DFS MLB Lineups for August 26, 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 Chris Sale can get lit up, and Paul Goldschmidt 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!
8/26/17 MAIN SLATE TOURNAMENT RUNDOWN
DraftKings Grand Slam: $444 buy-in, $175k guaranteed
DraftKings Slugfest: $40 buy-in, $250k guaranteed
DraftKings Four Seamer: $4 buy-in, $80k guaranteed
FanDuel Monster: $400 buy-in, $100k guaranteed
FanDuel Squeeze: $9 buy-in, $90k guaranteed
FanDuel Grand Slam: $44 buy-in, $75k guaranteed
Best DFS MLB Pitchers for August 26, 2017
Madison Bumgarner @ ARI ($12.2k DraftKings, $9.9k FanDuel)
There have been a couple of hiccups, but for the most part MadBum is pitching like the horse he’s been over the past several seasons. Even with the Giants out of the playoff race, he should be on top of his game at Chase Field in a perceived tough matchup, yet the D’Backs are actually struggling with the fourth-lowest average (.235) and fourth-highest K-Rate (25.5%) against LHP this season. And even when Arizona was rolling against lefties, Bumgarner had their number with a 27.6% K-Rate and .234 BAA over 192 career at-bats.
Kyle Hendricks @ PHI ($9.7k DraftKings, $8.0k FanDuel)
While he’s had a disappointing campaign relative to his breakout performance in 2016, Hendricks is still solid with a 3.52 ERA and 48.4% GB Rate to match last year’s percentage. His issue has been giving up too many walks, but tonight he faces a Phillies team that ranks 29th in runs scored (515) with a 22.8% K-Rate and weak .309 wOBA on the year. Current Phils are just 5-for-29 (.172) with 8 K’s and a .210 wOBA in their careers against Hendricks, who is getting back to his productive ways with Quality Starts in 3 of his last 4 outings.
Carlos Rodon vs. DET ($8.9k DraftKings, $8.7k FanDuel)
Since sputtering during his first month back in the White Sox rotation, Rodon’s been lights out, posting 5 consecutive Quality Starts with a 2.13 ERA during that span. Of course, his most appealing quality is his strikeout potential and he’s been towards the top of the league with a 10.78 K/9 ratio since the ASB. Tonight he’ll face a Tigers lineup that’s given him trouble in the past, yet he’s faced his demons and triumphed in brutal matchups (CHC, CLE, BOS, HOU, LAD, MIN) recently and is worth rolling with until further notice.
Other pitchers to consider: Dinelson Lamet, Taijuan Walker, Ross Stripling, Mike Clevinger
Best DFS MLB Hitters for August 26, 2017
Corey Seager vs. MIL ($4.6k DraftKings, $3.7k FanDuel)
The Dodgers offensive MVP is hot once again with a 12-game hitting streak heading into Friday night’s action and he draws a plus matchup at home on Saturday. Brewers RHP Zach Davies has been solid lately, but is always teetering on the edge of an implosion and is posting a 5.15 xFIP with a 1.23 HR/9 ratio when facing lefties this year. Seager is 3-for-8 with a HR over a limited sample against Davies and is rocking a .386 wOBA with a .219 ISO Mark at home this season.
Kolten Wong vs. TB ($3.6k DraftKings, $3.5k FanDuel)
Wong is under priced on DK and once again as he continues to rake with a .385 average and .898 OPS over his last 10 appearances and he’s actually been even more productive with a .351 average and 122 wRC+ against LHP this year. The Cardinals are leading the Majors in collective batting average (.284) over the last 30 days and Wong could serve as a key component to a stack tonight against vulnerable LHP Blake Snell, who is posting a 5.07 ERA and 1.59 WHIP on the road this year.
Cory Spangenberg @ MIA ($3.6k DraftKings, $3.1k FanDuel)
He’s been cheaper than you might expect as the most consistent hitter (albeit on a bad offense) for the Padres and Spangenberg is squarely in play tonight as the Marlins send former Padre Odrisamer Despaigne to the mound for his 2nd start of the year. Despaigne has long been vulnerable against the platoon and is allowing LHB to post a .368 wOBA with a 6.48 xFIP against lefties this year. Spangenberg is hitting .296 with a .361 wOBA against RHP and is a quality value option tonight.
Other hitters to consider: Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo, Nolan Arenado, Alex Avila, Buster Posey, Stephen Piscotty, Kole Calhoun, Jon Jay, Brandon Guyer
8/26/17 DFS MLB STACKS
Cubs vs Ben Lively
Phillies rookie RHP Ben Lively has performed well all things considered but his 5.76 xFIP would indicate that he’s in line for some trouble eventually. Lively is not missing many bats with a 3.88 K/9 ratio and the Cubbies are red hot coming into this matchup with a collective .346 wOBA and the most runs scored (158) in the Majors over the last 30 days. Lively’s posting a 1.46 WHIP against LHB and giving up a lot of hard contact to righties, so both Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant are candidates to lead this stack, while Javier Baez is a quality mid-tier option. Alex Avila will be a GPP play at catcher if he starts and watch for Jon Jay getting a chance in the outfield.
Indians vs Jason Hammel
It’s often intriguing to target a SP that’s facing a team in their second straight outing and Hammel will have to take on the Indians tonight after coughing up 3 ER and a HR over 6 solid IP last Sunday. He managed to give up 3 HRs in his previous start at spacious Oakland Coliseum and is now rocking a 1.48 WHIP with a 1.26 HR/9 ratio on the road. With a 50.5% FB rate on the road against lefties, he’s bound to give up some dangerous fly balls to red-hot OF Jay Bruce and surging SS Francisco Lindor. Edwin Encarnacion also has plus splits in his career with 4 HRs over 27 career at-bats against Hammel and you can look for value with Brandon Guyer or Austin Jacskon depending on their placement within the lineup.
Other Stacks to consider:
Astros vs. Tyler Skaggs
Rockies vs. Sean Newcombe
Cardinals vs. Blake Snell
