Monday brings us a two-game slate with some terrific young pitching and a veteran pitcher hitting his stride. The matchups will be key in choosing the appropriate plays to select. The focus will be on recency biased streaky hitters and matchups with strong platoon plays.
Both games have an over/under at eight runs, so the games will be close and decided by the smallest of margin. The Rays lead the Astros 1-0 after picking up a tough 2-1 win last night while the NLCS begins tonight between Atlanta and Dodgers with L.A. coming in as sizeable favorites to win the series.
I'll provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 10/12/2020. Be sure to check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports. Feel free to follow me on Twitter, @davithius.
Charlie Morton - TAM @ HOU ($8,000)
Morton was horrendous this regular season and could have some signs of age or was hindered by the quick ramp up. He has pitched fairly well as of late, however. In each of his previous three starts, Morton has recorded six or more strikeouts while going five innings pitched-not to mention only giving up five runs in that timeframe. The Astros are an offense that doesn't strike out a ton vs. RHP, but they also don't hit a ton, as shown by their .166 ISO and .315 wOBA.
Lance McCullers Jr - HOU vs. TAM ($7,500)
McCullers is the cheapest arm on the slate with big potential. His season was abbreviated due to injury, but it didn't stop Lance from picking up five quality starts in only 11 games. It wasn't all roses, and he did throw a clunker or two as well. The good news is McCullers has the pitch mix working well, and the strikeouts are aplenty while the walks are few. The Rays has the third-highest K% in the regular season with a weak .738 OPS.
Ji-Man Choi - 1B, TAM @ HOU ($2,500)
Choi is a feast or fathoms play due to his massive splits difference. His SLG% nearly 130 points higher vs. RHP than against a southpaw. The .783 OPS vs. RHP puts him in play because he likely winds up taking a walk if not hitting the ball hard. As mentioned, McCullers can throw a clunker if the two-seamer and curveball aren't inducing ground balls.
Jose Altuve- 2B, HOU @ TAM ($3,300)
Talk about getting hot when it matters. Altuve went deep last night-making it three consecutive games with a long ball. In his last five postseason games, Altuve is 8-24 with three HRs and 12 runs+RBI. He is a great pivot play off of Albies and Lowe that can provide double-digit points that will allow you to stack the outfield.
Justin Turner - 3B, LOS vs. ATL ($3,100)
Turner is slightly a splits play. While he has struggled a little in the regular season vs. LHP, his career stats paint a different picture. Turner has a .828 OPS and 126 wRC+ vs. LHP. He is the second-highest priced 3B on the slate, and going here will save you $600, as opposed to chasing Alex Bregman. Take the savings; there are some great options at outfielder to look at later.
Dansby Swanson - SS, ATL @ LOS ($3,500)
Dansby has reached safely in his previous four postseason games with a pair of home runs. During the regular season, he broke out very well, especially against RHP. Swanson slashed .294/.364/.510 with a .874 OPS vs. RHP, and all ten of his HRs came by why of RHP.
Mookie Betts - OF, LAD vs. ATL ($4,300)
After saving down at a few lineups, the payoff comes with added firepower like Mookie Betts. He has reached base safely in every game this offseason and put up nearly double-digit points in each outing. While the search continues for Mookie's first HR of the postseason, he is an elite-level talent capable of being a slate-breaker.
Randy Arozarena - OF, TAM vs. HOU ($3,300)
The first thing to do when building a lineup is to start by plugging Arozarena in at outfielder. His salary has started to creep up there, but the production remains strong. In last night's series opener, Arozarena went 1-4 with yet another home run. At this point, he is matchup proof, and unless the salary skyrockets to the highest on the slate, Randy should be in all builds.
Marcell Ozuna - OF, ATL @ LOS ($4,100)
More firepower was added with Ozuna after a monster season. Ozuna went off by hitting .338 with 94 runs+RBI while leading the National League in home runs(18). The Statcast slider below paints the perfect pitcher of season. Ozuna's type of season just finished-94th percentile or better in exit barrel%, xwOBA, and xSLG. If you want to dominate the DFS opposition, you'll need to stock up on heavy hitters today.
AJ Pollock - OF, LOS vs. ATL ($2,900)
Pollock is a super value play at his $2900 salary for a few different reasons. AJ is having a productive postseason by going 4-15 with four runs and two RBI. He also crushed southpaws in the regular season by launching seven balls into the bleachers with a .818 SLG% and 1.185 OPS.
