There are only two afternoon games Thursday, leaving nine games for the main evening slate in DFS.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/23/2019
We have an odd slate in the majors Thursday with only two games starting after 6 PM EST. Keeping that in mind, let’s break down the early DFS slate that encompasses six games.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 8/6/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Baseball kicks off the week with 10 evening games Monday, leaving plenty of quality options to choose from 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
Cole Hamels vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $9,000
Hamels being traded to the Cubs should provide a significant boost to his value. He was terrible pitching at home for the Rangers, posting a 6.41 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP across 10 starts. He has a 2.69 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP over his other 11 starts outside of Globe Life Park in Arlington. The move to the National League helps, as well, since he will get to avoid the DH. He will have to navigate the DH playing in Kansas City on Monday, but the Royals have scored the fewest runs (413) in the league.
Matthew Boyd vs. Los Angeles Angels
Stadium – Angels Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $7,600
Boyd closed out July on a high note, allowing three runs and recording 20 strikeouts over 19 innings in his last three starts. Two of those starts came against the Royals and the Reds, but one was against the potent Red Sox lineup. Boyd has been aided by a .264 opponents’ BABIP this season, but his 4.22 ERA is actually slightly higher than his 3.84 FIP indicates that it should be. He does have a respectable 8.2 K/9 and can provide value in the right matchup, which could be the case Monday since the Angels have the third lowest OPS against lefties (.656) in baseball.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Anthony Rizzo vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,800
The Cubs have been hitting Rizzo leadoff lately and the move has paid off as he’s batting .370 with a .458 OBP in that spot of the order. He’s also slugged six home runs, helping to boost his total to 17 for the season. While he may have a hard time hitting at least 30 homers for the fifth straight season, he could still be in line for a big finish to the season. Lefties have held Rizzo to a .266 wOBA this year, but he’s a great option against Junis since he has a .374 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
Jose Martinez vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,000
Martinez has found himself on the bench more often than not lately because he is a defensive liability. However, with Dexter Fowler and Tyler O’Neill injured, he’s going to see some time in the outfield moving forward. He can hit, posting a .298 average and a .462 slugging percentage. Chen has allowed a .374 wOBA to righties this year, making Martinez a cost-effective option with upside.
Others to consider: Jose Abreu (first base) and J.T. Realmuto (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Javier Baez vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,500
Baez is showing no signs of slowing down, batting .362 with five home runs, five doubles and 14 RBI over his last 16 games. He’s already set new career-highs in home runs and RBI and is making a case to be named the NL MVP. Don’t worry about him not having the platoon advantage against Junis because Baez has a .376 wOBA against righties.
Ben Zobrist vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,700
Zobrist only hit .232 last year, but he was dragged down by an abnormally low .251 BABIP. He’s been on the opposite end of the spectrum this season with a .335 BABIP, leading to a .310 batting average. He’s in line for some regression, but that might not start Monday considering his .391 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Neil Walker
THIRD BASE
Jurickson Profar vs. Wade LeBlanc, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,700
LeBlanc has hit a bit of a rough patch, posting a 6.11 ERA across his last five starts. He has a 3.50 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP at home overall but has had issues on the road with a 4.57 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Profar is finally getting a chance to play every day and is swinging a hot bat right now as he is 22-for-72 (.306) with 14 runs and 12 RBI over his last 21 games. He’s also excelled with a .361 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season.
Jedd Gyorko vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,000
Gyorko slugged 30 home runs over 400 at-bats in 2016 but followed that up with only 20 homers across 426 at-bats last year. His power numbers have continued to regress this year with just eight homers in 246 at-bats. However, his 181 wRC+ against lefties still makes him someone to consider in tournament play at this cheap price.
Others to consider: Miguel Andujar and Maikel Franco
SHORTSTOP
Didi Gregorius vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Guaranteed Rate Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,100
Gregorius’ batting average is down this year, but his walk rate has almost doubled at 8.1%. He’s already reached the 20-homer plateau for the third-straight year and his 10 steals are a new career best. He’s more deadly at Yankee Stadium, but he could still put up big numbers Monday considering Covey’s 5.57 ERA and 1.57 WHIP.
Jean Segura vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,600
Perez was initially slated to start Sunday against the Orioles, but he was pushed back a day in favor of Drew Hutchinson. That’s good news for the Mariners since Perez has an unsightly 6.50 ERA and a 1.97 WHIP. He’s allowed 10 home runs in only 45.2 innings and doesn’t miss many bats with a 5.9 K/9. Segura might not carry the greatest home run upside, but he’s batting .309 and could be on base plenty in this game.
Others to consider: Trevor Story and Elvis Andrus
OUTFIELD
Nelson Cruz vs. Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,200
Cruz is on another power surge, slugging four home runs in his last five games to bring his total to 29 for the season. He’s been one of the most consistent power hitters in baseball, hitting at least 39 home runs in four straight seasons. With Perez’s propensity to give up the long ball, Cruz is someone to build your lineup around.
