Daily Fantasy MLB Baseball Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings - 8/9/16

Welcome to Monday baseball! We have a 14 game game main slate on our hands with some aces and a few offenses in great spots to put up some runs. Make sure to check out our other articles as they will touch on more pitching options, tournament stacks and any weather concerns that may arise. Let's get into the top options at each position!

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PITCHER

Max Scherzer FD 11800 DK 12900
Opponent - CLE (Bauer) Park - @WSH
FD - 43.35 DK - 28.51

Max Scherzer is going to start us off here at the pitcher position, as he usually does when he pitches. Scherzer has been phenomenal against both righties and lefties on the year with a .204 wOBA against righties and a .302 against lefties. Aside from the fantastic wOBA, he has backed it up with a 27.5% hard contact rate and an 18% line drive rate. Scherzer and the Nationals will be taking on the Cleveland Indians, a team that has actually been pretty good against righties. That being said, they do strikeout at a 21% rate and Scherzer is not the average right hander, far from it. While there is certainly some risk, Scherzer is the top option in both cash games and tournaments. While he will cost you a pretty penny on both sites, he has the highest floor and ceiling.

Kenta Maeda FD 8800 DK 9700
Opponent - PHI (Velasquez) Park - @LAD
FD - 36.8 DK - 24.04

If you are looking to pay down for safety in cash games, Kenta Maeda is a tremendous way to go. The current projected run total of the Phillies is 2.90, which is easily the lowest on the entire slate. While Maeda doesn't have a huge ceiling, he is very consistent and is almost a lock to pay off his salary in this match up. The Phillies, one of the worst teams in the league, has been atrocious against righties. In 3200 plate appearances, the Phillies have sported a .297 wOBA that is backed up by a .157 ISO and a 28% hard contact rate. While he is not a recommended tournament play, he is right up there with Scherzer for me in cash games, especially on FanDuel at only $8800.

John Lackey FD 8700 DK 9400
Opponent - LAA (Weaver) Park - @CHC
FD - 34.68 DK - 21.58

Lackey has been very up and down on the year with some huge runs where he has dominated and some of the opposite where he has struggled to get out of the 5th inning. For that reason, I am going to look at Lackey for strictly tournaments. There is no reason to play Lackey in cash games when you have Scherzer and Maeda on the slate. Lackey and the Cubs will be taking on the Angels, a team that has been very underwhelming against right handers. While they very rarely strikeout, they also have trouble producing runs and hitting home runs. Thus far in 2016, the Angels have exhibited a .317 wOBA that is supported by a 103 wRC+. With the Cubs taking on Jered Weaver, you can basically lock in the win if Lackey goes 5 innings of good baseball. While I much prefer Scherzer and Maeda, Lackey is in a good spot for tournaments.

CATCHER

Russell Martin FD 3000 DK 3500
Opponent - TB (Smyly) Park - @TOR
FD - 10.48 DK - 8.04

The Toronto Blue Jays are going to be one of our favorite offenses of the night, and you will be able to tell as they will be in the stacks article as well as this article. Russell Martin is going to lead us off here at catcher, position that lacks both safety and upside. Martin has been very good against lefties over the past 3 seasons with a .351 wOBA that is backed up by a 34% hard contact rate and a 23% line drive rate. While Martin isn't on the same level as some later Jays bats mentioned, he is going to be the top overall option at catcher. While cheap on both sites, I prefer him on DraftKings if you are going to stack the Jays.

Jacob Realmuto FD 2700 DK 3300
Opponent - SF (Moore) Park - @MIA
FD - 9.36 DK - 7.7

The catcher position is a bit odd tonight as nobody really sticks out over anyone else. That being said, there are 3 guys that are above the rest, one of those being Jacob "J.T" Realmuto. Realmuto and the Marlins will be taking on the Giants and Matt Moore, a left hander that has struggled against righties. Realmuto, however, has been disappointing against left handers. That being said, his peripherals suggest some major improvement and that should come very soon. While I prefer both Martin and Contreras, Realmuto is my 3rd favorite option.

