DFS MLB Picks: Fanduel Pitcher Targets, Stacks, and Strategy (8/1)

We have 14 games on the DFS MLB slate tonight along with smaller, later slates. Being trade deadline day, we need to remain vigilant as fantasy baseball players and keep watch.

Almost half our pitching options are pricey, coming in over $9000 on Fanduel. Spencer Strider and Lance Lynn lead the way early in projected ownership.

Today’s weather forecast is fairly benign with favorable conditions in eight ballparks (notably KC and COL per our MLB Weather Station graphic). And, remember, almost 25% of the time, the winning Fanduel stack (3+ players) comes from an offense sporting and IRT of 5.0 or higher.  Tonight’s big implied run totals come from TEX, NYM, SD, and COL currently….with no total released as of yet in LAD. There is a good chance your big stack (4 players) or small stack (3-4 players) is coming from one of these teams.

DFS MLB Pitchers Today

Spencer Strider ($11300) offers you a strong floor for cash games, but can be a little cost-prohibitive in tournaments when you want the meaty parts of batting orders for your stacks. Strider is currently projected at nearly 25% ownership and carries our highest fantasy point projection at just over 43 points. His matchup, the Los Angeles Angels, are a top 5 strikeout team this year, which when added to Strider’s own K% gives him the slate’s highest KScore by over 100 points.

Spencer Strider, 7th, 8th and 9th Ks. pic.twitter.com/2f3RZc0dlm

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 27, 2023

Brayan Bello ($8500) is a name to look at if you want a more “dollar for dollar” pivot off the chalky Lance Lynn. When “pivoting” off the chalk, you need to choose a player that can actually perform instead of just picking some name just because (a common mistake). Bello has similar strikeout matchup potential (as Lynn) and in 7 of his last 9 starts, he has delivered at least 3.5X his salary in fpt/$. Bello brings DFS MLB players similar upside to Lance Lynn at far lower ownership, making him a strong pivot option should Lynn remain inconsistent.

Also consider – Pablo Lopez ($10500), Josiah Gray ($8900), Johan Oviedo ($8800)

DFS MLB Hitters Today

Juan Soto ($4100) – I assume you know the San Diego Padres stacks will be highly owned tonight, but Soto just can’t be ignored.  He has a team leading .420+ woba and lands in a cherry matchup like Coors Field facing a bad pitcher. Soto’s MLB DFS price on Fanduel didn’t jump nearly enough, but his projection did. Normally running around 15-20 points, Soto has jumped to 29 pts in some places…and a 7X value as a result.

Austin Riley ($3900) is having a career year, and it’s showing in DFS. Only four games in his last 12 have resulted in fewer than 12 Fanduel points, and you get him tonight way under the radar at very low ownership while most people focus blindly on Coors Field stacks. Riley’s ISO metric is .220+ in Atlanta (where the ball has been flying lately) making his HR props very, very attractive if you are also a sports bettor.

Austin Riley going to mess around and hit 40 bombs pic.twitter.com/Up3KrfQb7E

— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) July 30, 2023

Jeremy Pena ($2600) – If you are needing a salary saver, Pena looks rather saucy projecting in the 2-hole for under $3000 on Fanduel. He can swipe a base (increasing his floor), and he is hitting in front of the HOU bigs instead of behind them. Use him as a solo play or as part of a slightly contrarian DFS MLB Astros stack. He has finished with 6+ Fanduel points in each of his last five starts.

Also consider – Christian Yelich ($3600), Adolis Garcia ($3600), Brandon Nimmo ($3300)

DFS MLB Stacks

San Diego Padres – Yes, this is an obvious stack. However, Peter Lambert holds an 8.10 ERA at Coors Field and gives up over a 1.100 OPS to both sides of the plate. While not a guarantee, Lambert is the most likely starting pitcher to just get mollywhopped tonight. There is a high likelihood that a Padres stack of some form lands in the nut lineup. Tonight might not be the night to get cute.

Texas Rangers – The Chicago White Sox are going to try the “throw anything we got” at the Rangers tonight and TEX ranks 2nd in team OPS on the season, only behind the Atlanta Braves. Simply focus on the top of the order tonight and let them eat. Some of their prices have slipped lately, too, due to inconsistencies…so you grab a smidge of inherent value, too.

Atlanta Braves – Sure, pricing makes these guys tough for DFS MLB, but that ownership tonight!! Who wouldn’t want the league’s best offense as the 14th ranked team when it comes to ownership. That’s right….13 other offenses (including 28th ranked KC and 29th ranked DET) are going to be played by more people than an Atlanta stack. That’s crazy talk. Do I need to say more when it comes to generating leverage to win a tournament?

Also consider – Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays

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