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FanDuel DFS MLB Strategy Advice: Sunday (8/9)

FanDuel DFS MLB Strategy Advice: Sunday (8/9)

For this FanDuel slate, we’ll be looking at the eight-day games starting at 12:30 ET. That limits the number of options we have but eight games is the perfect amount for DFS. With that in mind, let’s go ahead and get into it!

If you have any comments or questions, reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel

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Value Plays

Pitcher

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Jacob deGrom (NYM) vs. MIA $11,600 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Stephen Strasburg (WSH) vs. BAL $10,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Andrew Heaney (LAA) @ TEX $7,500 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium

 
deGrom is one of the best plays of the season. We’ll go over that more later. Strasburg is actually making his season debut here but should roll right through one of the worst lineups in baseball as a -230 favorite. As for Heaney, the Rangers struggle against lefties, and Heaney has a 2.35 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 9.1 K/9 rate this season.

Catcher/First Base

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Miguel Sano (MIA) @ KC $3,200 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) vs. BOS $2,900 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Josh Bell (PIT) vs. DET $2,800 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High

 
Sano has an ISO above .250 in his Major League career and should have some success against Brady Singer, who’s never pitched above Double-A before this season. Vlad has struggled a bit in the Majors but he’s too good of a hitter to be below $3,000. We really like him facing a guy who throws straight like Nathan Eovaldi. Bell has also struggled but he tallied a .387 OBP, .615 SLG, and 1.002 OPS against righties last year.

Second Base

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Luis Arraez (MIN) @ KC $2,400 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Howie Kendrick (WSH) vs. BAL $2,400 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Jonathan Schoop (DET) @ PIT $3,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium

 
These three guys are easy picks at this position with the other lackluster options available. Arraez is fascinating because of his low strikeout rate, getting the platoon advantage against a weak righty. Kendrick has quietly been one of the best hitters in the Majors since last season and it’s hard to understand why he’s just $2,400. As for Schoop, he’s been crushing the ball in the heart of the Tigers order and gets to face a lefty here from the right side.

Third Base

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Eugenio Suarez (CIN) vs. MIL $2,900 ⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Jeff McNeil (NYM) vs. MIA $2,600 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Travis Shaw (TOR) vs. BOS $2,400 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High

 
While Suarez has a tough matchup against Brandon Woodruff, it’s crazy that he’s below $3,000. We’re talking about a guy who has 111 homers over the last four years. The McNeil price is also impossible to understand, posting an OPS just shy of .900 for his career. Shaw hit third on Saturday and if he does that again against Eovaldi, he’d be a nice value at just $2,400.

Shortstop

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Trea Turner (WSH) vs. BAL $3,200 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Jorge Polanco (MIN) @ KC $3,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Elvis Andrus (TEX) vs. LAA $2,500 ⭐⭐⭐ High

 
Turner has had to sit out a lot this season but he’s one of the best fantasy options in the game, particularly at $3,200. Polanco should bat third for the Twins in a great matchup and that’s huge with him posting an OPS just shy of .900 against righties since 2018. Andrus has been much better against left-handers and remains way too cheap at $2,500.

Outfield

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Juan Soto (WSH) vs. BAL $3,800 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Alex Verdugo (BOS) @ TOR $2,700 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Max Kepler (MIN) @ KC $3,700 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Eddie Rosario (MIN) @ KC $3,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
Dominic Smith (NYM) vs. MIA $2,600 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High

 
Soto should always be at the top of the player pool but $3,800 is a discount for him. What adds to his intrigue is the fact that he faces a weak righty and homered on Saturday. Twins like Rosario and Kepler are in a great spot, with both guys getting the platoon advantage against Brady Singer. As for Verdugo, he also gets to face a righty and has homered three times in his last three games. Smith is yet another lefty masher and it’s weird that he’s so cheap against a righty who posted an ERA above 5.00 last season.

5 Studs Worth Their Salary

  • Nelson Cruz, MIN ($4,100): This guy is a beast. He’s been one of the five best hitters in baseball over the last two seasons and it makes him hard to fade in the middle of this potent lineup.
  • Juan Soto, WSH ($3,800): Soto has a .418 OBP and an OPS just shy of 1.000 against righties since 2018. That makes him hard to fade against this horrendous Baltimore pitching staff.
  • J.D. Martinez, BOS ($3,700): Anytime you see J.D. below $4,000 and he’s got a solid matchup, go ahead and use him.
  • Max Kepler, MIN ($3,700): Kepler has been crushing righties for years and we love that he gets to bat leadoff for the highest projected lineup on this slate.
  • Josh Bell, PIT ($2,800): Bell was an absolute beast last season, posting a.567 SLG and .936 OPS. He’s even better against righties and it’s strange to see him below $3,000.

5 Notable Players to Fade

  • Sonny Gray, CIN ($10,800): Gray has been absolutely amazing this season but pitching in Milwaukee is no easy task. While they struggled early on, 11 runs over their last two games might be a sign that they’re turning things around, especially Yelich.
  • Charlie Morton, TB ($8,200): Using pitchers against the Yankees is always a terrible idea. This is the best lineup in baseball and it’s not like Morton has been perfect this season either.
  • Joey Gallo, TEX ($3,900): Gallo is barely hitting above .200 against lefties for his career and is susceptible to strike out a few times against a guy like Heaney.
  • David Fletcher, LAA ($3,500): What is this price? Fletcher has never proven to be this good and it’s just crazy to see some of the players priced below him. Facing Lance Lynn makes it even more surprising.
  • Jorge Soler, KC ($3,100): Soler did homer twice on Saturday, likely making him someone that many DFS players will use. I’ll go ahead and fade him against a talented righty like Jose Berrios.

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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel

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