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DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Thursday 9/2/21 - Main Slate
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Pitchers
Shane McClanahan FD 10100 DK 10100
Opponent - BOS (Eduardo Rodriguez) Park - BOS
FD - 39.66 DK - 21.73
We get a very small slate tonight so the drop in price for McClanahan is minor considering the tougher matchup vs. the Red Sox. The good news is that Rays went into Wednesday's game winners of nine straight overall and nine of their last 10 vs. the Red Sox. For McClanahan, he has been very good in his rookie season and even better in the second half posting a 2.90 ERA/3.26 xFIP while striking out 27% of batters and has picked wins in five straight starts. He is my top pitcher on this slate in all formats.
Carlos Carrasco FD 6800 DK 8000
Opponent - MIA (Zach Thompson) Park - MIA
FD - 34.95 DK - 19.35
It was a long road back after a spring training injury but not many have been better facing adversity than Carrasco. The Mets eased him back into action upon his return at the end of July and the good news is that he is coming off his best start of the season(7 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 5 K, 0 BB) and it came against the top team in baseball. If he is finally stretched out to 85+ pitchers, he is a steal at these prices against a Marlins team that ranks bottom five in almost all categories in the second half.
Catcher/First Base
Freddie Freeman FD 4000 DK 5900
Opponent - COL (Chi Chi González) Park - COL
FD - 17.72 DK - 13.26
With a smaller slate and the game in Coors Field, we are going to want to jam as many Braves bats in our lineups as possible tonight. The good news is that there is lots of value on their team which will help us get to Freeman. He may not be having another MVP season but has still been very good with a .293/.388/.503 slash line and sits third in baseball with 95 runs scored. Also making it him a priority is the fact the position is pretty dry after him. He is in play in all formats.
Austin Hedges FD 2300 DK 2200
Opponent - KC (Mike Minor) Park - KC
FD - 6.67 DK - 5.03
On DraftKings, I am almost always looking for value or to straight punt the position in cash games to help me pay up for pitching and multiple top bats. Hedges isn't going to break the slate for us but does come in with hits in five of his last seven and has shown some upside with a double and two home runs in that time. He is nearly min price and while not impressive, he is better against lefties. My top cash game punt catcher tonight.
Also Consider: Colin Moran(PIT) as a value play at first base as he comes in with a six-game hit streak, hits cleanup, and gets a decent matchup
Second Base
Whit Merrifield FD 3900 DK 4800
Opponent - CLE (Triston McKenzie) Park - CLE
FD - 10.46 DK - 8.14
While not having his best season as a pro, the DK price on Merrifield continues to baffle me, especially on this smaller five-game slate. The good news here is that he has been much better as of last with hits in 15 of his last 18 games with eight extra-base hits, 13 RBI, and 14 runs scored. The matchup is average-at-best as McKenzie can be very good but Whit is underpriced, hits leadoff, and adds a ton of speed upside leading the league in steals. Lock and load in all formats.
Brendan Rodgers FD 2700 DK 4600
Opponent - ATL (Touki Toussaint) Park - ATL
FD - 12.59 DK - 9.69
While Merrifield is underpriced on DraftKings and is a top play, the same can be said for Brendan Rodgers on FanDuel. Like Merrifield, he also doesn't get the best matchup facing Toussaint but he hits second in the lineup and has been productive all season and even better down the stretch hitting .304 since the start of August with nine multi-hit games. He is also eligible at shortstop and is in play in all formats.
Shortstop
Wander Franco FD 3900 DK 5100
Opponent - BOS (Eduardo Rodriguez) Park - BOS
FD - 10.57 DK - 8.18
It really doesn't even seem fair that one of the top and most consistent teams from top to bottom also had the #1 prospect in baseball in their stable. The 20-year-old Franco has delivered in almost every way imaginable and has gotten better with every at-bat. He is now a staple near the top of the Rays lineup and comes in scorching hot with hits in 18 of his last 20 and he has reached base in 15 straight and 31 of his last 32 games. The price is very fair and he is my top shortstop in all formats tonight.
Also Consider: Jonathan Villar(NYM) leading off for the Mets and comes in with hits in seven of his last eight games or Dansby Swanson(ATL) as a part of a Braves stack in Coors Field
Third Base
Austin Riley FD 3700 DK 5600
Opponent - COL (Chi Chi González) Park - COL
FD - 14.17 DK - 10.69
It has been a breakout season for Riley in his third year in the league and he has been even better in the second half posting a .356 average, .446 wOBA, and 180 wRC+. With that said, I found it odd he was third in pricing at the position on this smaller slate with the Braves getting to take their hacks in Coors Field. He is likely chalk but easily one of my favorite plays on the slate in all formats.
Wilmer Difo FD 2100 DK 2100
Opponent - CHC (Keegan Thompson) Park - CHC
FD - 7.96 DK - 6.16
He comes off the bench most of the time but if Hayes sits out another game, he likely gets another start and would be a top punt play on this smaller slate. Four of his last six appearances have been starts and he has picked up a hit in all of them and while it's not a pretty play, it gives us the salary space we need to pay up for pitching and Braves bats.
Outfield
Jorge Soler FD 3600 DK 4000
Opponent - COL (Chi Chi González) Park - COL
FD - 16.19 DK - 12.07
Sometimes a fresh start is exactly what a player needs and that can definitely be said for Soler. Since being traded at the deadline, he has posted a .390 wOBA and 143 wRC+ and comes into tonight with home runs in three of his last five games. That power upside is exactly what we are looking for in Coors Field against Chi Chi Gonzalez who has posted reverse splits and has been much worse(power-wise) against righties. To cap it off, Soler has been hitting second in the lineup and is just $4K on DraftKings. Lock and load!
Amed Rosario FD 3400 DK 4300
Opponent - KC (Mike Minor) Park - KC
FD - 10.04 DK - 7.87
Myles Straw FD 3300 DK 3000
Opponent - KC (Mike Minor) Park - KC
FD - 10.03 DK - 7.85
Finding value is the name of the game and Cleveland has two players who stand out tonight. It starts with Myles Straw who has been a very consistent PTS/$ option since taking over the leadoff spot with a .284 average and .357 on-base percentage. Given his poor splits vs. lefties, I will only use him in GPP formats with his FanDuel price but will have exposure in all formats on DraftKings.
Rosario is only available in the outfield on FanDuel but is a core play for me as he comes in hot with a .476 wOBA and 206 wRC+ over the last 14 days. He is also much better vs. lefties with a .381 wOBA and 141 wRC+ for the season. He is in play for me on both sites in all formats.
