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MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18

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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18

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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18

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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18

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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18

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

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/8/18

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 Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 8

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 8

Earlybird special! Use Code PAMLB10 at checkout

If you are playing in a head-to-head fantasy league, using starting pitchers that have two starts in a week can give you a significant edge over your opponent. Here are some starters who will each start two games in the week ahead that you should either target or avoid for your lineup.

Starters With Favorable Matchups

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 8

Patrick Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks: vs. MIL, at NYM

Corbin has continued his torrid start, posting a 2.12 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 11.8 K/9 through eight starts. Not only is he recording strikeouts at the highest rate of his career, but he also has an excellent 2.3 BB/9. It is likely he is going to see some regression at some point though considering opponents have just a .217 BABIP against him. That may not come this week though with two matchups that lean heavily in his favor since the Brewers and Mets have the two lowest OPS’s in baseball against left-handed pitchers. If there was ever a time to sell high on him, it might be after this week.

Alex Wood, Los Angeles Dodgers: at MIA, at WAS

Wood’s 3.60 ERA is solid, but his performance this season has been even better when you consider he gave up seven runs in 3.2 innings in one game against the Athletics. He has done a great job limiting homers again with a 0.6 HR/9 and doesn’t walk many batters either, helping lead him to a 1.00 WHIP. His strikeout upside isn’t off the charts, but he can still provide value in the category with an 8.3 K/9 for his career. His first start for Week 8 brings the Marlins, who have scored the fewest runs (138) in baseball. He’ll then face the Nationals, who have the sixth-lowest OPS (.673) against lefties. He has actually already faced them once this season, allowing three runs (two earned) to go along with four strikeouts in six innings. Look for Wood to provide plenty of value in these two games.

Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies: at SD, at SF

Much like Wood, Anderson has had one bad start that has thrown off his numbers, allowing seven runs in 2.1 innings against the Diamondbacks in his first start of the season. Since then, he has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of seven starts. He has had some control issues with a 4.0 BB/9, but he also has a career-high 9.4 K/9. He will be facing the Padres for the third time this season, allowing two runs to go along with 12 strikeouts in 12 innings across his first two starts. Both the Padres and the Giants are in the bottom seven in baseball in terms of runs scored, so Anderson could be a viable streaming option this week. He is still available in 80% of Yahoo! leagues.

Mike Minor, Texas Rangers: at SEA, at CWS

Minor’s transition back into a starting role in the majors for the first time since 2014 hasn’t been great, but it hasn’t been a disaster either. Through seven starts, Minor has a 4.73 ERA and 4.55 FIP. He’s allowing too many home runs with a 1.4 HR/9, but he does have a 1.20 WHIP. His .284 BABIP allowed is close to his career mark, but his 41.8% hard-hit rate allowed is abnormally high. This could be the week to take a chance on him though if you need starting pitching help. The Mariners just lost one of their best offensive players in Robinson Cano (hand) and the White Sox have the fourth-lowest OPS (.663) against left-handers. Minor is still available in 90% of Yahoo! leagues.

Starters to Avoid

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 8

Jose Quintana, Chicago Cubs: vs. ATL, at CIN

Quintana’s 4.42 ERA this season isn’t terrible, but he’s lucky it’s even that low considering his 1.47 WHIP. Control has been an issue, allowing 4.4 BB/9 and throwing a first-pitch strike to only 62.5% of the batters that he has faced, which would be his lowest mark since his rookie season. He had an excellent 9.9 K/9 last year, but that was much higher than the 7.8 K/9 he has for his career. He’s regressed back to a 7.9 K/9 this season, so we may have just seen a one-year anomaly. The Braves have one of the best lineups in all of baseball and the Reds have the 10th highest OPS (.765) against lefties, so this may not be the week to ride with Quintana.

