher tonight as there are currently no teams projected over 5.5 runs and no game with a double-digit run total. On the high-end I like the Astros and Dodgers going up against southpaws and both teams sit inside the Top 3 when looking at most metrics vs. left-handed pitching. The Astros get the best matchup going up against Carlos Rodon who does have some k upside but the ugly walk rate (4.6 BB/9) and long ball potential(22.9% HR/FB rate) more than makeup for the risk. The Dodgers get a big park upgrade in Chase Field and face Anthony Banda who is just two starts into his major league career after posting a 5.13 ERA/4.67 xFIP in 19 starts in AAA earlier this season. Target the Dodger right handed bats (Taylor, Hernandez, Turner, Puig).

On the value end of things, I like going with the Mets left-handed bats (Conforto, Cabrera, Granderson, Walker) and even Cespedes vs. Vince Velasquez. He has given up a .373 wOBA to lefties this season and has walked over five per nine. I will also have exposure to the Athletics who face Wade Miley tonight. The Oakland Coliseum has actually been an above average hitters park this season and Miley gives up a ton of home runs(19.6% HR). I am mainly looking at Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie, Khris Davis, and Ryan Healy.

 

 

 

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 9, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Wednesday, August 9, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Alex Wood @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Park – Chase Field
Vegas O/U – 8.5

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy to roster a pitcher in Chase Field. Come on, it’s the 2nd best hitting park in baseball! But hey, you have to look at the slate as a whole. We do have a few talented pitchers, but they are in tough spots. Alex Wood may actually be the safest, simply due to his strikeout floor. He also has the upside to deliver in a tournament. The Diamondbacks are a pretty good matchup as well, even in Chase Field. They have ranked 20th in baseball against lefties with a .317 wOBA and a crazy 25.6% strikeout rate. While Wood may give up a homer or two in Chase Field, I think it will be far outweighed by 8+ strikeouts. You’ll have to go somewhere tonight and it’s not like any of these guys are safe, so why not take the guy with a high K floor?

Justin Verlander Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Park – Comerica Park
Vegas O/U – 9

Justin Verlander is always pretty tough to roster. He goes through rough patches and looks like a simply bad pitcher. He’ll then go out and throw a few complete games like other ever happened. Tonight, I think he’s safe enough. The Pirates are a decent hitting team, but also much, much better against lefties. Verlander has posted a .313 combined wOBA and looks to be the same guy he has been for a few years. His price is down a bit and he won’t need to have an amazing game to come through. All in all, Verlander is a very good pitcher and he has a decent match-up.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Milwaukee Brewers Vs. Bartolo Colon (Twins)
Park – Miller Park
Implied Total – 5.51

When Bartolo Colon takes the mound, you should be looking to grab some hitters. I understand he got lucky and threw a crazy game last time out, but he’s bad. Very bad. He’s posted a .377 wOBA against lefties since last year and. .369 against righties. He struggles getting anyone out and will be out of the league after this season. The Brewers are a pretty good offense and they have 2 lefties you have to absolutely love. Eric Thames and Travis Shaw are my favorite bats on the team, with Braun and Santana a close 3rd and 4th. The Brewers offense isn’t very concentrated, so don’t be afraid to target a Keon Broxton or Manuel Pino.

Main Stack – Eric Thames, Travis Shaw, Ryan Braun, Domingo Santana.
Sneaky Stack – Eric Thames, Travis Shaw, Keon Broxton, Manuel Pino.

Cincinatti Reds Vs. San Diego Padres (Padres)
Park – Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 5.34

The Reds are a team you have to love tonight. Hosting the Padres, the Reds face off with Travis Wood in The Great American Ballpark. They are projected to score over 5 runs and should get Wood out of there pretty quickly. Wood has been absolutely atrocious against righties over the last 2 years, sporting a .372 wOBA. He also has a big home run issue, which isn’t good news in this ballpark. Zack Cozart is my favorite hitter on the team and he’s posted a .490 wOBA. Wow. Eugenio Suarez and Adam Duvall are also great against lefties and have a ridiculous amount of upside here. You can go anywhere after that and be in a similar spot.

