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We have a 4-game main slate on tap tonight, and it's a good one for a small slate. The chalk is super chalky on most small slates, but it should be spread out a bit tonight. There are at least three solid pitchers and four really nice stacks to build around. Watching lineups for potential value, as well as checking roster rates closer to lock, will be a solid way to build strong lineups while still being contrarian. You do not have to be super contrarian though, always remember that there is such thing as good chalk. Just do not make your whole lineup chalk.
The slate starts with which pitchers to build around. Walker Buehler is the clear stud and should be very popular, while Brandon Woodruff and Luis Castillo bring two more solid pitching options. Woodruff and Castillo each come with certain concerns but are still solid SP2 options to the ace Buehler. When it comes to bats, most will go to the Yankees and the Reds, and rightfully so, but do not forget about the Brewers and the Dodgers late-night hammer. The Dodgers are really pricey, which can make things interesting, but we shall see. Lastly, the Twins can bring some nice contrarian value as well. Listen in to MLB DFS Quick Hits for a full slate rundown to get your lineups ready.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 8/19/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It’s also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @bdentrek.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Walker Buehler - P, LAD vs. NYM ($10,600)
Buehner has been outstanding all season and is my pick for NL Cy Young. He brings his 2.09 ERA into tonight's action, and he's actually been better than that of late. Over his last seven starts (since 7/10), Buehler has pitched six or more innings in each start with two runs or less in each start and one run or less in six starts. AKA, he has a quality start in each start. Buehler also has the strikeouts working with five or more strikeouts in each start and seven or more in six of the starts. Buehler has been outstanding this season and is the clear ace tonight. He takes on a Mets team striking out 23% of the time versus RHP in August with a .220 average against and a 77 wRC+. Buehler should be chalky tonight, and for excellent reason.
Luis Castillo - P, CIN vs. MIA ($8,600)
After a rough start to the season, Castillo has turned into the ace we expected him to be this season. If we go back 14 starts, back to June 4, Castillo has allowed three runs or less in 13 starts while going six innings or more in 11. He has a 2.85 ERA to go with a 3.54 xFIP. The ground ball rate of 57.1% has been solid, and it goes strong with a 25.7% strikeout rate. Castillo still gives up the long ball and walks over 10%, which may never change for Castillo, but he has limited the other damage, creating great starts. Tonight he takes on the Marlins at Great American Small Park, and that should help as well. In August, the Marlins are striking out 26% of the time versus RHP while hitting .254 with a 99 wRC+. Woodruff and Castillo make for the strong SP2 plays, with Castillo having the much better fantasy matchup.
Other Options: Brandon Woodruff (MIL at STL) $9,200, Jameson Taillon (NYY vs. MIN) $6,300
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Tucker Barnhart - C, CIN vs. Zach Thompson ($2,600)
Barnhart heads into tonight's game swinging a hot stick, hitting safely in seven of his last nine games. Over that stretch, Barnhart is hitting .313 with five extra-base hits (two home runs) and eight RBI. He has a .281 ISO and a .937 OPS. Barnhart has been very productive of late and gets a nice matchup versus Thompson tonight. On the season, Barnhart is hitting .270 versus RHP with a .422 SLG. He makes for a solid value play in a really nice stack tonight, allowing for pay-up spots elsewhere.
Anthony Rizzo - 1B, NYY vs. John Gant ($3,700)
Rizzo should be quite popular as he is severely mispriced in tonight's matchup versus Gant. The Yankees will be popular versus the Gas Can, and Rizzo will be a large part of that. Rizzo has been hitting second for the Yankees and, since joining the Yankees, is hitting .278 with a .250 ISO and .914 OPS. On the flip side, Gant was moved to the bullpen after such a bad start to the season as a starter, and he has been decent in the pen as the team could limit his exposure. In his final four starts with the Cardinals, Gant allowed 18 runs in 14 innings pitched with five home runs and 14 walks. He was a disaster and a favorite stacking target of us all. That returns tonight with the Yankees and, most importantly, with the value Rizzo brings to your lineups.