Sunday delivers us the opening game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Houston Astros. Therefore, we will be pivoting with this article and looking at some showdown game style options. Those unfamiliar with the showdown game mode select a roster of five players, with those players being your "MVP" and "STAR". The "MVP" that scores 2.0x the fantasy points and "STAR" that scores 1.5x fantasy points. There is no additional salary cost with FanDuel.
Today's matchup showcases a pair of elite-level southpaws with high strikeout abilities. The over/under on this game sits at 8.5, so there will be some offense, but I wouldn't expect huge point totals. Batter splits will be crucial for success.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/11/20. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. Be sure also to check out all the Vegas Odds for today's slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @davithius.
Alex Bregman, HOU @ TB (FD $9000)
After a horrendous regular season by his standards, Bregman turned in up a notch in the ALDS. He collected two hits in three of four games while scoring five runs. Bregman gets the nod as the MVP because he can homer off a pitcher, regardless of handedness. He sports a .282 ISO with a .408 wOBA vs. LHP and a .221 ISO with a .367 wOBA vs. RHP. If Bregman goes off at the plate, you'll be taking home a nice payday by using him as the 2.0x MVP selection.
Michael Brantley, HOU @ TB (FD $7000)
Brantley is selected as the STAR because of his tremendous plate discipline skills and should provide a safe floor with a fair ceiling. He is perennially a top-10 hitter in terms of contact% and z-contact%, so it means he makes a lot of contact in the zone-where good things usually happen. Brantley was on-fire vs. Oakland by going 8-19 with a pair of home runs in the series's final game. There is a solid chance he puts up another double-digit point total that will be increased by the 1.5x STAR multiplier.
Randy Arozarena, TAM vs. HOU (FD $7000)
Arozarena is a must-play on the slate, mainly due to how incredible his production has been at the plate. He scorched eight hits in the ALDS with three home runs. Randy will most likely get the nod in the heart of the Rays lineup, and the potential is there for a big day. He would have been selected as the MVP or STAR, but I prefer to put the hitters facing Snell-as he gave up three HRs in his previous start.
Yuli Gurriel, HOU @ TAM (FD $6000)
Guriel is a bit of a matchup play here as he squares off against southpaw Blake Snell. In a small sample, Guriel went off on left-handed pitching this season with four home runs in 66 plate appearances. Over the course of his career, Guriel has excelled against lefties with a .194 ISO and .366 wOBA. Much like his teammates, Bregman and Brantley, he often puts the ball in play, which leads to good things for his matchup.
Mike Brousseau, TAM vs. HOU (FD $5500)
The DFS cheat code against left-handed pitching has been Mike Brosseau this season. Not only did he catapult the Rays into the ALCS with a dinger against Aroldis Chapman, but all of the southpaws should fear Brosseau at the dish. He put up a robust .405 ISO and slugged .738 vs. LHP while being 98% better than the MLB-average in terms of wRC+. He is not an MVP or STAR because, against RHP, he isn't as effective and would be removed from the game.
Sample FanDuel Lineup
Please note that these are sample lineups designed only to show how you might use the above lineup picks in your own lineup. You should always check the weather and lineups before they lock to ensure players you are choosing are playing tonight.
It's October, and it feels great to have postseason baseball in our lives once again! Now that the opening round of the extended 2020 MLB playoffs has concluded, it's time for the divisional round to begin with the remaining eight teams battling it out in this best-of-five format.
In this article, the focus switches to the National League series, which opens up on Tuesday, October 6th. Something to keep in mind here is that in this condensed postseason, we have no travel days since these games are being played in a bubble, and therefore we could see five games in five days if a series goes the distance. That should favor teams with more pitching depth as the game one ace of a team's staff would have to pitch on two days rest in game four and three days rest in a game five.
Today I'll be breaking down both NL series with some key players to consider for MLB DFS contests this week as well as my favorite bets to lock in now before the series starts (using odds from FanDuel Sportsbook). Without further ado, let's dive into these series breakdowns!
Season Series: Atlanta 6-4
Series Odds: Miami (+245), Atlanta (-300)
NL Champs Odds: Miami (+950), Atlanta (+320)
World Series Champs Odds: Miami (+1800), Atlanta (+750)
Projected Pitching Matchups:
Game 1: Sandy Alcantara vs. Max Fried
Game 2: Sixto Sanchez vs. Ian Anderson
Game 3: Pablo Lopez vs. Kyle Wright
Game 4: TBD vs.TBD
Game 5: Alcantara vs. Fried (if necessary)
DFS Impact:
Max Fried will be a chalkier play at starting pitcher and rightfully so. He uses two terrific breaking balls to keep batters from making quality contact. The strikeouts have down a little compared to last year, and that is slightly concerning. It should be noted that the Marlins do not walk much and strikeout a lot vs. LHP.
