Daily Fantasy MLB Pitchers for FanDuel and DraftKings - 8/21/17

Here's where you can find some recommendations for tournament pitchers target for FanDuel and DraftKings. Find our main set of cash game picks here.

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Pitchers

Taijuan Walker FD 7100 DK 7800
Opponent - NYM (Gsellman) Park - @NYM
FD - 30.13 DK - 15.33

We don't necessarily love Walker tonight, but this is just a gross slate for pitching and the Mets have pretty much given up on the season, so that's a bonus. Of the guys they have left, Cespedes and Conforto are the only ones who scare us, and the projected starters come in with a combined .312 wOBA and .160 ISO vs. RHP this season, so that's something we're interested in trying to exploit. Plus, the matchup should suit Walker well. When he's struggled this year it's been mostly against lefties (.191 ISO allowed), and the few he'll have to see in the Mets lineups have a combined .124 ISO vs. RHP this season, even with Conforto putting up a .304. None of that makes Walker an especially exciting play; he's cruising along in the mediocre range in most of the metrics we care about (8 Ks/9, 4.21 FIP), but he's been moderately better away from Chase Field, and mediocre is actually kind of appealing tonight.

Gerrit Cole FD 9300 DK 8700
Opponent - LAD (Wood) Park - @PIT
FD - 28.9 DK - 14.82

Playing pitchers against the Dodgers is a good way to lose money in DFS, so the fact that we think Cole deserves consideration tells you a lot about how awful this slate is. On the plus side, Cole is one of the most talented arms going tonight and he'll be in a pitcher's park against a team with a fair amount of swing-and-miss in the lineup (21 K% vs. RHP). On the other hand, Cole's talent hasn't fully manifested itself -- he's been more competent than dominant with a 3.91 xFIP on the season -- and the Dodgers are one of the most dangerous offenses in baseball, ranking 3rd in wRC+ and 5th in wOBA vs. RHP. Keep an eye on the lineup though; there's a chance the Dodgers could be without Cody Bellinger and his .414 wOBA/.386 ISO vs. righties, and Adrian Gonzalez (.275/0.96) is nowhere near as intimidating. Nonetheless, we'd probably only recommend playing Cole if you're building lots of lineups, and even then, it's probably wisest to keep the overall exposure level low.

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