DFS MLB Lineups for July 31, 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!

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!

7/31/17 MAIN SLATE TOURNAMENT RUNDOWN

DraftKings Grand Slam: $444 buy-in, $425k guaranteed
DraftKings Swing for the Fences: $6 buy-in, $350k guaranteed
DraftKings Full Count: $55 buy-in, $300k guaranteed
FanDuel Squeeze: $4 buy-in, $150k guaranteed
FanDuel Grand Slam: $66 buy-in, $200k guaranteed
FanDuel Monster: $555 buy-in, $200k guaranteed

Best DFS MLB Pitchers for July 31, 2017

Sonny Gray vs. SF ($11.7k DraftKings, $9.5k FanDuel)
While other aces such as Yu Darvish may struggle with the distraction of being floated in trade offers across the league, Gray has continued to perform. There’s a possibility that he’s traded ahead of Monday’s deadline and is not eligible in DFS contests, but if the A’s hold pat, he’ll be able to start with a clear head in a fantastic matchup. The Giants rank dead last in collective wOBA (.292) by far this year and he’s starting opposite an extremely vulnerable veteran in Matt Cain. Current Giants are 7-for-31 (.226) with 7 K’s in their careers against Gray, who has posted 6 consecutive Quality Starts. TRADED TO YANKEES. GET OUT OF YOUR LINEUPS!!!

Michael Fulmer @ NYY ($8.1k DraftKings, $9.2k FanDuel)
Fulmer is clearly a bargain on DK tonight in part because he was roughed up by the Royals 2 weeks ago and is another SP that might’ve struggled because his name was mentioned in trade rumors. Yet he appears poised to stay put and even take over as the Tigers true ace if Justin Verlander is moved. He can assert that status with a Quality Start at the Yanks tonight, and he’s been up to the challenge with a 2.92 ERA over 9 appearances on the road this season. With an excellent 7.4% HR/FB ratio, Fulmer should be able to avoid giving up the long ball, which is half the battle when pitching at cramped Yankee Stadium.

Other pitchers to consider: Luis Severino, Gio Gonzalez, Cole Hamels, Marco Estrada, Charlie Morton

Best DFS MLB Hitters for July 31, 2017

Justin Smoak @ CWS ($4.9k DraftKings, $3.9k FanDuel)
In past seasons, RHP James Shields has gotten the better of Smoak, who is just 3-for-16 with a HR and 6 K’s in his career against the pitcher. But he’s refashioned his approach at the plate and is in the midst of a career-year with a .405 wOBA and .293 ISO Mark this season while Shields continues to get shelled. The veteran has given up a 3.52 HR/9 ratio with a 9.58 FIP when facing the platoon this season and is also walking 14.8% of lefties that he’s faced.

Lorenzo Cain @ BAL ($4.5k DraftKings, $3.5k FanDuel)
As Cain goes, so too does the Royals offense, so it comes as little surprise that he’s been heating up while his team has won 10 of its last 11 games. He’s hitting .316 with 2 doubles and a HR during that span and has plenty of upside with 16 stolen bases in 16 attempts this season. Tonight he’ll face a weak RHP in Ubaldo Jimenez, who is coughing up a 2.10 HR/9 ratio with a 6.93 ERA on the year, and Cain happens to be 9-for-20 with a HR and SB in his career against Jimenez.

Wilmer Difo @ MIA ($4.0k DraftKings, $2.8k FanDuel)
Standing in for the injured Trea Turner with aplomb, Difo is hitting a solid .300 with 3 HRs and a SB over his last 10 appearances. He’s a very solid bargain on FD right now and will have the platoon advantage against RHP Jose Urena, who is rocking a 6.54 xFIP with a weak 1.32 K/BB ratio when facing LHB this year. The switch-hitting Difo has been boom or bust from the left side of the plate, but he’s worth a look as a solid value addition to a Nationals stack.

Other hitters to consider: Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley, Adrian Beltre, Francisco Lindor, Shin-Soo Choo, J.T. Realmuto, Whit Merrifield, Melky Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Trey Mancini

7/31/17 DFS MLB STACKS

Indians vs Doug Fister
It appears that Fister wasn’t the best signing for the Red Sox given his tendency to give up line drives that often turn into extra base hits at hitter-friendly Fenway Park. He’s put up a 7.89 ERA over 20.2 IP with Boston and faces an Indians team that’s rocking the highest collective wOBA (.367) in the Majors over the last 14 days. Michael Brantley has been the picture of consistency while Bradley Zimmer has come on strong as an elite OF option. Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana and Jose Ramirez are more plays with the platoon advantage to consider against a RHP that’s allowed lefties to go 16-for-57 (.340) with 3 HRs to post a .445 wOBA this season.

Athletics vs Matt Cain
Oakland Coliseum is certainly a pitcher-friendly park, but is worth targeting Matt Cain on the road given his horrific numbers (8.14 ERA, .350 BAA) away from AT&T Park this season. The Athletics offense has been a bit more productive of late and Rajai Davis really sparked things as a leadoff man on Saturday. Young slugger Ryon Healy also had a big day with 2 doubles on Saturday and he’s a candidate to go yard against a veteran that’s coughed up 10 HRs over 45.2 IP on the road this year. Yonder Alonso and Jed Lowrie could round out a stack by providing some lefties with good floor-ceiling combinations in this stack.

Other Stacks to consider:
Blue Jays vs. James Shields
Nationals vs. Jose Urena
Royals vs. Ubaldo Jimenez
Astros vs. Alex Cobb