Main Stack – Zack Cozart, Eugenio Suarez, Adam Duvall, Joey Votto
Sneaky Stack – Zack Cozart, Eugenio Suarez, Patrick Kivlehan, Billy Hamilton

 

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 8, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 8, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Chris Sale - Boston Redsox - Lineuplab - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks

Chris Sale @ Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Tropicana Field
Vegas O/U – 7.5

We have a plethora of expensive pitchers on this slate, with no 1 arm standing out. Our favorite of the bunch is Chris Sale, who faces off with the Tampa Bay Rays in pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field. Sale is having arguably his best season ever, sporting a combined .245 wOBA and striking out over 12 batters per 9 innings. This is also a prime match-up for Sale. Against righties, they hold the 20th ranked wOBA at just .309. They also strikeout 25.5% of the time, which leads the league. Tropicana Field is a huge bump from Fenway Park and Vegas expect the Rays to be shut down. They hold an implied run total under 3 and should be in trouble from the get go. I think Sale and Kluber are pretty close and I don’t know which one ends up more popular, but Sale is my guy.

Dallas Keuchel @ Chicago White Sox
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Vegas O/U – 10

If you want to get a little bit cheaper, but remain in the upper-tier for upside, Dallas Keuchel is your guy. Keuchel has struggled in each of his last 2 starts and it’s resulted in him seeing a price decrease. He’s still the same pitchers he’s been all year and we should be looking at him no differently. This White Sox team is horrible and we’ve been streaming pitchers against them all year long. Keuchel has been utterly dominant against lefties with an. .129 wOBA and 12 K/9. You can wish those guys good luck. As for the righties, a .268 isn’t much better. Jose Abreu is really the only bat I’m scared of in this lineup and he’s far better against southpaws. Keuchel is a bit cheaper than he should be and makes for an excellent play in all formats.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Jose Altuve - Houston Astros - lineup lab

Houston Astros @ Derek Holland (White Sox)
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Implied Total – 6.34

When first glancing at this slate, there was 1 team who stood out as my favorite and it wasn’t too close. That hasn’t changed and I don’t think it will. The Houston Astros are facing off with Derek Holland in what is the top stack of the night. Depending on what bats make it into the Astros order, you can play them all. Holland has been absolutely pitiful against righties with a .397 wOBA over 97 innings. He’s given up an astronomical 23 home runs and now faces the most powerful team in the game. Good luck. Altuve and Correa are the cream of the crop and so won’t make a stack without them. After that, it depends on where everyone ends up in the order. Gonzalez and Guriel are both good hitters, but hold a lot more appeal if they see a 1-5 spot. All in all, this is easily my favorite offense of the night and I’ll be all over them in stacks.

Main Stack – Jose Altuve, Carlos Beltran, Yuli Gurriel, Alex Bregman
Sneaky Stack – Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Tyler White, Jake Marisnick

San Diego Padres @ Sal Romano (Reds)
Park – The Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 4.08

If you want to go contrarian with a team that may be a bit sneaky, don’t be afraid to pick on Sal Romano. While the Padres are definitely one of the more underwhelming teams in the league, they surely have the upside in Great American Ballpark. We saw Jose Pirela hit 2 out last night and the Reds hit about 10. Sal Romano, a young righty, has struggled against both sides of the plate. He doesn’t profile to be good yet and I can’t see why the Reds have forced him into a starting role. While the small sample size is definitely something to consider, a .367 wOBA and 6 BB/9 are numbers you don’t like to see. Wil Myers and Yangervis Solarte are my 2 favorite options and they should both be well under 10% owned. You then get into a lot of weird Padres who are under consideration. Pirela, Margot, Renfroe, and Hedges are all worthy of a shot. It just depends on where you have an opening or weakness in your lineup.

Main Stack – Wil Myers, Yangervis Solarte, Jose Pirela, Manuel Margot
Sneaky Stack – Wil Myers, Yangervis Solarte, Hunter Renfroe, Austin Hedges

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 7, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, August 7, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Max Scherzer - Washington Nationals - Lineuplab

Max Scherzer Vs. Miami Marlins
Park – Nationals Park
Vegas O/U – 8

Who else? If you’ve taken a look at this slate, you’re probably aware of what’s going on at pitcher. We have 2 solid options at the top and not much after. While there are arguments to be made, I don’t think anyone compared to the elite 2 in Scherzer and Arrieta. Starting with Scherzer, you have to love him in this match-up. The Marlins have been average against righties with a .323 wOBA and strikeout 21% of the time. Guys like Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton are locks for 2-3 K’s here. Scherzer has been one of the3 best pitchers in the entire league this season and I’m not sure it’s debatable. Through nearly 150 innings, Scherzer has posted a .231 combined wOBA, while striking out over 12 batters per 9 innings and walking just 2. He’s a lock to go 7 innings and has the upside for a CGSO every start. In Nationals Park, he’s been even better. There is no reason to shy away from Scherzer in this spot and it just comes down to price. Without any expensive offense being a must, you can certainly fit Scherzer. Let’s take a look at Arrieta, who’s a bit cheaper and in a better match-up.

