DFS MLB Lineups for August 16, 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!
8/16/17 MAIN SLATE TOURNAMENT RUNDOWN
DraftKings Record Breaker Encore: $762 buy-in, $400k guaranteed
DraftKings Fastball: $33 buy-in, $200k guaranteed
DraftKings Rally Cap: $8 buy-in, $100k guaranteed
FanDuel Monster: $455 buy-in, $150k guaranteed
FanDuel Squeeze: $4 buy-in, $125k guaranteed
FanDuel Grand Slam: $44 buy-in, $100k guaranteed
Best DFS MLB Pitchers for August 16, 2017
Yu Darvish vs. CWS ($13.7k DraftKings, $10.4k FanDuel)
With the possibility of a trade no longer hanging over his head, Darvish has looked great, as he’s struck out 20 batters and allowed just 2 ER on 8 hits over 2 appearances for the league-leading Dodgers. He’ll continue to enjoy facing a pitcher in the 9-hole in his first home start for Big Blue and faces a White Sox offense that’s been anemic with the third-lowest wOBA (.305) and eighth-highest K-Rate (23%) in the Majors against RHP this year. He’ll have the advantage of facing most of these batters for the first time and has the elite Dodgers offense backing him as well.
Jacob Faria @ TOR ($8.6k DraftKings, $8.1k FanDuel)
A bright spot for a Rays franchise that’s had trouble competing over the past several seasons, Faria enters this matchup with a very respectable 3.19 ERA and 1.17 WHIP on the season. The rookie RHP has posted a 9.84 K/9 ratio with a 3.03 ERA on the road and faces a Blue Jays offense that’s been beyond disappointing with the second-lowest batting average (.241) in the Majors against righties this season. He held Toronto’s lineup to 1 ER with 8 K’s over 6.1 IP earlier this year and has posted double-digit FPs in 11 of his fist 12 MLB starts.
Eduardo Rodriguez vs. STL ($7.3k DraftKings, $7.8k FanDuel)
Granted he’s pitching at hitter-friendly Fenway Park, but Rodriguez does seem quite under priced for a SP who has been very solid all year. Fast Eddie has actually been better at home with a 3.31 ERA over 6 appearances and he’s facing a Cardinals team that’s been average across the board and slightly less dangerous against LHP this season. He showed some rust while coming back from a six-week absence, but Rodriguez seemed to figure things out with a 2-hit gem at Yankee Stadium last Friday and Boston’s offense has been red hot.
Other pitchers to consider: Carlos Carrasco, Charlie Morton, Carlos Rodon, John Lackey, Lance Lynn
Best DFS MLB Hitters for August 16, 2017
Adrian Beltre vs. DET ($5.0k DraftKings, $4.2k FanDuel)
This is an absolutely mouth-watering matchup for Beltre against a weak RHP at home, where he’s slashing an absurd .370/.441/.555 with 32 RBIs over 33 appearances this season. Tigers RHP Anibal Sanchez is rocking a career-worst 6.69 ERA with a very notable 4.42 HR/9 ratio on the road against righties, and Beltre happens to be 9-for-13 with a couple of doubles in his career against the vulnerable veteran.
Joey Votto @ CHC ($4.9k DraftKings, $4.7k FanDuel)
Votto appears to be available at a slight discount on DK because he’s moved away from hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, but Wrigley Field also has one of the highest Run Factors in the National League. He’s facing a veteran RHP in John Lackey, who has rounded into form at this point in the season, but still falls victim to the occasional blow up. The Reds superstar is 7-for-24 with 8 walks and 2 HRs in his career against Lackey and got the better of his familiar foe in their 2 meetings earlier this summer.
Austin Jackson @ MIN ($3.7k DraftKings, $2.8k FanDuel)
He’s not getting a chance to play every day, but when Jackson’s been in the Indians lineup, he’s been productive. The speedy OF is sporting a .312 batting average with a .383 OBP and has plenty of category juice with 108 career stolen bases leading into this season. Tonight the Indians are going to be a great stacking option against struggling RHP Kyle Gibson and Jackson could serve as a great value addition depending on his placement within the lineup.
Other hitters to consider: Kris Bryant, Andrew Benintendi, Nomar Mazara, Eduardo Nunez, Francisco Lindor, Alex Avila, Rougned Odor, Brett Gardner, Jon Jay
8/16/17 DFS MLB STACKS
Cubs vs Homer Bailey
While he was solid in his last outing at the Brewers, Bailey can unravel in dramatic fashion as evidenced by his rough 8.31 ERA and 2.04 WHIP this year. It appears he’s still not fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, as he’s been lit up in 3 of his last 6 starts, more often by capable offensive teams. The Cubbies are hot again with a collective .343 wOBA and the second-most HRs (43) in the Majors over the last 30 days and Kris Bryant has been en fuego to lead that charge. Anthony Rizzo is more of a GPP play the way he’s been up and down, but he’s a strong option along with fellow lefties Jon Jay, Alex Avila and Ian Happ against a vulnerable righthander.
Indians vs Kyle Gibson
Gibson’s been consistently roughed up this year, but has somehow been even worse with a 6.56 ERA and .335 BAA over 11 appearances at home. Tonight he faces a capable Indians offense that’s full of dangerous lefties and switch hitters, and Gibson is allowing LHB to post a .424 wOBA with a 1.82 HR/9 ratio at home this year. Francisco Lindor stands out as a great play at SS while Jose Ramirez is very capable of leading a rally or two. Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana are more of GPP plays the way they’ve struggled this year, but are worth a look along with potential value plays in Austin Jackson and backstop Yan Gomes.
Other Stacks to consider:
Rangers vs. Anibal Sanchez
Yankees vs. Seth Lugo
Astros vs. Taijuan Walker
