Daily Fantasy MLB Baseball Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings - 8/19/16

The weekend starts today and we have a full 15 game slate starting at 7:00 PM et tonight. With no dominating favorite tonight and a plethora of top pitching options to choose from ownership should be nicely spread out leading the way to multi lineup construction in GPP formats. We will look to the optimizer to do the dirt work of lineup construction. Below we will discuss a few of the top plays at each position and be sure to check out our other articles released throughout the day leading up to lineup lock.

 

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PITCHER

Johnny Cueto FD 10200 DK 11900
Opponent - NYM (Matz) Park - @SF
FD - 38.52 DK - 25.65

The pitching options at the top of the PTS/$ projections start and end with low Vegas projected totals and great pitchers parks. The Giants are -145 home favorites right now in a game with the lowest projected total(7). It will be a perfect opportunity for Johnny Cueto to find his pre All Star break form. Even with the second half struggles he has kept his ERA below 3.00 with a 3.48 xFIP and walk rate below two per nine. The Mets come in ranked 25th in wOBA(.304) and strike out 8th most against right handed pitching. He is safe in all formats on Friday.

 

Zack Greinke FD 9800 DK 8800
Opponent - SD (Cosart) Park - @SD
FD - 36.18 DK - 24.18

Sticking out on the West Coast, where it's pitchers ballpark heaven, is our second pitching option of the night. A pitchers park is exactly what Greinke needs to see right now after being crushed by the Red Sox in his last start. Although his first season with the D Backs isn't going exactly as planned he has a nice 11-4 record with 3.68 xFIP. He isn't the safest option for cash games but is still viable in a terrific matchup vs. the Padres who sit dead last in wOBA(.291) and second last in wRC+(82) vs. right handed pitching.

 

 

Tanner Roark FD 8700 DK 10600
Opponent - ATL (Teheran) Park - @ATL
FD - 33.75 DK - 21.42

First of all the price is much too high on DraftKings where strikeouts are king. Over on FanDuel, however, Roark is a top play under $9k in a matchup where the Nationals come in as -145 road favorites in Atlanta.  Despite just an average strikeout rate just above seven per nine, Roark has an elite ground ball rate(50.6%) that has kept his ERA south of 3.00 for the season. He has a great shot to pickup his 14th win of the season vs. the Braves who rank 29th in wOBA(.295) and dead last in wRC+(81) against right handed pitching.

CATCHER

Buster Posey FD 3200 DK 4300
Opponent - NYM (Matz) Park - @SF
FD - 10.62 DK - 8.2

Whenever you can get one of the top hitting catchers in baseball at a discount he becomes a top play on a PTS/$ basis. Posey is also a much stronger play against left handed pitching with a .383 wOBA and 147 wRC+. He is starting heat up despite the lack of power hitting .333 with a .438 OBA and 142 wRC+. He is safe play in all formats.

 

Brian McCann FD 2900 DK 3600
Opponent - LAA (Weaver) Park - @LAA
FD - 9.94 DK - 7.47

Believe it or not McCann has actually been very consistent lately. Dating back to July 23, he has recorded a hit in 14 of his 17 starts. For this reason and the low price tag he makes a strong cash game play tonight. Playing on the road with a negative park shift and a downswing in the power numbers limits the upside needed for tournaments.

 

Evan Gattis FD 3000 DK 4300
Opponent - BAL (Miley) Park - @BAL
FD - 9.99 DK - 7.50

If it's tournament upside you are looking for, Gattis is your guy on Friday night. He is a high swing and miss  hitter(26.7% K rate) but has big time power against left handed pitching with a .360 wOBA and .290 Isolated Power. He comes in tonight's game with multiple hits in three of his last five games. Wade Miley makes one of the best pitchers to target against tonight as he has been awful in August with a 7.04 ERA, 4.71 xFIP while striking out less than five batters per nine.