Jake Arrieta @ San Francisco Giants
Park – AT&T Park
Vegas O/U – 8

We have been targeting righties against the Giants all season long and rightfully so. They stink. At home, they are by far the worst team in the league against righties with a .290 wOBA. While they do have some talented bats, they are unable to string anything together and in AT&T Park, it takes a monster to hit it out. The Cubs will move into San Fran and bring Jake Arrieta to the table in the first game. Arrieta hasn’t been his best this year, but he has been very good. Against lefties, he’s posted a .323 wOBA, compared to the dominant .244 on the right side. As long as he can keep the Giants from singling him to death, you can lock Arrieta in for 7 innings and 7 K’s. The Cubs offense is one we’ll touch on in a second, so the win shouldn’t be too tough to come by. At pitcher, I suggest going with one of these top 2 guys. In cash games, I don’t think paying down is something you can afford. There are no bats that can assure you get those points back.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Kris Bryant - Chicago Cubs - Lineup Lab

Chicago Cubs @ Matt Moore (Giants)
Park – AT&T Park
Implied Total – 4.65

We don’t have a ton of games on this slate and we really don’t have any horrible pitchers either. We definitely have some guys we can pick on, but we won’t be seeing any 6 run implied totals. Starting off, let’s take a look at the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs are facing off with the San Fran Giants at AT&T Park. Matt Moore will take the hill and do his best to limit this lethal offense. Matt Moore is not a very good pitcher. In fact, he hits more barrels than any other starter at 11.2%. He’s posted a .331 wOBA against righties and .454 against lefties. He’s given up 19 homers and hasn’t shown any signs of improving. Kris Bryant is definitely the top option and he is my favorite bat on the entire slate. After him, you can really go anywhere. Willson Contreras and Javier Baez hit lefties well from the right side and may not be too highly owned. Anthony Rizzo can also hit lefties very well, so don’t be afraid to plug him in there.

Main Stack – Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Willson Contreras, Ben Zobrist
Sneaky Stack – Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Javier Baez, Addison Russell

Cincinatti Reds Vs. Jhoulys Chacin (Padres)
Park – The Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 5.00

I think the Reds are going to come in as the most popular stack of the night. They hold the highest implied run total on the board at 5.00 and are facing the worst pitcher. Jhoulys Chacin is pretty good in Petco Park, but he is atrocious anywhere else he goes. He will move into Great American Ballpark and I don’t think he’ll have much fun. On the road, Chacin has posted a .381 wOBA. Against lefties, it’s sitting at .442. Wow. Joey Votto is one of the best plays of the night and I’ll have a hard time getting off of him in cash games. Adam Duvall and Scooter Gennett are my next 2 favorites and both have a ton of upside against righties. The rest of the order is up in the air and you can really go anywhere. Billy Hamilton and Jesse Winker have a ton of safety in the top of the order, with Mesoraco being a great GPP play towards the bottom.

Main Stack – Joey Votto, Adam Duvall, Jesse Winker, Scooter Gennett
Sneaky Stack – Joey Votto, Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton, Devin Mesoraco

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 08/06/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Sunday, August 6

Sunday’s 16-game schedule provides a nice mix of excellent starting pitchers and favorable offensive match ups. Put your favorite daily fantasy baseball stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

**STARTING PITCHERS**

Luis Severino vs. Cleveland Indians
Park – Progressive Field

Severino has been excellent for the Yankees this season as he is 8-4 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 153 strikeouts in 132.2 innings.  He has been especially hot of late as he has allowed two earned runs total over his last four starts. His control is excellent as he has only issued 35 walks this season. The Yankees are a much better team at home than on the road, but Severino has actually been better on the road as he has posted a 2.71 ERA away from the Bronx. Severino’s ability to rack up strikeouts should leave him with plenty of value Sunday.