Jason Heyward vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $4,000
Heyward isn’t exactly knocking the cover off the ball, but he’s made significant strides this season to bat .283 with a .347 OBP. He has a career-low 11.7% strikeout rate and his 31.8% hard-hit rate is his highest mark since 2012. Junis has allowed a .360 wOBA against left-handed hitters, making Heyward a viable option at his reasonable price on both sites.
Harrison Bader vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings = $3,800
Bader was already starting to see more playing time after Tommy Pham was traded to the Rays, but the injuries to Fowler and O’Neill is going to leave him with all the starts he can handle. He has a promising mix of power and speed, finishing with 20 home runs and 15 steals at Triple-A in 2017. He’s only gone deep six times with the Cardinals this year, but he’s flashed his speed with 11 steals and is batting a respectable .271. If you want to take a chance on a cheap outfielder in tournament play, Bader could provide value against Chen.
Others to consider: Kyle Schwarber and Mitch Haniger
MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 20
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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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
Trevor Bauer, Cleveland Indians: vs. MIN, at CWS
Bauer has been extremely consistent for the Indians. He hasn’t allowed more than four earned runs in any of his starts this season and he’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in 17 of his 23 outings. The end result has been a sparkling 2.34 ERA that is backed by a 2.42 FIP. Luck hasn’t been a factor as opponents have a .305 BABIP against him. One of the big reasons for his improvement is his career-high 13% swinging-strike rate, which has resulted in an 11.4 K/9. The Twins have had their struggles scoring runs and traded away two of their best hitters in Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier. The White Sox are in the bottom third of baseball in runs scored, as well, setting up Bauer for a very productive Week 20.
Cole Hamels, Chicago Cubs: at KC, vs. WAS
Hamels has to be happy after being traded to the Cubs. He was awful pitching at home for the Rangers, posting a 6.41 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP across 10 starts. He has a 2.69 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP over his other 11 starts outside of Globe Life Park in Arlington. The move to the National League helps, too, since he will get to avoid the DH. Although he won’t get that luxury in his first start of Week 20 playing in Kansas City, the Royals have scored the fewest runs (413) in the league. The Nationals are certainly a much tougher opponent, but they only have a .708 OPS on the road compared to a .775 OPS at home.
C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees: at CWS, vs. TEX
Sabathia has found a way to pitch with diminished velocity and still be a valuable part of the Yankees rotation. He sometimes struggles to provide length, but he’s still managed to record a 3.59 ERA. His 4.70 FIP suggests he’s been a bit lucky, but his .282 opponents’ BABIP is close to his .293 career mark. With the White Sox struggles offensively already detailed, Sabathia could start Week 20 off on a high note. The Rangers are an excellent hitting team at home, but they have the sixth-lowest OPS (.682) on the road. To top it off, Sabathia has a 2.69 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP over 11 starts at Yankee Stadium.
Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers: at LAA, vs. MIN
Boyd finished July strong, allowing three runs and recording 20 strikeouts across 19 innings in his last three starts. Although two of those starts came against the Royals and the Reds, one was against the vaunted Red Sox lineup. Boyd has been aided by a .264 opponents’ BABIP this season, but his 4.22 ERA is actually higher than his 3.84 indicates it should be. He does have a respectable 8.2 K/9 and can provide value in the right matchup. Both the Angels and the Twins are in the bottom five of baseball in terms of OPS against left-handed pitching, making Boyd a viable streaming option who is still available in 80% of Yahoo! leagues.
Starters to Avoid
Rich Hill, Los Angeles Dodgers: at OAK, at COL
Hill has been limited by injuries again this season, but he’s pitched well when healthy. He’s been especially hot of late, recording a 2.90 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 10.5 K/9 over his last seven outings. His first start of the week isn’t bad because even though he has to face the DH, the Athletics are actually a far worse hitting team at home than on the road. However, his second start at Coors Field is scary. The Rockies have the second-highest OPS against left-handed pitching (.798) and the third-highest OPS at home (.827). Hill might not be worth the risk.
Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners: at TEX, at HOU
Hernandez might be at a crossroads in his career. He’s struggled with diminished velocity, resulting in a 5.49 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP this year. His strikeouts are down, as well, with a 7.4 K/9. He’ll need to make an adjustment like Sabathia did to once again become a viable fantasy commodity. He has a respectable 4.02 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP at home, but he’s been destroyed on the road with a 7.58 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. The Rangers love hitting at home and the Astros are still dangerous despite some key injuries, so make sure to keep Hernandez out of your lineup.
Marcus Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays: vs. BOS, vs. TB
Stroman was crushed in his last start against the Athletics, giving up seven runs over five innings. He’s been prone to blowups this season, allowing at least five runs in six of his 15 starts. His 1.49 WHIP is by far the highest mark of his career, which is a problem considering he doesn’t have an overpowering arsenal. Facing the Red Sox in his first start for Week 20 could be a disaster. The Rays aren’t as daunting of a task, but they have averaged 5.3 runs across their last 20 games. With his limited strikeout potential, Stroman seems like an unnecessary to take if you need a streaming option.