Joey Lucchesi, San Diego Padres: vs. COL, at PIT

The Padres desperately need quality starting pitching and Lucchesi has stepped up in his first taste of big league action, recording a 2.98 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 9.8 K/9. He’s had some problems providing length though, throwing 5.2 innings or fewer in six of his eight starts. His .292 BABIP allowed isn’t low, but his 39.3% hard-hit rate allowed is concerning. This week could bring a mixed bag of results based on his two opponents. He’ll face the Rockies for the third time, allowing two unearned runs to go along with 15 strikeouts in the first two starts. However, the Rockies are tied for the seventh-highest OPS (.774) against lefties. The Pirates absolutely mash lefties with a .850 OPS against them, which is almost 40 percentage points higher than any other team.

Francisco Liriano, Detroit Tigers: vs. CLE, at SEA

Liriano’s 3.35 ERA looks nice, but he’s been playing with fire due to a 4.5 BB/9. He has a 1.17 WHIP, but that’s largely been aided by opposing hitters recording just a .226 BABIP. He doesn’t provide much in the way of strikeouts either with a 6.5 K/9. Liriano did hold the Indians to two runs in six innings earlier this season, but their lineup is rolling right now and they are in the top 10 in terms of OPS against left-handed pitchers overall. The Mariners matchup is better without Cano, but they still have some excellent power bats that can take advantage of Liriano if he doesn’t cut down on his walks. Without much strikeout upside, it’s not worth trying to stream Liriano for Week 8.

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 14, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, August 14, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Jose Quintana - Chicago Cubs - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Lineuplab

Jose Quintana Vs. Cincinatti Reds
Park – Wrigley Field
Vegas O/U – N/A

Yesterday, we were blessed with an amazing core of pitchers. They pitched very well and the chalk guys didn’t hurt too much. Today is a whole different story. Pitching is extremely limited and the only ace we do have in Greinke is facing the Diamondbacks in Chase Field. Instead, we’all move a few spots down and take a look at Jose Quintana against the Reds. While Quintana isn’t a high upside, strikeout pitcher, he’s very consistent and can nearly be locked in for 6 innings. Quintana has been good against both sidedness of the plate with a .293 wOBA and 9.58 K/9. He’s as safe as you’ll find on the slate and his price is very fair. He will be popular, but that’s fine in cash games where the alternatives aren’t great.

Jerad Eickhoff @ San Diego Padres
Park – Petco Park
Vegas O/U – 8.5

Listen, pitcher is bad. We can’t be picky tonight and after Quintana, I’m not willing to trust anyone. Jerad Eickhoff is a very talented young arm with a ton of potential and upside. He’s sported a .293 wOBA and strikes out nearly a full batter per inning. The K’s haven’t been huge for Eickhoff his entire career, but they’ll likely come with age and experience. The Padres, as we know, stink against righties. They have held just a .308 wOBA and have struck out nearly 26% of the time, which leads the league. Eickhoff may not be “safe”, but he’s definitely “safer” than a lot of these arms on the slate. He should get you at least 5 or 6 innings and come through with the win when it matters.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Ian Kinsler - Detroit Tigers - LineupLab

Detroit Tigers @ Martin Perez (Rangers)
Park – Globe Life Park
Implied Total – 5.19

While the Rockies are the obvious stack here, you didn’t need me to tell you that. If you are interested in a Rockies stack, they’ll be popular and have as much upside as anyone. We’re going to take a look in Arlington and peer down at this often troubled Tigers lineup. They face off with Martin Perez, who is a southpaw (lefty) with some major issues. In 97 innings of work, Perez has posted a .373 wOBA and 16 homers. Wow. He now faces a team with as many righties as you could hope for. Ian Kinsler and James McCann are my 2 favorites, with Castellanos and Miggy a close 3/4. This lineup isn’t too concentrated and you can definitely get exposure to some of them for cheap.

Main Stack – Ian Kinsler, James McCann, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton
Sneaky Stack – Justin Upton, James McCann, Victor Martinez, Nick Castellanos

Chicago Cubs Vs Asher Wojciechowski (Reds)
Park – Wrigley Field
Implied Total – N/A

Main Stack – Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Ben Zobrist, Alex Avila
Sneaky Stack – Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward