*Austyn Varney*
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, July 25, 2017
*STARTING PITCHERS*
Madison Bumgarner Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Park – AT&T Park
Vegas O/U – 7.5
Since Bumgarner has returned from injury, he hasn’t been great. While he isn’t getting blown up or absolutely stinking, he’s simply been meh. He’s getting a bit unlucky and has also allowed 2 HR’s that were barely over the fence down the line. This is still by far the best pitcher on the slate and you have to like him in both cash games and tournaments. The Pirates have ranked 17th in the league against righties with a .311 wOBA and don’t offer much upside outside of McCutchen and Marte. They have plenty of strikeouts up for grabs and Bumgarner should have a floor around 7 K’s. He also gets the honor of playing at home in AT&T Park, where the ball absolutely dies. Bumgarner is still the best option on the slate and a guy whom deserves consideration in both cash games and tournaments.
Mike Clevinger @ Los Angeles Angels
Park – Angels Stadium
Vegas O/U – 8
Mike Clevinger is pretty good. He has a wacky reputation and for whatever reason, isn’t looked at like a good pitcher. Clevinger has been solid against both sides of the plate this season, posting a .289 wOBA against lefties and a .257 against righties. He’s struck out 10 batters per 9 innings, but also walks nearly 4. You’ll get a few walks here and there, but Clevinger typically works out of jams very well. This matchup with the Angels is a very interesting one with Mike Trout back. Against a righty, Trout and Calhoun are the only 2 guys that scare me. The rest of the order is full of strikeouts and/or weak grounders. Clevinger should be able to have another quality start here and at his price, that’s all you need. If you’re hesitant to pay all the way up for Bumgarner, Clevinger gives you a cost effective option with some safety and upside.
*OFFENSIVE STACKS*
Houston Astros vs Nick Pivetta (Philadelphia Phillies)
Park – Minute Maid Park
Implied Total – 5.41
We don’t have a whole bunch of offenses in great spots tonight. While there are plenty of them in “good spots”, few stand out. One of those few is the Houston Astros. The Astros face off with Nick Pivetta, who is not very good. While good against lefties, he’s posted a crazy .429 wOBA against righties in somewhat substantial innings. This gives guys like Altuve and Springer a ton of upsides Evan Gattis also gets some HR upside. To fill out your stack, I wouldn’t hesistate with a lefty. While he has been better against them, we’re expecting to see the bullpen a lot and most of them are right-handed. Josh Reddick and Carlos Beltran always go underowned and have a ton to offer in this one. All in all, the Astros are easily the most explosive offense in a big spot. You’ll likely need some exposure in both cash and tourneys.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Mike Foltynewixs (Atlanta Braves)
Park – Chase Field
Implied Total – 5.03
Like I said, there isn’t a ton to choose from in therms of stacks on this slate. The Astros are pretty obvious and should definitely be somewhat popular. Next, we’ll look at the D-Backs. It’s actually just a few of them that are standing off the page. They face off with Mike Foltynewicz, who is a cut and dry pitcher. He sucks against lefties and obliterates righties. Really that simple. With a .373 wOBA so far in 2017, you have to love the lefties in this order. Jake Lamb and Peralta are 2 of the top options on the slate and I wouldn’t leave them off any stack. Paul Goldscmidt and J.D. Martinez are also interesting, but I may go value with some other lefties (Blanco,Descalso, Hermmann).