Sandy Alcantara is an intriguing play. With Fried, Glasnow, and Valdez as likely starters, his salary may make him extremely viable. I wouldn't touch him in any cash games because Atlanta walks over 10% of the time with a robust .220 ISO and .852 OPS vs. RHP. Now, as a GPP play? He can rack up the strikeouts, and the Braves have the third-highest strikeout rate on the slate.
Sixto Sanchez vs. Ian Anderson would be quite the fun game to watch. The two dynamic budding stars have a monsoon of potential in a pivotal game. I really can't wait to catch this game if things line up correctly. Either of those two pitchers may be the one to pair with Kershaw. October 7th will be another full slate, and there will be a move value bats to choose from if you go pitcher heavy.
Pablo Lopez is another top-notch starter the Marlins will toss out on the mound. About two weeks ago, Pablo shut down the Braves by tossing five scoreless innings and only allowing two hits. Can he keep find that mojo again when in counts in the playoffs? If he gets the changeup working to induce groundballs, he could be a great SP option on the day.
The Marlins offense is feeble against right-handed hitting. They struggled all season with an 89 wRC+ and only hit 36 home runs in over 1500 at-bats. Their .120 ISO puts them in less than desirable company near the bottom of the MLB. On the other side, the Braves calling card is to mash RHP. I would expect plenty of stacks to be formulated off of the Braves hitters.
Betting Advice:
Think back to mid-September when the Braves kept launching baseballs into the bleachers in a 29-9 game vs. the Marlins. Yeah, that game was ugly. I don't expect the series to be similar, but there is a reason for the Braves lopsided Moneyline. The clear-cut favorite to advance is the Braves. Fried and Anderson have proven to be a formidable 1-2 punch, and I can't see the Miami magic continuing.
Sadly, while both these teams are on the rise, I do not believe either one will end up representing the National League in the World Series. The Braves have the offensive firepower to stand up against any pitching staff, but the starting rotation lacks depth. If the Padres can take down the Dodgers, I could see the Braves having the upper-hand in that potential series, and taking Atlanta to go any farther than the NLDS feels a bit too risky for my blood.
Season Series: Los Angeles 6-4
Series Odds: San Diego (+210), Los Angeles (-250)
NL Champs Odds: San Diego (+430), Los Angeles (-130)
World Series Champs Odds: San Diego (+850), Los Angeles (+250)
Projected Pitching Matchups:
Game 1: Chris Paddack vs. Walker Buehler
Game 2: Zach Davies vs. Clayton Kershaw
Game 3: Garrett Richards vs. Julio Urias
Game 4: TBD vs. Dustin May/Tony Gonsolin
Game 5: Paddack vs. Kershaw(if necessary)
DFS Impact:
Buehler is a more challenging call because, in his previous start, Dave Roberts pulled him after just four innings pitched. He managed to fan eight Brewers in that game before being replaced by Julio Urias. There is a good chance Buehler gets an innings limit that forces him out of the game early. I love the pitcher, but I would stay away from this one on Tuesday.
Chris Paddack's struggles will continue until he finds that elusive third pitch in his arsenal. Sure, there will be some strikeouts and probably no walks, but he is getting hit all around the yard. The hard-hit% is over 47%, and the Dodgers are not a ballclub you want to hit the ball. Against RHP, the Dodger lead the MLB with 91 HRs, and Paddack is a complete fade for me.
Clayton Kershaw will be an expensive play. After a 13 strikeout performance against the Brewers, Kershaw looks in terrific form to remove the playoff monkey from his back. The velocity is up a tick on his fastball, and the strikeout rate increased this year. On smaller slates, I prefer to pay up for pitching as opposed to hitters. Kershaw will be in many of my lineups.
Game three will be incredibly dicey at best. Will Garrett Richards start for the Padres? It's speculative on my part as they didn't turn to him against the Cardinals, but this series could go five-instead of three. On the flip side, Julio Urias could start game three and piggyback off Buehler like Game 1 vs. the Brewers. I will fade both of these pitchers if they are starters due to the ability of the opposing offenses.
