DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Thursday 8/27/20

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Pitchers

Hyun-Jin Ryu FD 9100 DK 9700
Opponent - BOS (Chris Mazza) Park - BOS
FD - 30.15 DK - 15.64

With Scherzer being more expensive on both sites while also struggling recently(9 ER last two starts) makes the decision at the top quite easy tonight, at least for cash games. Since struggling in his first two starts with his new team, Ryu has returned to his elite form allowing just 10 hits and three earned runs over his last four starts with a  24:5 strikeout to walk ratio. The jays are -170 favorites in this one against a Red Sox team that is below-average in almost every offensive stat. At a price under $10K on both sites, Ryu is my top pitcher on the main slate.

Sixto Sánchez FD 6600 DK 5100
Opponent - NYM (Robert Gsellman) Park - NYM
FD - 24.7 DK - 12.06

If you are not paying up for both Scherzer and Ryu on DraftKings, things get a little muddy but one punt I am into is Sixto Sanchez. He made his major league debut last Saturday against the defending champs and only need 66 pitches to get through five innings. While he did allow six hits and three earned runs, he didn't walk a batter and struck out four tallying 13.2 DK points. I see him getting upwards of 70+ pitches tonight and while a tough matchup vs. the Mets, he is only $5,100 making a 2x floor very attainable and also giving him some nice upside as well if things go right.

Catcher/First Base

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. FD 3200 DK 4300
Opponent - BOS (Chris Mazza) Park - BOS
FD - 12.92 DK - 9.83

After a slow start to the season, Vlad is starting to heat up as he enters Thursday night with a nine-game hitting streak. The Jays are big favorites(-170), currently lead all teams in implied runs, hit in a great hitters park in Buffalo, and Vlad is still priced down a bit even on a small slate. All things considered, he is in play in all formats tonight.

Matt Olson FD 3500 DK 5300 
Opponent - TEX (Jordan Lyles) Park - TEX
FD - 12.18 DK - 9.07
Olson is more expensive tonight and consistency isn't a word we throw around with him but the run production(10 HR, 22 RBI) cannot be ignored, especially in this matchup. The A's will go up against a struggling Jordan Lyles who has given up a whopping 25 earned runs over five starts(9.25 ERA) and there isn't much light at the end of tunnel with a 1.89 WHIP and 6.54 xFIP. Best of all, Lyles has really struggled against left-handed bats giving up a .371 wOBA and .520 SLG in the split since the start of 2019. This isn't where I will be going in cash games but I love the pivot and upside in GPP formats.

Second Base

Cavan Biggio FD 3900 DK 5100
Opponent - BOS (Chris Mazza) Park - BOS
FD - 13.15 DK - 9.85

With the Jays playing their home games in Buffalo which has, so far, fallen in lin behind Coors and Great American Ballpark as the top hitter parks in the bigs. This is, however, only one reason to load up on Jays today as they also get a good matchup and have averaged just under six runs per game since the start of last week(11 games). With Bo Bichette out, Biggio has been the straw that stirs the drink at the top of the order and comes in with hits in  14 of his last 17 games and now sits with an excellent .275/.397/.505 slash line and is in a great spot tonight to crush value.

Mike Brosseau FD 2500 DK 4700
Opponent - BAL (John Means) Park - BAL
FD - 9.44 DK - 7.23
Tony Kemp FD 2000 DK 3300
Opponent - TEX (Jordan Lyles) Park - TEX
FD - 8.55 DK - 6.63

If saving at the position is your goal tonight, there are two options high on my value list. Brosseau is up first as he is projected to be hitting leadoff for the Rays against a lefty and despite limited at-bats this season he has managed a very impressive .318 average and .380 OBP. The price is a little steep on Draftkings limiting him to a part of a Rays GPP stack but on FanDuel, he can be played in all formats.

I love the A's matchup here and Kemp is min price on DraftKings tonight so if he is in the lineup, that is one place I will consider punting to get a top pitcher combined with some top bats. Neither player gets my blood flowing but value is important, especially on this small slate.

Shortstop

Trea Turner FD 3900 DK 5200
Opponent - PHI (Spencer Howard) Park - PHI
FD - 13.92 DK - 10.76

If you are paying up at shortstop, there is only one choice and that is Trea Turner. He has been one of the hottest players in baseball as he enters the night with hits in 12 straight and 17 of his last 18 games(.382/.462/.721 slash line) including 10 extra-base hits(4-2B, 2-3B, 5-HR). The Nats are big favorites in a terrific hitters park putting Turner in play in all formats.

Willy Adames FD 2900 DK 3900
Opponent - BAL (John Means) Park - BAL
FD - 8.54 DK - 6.54

Depending on how things shake out, Turner is most likely too expensive for cash games and that is fine as we have an excellent alternative Adames comes in at a nice value price on both sites. He isn't going to carry a lineup to the GPP promise land very often(or ever) but he has been very consistent with hits in 12 of his last 15 games and sits with a very respectable .293/.381/.533 slash line on the season. Adames and the Rays get a plus matchup against John Means(10.13 ERA, 5.53 xFIP, 26% HR/FB) making him not only one of my top shortstops but one of my overall favorite PTS/$ plays on the slate.

Third Base

Matt Chapman FD 3700 DK 5400
Opponent - TEX (Jordan Lyles) Park - TEX
FD - 12.4 DK - 9.28

Chapman was a late scratch last night but is expected to be back in the lineup tonight and that is great news as he not only gets a plus matchup but third base is an absolute mess. While this means he is likely chalk-city I am ok with it as he is an elite run producer with nine home runs and 22 RBI coming into tonight and has actually been better against right-handed pitching. The A's are in a smash spot and Chapman is my top player at the position.

Marwin Gonzalez FD 2600 DK 4100
Opponent - DET (Matthew Boyd) Park - DET
FD - 9.74 DK - 7.42

I never get excited to roster Marwin Gonzalez but the Twins are in a decent spot tonight and third base is very thin so here we are. If you are looking for salary relief or Chapman doesn't start again, Gonzalez is next up facing a struggling lefty in Matt Boyd(8.48 ERA) and more good news as Gonzalez has also been much better against southpaws. His best value comes on FanDuel in the mid $2K range.

Outfield

Teoscar Hernández FD 3600 DK 4300
Opponent - BOS (Chris Mazza) Park - BOS
FD - 12.45 DK - 9.38

If salary were not an issue or enough value pops up from now until lock, you most definitely need to be paying up for Nelson Cruz vs. a lefty or Juan Soto vs. anyone really. In reality, spending up for those two is not likely going to happen on this small slate so let's dip into the next tier. The Jays offense has been on fire lately and Teoscar has played a huge role and enters the night with hits in 17 of his last 19 games and already has 11 home runs. At these prices, he is one of my favorite PTS/$ plays in the outfield.

Adam Eaton FD 2700 DK 3200
Opponent - PHI (Spencer Howard) Park - PHI
FD - 10.69 DK - 8.23

For value, I am still a little baffled Adam Eaton is still this cheap especially on a small slate in a matchup vs. Spencer Howard and his 6.17 ERA/5.40 on through three starts. Eaton isn't going to blow the doors off and win you a GPP on his own but he hits second in the Nats lineup behind Turner and in front of Soto. That is more than enough opportunity to make Eaton a top PTS/$ play in the outfield.

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