DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Sunday, 8/14/22

I've been battling a nasty sickness all week, but I finally started feeling better on Saturday. That actually led to one of my better DFS days of the year, and I'm ready to keep rolling here. We have almost every team in action for this Sunday card, so let's get started with the pitching!

Now’s your chance to get DFSR PRO, which will give you access to our MLB, NBA, PGA, NHL, and NFL optimizers and our new player lab! Get started for free by clicking the button below.

Pitchers

Cristian Javier FD - P 10600 DK - SP 8700
Opponent - OAK (Cole Irvin) Park - HOU
FD - 41.65 DK - 22.56

The Astros have one of the best rotations in baseball, and Javier is a significant reason why. The 25-year-old has a 3.14 ERA and 1.05 WHIP this season but has really taken his game to another level recently. In fact, Javy has a 3.07 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 12.3 K/9 rate across his last 10 starts. That strikeout stuff makes him one of the best options in DFS, particularly in a matchup like this. The A's rank 29th or 30th in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA, and xwOBA, with Christian allowing three runs or fewer in his last five starts against them. That has Javier and the Stros entering this matchup as a -260 favorite.

Alex Wood FD - P 9200 DK - SP 9000
Opponent - PIT (Zach Thompson) Park - SF
FD - 35.51 DK - 18.9

Wood got off to a terrible start this season, but he's really starting to find his stroke. The goofy left-hander allowed six runs to the Dodgers last week but allowed two runs or fewer in his other six starts since the end of June. Even with that one stinker, Wood has a 2.54 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 9.0 K/9 rate in that span. We can omit that LA result because everyone struggles against the Dodgers. Facing Pittsburgh is nothing like facing LA either, with the Pirates ranked 28th in xwOBA, OBP, and K rate. That's why Wood is a -230 favorite, with Pittsburgh projected for just 3.5 runs.

Lance Lynn (FD $9000 DK $6800) is showing signs of life and should never be $6,800 against a 29th-ranked Tigers offense.

Catcher/First Base

C.J. Cron FD - 1B 4300 DK - 1B 5700
Opponent - ARI (Tommy Henry) Park - COL
FD - 18.3 DK - 13.76

Cron is my favorite play of the day. This guy has become a stud since he put on a Rockies uniform and always plays well in these circumstances. We say these circumstances because he gets to face a left-hander in Coors Field! Since the start of last season, Cron has a .388 OBP and 1.035 OPS at home and a .333 OBP and .864 OPS against left-handers. We love that with his recent form, picking up five extra-base hits over his last six games. The best part of this is that he faces Tommy Henry, and we'll dive into his numbers later on!

José Abreu FD - 1B 3100 DK - 1B 4800
Opponent - DET (Tyler Alexander) Park - CHW
FD - 11.24 DK - 8.51

This pricing for Abreu makes no sense. This former All-Star has been playing like one for a few months, tallying a .337 AVG, .409 OBP, .522 SLG, and .931 OPS over his last 75 games. That's a large sample size of dominance, and his splits are just as impressive. Abreu has a .363 OBP, .576 SLG, and .939 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor since 2020. It's not like Tyler Alexander is a scary matchup either, accruing a 4.07 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Abreu has obliterated Alexander throughout their careers, accruing a .476 AVG, .619 SLG, and 1.095 OPS in 21 at-bats against him.

Willson Contreras (FD $3300 DK $5500) has been the best catcher in the NL this season and is one of the only backstops with a good matchup.

Second Base

Ketel Marte FD - 2B 3800 DK - 2B 4900
Opponent - COL (Ryan Feltner) Park - COL
FD - 12.87 DK - 9.85

The Rockies might have the worst pitching staff in baseball, and Feltner is probably their worst starter. The young righty has a 6.02 ERA and 1.42 WHIP this year, which is sadly better than his deadly 6.66 career ERA and 1.52 WHIP. That's why this game has a slate-high 12.5-run total, with the Diamondbacks projected for nearly 6.5 runs. If they do score that much, Marte will surely be the table setter. This has been their best hitter for four years now, falling just shy of a .400 OBP and .900 OPS in that four-year span. He also comes into this matchup scorching, totaling a .291 AVG, .379 OBP, and .886 OPS over his last 78 games.

Brendan Rodgers FD - 2B 3600 DK - 2B 5800
Opponent - ARI (Tommy Henry) Park - COL
FD - 13.56 DK - 10.41

Rodgers hasn't been hitting with much power recently, but he has the most hits in baseball since the All-Star break! The young second baseman has a .382 AVG and .948 OPS over his last 25 games. He's also been one of the league leaders in batting average since April while sitting Top-10 in hard-hit rate. All of that makes him enticing against Tommy Henry, making just the third start of his career here. That's why Colorado is also projected for six runs, making Rodgers an excellent option as their cleanup hitter. Not to mention, Brendan has a .924 OPS against lefties since his call-up and a .902 OPS at Coors this year.