May, Gonsolin, and Davies are all fades (depending on salary). On paper, the stats look terrific but overall, just not enough strikeout potential while they face off against elite-level offenses. If you want to toss any of them in a GPP, I can't fault you, but they look like wildcard plays to me. Not enough certainty during what will be small slates.
Except for Kershaw, the pitching matchups aren't lockdown aces, so there should be an expectation of fireworks in this series. These two offenses are the cream of the crop-first and third in total runs scored. This matchup is not the place to find value bats but rather grab stud established hitters. Selecting bats from this series will cost a pretty penny but has a high return on investment potential.
Betting Advice:
This series may come down to the health of Dinelson Lamet and Mike Clevinger. The phrases I keep reading in the news is "possibly, maybe" both pitchers will be ready for the NLDS. If both were available, I would be placing a bet on the Padres to run the table, but until then, I'm out. The Dodgers have too much going for them and advance.
The Dodgers are the favorite to win the World Series for many reasons: dynamic hitting, great defense, loaded bullpen, and solid starting pitching depth. I am a fan of saying anything can happen, especially in the playoffs, but this Dodgers squad looks unbreakable. I would expect them to cruise into the World Series and be hoisting the trophy after this wacky season.
Win Big With RotoBaller
Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy baseball articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:
More Fantasy Baseball Analysis
Sunday is the final day of the regular season, and this includes a big slate. My suggestion is to grab a valued arm that can snatch up a W, then load up on bats for a fun day of home runs! The matchups to take advantage of being in Cleveland, New York(Mets), and the Cubs/White Sox outing.
In this article, we'll identify players who will help you win a cash game and build your bankroll or take down a GPP for a big pay-day. Every player on this list is on one of my own FanDuel teams.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 9/27/2020. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports.
Marco Gonzales - SEA @ OAK ($8,800)
Gonzalez is a great pitcher option at this price. He has put up big DFS point totals since the beginning of August and should continue to roll tonight. He is a very playable 23.1% strikeout rate with an elite level 2.4% walk rate. This newfound command has helped lend itself to a 3.04 ERA and 3.44 FIP. He catches a favorable matchup against Oakland, who has a 76 wRC+ and .275 wOBA when facing a southpaw in the previous two weeks.
Kyle Freeland - COL @ ARI ($7,200)
If you don't feel like paying up for an arm today, I would suggest Kyle Freeland. He another one of the poor Rockies starting pitchers that performs much better on the road. He sports a 4.46 ERA in Coors Field and a 2.70 ERA on the road. In fact, batters have a .290 wOBA while slugging only .349. To pile on top of that success, Freeland faces the Diamondbacks, who are the third-worst in wRC+ and have a .282 wOBA vs. LHP.
Jose Abreu - 1B, CWS vs. CHC ($4,000)
Abreu is the engine for the White Sox offense. He is batting in the cleanup spot around some pretty dynamic players so that the counting stats could be plenty today. The production keeps piling in for Abreu with 103 runs+RBI, and he has put 19 pitches into the bleachers. Abreu looks to add to a terrific 2020 regular season by punishing Adbert Alzolay in the hitter-friendly confines of Guaranteed Rate Field.
Wilmer Flores - 2B, SFG vs. SDP ($2,900)
Flores flourishes against left-handed pitching and slugs nearly 200 points higher than vs. RHP. His .924 OPS and this cheap of a salary makes him a must-start option at 2B. Flores is going to bat cleanup in the potents Giants offense and gets the favorable matchup vs. Adrian Morejon.
Jose Ramirez 3B, CLE vs. PIT ($4,200)
J-Ram has been mashing the ball all season long and today is one of the last opportunities to take advantage of that. He has crushed 17 HRs and put up 89 runs+RBI in 57 games played. His .402 wOBA and.527 xSLG leap off the page to help plant him in the lineup.
Francisco Lindor - SS, CLE vs. PIT ($3,600)
Lindor is going to be part of the Indian's mini stack today. He hasn't had a monster year we have come to expect, but still a very capable SS with eight HRs vs. RHP. Cleveland is still playing for the post-season, and Lindor is typically a player that goes in the $4,000 range. Lindor has the skills to put up a big day, don't sleep on him today because of a sluggish start.
