MLB DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Sunday (8/7)

That trade deadline was wild on Tuesday. It felt like there was a massive swing in San Diego, and they’re arguably the scariest team in baseball right now. They find themselves amid a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that three-game set is going to be the talk of the league. With that said, we still have 13 other games to discuss, so let’s kick things off with the pitchers!

Starting Pitcher Rankings

Starting Pitcher Strategy

After a stacked pitching pool on Saturday, we have another good one here. The arms aren’t quite as reliable as they were on Saturday, but we have two aces in fantastic spots. We also have two Logans in our GPP section, and both of those guys are in extraordinary situations. There were a few guys we didn’t have room for, though, with Drew Rasmussen, Kevin Gausman, Cole Irvin, Jacob deGrom, Spencer Strider, and Jesus Luzardo looking like great values as well.

Cash Game Recommendations:

Aaron Nola (PHI) vs. WAS

Not enough people are talking about Nola in the NL Cy Young race. This dude has been one of the best pitchers in baseball, providing a 3.25 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 9.9 K/9 rate. The matchup is the best part of this, facing a 24th-ranked Washington offense that just traded away their only two good hitters. That’s why Nola enters this matchup as a -250 favorite! In his two starts against a full Washington team, Nola has allowed just three runs and 13 baserunners across 15.2 innings.

Corbin Burnes (MIL) vs. CIN

Burnes had a rough outing in his most recent start, but this is the reigning NL Cy Young for a reason. The right-hander had a 2.31 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 11.6 K/9 rate before that rare dud. We expect that ace to show up here, with the Reds ranked 21st in OBP, 23rd in OPS, and 24th in K rate. All of that has Corbin entering this matchup as a -250 favorite, with Cincy projected for just 3.5 runs.

GPP Recommendations:

Logan Webb (SF) at OAK

Webb had a nightmarish start against the Dodgers in his most recent outing, but that could happen to anyone. Before that, Webb went at least six innings in each of his previous nine starts, tallying a 1.85 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in that span. That’s the stud we saw throughout the final three months of last season, and he should continue that form against an Oakland team that ranks dead-last in nearly every offensive statistic. Vegas agrees, projecting Oakland for just three runs.

Logan Gilbert (SEA) vs. LAA

Logan has faced the Astros and Yankees in his last two starts, but a matchup with the Angels should be just what the doctor ordered. The right-hander had a 2.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 8.5 K/9 rate before that treacherous stretch, and we expect that pitcher to show up against LA. The Angels lost Mike Trout and currently sit 26th in total offense and dead-last in K rate. That’s why Gilbert has at least 34 FanDuel points in their two matchups this year!

UPDATE: Seattle has switched things around, and it looks like Marco Gonzales will start here. He’s also a good play below $7K with LA’s recent struggles.

Top Lineup Stacks

Chicago White Sox (vs. Spencer Howard)

• Road (Globe Life Field)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/CWS -150

I don’t understand why the Rangers continue to throw Howard out there. This right-hander has been obliterated throughout his career, posting a 6.82 ERA and 1.63 WHIP this year while totaling a 6.90 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 108 career innings. The White Sox numbers don’t jump off the page, but this is one of the deepest lineups in baseball behind guys like Tim Anderson, Jose Abreu, Luis Robert, and Eloy Jimenez.

Seattle Mariners (vs. Tucker Davidson)

• Home (Safeco Field)
• Value: High
• Risk: Medium
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8 Runs/SEA -170

Stacking the Mariners is tough, but using any offense against Davidson is a good idea. The Angels lefty has no business pitching at this level, generating a 6.46 ERA and 1.83 WHIP this year. His advanced numbers are even worse, and a scorching Seattle lineup should add to those subpar averages.

Baltimore Orioles (vs. Bryse Wilson)

• Home (Camden Yards)
• Value: High
• Risk: Medium
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/BAL -160

It’s risky to stack Baltimore, but we want to use anyone against Wilson. Bryse is far from nice, accumulating a 6.20 ERA and 1.57 WHIP this year. That’s right on par with his disastrous career averages, and it could make the O’s one of the sneakiest stacks on the board with their underrated offense.