 

 

FIRST BASE

Chris Davis FD 3400 DK 4300
Opponent - HOU (McHugh) Park - @BAL
FD - 12.46 DK - 9.32

Crush Davis is in a groove right now and once again projected as a top play on both sites. He is another high strikeout hitter with a lower floor but huge ceiling. He is coming off a two home run game last night and now has four multi hit games in his last eight. He will be chalky with recency bias playing a huge role but tough to fade against a struggling Colin McHugh. He has surrendered 17 earned runs over his last four starts with a 20% HR/FB rate.

 

Eric Hosmer FD 3400 DK 3700
Opponent - MIN (Berrios) Park - @KC
FD - 11.67 DK - 9.14
Kendrys Morales FD 2900 DK 3300
Opponent - MIN (Berrios) Park - @KC
FD - 11.08 DK - 8.44

If you are looking to pivot off Crush Davis who should be quite chalky tonight, consider the four and five hitters in the Royals lineups. On a PTS/$ basis Morales is the top projected play with Hosmer night far behind.  The high projection comes from the matchup vs. Jose Berrios who is struggling, to say the least, in his first stint in the majors. After seven starts he has a 4.74 xFIP and has shown zero control walking close to 4.5 batters per nine innings.

After a July to forget for Hosmer, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel as he has picked up hits in three straight and six of his last eight games including two doubles, two home runs and seven runs batted in. At his current price he is safe in all formats. Morales has not been consistent at all this year with a .243 average but gives you power upside at a very low cost.

 

SECOND BASE

Jose Altuve FD 4000 DK 5500
Opponent - BAL (Miley) Park - @BAL
FD - 12.17 DK - 10.54

Despite being in the upper tier of pricing, Altuve continues to project high in on PTS/$ basis as he is putting up MVP type numbers. He leads the American League in hitting by almost 50 points and is one home run away from his first career 20/20 season as he has already stolen 26 bases. He has been consistent all season but is scorching in August slashing .413/.448/.603 with a 186 wRC+. Add to it that Altuve has strong splits vs. left handed pitching and gets a great matchup vs. Wade Miley and he is by far the top option at second base tonight.

 

Chase Utley FD 3100 DK 4500
Opponent - CIN (Adleman) Park - @CIN
FD - 10.6 DK - 8.33

Hitting out of the leadoff spot Chase Utley stands out as a top value play for cash games tonight. He doesn't carry the upside he once had in his Phillies days but has been consistent at the top of the Dodgers lineup. He has picked up hits in six of his last nine games with  four multi hit efforts. His best value is on FanDuel tonight as his price continues to hover around the $3K mark.

 

Josh Harrison FD 3100 DK 3500
Opponent - MIA (Koehler) Park - @PIT
FD - 9.0 DK - 7.6

While Chase Utley is a little expensive on DraftKings tonight, you can turn to Josh Harrison for a cool $1,00 in savings. He has been recently moved to the leadoff spot in the Pirates lineup and has adapted very well. He has picked up a hit in 10 of his first 11 games at the top of the order with nien runs, five RBI and two stolen bases. Like Utley he lacks upside for tournaments but has the consistency we are looking for in cash games.

 

SHORTSTOP

Carlos Correa FD 3900 DK 5000
Opponent - BAL (Miley) Park - @BAL
FD - 11.39 DK - 9.14

The Astros have one of the best matchups of the night going up against Wade Miley and the Orioles. The game is a pickem with a high 9.o Vegas Total meaning we should be in a for hit fest. Correa isn't your typical cleanup hitter as he is very balanced with power and speed but gets a ton of opportunity with hitters like Springer and Altuve hitting in front of him on a daily basis. Coming into the game on Friday Correa has been red hot with a .317/.386/.540 slash line in August with an impressive 150 wRC+. The power/speed combo gives him both a high floor and ceiling.

 

Javier Baez FD 3200 DK 5200
Opponent - COL (Anderson) Park - @COL
FD - 12 DK - 9.64

Our first mention of a batter in Coors tonight. Not because of the matchup but more because of the pricing that comes with the upgrade in park. While he is priced accordingly on DraftKings, he comes in as a top play on FanDuel where he qualifies as a shortstop. He has hits in four straight starts for the Cubs and absolutely crushes left handed pitching with a .393 wOBA, .198 ISO and 146 wRC+. He has been hitting at the bottom of the order but the price and opportunity on FanDuel are too much to pass up tonight.