Dominic Smith - OF, NYM @ WAS ($3,500)
Dominic Smith has enjoyed quite an excellent breakout season with ten HRs and 69 runs+RBI. He has done a majority of damage through extra-base hits. He slugged .616 with a .993 OPS on the season and had his way with RHP(1.032 OPS). His opponent is Austin Voth and his 6.25 ERA. Good chance for him to put one out this afternoon.
Kyle Tucker - OF, HOU vs. TEX ($3,400)
The Astros have clinched a playoff spot and resting some of the veteran outfielders like Springer and Brantley, but will likely start Tucker. Let's start with the apparent reason to start Tucker-his opposing SP is Jordan Lyles. Lyles carries a 7.08 ERA and only struck out 32 batters in 52.2 innings pitched, ouch! Tucker has been a beast with full-time at-bats and a .911 OPS vs. RHP.
Ian Happ - OF, CHC @ CWS ($3,000)
Happ is a switch-hitter with significantly more power from the left side of the dish. He has 11 of his 12 home runs when facing a right-handed pitcher and slugs 180 points higher. He squares off against Reynaldo Lopez this evening, and you never know which version of Lopez will show up. The Cubs needs a Crosstown Classic hero, and there is a good chance it will be Ian Happ today.
We are nearly the end of the fantasy baseball season, and if you're still plugging away, I congratulate you on making it this far! Many games are played today, so plenty of viable streamers sit on your waiver wire to scoop up. Let's focus on how you can use the following streamers to steal a category and run away with your league's title.
When choosing my daily hitter streamers, I examine their platoon splits, lineup position, and pitching matchup. With pitchers, I account for the opposing lineup, team ballpark, and recent performance to help make my decision.
Each of my streamers will be rostered in between 0-40% of Yahoo leagues, with a mixed focus on both shallow and deeper formats. Today, I will be providing a streamer for each position, including two starting pitchers. Let’s take a look at the Tuesday slate and dig out some streamer gems to help you start the week with a bang!
Bobby Dalbec (1B/3B, RHB, BOS) - 17% Rostered
Matchup: vs. RHP Dean Kremer
Dalbec is a terrific source of power and is a perfect streaming option. He has a .375 ISO with seven home runs through his 18 career games. The Boston Red Sox has firmly planted him in the middle of the lineup, and Bobby continues to produce. He is slashing .281/.352/.656 with a 1.008 OPS in 64 at-bats. Dalbec could help you in four categories today; pick him up quick!
Joey Wendle (2B/3B/SS, LHB, TAM) - 8% Rostered
Matchup: @ RHP Michael Wacha
Wendle is laying waste to pitching recently-slashing .350/.386/.500 with a .886 OPS in his last two weeks. The production has come in many ways: two SBs, one HR, and eight runs+RBI. Let's ride the hot hand that is multi-eligible all over the infield. He gets a favorable matchup against Michael Wacha and his 6.75 ERA with 1.68 WHIP.
Nate Lowe (1B, LHB, TAM) - 14% Rostered
Matchup: @ RHP Michael Wacha
Need to play catch up in the home run category? Look for further than Nate Lowe-he has four home runs in 54 at-bats this season. He is a right-handed pitching masher that will see Michael Wacha on the mound. Lowe sports a .297/.409/.676 slash line with 1.085 OPS vs. RHP. Sometimes streamers just come together nicely, and this one looks too perfect to pass up.
Jon Berti (2B/3B/SS/OF, RHB, MIA) - 22% Rostered
Matchup: @ LHP Max Fried
Suggest a player with a higher SLG% than OBP? Am I crazy? No, not entirely. This week is the finals, and Berti is a speculative add for stolen bases, and Berti can swipe a few bags-he has eight on the year. He has reached base eight times in his previous three games since returning from a brief IL stint. All we need is the green light to take second base, and you've got a valuable speed streamer.
Alex Dickerson (OF, LHB, SFG) - 19% Rostered
Matchup: vs. RHP Ryan Castellani
Dickerson is on one of his heaters again, and when he does, you need to jump on board. He is 8-for-15 with a pair of home runs and slugging 1.699 in his previous week of games. On top of the recent streak, he also draws a favorable matchup against RHP Ryan Castellani's 5.59 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Dickerson will look to add to the nine home runs already put over the fences against RHP in Oracle Park this afternoon.
Aaron Hicks (OF, SHB, NYY) - 9% Rostered
Matchup: @ LHP Robbie Ray
Grabbing a piece of the potent Yankees offense is a baller move; they have been a dynamic squad near the tops in the MLB in runs scored each week. Picking up the three-hole hitter in that lineup at this point in the season? Yes, please. Hick is also incredibly useful to any OBP leagues because he is walking(20.0%) more than he strikeouts(17.9%). Hicks may not be a tremendous power source, but he can help you out in a few other categories.