Danny Duffy vs. Seattle Mariners
Park – Kauffman Stadium

I recommended Duffy Saturday, but the game was rained out, pushing his start to Sunday. Sunday still presents a favorable match up for Duffy as he is excellent at home, posting a 2.93 ERA and 1.15 WHIP this season. A stat that is even more impressive, he has not allowed a home run at Kauffman Stadium all year. That’s not good news for the Mariners as they enter Sunday with only a .393 slugging percentage against left handed pitching. Stick with him Sunday as this has the makings of a big outing.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

Boston Red Sox vs. Mike Pelfrey (Chicago White Sox)
Park – Fenway Park

Pelfrey is in the midst of another terrible season as he enters Sunday 3-9 with a 5.04 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and only 57 strikeouts in 89.1 innings. Not only does he struggle to record strikeouts, but he has already issued 44 walks this season. Pelfrey has been crushed in day games this year, posting a 7.45 ERA and 1.66 WHIP. The Red Sox offense has been scoring plenty of runs of late, so look for them to rough up Pelfrey Sunday.

Players to consider stacking: Mookie Betts, Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi

Chicago Cubs vs. Erick Fedde (Washington Nationals)
Park – Wrigley Field

Fedde has only made one start for the Nationals this season and he was rocked for seven runs over four innings against the Colorado Rockies. His stats in the minors are not impressive either as he posted a 5.57 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP at Triple-A this season.  He’s really not ready to be pitching in the majors yet, but the Nationals are dealing with both injuries to their starting staff and Gio Gonzalez currently being on the paternity list. Cash in with the Cubs hitters in your lineup Sunday.

Players to consider stacking: Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez.

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 08/05/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Saturday, August 5

Saturday’s schedule doesn’t include any elite aces taking the mound, which should leave you with extra money to spend on your offense. Put your favorite daily fantasy baseball stacks from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

**STARTING PITCHERS**

Gerrit Cole vs. San Diego Padres
Park – PNC Park

Cole’s numbers are not overly impressive this season as he enters Saturday 9-7 with a 3.97 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 120 strikeouts in 133.2 innings. When he is bad, he is really bad as he has allowed at least seven runs in three of 11 starts since the calendar turned to June. However, he has been much better of late as he has pitched at least six innings and allowed two runs or less in each of his last five starts. He faced the Padres in his last start and allowed one run to go along with eight strikeouts in seven innings. Look for him to pitch well against their weak lineup again Saturday.

Danny Duffy vs. Seattle Mariners
Park – Kauffman Stadium

Like Cole, Duffy doesn’t have sparkling numbers either as he is 7-6 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 85 strikeouts in 108 innings this season. He struck out more than a batter per inning last season, so he has seen significant regression in that department. However, he still lines up for a favorable start Saturday as he is excellent at home, posting a 2.93 ERA and 1.15 WHIP this season. Even more impressive, he has not allowed a home run at Kauffman Stadium all year. That’s not good news for the Mariners as they entered Friday with only a .392 slugging percentage against left handed pitching. Duffy could be in line for a big performance.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

Colorado Rockies vs. Nick Pivetta (Philadelphia Phillies)
Park – Coors Field

Pivetta has struggled in his rookie season as he is 4-6 with a 5.42 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 83 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. He has struggled in two key areas as he has already allowed 16 home runs and issued 34 walks. That’s not a recipe for success by any means. Things aren’t going to get any easier for him pitching in Coors Field as the Rockies entered Friday hitting .304 with a .870 OPS at home. Load your lineup with Rockies bats and enjoy the ride.

Players to consider stacking: Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu

Boston Red Sox vs. James Shields (Chicago White Sox)
Park – Fenway Park

Shields just hasn’t worked out since becoming a member of the White Sox. After being hit hard last year once he was traded there, his struggles have continued this year as he has a 6.19 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 56.2 innings. He really struggles to keep the ball in the park as he has already allowed 15 home runs in his limited innings. Over his last five starts, he allowed at least six runs three times. Look for the Red Sox to put up some crooked numbers Saturday.

Players to consider stacking: Mookie Betts, Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 4, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 3, 2017

Welcome back for another TGIF edition of our daily fantasy baseball picks. We have a two-game afternoon slate today but I will be looking at my top pitchers and stacks for the main slate starting at 7:05 p.m. ET tonight. Let’s jump right in.

