DFS MLB Lineups for July 7, 2017 at Draftkings.com & Fanduel.com
For this daily fantasy baseball season, each day there’s a good slate of DFS MLB games, we’ll be writing up a group of pitchers and hitters that we’re considering for our cash and GPP lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. We’ll also provide a list of stacks to consider, MLB start times, starting pitchers, and game run totals to give you a good idea of where the fantasy goodness might come from on a given night. As with any DFS sport, the advice below is relevant for fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than they are in real life due to matchup, price, park factor, etc. This is important when constructing a roster. And if you’re looking for new ways to play DFS, be sure and give BOOM Fantasy and DRAFT a try!
We’ve got 13 games on the Friday DFS MLB main slate with a very expensive Max Scherzer topping the pool of talented arms taking the hill tonight. Gamers have plenty of options with deGrom, Greinke, Carrasco, CarMart, Pomeranz, and Paxton joining Scherzer as top tier hurlers. The sub $8k range is pretty juicy as well with Hamels taking on the Angels, Maeda getting the Royals, Gausman facing the slumping Twins, and a very cheap Sean Manaea traveling to Seattle to take on the Mariners. There’s lots to love on the mound today and I’ll probably dabble to see if I can make some lineups that I really like where I can, at the very least, fade Scherzer and his $13.2k price tag. I’ll likely have at least 50% of lineups with two mid tier pitchers to give myself a unique lineup construction compared to the field. As for bats today, I’ll follow through with my pledge to always target R.A. Dickey, and that is even easier to do when the bats you’re rostering are the Nationals. As great as that matchup is, there’s a number of teams with the same or higher implied total tonight than the Nats 5.1 runs. The Yankees (6.3), Astros (5.1), Indians (5.4), Rangers (5.3), Orioles (5.4), Twins (5.2), White Sox (5.6), Rockies (7.1), Diamondbacks (5.3), and Dodgers (5.1) are all predicted to score a ton tonight according to Vegas. Good luck tonight and I hope to see you above the cash line. – Matt
A quick reminder while playing DFS MLB, don’t forget baseball is a game of variance. You can make a really solid lineup and still fall short of the cash line. Even Clayton Kershaw can get lit up, and Mike Trout can still go 0 for 4. Baseball is funny like that. Trust the process and know that if you’re playing quality lineups, you’ll be a winner in the long term.
Another thing to remember outside of making sure your player is in the lineup, is to always check the weather. Always. Make this something that is part of your basic routine. Baseball games can get postponed! Your players receive no points from postponed games!
7/7/17 MAIN SLATE TOURNAMENT RUNDOWN
DraftKings ASB Special: $444 buy-in, $500k guaranteed
DraftKings Medium ASB Special: $44 buy-in, $350k guaranteed
DraftKings Mini ASB Special: $8 buy-in, $150k guaranteed
FanDuel Monster: $777 buy-in, $300k guaranteed
FanDuel Squeeze: $7 buy-in, $250k guaranteed
FanDuel Grand Slam: $77 buy-in, $200k guaranteed
Best DFS MLB Pitchers for July 7, 2017
Max Scherzer vs. ATL ($13.2k DraftKings, $12.4k FanDuel)
There is no better SP from a DFS perspective right now, as he rebounded from a rare low-strikeout performance (6 K’s against the Cubs) with a 12-strikeout, 2-hit shutout at the Cardinals over 7 IP last Sunday. Now he’ll face a Braves lineup that he’s routinely dominated with a 5-1 record, .212 BAA and 11.15 K/9 ratio over his last 8 meetings with Atlanta. Since the Braves fancy themselves an upstart contender to make the playoffs in the N.L., Washington’s bulldog should find his competitive fire as he opens a new streak of 10+ K performances.
Zack Greinke vs. CIN ($11.2k DraftKings, $9.7k FanDuel)
Greinke’s price tag is down a little bit after a stretch of mediocrity but he could return to his elite status in a plus matchup tonight. He’s been better at home with a 2.67 ERA and .192 BAA this season and has handled the Reds aside from star slugger Joey Votto, who is 12-for-29 with 3 HRs in his career against Greinke. Yet the rest of the Reds are 6-for-44 with 11 K’s lifetime against the D’Backs ace, who has generally been tougher on lefties with an 11.85 K/9 ratio against LHP at home and could learn from his mistakes against Votto while holding the other Reds in check.