Brandon Belt (OF/1B, SFG, LHB) - 33% Rostered
Matchup: vs. COL RHP Ryan Castellani
Another three-hole hitter in a productive offense is available? Belt may have cooled off a little since his red hot August, but the production is still there. He is slashing .271/.426/.542 with a .968 OPS in September and walking more than striking out. If for nothing else, he carries a .624 SLG% and 1.054 OPS vs. RHP. Tonight's matchup is against Castellani, who's statcast slider puts him in the bottom 10% for xwOBA, hard-hit%, and exit velocity.
Zach Eflin (PHI, RHP) - 30% Rostered
Matchup: @ WAS
Eflin is a tremendous streamer for your fantasy squad. He is a terrific source of strikeouts(29.6 K%) that limits the number of walks(6.3% BB%). When hitters make contact, they put the ball on the ground at a very high 47.3% clip. A higher ground ball rate is helpful because ground balls often cause lower batting averages on balls hit into play. When you look at Eflin's 4.28 ERA, it's backed up by a 3.34 FIP and 3.05 xFIP. The underlying metrics suggest Eflin is a bit unlucky and is better than his ERA indicates. Lastly, Eflin has a fair shot at picking up a win today as he squares off against the 23-32 Washington Nationals that sputtering to the finish line.
Win Big With RotoBaller
Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy baseball articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:
More 2020 Fantasy Baseball Advice
We are rounding third base and on our way to finish this 2020 sprint season. Every move made is magnified immensely, and the slightest transaction wins categories. So without any further adieu, let's get to those streamers to help us win big in 2020.
When choosing my daily hitter streamers, I examine their platoon splits, lineup position, and pitching matchup. With pitchers, I account for the opposing lineup, team ballpark, and recent performance to help make my decision.
Each of my streamers will be rostered in between 0-40% of Yahoo leagues, with a mixed focus on both shallow and deeper formats. Today, I will be providing a streamer for each position, including two starting pitchers. Let’s take a look at the Wednesday slate and dig out some streamer gems to help you start the week with a bang!
Jared Walsh (1B, LHB, LAA) - 22% Rostered
Matchup: vs. LHP Caleb Smith
The new kid on the block is Jared Walsh, and he has been making lots of hits. Speaking of which, Walsh has two or more hits in his last five games and riding a seven-game hitting streak. If you're looking for a potential power bat, Walsh is your guy. He has six home runs in only 54 at-bats on the season. In the minor leagues last season, Walsh had an OPS over 1.000 vs. LHP or RHP with a combined 36 home runs. The power is real and today could be that day his next hit is out of the park.
Bobby Dalbec (1B/3B, RHB, BOS) - 25% Rostered
Matchup: @ MIA LHP Trevor Rogers
It feels like Dalbec has been a mainstay in the streamer articles since his arrival, and we should fix that. The Boston Red Sox promoted Dalbec 13 games ago, and he is making waves. Dalbec went yard in four straight games with a total of five home runs nearly a week ago. The offensive production has continued by collecting 11 hits in his last 27 at-bats. He is mashing the ball with a .681 slugging% and 1.014 OPS. Terrific streamer play for Wednesday!
Miguel Rojas (SS, RHB, MIA) - 9% Rostered
Matchup: vs. BOS LHP Mike Kickham
Rojas is a toolsy little player that will come in handy at this point in the season. He is slashing .361/.448/.578 with three dingers and three stolen bases. The matchup is a favorable one against Mike Kickham, who has the repertoire to strike out several batters while also serving up a deep ball. He has allowed three dingers in only nine innings pitched. It's always a welcome addition to your roster when the player can help in nearly every category.
Nate Lowe (1B, LHB, TB) - 4% Rostered
Matchup: vs. WAS RHP Austin Voth
"Free Nate Lowe" has been a slogan in the fantasy baseball community for way too long. You might be asking yourself, why were people saying this? In 329 minor league at-bats last year, Lowe hit 16 home runs and accrued 63 RBI with a .929 OPS. This year has been no different; Lowe already has three massively deep home runs on only 22 at-bats. If that wasn't enough, he faces Austin Voth and his 7.99 ERA.