 

THIRD BASE

Kris Bryant FD 4800 DK 5600
Opponent - COL (Anderson) Park - @COL
FD - 14.95 DK - 11.48

While Baez is the better play from a value perspective on FanDuel, Bryant is the play on DraftKings at just $400 more tonight. While he isn't driving in as many runs as last season he has improved in almost every other category. He has already set new career highs in home runs and runs scored and has picked up 10 points on his average and wRC+ this season. Much like Baez he has strong splits vs. left handed pitching with a .431 wOBA and 172 wRC+. With some of the value at pitching tonight you can easily get exposure to the Cubs in Coors Field.

 

Justin Turner FD 3500 DK 5100
Opponent - CIN (Adleman) Park - @CIN
FD - 11.58 DK - 9.02

The Dodgers are in a great spot on Friday night in the Great American Smallpark against a pitcher with minimal major league experience. Adleman has pitched to a 4.86 xFIP with minimal K upside and an ugly 4.19 BB/9 rate and has given up three home runs in his first four starts. Justin Turner makes a great play, especially no FanDuel in the mid $3K range, and has been red hot lately with hits in five straight and 15 of his last 16 games.

 

 

Jacob Lamb FD 3200 DK 4900
Opponent - SD (Cosart) Park - @SD
FD - 10.11 DK - 7.86

If contrarian is your style take a shot with Lamb who ranks as one of the top plays on a raw points basis. It has been a struggle for Lamb since the All Star break as he is hitting just .202 but he has power upside for GPP's. He has recorded four home runs in the second half to push his total to 24 for the season. Lamb has also show very strong splits vs. right handed pitching with a .400 wOBA and .308 Isolated Power. If he goes off tonight it will be at a very low ownership which could vault you to GPP success.

 

 

OUTFIELD

Mike Trout FD 4000 DK 5200
Opponent - NYY (Tanaka) Park - @LAA
FD - 12.19 DK - 9.67

It's been awhile since I had the pleasure of writing about on of my favorite hitters. It's been a long season for Trout who is surrounded by mediocre talent while he hits his prime years. While the power has fallen off somewhat he is putting up his best average and stolen base total in three years as he is trying to carry the team on his back. He is the best hitter in baseball and comes at a discount from the top options making him a terrific play from a PTS/$ perspective.

 

Andrew McCutchen FD 3500 DK 4300
Opponent - MIA (Koehler) Park - @PIT
FD - 10.94 DK - 8.55
Matt Joyce FD 2300 DK 3600
Opponent - MIA (Koehler) Park - @PIT
FD - 9.2 DK - 7.09

The Pirates have been red hot lately winning seven of their last 10 games as they try and keep pace in the National League Wildcard race. They boast one of the top outfields in the game in Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Andrew McCutchen. After a very slow first half of the season the former MVP has started to rake hitting .317 in August with a .472 OBP, three stolen bases and an elite 173 wRC+. He hits out of the three spot and makes a safe play in all formats right now.

If Joyce were to get a rare start tonight he would make a nice punt play on FanDuel where he ranks as a top play when looking at PTS/$ values.  In limited playing time this season he has crushed the ball with a 34.7% hard contact rate which has helped him put up 12 home runs to go along with his elite .402 on base percentage. Stay tuned for starting lineups.

 

Stephen Piscotty FD 3500 DK 4900
Opponent - PHI (Morgan) Park - @PHI
FD - 12.06 DK - 9.45

Even with just two multi hit games in August, Piscotty has been very consistent form a fantasy perspective. He is making the most of those one hit games as he has picked up eight runs batted in and also scored eight runs. He gets a favorable matchup tonight as he goes up against Adam Morgan and has very strong splits vs. left handed pitching with a .423 wOBA and 168 wRC+. The Cardinals are a strong stacking option tonight and Piscotty also makes  a strong solo play in any format.

 

 

 

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