Core Studs

• Vlad really struggled through the first two months of the season, but he’s been playing like an MVP since then. The slugging first baseman has a .436 AVG, .492 OBP, .691 SLG, and 1.183 OPS over his last 14 games. More amazingly, he’s also got four steals over the last eight games, and it’s clear Vlad is feeling himself on the diamond.
• We had Abreu in here on Saturday, and we’re going right back to the well. We talked about how horrific Howard has been throughout his career, and that certainly won’t go over well against a hitter this hot. Abreu has a .356 AVG, .434 OBP, and .990 OPS over the last two months.
• Boston has an uphill battle to get back into the playoff hunt, but it’s certainly no fault of Devers. This All-Star has been astounding all season, accruing a .322 AVG, .378 OBP, and .981 OPS. That’s the guy we’ve seen for years, and it looks even better since Rafael has a 1.119 OPS across his last 12 games. Not to mention, he gets the platoon advantage against Brad Keller, compiling a 4.61 ERA and 1.38 WHIP this year.
• France has been doing work in the heart of Seattle’s lineup all season, and he’d have to be the first pick in our Mariners stack. Since 2020, Frenchy has a .298 AVG, .372 OBP, and .830 OPS. Those averages are slightly below his 2022 numbers, and it’s scary since he faces a lefty with a 6.46 ERA and 1.83 WHIP.
• The Orioles have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball, and Mullins is the table setter atop their lineup. The speedster has been a stud since the beginning of last season, totaling a .278 AVG, .345 OBP, .810 OPS, and 53 steals since then. Almost all of his swipes have come against righties, and he should keep that going against a pitcher with an ERA north of 6.00.

Value Plays/Punts

• Scwarbs is the best GPP play on every slate. He could go hitless in five at-bats, but he’s just as likely to homer. We say that because he leads the NL with 33 bombs, picking up 23 of those since May 30. He’s also done much better against righties, posting a .335 OBP, .558 SLG, and .893 OPS against them since 2020. Facing a rookie making his second career start for the worst pitching staff in baseball is the icing on the cake.
• Renfroe has established himself as one of the best power hitters in baseball, flirting with a .500 SLG and .250 ISO for his career. He’s hot right now, too, collecting six doubles and nine homers over his last 22 games en route to a .592 SLG and .889 OPS.
• Suarez can be risky, but if we stack Seattle, he needs to be a piece of it. He’s the power righty for this club, leading baseball in homers since 2017. It’s hard to believe that’s the case, but 173 homers in that stretch are tough to argue with. Not to mention, he’s homered in two of his last four games as well!
• Someone needs to be used for the Diamondbacks. It has to be Walker, leading the team with 25 homers. That sort of power potential is rough for a pitcher like Jose Urena, with the Rockies righty accruing a 10.22 ERA and 2.03 WHIP across his last three starts.
• Choi is always one of the best value plays if you want to stack the Rays. He bats in the heart of the order against righties, providing a .400 OBP and .850 OPS against them throughout most of his career. Matt Manning is far from a menacing matchup, maintaining a 5.49 ERA and 1.46 WHIP across 98 innings at this level.

Hitter Strategy

I loved lineup construction on Saturday’s slate, but this one is much tougher to navigate. While we do have some good pitching options, many of the offenses are risky. We have a ton of bad offenses facing bad pitchers, which always makes things challenging from a DFS perspective. Some of the offenses we love include the White Sox, Orioles, Blue Jays, Phillies, Red Sox, Mariners, Rockies, and Diamondbacks.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio

Whether you’re new to fantasy baseball or a seasoned pro, our Fantasy Baseball 101: Strategy Tips & Advice page is for you. You can get started with our Sabermetrics Glossary or head to a more advanced strategy – like Maximizing Your Potential in Multi-Lineup Contests – to learn more.

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