DFS MLB Lineups for August 1, 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!
8/1/17 MAIN SLATE TOURNAMENT RUNDOWN
DraftKings Grand Slam: $555 buy-in, $400k guaranteed
DraftKings Full Count: $55 buy-in, $375k guaranteed
DraftKings Rally Cap: $8 buy-in, $150k guaranteed
FanDuel Squeeze: $9 buy-in, $125k guaranteed
FanDuel Grand Slam: $66 buy-in, $200k guaranteed
FanDuel Monster: $666 buy-in, $220k guaranteed
Best DFS MLB Pitchers for August 1, 2017
Max Scherzer @ MIA ($13.2k DraftKings, $11.5k FanDuel)
It’s a very close call between Scherzer and Red Sox ace Chris Sale and hard to go wrong with either elite option tonight, but the Nationals bulldog seems just a bit safer given the fact that the Indians start an elite RHP in Carlos Carrasco opposite Sale and happen to be the hottest-hitting team in baseball (based on collective wOBA) over the last 14 days. Miami is posting a higher K-Rate (20.8%) over the last month than the Indians and of course it’s an advantage pitching in a N.L. park, while Scherzer is rocking a 23.4% K-Rate in his career against current Marlins.
Aaron Nola @ LAA ($9.1k DraftKings, $9.4k FanDuel)
Nola wrapped up his incredible July with a 4-hit, 10-strikeout shutout over 6 strong innings against the elite Astros offense, finishing the month at 3-1 with a 1.32 ERA and 11.38 K/9 ratio over 5 appearances. He draws a much easier matchup tonight at spacious Angel Stadium against a Halos squad that is ranked 26th in collective batting average (.243) with the second-fewest runs scored (442) amongst A.L. teams this year. Nola’s curveball has always been his best weapon, but his fastball is rated 6.9 runs above average this year according to Brooks Baseball and that may be the key to his recent success.
Jeff Samardzija @ OAK ($8.4k DraftKings, $8.6k FanDuel)
Here’s an option for tournament formats, as Samardzija is likely to either boom (as he did in his last outing) or bust, as he did in his 2 previous starts. The hard-throwing RHP is certainly capable of piling up strikeouts and he faces a weak Athletics offense that ranks dead last in collective batting average (.226) with the eighth-highest K-Rate (24%) in the Majors over the last 30 days. Current A’s have struck out 11 times over 49 career at-bats against The Shark, who has been elite against with a 2.89 FIP and .287 wOBA against him when facing RHB this year.
Other pitchers to consider: Chris Sale, Carlos Carrasco, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Martinez, Mike Fiers, Jimmy Nelson, C.C. Sabathia, Jose Berrios
Best DFS MLB Hitters for August 1, 2017
Andrew McCutchen vs. CIN ($5.4k DraftKings, $4.3k FanDuel)
It took several months, but McCutchen finally fixed his swing and has begun hitting like an all-star once again. He homered thrice at massive Petco Park over the weekend and returns home now to face a RHP in Homer Bailey, who is really struggling as he makes his way back from elbow surgery. Bailey us 2-5 with an 8.37 ERA and 3.78 BB/9 ratio while giving up 6 HRs this season as well and Cutch is 14-for-35 (.311) with 11 walks over a large sample of plate appearances against the veteran.
DJ LeMahieu vs. NYM ($4.8k DraftKings, $3.9k FanDuel)
The Rockies host a badly struggling pitcher tonight in Steven Matz after the southpaw was lit up for 6 ER and 9 hits over just 3 IP at the most pitcher-friendly ballpark out there in Petco Park. Now he’ll try to be effective in the thin air at Coors, but will have a tough time retiring elite hitters such as Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon. At a cheaper price tag, LeMahieu can provide a similar floor with his .442 batting average and 1.015 OPS at home against LHP this year. He’s 3-for-4 over a small sample against Matz, who is allowing RHB to hit .310 with a 2.19 HR/9 ratio on the season.
Odubel Herrera @ LAA ($3.8k DraftKings, $3.3k FanDuel)
A notably streaky hitter with a penchant for multi-hit games, Herrera is 7-for-17 with 2 HRs over his last 4 appearances, including a game-deciding 3-run bomb to power the Phillies to their fifth straight win on Monday. Tonight they’ll look to stay hot against vulnerable veteran RHP Ricky Nolasco, who has given up 18 ER and 4 HRs over 28.1 IP in July while seeing his ERA rise to 5.07 with a matching 5.39 FIP. Herrera’s moved down in the order for the Phils and that seems to have precipitated a rise in power, boosting his upside in the process.
Other hitters to consider: Charlie Blackmon, Michael Conforto, Adrian Beltre, Didi Gregorious, Buster Posey, A.J. Pollock, Starling Marte, Cesar Hernandez, Lorenzo Cain
8/1/17 DFS MLB STACKS
Mets vs Jeff Hoffman
Whether on the road or pitching in the thin air at Coors Field, Hoffman has been extremely vulnerable this year and particularly struggled with an 8.00 ERA and horrible 1.07 K/BB ratio over 5 July starts. The sophomore RHP has allowed RHB to hit .296 with a .371 wOBA this year and that makes Yoenis Cespedes an elite option to potentially lead this stack at the cheapest price tag. Despite their status as lefties, Michael Conforto and Jay Bruce make for great plays at a much higher cost, while Travis d’Arnaud is a reasonably priced RHB to use at catcher and Wilmer Flores is hot right now.
Dodgers vs Lucas Sims
The Braves start a rookie RHP tonight in Sims, who didn’t impress at all with a 4.47 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 28 appearances at the Minor League level this year. The bane of the 23-year-old’s existence was lefties, as LHB hit .273 with 10 HRs and 21 walks over 54 innings of work for Sims. So, red-hot SS Corey Seager is certainly worth a look while Cody Bellinger is coming around for Big Blue once again. Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal represent a few longshots to consider in GPP formats and Justin Turner is one of the premier RHBs to play in this lineup, as he’s been elite in RvR matchups all year.
Other Stacks to consider:
Blue Jays vs. Mike Pelfrey
Nationals vs. Chris O’Grady
Rockies vs. Steven Matz
Yankees vs. Anibal Sanchez