Jorge Polanco - 2B, MIN at Jameson Taillon ($3,200)
Polanco heads into tonight's action on quite the heater, yet his price continues to drop. He has hit safely in three straight games and four of his last seven. In all four games, he has multiple hits to go with three extra-base hits, a .200 ISO, and a .810 OPS. The Twins have moved Polanco to cleanup, and his fantasy value has shot up. Polanco has 10 or more DK points in four straight games and will look to add on that tonight in a nice matchup versus Taillon. On the season, Taillon is allowing LHH to slug .412 with 1.7 HR/9. The Twins are a sneaky stack I like tonight, and the value Polanco brings is huge. He is also solid cash gameplay as he is so cheap and hits cleanup, checking a few of those cash game boxes.
Willy Adames- SS, MIL at Jon Lester ($5,200)
Adames is having one heck of a season, well, at least since joining the Mariners. Over the last 11 games, he has hit safely in 10 of 11 games, good for a .349 average. He has six extra-base hits, including three home runs over the stretch with a .279 ISO and a 1.057 OPS. His plate discipline has been nice, with a 12.2% walk rate. Adames has been hitting second for the Brewers and has been coming through in a big way. Tonight he faces Lester, which is great as Adames has a .466 SLG and .288 ISO this season versus lefties. The Brewers are in a great spot tonight and could be slightly overlooked with most stacking the Yankees and Reds.
Eduardo Escobar - 1B/3B, MIL at Jon Lester ($5,300)
Oh, look, another hot-hitting Brewers player to add to your lineups tonight. Yeah, Escobar is pricey like Adames, but these are good, hopefully, lower-rostered pay-up spots. Escobar enters tonight's game hitting safely in nine of his last 10 games, good for a .349 average. He has four extra-base hits to go with a .829 OPS over the ten-game stretch. He will take on Lester, who has made three starts for the Cardinals, allowing 12 runs over 16 innings pitched. On the season, Lester has been getting smoked by RHH to the tune of a .324 average, .533 SLG, and 2 HR/9. The Brewers are a big stack tonight. Adames and Escobar will be big pieces, but there are cheaper options with Avisail Garcia, Lorenzo Cain, Manny Pina, and others.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Tyler Naquin - OF, CIN vs. Zach Thompson ($2,300)
Naquin enters tonight's game as possibly the hottest hitter on the slate. He has hit safely in eight straight games, good for a .419 average. He has four extra-base hits to go with an impressive 11.6% strikeout rate. Naquin's .258 ISO and 1.148 OPS jump off the page as well over the last eight games. Tonight he will likely bat sixth in Great American Small Park versus Thompson, and that bodes very well as he is hitting .267 on the season with a .201 ISO versus RHP. Naquin is far too cheap tonight and should be major chalk, good chalk at that.
Max Kepler- OF, MIN at Jameson Taillon ($3,700)
Kepler usually is a GPP only play for me, and that is perfect tonight. He has gone hitless in two straight games, but that was after their straight games with hits, including two home runs. That's what Kepler does. He rarely hits for a strong average but leads off for the Twins and brings some very nice power to the lineup. He also has pretty solid plate discipline as he is walking 11% of the time this season while striking out 21% and, over the last five games, is walking 31% of the time while striking out 11.5% of the time. Kepler will face the home run prone Taillon tonight, and on the season, Kepler is hitting only .219 but has a .478 SLG and a .259 ISO. Kepler makes for a great tournament play, and I see him finding the short porch in right tonight. Pair Kepler with Sano and maybe a couple more Twins for a nice, contrarian stack tonight.
Aaron Judge - OF, NYY vs. John Gant ($5,300)
I could have written about Giancarlo Stanton, Joey Gallo, or even the value in Brett Gardner for the popular Yankees tonight. Instead, here we talk, Judge, who is scorching hot right now. He has hit safely in seven of his last 10 games, good for a .382 average. His power is obviously legit with five extra-base hits, including three home runs, to go with a .324 ISO, .706 SLG, and a 1.206 OPS. He is crushing everything, but he has also added three stolen bases over the ten-game stretch. Judge is doing a bit of everything and makes for one of my favorite pay-up spots tonight.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- New York Yankees (John Gant, RHP)
- Cincinnati Reds (Zach Thompson, RHP)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (Taijuan Walker, RHP)
- Milwaukee Brewers (Jon Lester, LHP)
- Sneaky Stack: Minnesota Twins (Jameson Taillon, RHP)
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