Willson Contreras FD 2900 DK 3900
Opponent - LAA (Weaver) Park - @CHC
FD - 10.53 DK - 8.19

The Cubs are going to come in as another one of our top offenses as they will be taking on the washed up Jered Weaver. Weaver has been absolutely horrible against righties with a .367 wOBA that is backed up by a 5.65 xFIP and a 38.8% hard contact rate. Contreras on the other hand, has entered into the majors with a ton of momentum, especially against right handers. In 100 at-bats, he has sported a .341 wOBA that is backed up by strong peripherals and great batted ball rates. On FanDuel, he is close to a must play, though he is still a very strong play on DraftKings.

FIRST BASE

David Ortiz FD 4400 DK 5100
Opponent - NYY (Severino) Park - @BOS
FD - 14.74 DK - 11.09
Hanley Ramirez FD 3200 DK 3800
Opponent - NYY (Severino) Park - @BOS
FD - 11.53 DK - 9.04

First of all, let me be clear by saying that I do prefer Ortiz over Ramirez in both tournaments in cash games. The reason both are listed here is because Severino has just a bout equal splits and Han-Ram is going to be way lower owned than Ortiz, which makes him a tremendous GPP option. While Severino is a good prospect, he has struggled mightily against both lefties and righties with a combined wOBA over .325. Aside from the high wOBA, he has also given up a ton of home runs and extra base hits. While Ortiz is clearly the better option, you have to consider Ramirez in large field tournaments, especially with the huge rice and ownership difference.

Anthony Rizzo FD 4400 DK 5400
Opponent - LAA (Weaver) Park - @CHC
FD - 13.56 DK - 10.36

Anthony Rizzo is going to be my favorite first baseman on the slate and I really don't think it is too close. The Cubs are in a very good spot here tonight against Jered Weaver, a 33 year old that can barely throw the ball 85 MPH. That will not end up well against a Cubs team that been able to hit breaking balls very well, which is what Weaver relies on. Against righties, Rizzo has sported a crazy .418 wOBA that is backed up by a 164 wRC+ and a 39.7% hard contact rate. While he will cost you a pretty penny, he is probably the one guy I would pick to pay up for. Rizzo is going to be the top option in all formats, across the board.

SECOND BASE

Jose Altuve FD 4200 DK 0
Opponent - MIN (Santiago) Park - @MIN
FD - 12.3 DK - 10.65

Jose Altuve against a lefty, yes please. Altuve has slaughtered southpaws over the past 2 seasons with a .382 wOBA that is backed up by great batted ball numbers and strong peripherals. The Astros will be taking on Hector Santiago, a very up and down pitcher that struggles with the long ball. While it will be tough for Altuve to hit a home run here, he has certainly shown the ability as he hit 2 on the road earlier in the year. Against righties, Santiago has given up 18 home runs and a .332 wOBA. While he is expensive, Altuve is the obvious top option at 2nd.

Devon Travis FD 2800 DK 4100
Opponent - TB (Smyly) Park - @TOR
FD - 9.82 DK - 7.86

First of all, this pick is contingent on Devon Travis being back in the leadoff spot, which I assume he will be. He started the game yesterday with a triple that was followed by a 2 run bomb from Encarnacion. While Travis is splits neutral, he has a bit more power against lefties which bodes well in this match p with Drew Smyly. Over the past season and a half, Travis has sported a .329 wOBA against lefties with a .191 ISO. I expect him to keep improving as well as he is just getting back from an injury and is still very young. While Altuve is a much better option in cash games, I could see the merit of pivoting to a lower priced option.

SHORTSTOP

Troy Tulowitzki FD 3000 DK 3200
Opponent - TB (Smyly) Park - @TOR
FD - 11.3 DK - 8.61

Tulowitzki is going to be our 3rd of many Blue Jays bats against the left hander Drew Smyly. While Smyly isn't a bad pitcher by any stretch, he has struggled against righties and the Blue Jays are finally healthy and firing on all cylinders. Tulowitzki, one of the late bloomers on the year, has hit lefties to a crazy .382 wOBA over the past 4 seasons. While some of those games came in Coors Field, he held a .376 wOBA against lefties on the road. While I probably prefer Tulowitzki as a 1-off, you have to take a look at Baez if you are stacking the Cubs. As a side note, the price is ridiculously low on both sites and will likely be very highly owned due to the price.