Starting Pitchers

 James Paxton - LineupLab - DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks

James Paxton
Opponent – @ KC
Park – Kauffman Stadium
Vegas Favorite (SEA -160)
Vegas Total (8.5)

There are a ton of options at the top tonight including Darvish in his start as a Dodger going up against deGrom of the Mets. I think both are nice tournament options with the Vegas line so close but for my main pitcher I will turn to James Paxton who may even come low owned due to the high price. The Royals are in the bottom third of the league when looking at runs scored and are a tick worse against left-handed pitching with a .307 wOBA and 87 wRC+. Paxton has been one of the best pitchers in the league since the All Star break with a 4-0 record, 1.04 ERA and 11.8 K/9 rate. The Royals only K about league average vs. lefties but the overall floor and win potential are enough for me to rank Paxton #1 tonight in the top tier.

Eduardo Rodriguez
Opponent – vs. CWS
Park – Fenway Park
Vegas Favorite (BOS -190)
Vegas Total (9.5)

With a sub $7K price tag on DraftKings and a moneyline of -190, Eduardo Rodriguez is my top SP2 tonight. His control issues are well documented(3.6 BB/9) but he has also shown some big upside with a 9.99 K/9 rate through 13 starts. Most of the struggles have come on the road this season where he holds an ERA over a run higher and K/9 rate that is 2.3 strikeouts per nine less. There is definitely some risk but the matchup vs. the White Sox is too much to pass up. Despite ranking much higher against left-handed pitching this season, they have struggled a ton lately with a .294 wOBA, 80 wRC+, and 25.4% K rate over the last 14 days.

 

Top Stacks

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Mookie Betts - Boston Redsox

 

Boston Red Sox vs. Carlos Rodon (CWS)

Not only are the Red Sox the highest projected scoring team tonight outside of the Rockies, they have also been red hot lately. Over the last seven days they lead all teams with a .389 wOBA, 140 wRC+, and are one of four teams with an ISO over .200 in that time. Yes, it’s a small sample size but they also rank inside the Top 10 in overall runs scored this season despite seeing a down trend in the power with Big Papi retired. The hit lefties well and show great patience which is perfect facing Carlos Rodon who is borderline wild walking just under six per nine. He does have huge K upside(11.61 K/9) but also gives up the long ball with 23.3% HR/FB rate. I look for the Red Sox to stay hot tonight making them my top stack.

Top Hitters to Target: Mookie Betts, Eduardo Nunez, Hanley Ramirez, Rafael Devers
Houston Astros vs. Cesar Valdez (TOR)

The Astros have slipped a bit offensively lately with the loss of Carlos Correa and George Springer to the DL but the good news is Springer may be back tonight. Despite the fact the Astros hit in the best pitchers park in the league, they have an elite matchup vs. Cesar Valdez. The Jays moved him from the bullpen to the rotation and he looked good in his first start(6 IP, 1 ER, 4 K’s) but got beat up in his second start(2 IP, 6 ER, 2 K’s). Overall this season, he sits with a 6.59 ERA, 4.67 xFIP, and best of all, he gives up nearly 50% hard contact. If Springer is out of the lineup, the value goes up as Derek Fisher should slide back to the leadoff spot.

Top Hitters to Stack: Jose Altuve, Josh Reddick, Derek Fisher, Yulieski Gurriel, George Springer(if back in lineup)

 

 

 

 

 

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 3, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for August 3, 2017

Welcome to another Thursday in daily fantasy baseball. Today we have a split slate and with just three early games, I will be looking at my top pitcher and stacks from the 10-game main slate. Let’s take a look.

Starting Pitchers

 

Colin McHugh
Opponent – vs. TB
Park – Minute Maid Park (Pitcher Friendly)
Vegas Favorite (HOU -150)
Vegas Total (9.5)

My top pitcher of the night when factoring matchup, Vegas, and PTS/$ value is Colin McHugh. He made his first start of the season July 22nd after missing the first four months due to an elbow injury. He was looking good early but slipped and ended up giving up four earned runs. In his second start in Detroit, he was fantastic going six innings allowing just four hits and one earned run while striking out seven and walking just one batter. While the Rays can be a pesky team with some power upside, they do have the second-most strikeouts in the league(1052) and have seen it get worse lately striking out 26.5% of the time over the past 14 days. The best part is you can use McHugh as an SP2 on DraftKings at just $7,500 and is likely low owned on FanDuel with Rick Porcello (-250) coming at a $100 discount.

Also consider: Alex Wood (LAD)

 

Top Stacks

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Baltimore Orioles & Detroit Tigers Game Stack

I absolutely love this game offensively from both sides tonight. The Orioles are currently -135 favorites at home in a game with the highest total and we get two pretty awful pitchers facing off. The O’s will face Matt Boyd who doesn’t necessarily give up a ton of home runs(10% HR/FB rate) but has given up three or more earned runs in 10 straight starts. The Tigers get the better power upside matchup vs. Chris Tillman who has been a punching bag all season. He saw his ERA drop to 7.65 after giving up eight earned runs in his last start and best of all, he has given up at least one home run in nine of his last 10 starts.