Shortstop

Carlos Correa FD - SS 3100 DK - SS 4400
Opponent - LAA (Tucker Davidson) Park - LAA
FD - 11.77 DK - 8.91

Correa just had one of his biggest games of the season on Saturday, and that gem shows just how well he's seeing the ball right now. The All-Star shortstop got on base in all five of his plate appearances while sending out a two-run bomb. It's no surprise since he's facing this Angels pitching staff, and Tucker Davidson is another dandy matchup behind his 7.91 ERA and 2.02 WHIP. It also gives Correa the platoon advantage from the right side, with Carlos compiling a .382 OBP and .804 OPS against left-handers since 2020. If you can use a .382 OBP guy against a pitcher with a 2.00 WHIP, you should capitalize on that opportunity!

Paul DeJong FD - SS 2900 DK - SS 3900
Opponent - MIL (Aaron Ashby) Park - STL
FD - 8.75 DK - 6.59

This is one of the best cheap options on the board. Dejong spent most of the season at Triple-A, but he's been a different player since his call-up. In fact, Paul has five doubles, four homers, and 13 RBI across his last 13 games, providing a .318 AVG, .404 OBP, .705 SLG ad 1.108 OPS in that span. That makes him about $500 too cheap on both sites, and we also don't mind that he faces a struggling lefty. That happens to be Aaron Ashby, accumulating a 4.32 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in what's been a disappointing rookie season. Don't overlook the fact that DeJong's OPS is nearly 400 points higher against lefties as well!

Third Base

Austin Riley FD - 3B 4100 DK - 3B 5200
Opponent - MIA (Braxton Garrett) Park - MIA
FD - 13.19 DK - 9.99

I wasn't so sure that the Riley breakout last season was legitimate, but he's proven me wrong with an even better 2022 campaign. The power-hitting third baseman leads Atlanta with 30 homers and 74 RBI, leading to a .300 AVG, .363 OBP, .553 SLG, and .915 OPS over the last two years. That makes him one of the best power bats in the game, and his splits are even more sensational. In 123 at-bats against lefties this year, Riley has registered a .374 AVG, .447 OBP, .804 SLG, and 1.251 OPS. Braxton Garrett has been good at times, but his 4.02 ERA doesn't make us want to fade a stud like Riley.

Josh Rojas FD - 3B 3500 DK - 2B/3B 5400
Opponent - COL (Ryan Feltner) Park - COL
FD - 13.22 DK - 10.13

We discussed how Arizona is the highest-projected lineup on this slate, so we have to have exposure to their best hitters. While Marte is the best pure bat, Rojas has been doing just as much damage atop the lineup. Over his last nine games, Rojas has a .344 AVG, .400 OBP, .531 SLG, and .931 OPS. We love that since he gets the platoon advantage here, picking up almost all of his career steals against righties. The Feltner matchup is obviously a nice benefit, too, because Rojas has a .500 OBP and 1.289 OPS at Coors Field this season.

Outfield

Trey Mancini FD - 1B 3100 DK - 1B 4200
Opponent - OAK (Cole Irvin) Park - HOU
FD - 11.08 DK - 8.47

I don't think anyone knows why Baltimore traded Mancini at the trade deadline, but Houston is reaping the rewards of that intelligent acquisition. The Home Run Derby finalist had his long-ball numbers demolished by his home ballpark, but his home run total would have doubled if he played the entire year in Houston. That's evident in his recent form, amassing a .304 AVG, .360 OBP, .587 SLG, and .947 OPS over his last 14 games. That makes him an excellent option in the heart of this stacked lineup, especially since he has a .348 OBP and .820 OPS against southpaws since 2020.

Eloy Jiménez FD - OF 2900 DK - OF 4500
Opponent - DET (Tyler Alexander) Park - CHW
FD - 11.89 DK - 9.03

Eloy has remained below $3,000 on FanDuel all season, and we'll keep using him until it rises. This is simply one of the best power hitters in our sport, flirting with a .500 SLG and .250 ISO. I genuinely believe that will be his floor because this dude will have 40-homer seasons in the near future. He's flashed some of that slugging recently, generating a .389 AVG, .424 OBP, .519 SLG, and .942 OPS over his last 14 games. Getting to face an inexperienced lefty is the icing on the cake, though, with Eloy hitting from the right side. This offense is full of potent righties, and they're one of the best stacks out there behind Jimenez, Abreu, and Luis Robert.

Joc Pederson FD - OF 2800 DK - OF 4100
Opponent - PIT (Zach Thompson) Park - SF
FD - 11.14 DK - 8.37

Pederson was mired in a dreadful slump before landing on the IL, but he's been rolling since coming back. He's got a hit in five of six games since being reinstated, posting a .400 AVG, .471 OBP, and 1.004 OPS since then. That's the stud we've been waiting to see because Pederson was an All-Star player through the first two months. His splits are the reason he made it on that roster, producing a.500 SLG and .837 OPS against right-handers this year. Those are right on par with his career averages, and he should keep it going against a pitcher with a 5.08 ERA and 1.47 WHIP.