DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Thursday 8/25/22(Main Slate)

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Pitchers

Jacob deGrom FD 12500 DK 10800
Opponent - COL (Ryan Feltner) Park - NYM
FD - 51.84 DK - 30.19

The Mets ace finally got a full workload in his last start and despite giving three runs, continued his swing and miss domination with nine strikeouts. Over four starts, he has now recorded 37 strikeouts(46%) while walking just one and enters the night with a today 2.31 ERA and eye-popping 1.08 xFIP. He now gets arguably his best matchup of the season against the Rockies who have dropped 12 of 15 road games in the second half and have the widest home/road splits over the course of the season(.349 wOBA at home/.284 on the road). I will be building around deGrom in all formats.

Lance Lynn FD 9100 DK 7800
Opponent - BAL (Jordan Lyles) Park - BAL
FD - 31.37 DK - 17.08

There is probably a path to playing both deGrom and Nola on this slate but if you want any sort of bats in your lineup a value SP2 might just be the route to take. Enter Lance Lynn who has been very good in the second half holding opponents to two or fewer earned runs in four of six starts resulting in a 3.06 ERA and slightly better 2.73 xFIP. The Orioles have been much better in the second half and sit ahead of the White Sox in the wildcard standings but are still just an average offence against right0handed pitching and strike out more in the split than against lefties. All things considered, Lynn is my top SP2 option on DraftKings tonight and a salary-saving GPP option on FanDuel.

Catcher/First Base

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. FD 4000 DK 5600
Opponent - BOS (Kutter Crawford) Park - BOS
FD - 13.03 DK - 9.81

The Jays are right up there with the Yankees in terms of implied runs tonight forcing some decisions for the expensive bats, especially if loading up on deGrom.At first base, I will be playing the homer card and rolling with Vladdy who is tearing the cover off the ball in the second half hitting .319 with a .400 wOBA and 167 wRC+ and despite a drop in the power numbers(6 HR) is still running a 53% hard contact rate and 13% barrel rate in that time. It also helps he faces a pitcher in Kutter Crawford who has given up 17 earned runs in his last three starts including five long balls. All things considered, Vladdy is the top pay-up for me on this slate.

José Abreu FD 3500 DK 4000
Opponent - BAL (Jordan Lyles) Park - BAL
FD - 9.8 DK - 7.42

If you are looking for a more balanced approach behind deGrom tonight, consider Jose Abreu who is trying to lead the White Sox back into contention in the wildcard race. He went into Wednesday's action with hits in eight of his last 10 games but what really stands out there is the seven multi-hit efforts in that span. Much like Vladdy, the power is down a bit but the consistency has been there as he is hitting .325 in the second half with a 48% hard contact rate. In a plus matchup against struggling Spenser Watkins(8 ER last two starts), Abreu is in play in all formats.

Second Base

Jeff McNeil FD 2700 DK 4300
Opponent - COL (Ryan Feltner) Park - COL
FD - 9.15 DK - 7.04

To help fit deGrom in our lineups, value is essential and we can turn to one of the defenders behind him for exactly that. McNeil isn't going to win you the home run contest but has been one of the most consistent hitters down the stretch hitting .414 with a .458 wOBA and 204 wRC+ in the month of August. He does hit down in the lineup but that has only helped keep the price in check for this plus matchup vs Ryan Feltner who has tallied an ugly 6.41 ERA/5.00 xFIP in four August starts. McNeil is a core play for me whether stacking the Mets in GPP or just looking for a one-off piece for cash games.

Also Consider: Gleyber Torres(NYY) who hits in the middle of the Yankees lineup and gets a plus matchup against James Kaprielian who has been worse against righties(.356 wOBA/.480 SLG)

Shortstop

Francisco Lindor FD 3700 DK 5800
Opponent - COL (Ryan Feltner) Park - COL
FD - 11.58 DK - 8.79

A normally loaded position is lacking on this slate making it one spot I will be using a good portion of my salary cap. Leading the way is Francisco Lindor who is having a monster second half entering the night with a .341/.410/.520 slash line with 44% hard contact rate and is currently sitting with the second-highest offensive WAR(22.3) of his career. Adding to his awesome form is a plus matchup against Ryan Feltner who has struggled in August to a 6.41 ERA/5.00 xFIP. Lindor is one of my top pay ups on this slate and easily our top play at shortstop.

Bryson Stott FD 2700 DK 3900
Opponent - CIN (Justin Dunn) Park - CIN
FD - 9.11 DK - 6.95

The Phillies' 2019 first-round pick struggled early in the season but has finally started to look like a top prospect down the stretch. He comes into tonight with hits in 14 of his last 15 games going back to August 6 while posting an elite .375/.407/.571 slash line. He does hit down in the lineup but comes very cheap on both sites and gets a plus matchup against Justin Dunn who has walked eight and sits with a 6.08 ERA/6.06 xFIP through his first three starts. If building around deGrom and a few big bats tonight, Stott makes a ton of sense in all formats.

Third Base

Alec Bohm FD 3000 DK 4200
Opponent - CIN (Justin Dunn) Park - CIN
FD - 10.33 DK - 7.94

Bohm is another Phillies top prospect(2018 3rd overall pick) who is playing a major role in 2022. He has been good all season but has been incredible since late June hitting .348 with a .380 wOBA/144 wRC+ Which has prompted a move up to the three-hole in the lineup.

Outfield

Andrew Benintendi FD 2900 DK 3800
Opponent - OAK (James Kaprielian) Park - OAK
FD - 9.07 DK - 6.97

It took some time to get his feet under him as a Yankee but Benny is starting to heat up and went into Wednesday's game with hits in 12 of his previous 16 games including five multi-hit efforts and seven doubles. On Thursday, he gets a plus matchup against Kaprielian who is having control issues lately walking nine in his last three starts and on the season, has an xFIP(5.25) than is almost a full run worse than the ERA(4.29). With the move up to the top of the lineup and no adjustment in price, Benintendi is top PTS/$ play in the outfield tonight.

Brandon Nimmo FD 2800 DK 4600
Opponent - COL (Ryan Feltner) Park - COL
FD - 11.61 DK - 8.77

Let's stick with the value in the outfield and lean more on the heavily favoured Mets at home vs the Rockies. Nimmo isn't a player that is going to singlehandedly win you a GPP but he is a solid one-off piece in cash games hitting leadoff in front of some big bats and has also been consistent lately. He comes into tonight with hits in three straight and nine of his last 11 games and as we mentioned earlier, the Mets get a terrific matchup and sit top three in implied runs tonight. I will have exposure to Nimmo in all formats tonight.

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