Orioles Players to Stack – Adam Jones, Manny Machado, Chris Davis, Jonathan Schoop, Wellington Castillo

Tigers Players to Stack – Jim Adduci, Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton

 

 

Minnesota Twins vs. A.J. Griffin

This stack is likely to be low owned due to some rain concerns(40% chance) and the fact the Twins offense just hasn’t been that great this season. I like their upside tonight facing A.J. Griffin who is making his return from an intercostal sprain(chest) that caused him to sit on the DL since the end of May. Before going down, he was having a rough time of it giving up 17 earned runs over 9.2 innings(3 starts) including eight home runs. Until I see him fully regain his form, I will target him for big upside no matter who the team is. Tonight it’s the Twins.

Top Players to Stack – Brian Dozier, Robbie Grossman, Miguel Sano, Eduardo Escobar

 

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 2, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 2, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Dallas Keuchel Vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Minute Maid Park
Vegas O/U – 9

An elite lefty against the Tampa Bay Rays is never too tough to decipher. When looking at what the Rays do against lefties, it’s quite clear why. They’ve ranked 23rd in the league with a. .307 wOBA against righties, while coming in 2nd in K% at 25. The team is good against lefties. Outside of Evan Longoria, everyone on the team either K’s a ton or is ineffective against righties. Keuchel has dominated both lefties as righties this year though his numbers against righties should actually keep going down. He’s striking out batters at an 8 per 9 clip and walking just 2. He does K nearly 13 lefties per 9, so those guys can basically just stay in the dugout. All in all, this is a slate you want to pay up for pitcher on and Keuchel looks to be the somewhat clear option. At least for me.

Jake Arrieta Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Park – Wrigley Field
Vegas O/U – N/A

If you want to pivot off of Keuchel or simply want a lower owned option, Jake Arrieta is a phenomenal way to go. He’ll welcome the Diamondbacks to Wrigley Field and hopefully shut them down with the same ease. We all know where the Diamondbacks are dangerous. Against righties, they especially rely on David Peralta and Jake Lamb. While those 2 guys are absolute animals, I expect Arrieta to pitch around them. The rest of the order is pretty weak against righties and strikeout nearly 23% of the time. Arrieta has definitely been worse against lefties this year and it’ll be interesting to see how he approaches the game this late into the season. Arrieta has also seen his K/9 dip to around 8, though it’s allowed his BB/9 and LOB% to drop. The Diamondbacks are nowhere near the offense outside of Chase Field and should have some trouble with Arrieta in Wrigley. Let’s hope.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Robert Stephenson (Reds)
Park – PNC Park
Implied Total – 5.25

It doesn’t take too long to figure out why Vegas has the Pirates projected for over 6 runs. Good ol’ Robert Stephenson. I have no idea why this guy isn’t pitching in A working on his game, but he’s not. He’s in the majors and simply shouldn’t be. He’s posted a .400 wOBA against both sides of the plate in consecutive years. Come on. Even if he improves greatly, he will be considered bad. As for the Pirates and who I like most, Marte and Frazier hit that spot. McCutchen and Bell would be the next 2 with Cervelli following closely behind. He hits righties better and will go ignored at a very weak position. This is a team who is going to put up runs and I don’t think the general public will be all too interested.

Main Stack – Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Josh Bell, Adam Frazier
Sneaky Stack – Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Josh Bell, Francisco Cervelli

Park – Marlins Park
Implied Total – 4.83

Ah, Vance Worley. I’m not exactly sure what the Marlins were looking for, but unless that’s an atrocity of a pitcher, they didn’t get it. He’s posted a .375+ wOBA against both lefties and righties and has had serious issues with the HR ball. There is no team to better capitalize than the Nationals. The Nats are obviously one of the 3 best orders in the league and can be targeted many different ways. Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper are the only 2 musts. After that, you can go anywhere from Wilmer Difo in the leadoff spot to Anthony Rendon in the 6 hole. All in all, this slate is pretty big and I don’t think the Nats come in over 20% owned outside of Harper.

Main Stack – Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Wilmer Difo, Ryan Zimmerman
Sneaky Stack – Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon, Adam Lind