Javier Baez FD 2800 DK 3800
Opponent - LAA (Weaver) Park - @CHC
FD - 9.66 DK - 7.76

Javier Baez enters as our 3rd Cub bat and this pick is very contingent. If Baez enters the top half of the batting order, he immediately becomes one of the top plays on the slate, price considered. That being said, he is still a great play no matter the spot in the order. Baez has hit righties decently this year, with 7 home runs and 16 extra base hits on the season. At a position that lacks both, Baez brings an unprecedented combo of speed and power at a low price. While he is more of a tournament play, I do not mind him in cash games if he is in the top 6 of the order.

THIRD BASE

Josh Donaldson FD 4300 DK 4400
Opponent - TB (Smyly) Park - @TOR
FD - 14.48 DK - 11

Yep, another Toronto Blue Jays bat, and this one is on the top of the rest. Donaldson is on a whole different level when it comes to hitting southpaws. Over the previous 3 seasons, Donaldson has sported a .401 wOBA that is supported by an insane 41% hard contact rate and a 24% line drive rate. The Blue Jays will be taking on a pretty good southpaw in Drew Smyly, though he has had his fair share of troubles against right handers. In 99 innings, Smyly has sported a .330 wOBA and has given up a blasphemous 17 home runs. With this game being played in the Rogers Centre, I expect a few more to be added tonight, with one of them coming off of the bat of Donaldson.

Jedd Gyorko FD 2600 DK 3000
Opponent - CIN (Finnegan) Park - @STL
FD - 10.78 DK - 8.23

While the Cardinals disappointed last night, we are going to go right back to the well here against Brandon Finnegan. While Finnegan profiles as a decent pitcher, he gives up a ton of home runs to righties and we are going to look to take advantage of that key weakness. Gyroko on the other hand, has sported a .341 wOBA against lefties over the past 3 seasons, with a ton of those games coming in very pitcher friendly parks. While Busch Stadium is no hitter park, it is much better than Petco Park or Angels Stadium. Though Donaldson is a tremendous play, you h ave to pay down somewhere if you are playing Scherzer or Sale. Gyorko is priced fairly on both sites and makes for a great play in all formats.

OUTFIELD

Giancarlo Stanton FD 3700 DK 4700
Opponent - SF (Moore) Park - @MIA
FD - 13.09 DK - 9.87

Giancarlo Stanton has been one of the best hitters in the league against lefties over the past 2 years and will not be slowing down anytime soon. Against left handers since 2013, Stanton has sported a .391 wOBA that is backed up by a ludicrous 41% hard contact rate and a 24% line drive rate. Matt Moore, his opponent, has struggled against righties with a .327 wOBA and has given up 17 home runs, which is the 5th most in the league. While the ballpark isn't optimal, Stanton obviously has the power to hit it out anywhere. While he is not my top cash game option in the outfield, he is in play across the board in all formats.

Jose Bautista FD 3700 DK 0
Opponent - TB (Smyly) Park - @TOR
FD - 14.41 DK - 10.88
Melvin Upton FD 2400 DK 3300
Opponent - TB (Smyly) Park - @TOR
FD - 10.06 DK - 8.46

These are going to be our last 2 Blue Jays and both of them are terrific play across the board. While Bautista is obviously the more talented hitter, Upton has been insanely good against lefties on the season. Depending on the way the lineup shakes out, I could see both of these guys making it into my final tournament lineup. Both Upton and Bautista and Upton have sported wOBA's north of .350 against lefties over the past year. As I mentioned, Drew Smyly has struggled with the home run ball and that is bad news against this lineup. Both of these guys are way too cheap and make for excellent plays across the board.

Stephen Piscotty FD 3400 DK 4300
Opponent - CIN (Finnegan) Park - @STL
FD - 11.7 DK - 9.17

We are going to go right back to the cardinals here and take a look at Stephen Piscotty. As I just mentioned, Brandon Finnegan has given up 16 home runs to righties and his peripherals support that those numbers are legitimate. Piscotty, however, has been tremendous against lefties with a 36% hard contact rate to go along with a .346 wOBA. While I only touched on 2 Cardinals, I think they make for a tremendous tournament stack. People will be mad at them from yesterday, which has absolutely nothing to do with today.

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