Dan Straily @ SF ($8.0k DraftKings, $8.3k FanDuel)
There are riskier options at cheaper price tags tonight, but Straily seems like one of the safer cash game plays to choose from in a plus matchup at spacious AT&T Ballpark. The Giants rapidly-aging lineup has posted the lowest collective wOBA (.293) with the fewest HRs (72) hit by far in the Majors this year, which bodes well for Straily after he gave up all 6 of his runs over his last 3 starts on homers. He’s been otherwise solid with a 1.09 WHIP and 16.2% Line Drive Rate allowed on the season and current Giants have had no luck with a collective .125 batting average (4-for-32) over a small sample of at-bats against him.
Other pitchers to consider: Jacob deGrom, Cole Hamels, James Paxton, Kevin Gausman, Drew Pomeranz, Charlie Morton
Best DFS MLB Hitters for July 7, 2017
Justin Turner vs. KC ($4.7k DraftKings, $3.7k FanDuel)
After getting voted into the All-Star Game, Turner will look to make the home fans proud by coming through in what is essentially a dream matchup for him. The RHB has long been more productive in RvR matchups and faces a RHP in Jason Hammel, who has struggled mightily against all comers and is allowing righties to hit .327 with a 28.6% Line Drive Rate on the road this season. Turner’s 3-for-6 over a small sample against Hammel and with a .473 wOBA at home and a 1.443 OPS over the last week, his selection was very much deserved.
Nelson Cruz vs. OAK ($4.3k DraftKings, $4.2k FanDuel)
His production tends to come in waves and you can tell that Cruz is starting to get hot right now. He’s hit safely in 4 consecutive starts and homered on Wednesday to raise his total to 15 with a team-leading 63 RBIs on the season, and he’ll be licking his chops ahead of a matchup against young LHP Sean Manaea. While the A’s southpaw has been solid of late, he’s obviously had trouble as he’s giving up a 39.8% Hard Contact Rate to RHB this season. Cruz is 4-for-8 with 2 HRs, 4 walks and a rare SB in his career off Manaea, so he seems to have the young man’s number.
Tzu-Wei Lin @ TB ($2.5k DraftKings, $2.2k FanDuel)
While he hasn’t been blowing anyone away with his power, Lin is reportedly going to continue starting at 3B, especially against RH starters. He continues to get cheaper on DK and draws another plus matchup against vulnerable RHP Jake Odorizzi, who is rocking a rough 5.12 xFIP with a weak 6.97 K/9 ratio when facing lefties this year. Lin can provide so much salary relief that he’s almost a free square at a relatively weak SS position and he should be able to work the count against a RHP that depends on hitters chasing his breaking ball.
Other hitters to consider: Nolan Arenado, Corey Seager, Hanley Ramirez, Mark Trumbo, Andrew Benintendi, Lonnie Chisenhall, A.J. Pollock, Cameron Maybin, Dustin Pedroia
7/7/17 DFS MLB STACKS
Rockies vs Derek Holland
This stack has tremendous upside at hitter-friendly Coors Field, where Holland’s diminishing breaking ball will be even less effective. The White Sox southpaw is giving up a 2.09 HR/9 ratio with a 5.88 FIP on the road this season and has yet to visit the thin Colorado air, where a slew of dangerous hitters will meet him led by lefty-killer Nolan Arenado. DJ LeMahieu is also coming around and will be worth a look with the platoon advantage. Charlie Blackmon is hitting an impressive .377 at Coors against lefties and he could also be worth paying up for as the head of this stack.
Red Sox vs Jake Odorizzi
Little Lin is the cheapest addition to a potential Red Sox stack tonight but there are plenty of big bats that could have a much bigger impact in a plus matchup on the road. Odorizzi is actually coughing up a ridiculous 45.4% Hard Contact Rate when facing RHB this season, so Mookie Betts is clearly an elite option and Hanley Ramirez could continue to heat up against a pitcher that he’s touched up in the past. Andrew Benintendi is on fire and Jackie Bradley Jr. can always come up with some hot streaks, while either Sandy Leon or Christian Vazquez could provide salary relief at the catcher position.
Marlins vs Matt Moore
Straily’s consistency might be enough to earn a win tonight if Giants LHP Matt Moore continues to get pounded regardless of venue. While he was only vulnerable on the road earlier this season, Moore has been tagged for 9 ER on 14 hits with 6 walks over his last 2 home starts and he doesn’t match up well against a Marlins lineup with two very powerful RHB in the middle of that order in Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna. Dee Gordon and Christian Yelich are both performing well enough in LvL matchups to draw consideration and J.T. Realmuto has plenty of upside with the platoon advantage.
Other Stacks to consider:
Yankees vs. Junior Guerra
Orioles vs. Felix Jorge
Indians vs. Jordan Zimmerman