DJ Stewart (OF, BAL, LHB) - 32% Rostered
Matchup: vs. LHP Cole Hamels
Stewart has been on the hottest hitters on the planet. He has seven home runs and 23 runs+RBI in the previous two weeks. The Orioles offense has come back to life since installing Stewart up near the three-hole due to his power. He off against veteran Cole Hamels, who is looking to make his season debut. Who knows what version of Hamels will show up in home run haven Camden Yards. Look for another long ball today!
Clint Frazier (OF, NYY, RHB) - 29% Rostered
Matchup: vs. TOR RHP Tanner Roark
Even with Giancarlo Stanton's return to the lineup, I would suggest streaming Clint Frazier. He has been a tremendous addition to the Yankees, and they are sticking with him, which makes total sense. The man is hitting nearly .300 with six home runs in 96 at-bats. Frazier's 12.8% barrel rate in Yankees Stadium is always dangerous in hitter-friendly Yankees Stadium.
Shogo Akiyama (OF, CIN, LHB) - 21% Rostered
Matchup: vs. PIT RHP JT Brubaker
Akiyama is an impressive platoon bat to consider today. He is not going to help you in the power category as he only carries a .290 slugging%, but in an OBP league, he has elite skills. Shogo gets on base at a .351 clip with 21 walks and only 28 strikeouts. When he gets on base, he can use his 27.7 ft/sec sprint speed (75th percentile) to steal bags; he has six on the season. If you're slow on stolen bases, Shogo can give you a boost.
Brady Singer (RHP, KAN) - 26% Rostered
Matchup: @ DET
Singer is fresh off a start he may never forget after only allowing one hit in eight innings pitched. He picked up his second career win and looked dynamic. The fastball and slider combination was baffling hitters as he struck out eight Cleveland Indians. While it has been a bumpy season for Singer, he looks to carry the newfound success into Detroit. The woeful Tigers, against RHP, have a 27.7 K% to go along with a .292 wOBA and 80 wRC+. The wRC+ stat means they are 20% worse than league average against RHP. It is very slim pickings for a pitcher streamer today, and Singer's 21.8 K% paired with Detroit's offensive inefficiency make him extremely viable.
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More 2020 Fantasy Baseball Advice
Today kicks off a Sunday filled with sports and a sizeable 11-game slate. Pitching has one real ace to select, and many value plays that will leave us plenty in the budget to load up on bats. There are two good stacks with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. As always, win big with Rotoballer in 2020!
In this article, we'll identify players who will help you win a cash game and build your bankroll or take down a GPP for a big pay-day. Every player on this list is on one of my own FanDuel teams.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 9/13/2020. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports too.
Max Scherzer - WAS vs. ATL ($11,000)
Scherzer is the top-priced arm on the slate by a wide margin. He is the only real ace on the slate and should be considered the safest pitcher. His dominance is shown off by the high strikeout rate(31.9%) and low walk rate(7.9%). The matchup has a degree of difficulty since he squares off against the red hot Atlanta Braves, who in the previous two weeks have scored nearly 25 runs than the second best.
Lance Lynn - TEX vs. OAK ($9,000)
Lynn is an excellent option if you want elite level production but don't want to pay the Scherzer price. He has shown the ability to put up large strikeout numbers in any start. His 2.53 ERA comes with a 4.13 FIP that suggests Lynn has been somewhat lucky and could regress a little. The good news is they are playing in Texas, a pitchers park, and against the Oakland Athletics that will be without power slugger Matt Chapman. There is a fair chance Lynn keeps them in the game long enough to pick up the win.
Bobby Dalbec - 3B, BOS @ TAM ($3,300)
Dalbec has been a one-person wrecking crew since joining the MLB roster. He put up highlight reel home runs for four straight games and continues to mash extra-base hits. While the pace he is on is not sustainable, you can't help but overlook the production and low salary. Put all that with a matchup against struggling vet Charlie Morton, and there is substantial value here.
Luke Voit - 1B, NYY vs. BAL ($3,900)
Voit is leading the MLB in home runs with Mike Trout. Those words were probably not the expectation by anyone coming into 2020, but here we are. His statcast slider shows that Voit has earned every bit of his power with a 92nd percentile in xwOBA and 86th percentile in barrel%. He can take a ball out of any park, and against John Means is not a tall task.
Adalberto Mondesi - SS, KC vs. PIT ($2,800)
Wow, talk about doing a 180 on the season. Mondesi looked incapable of handling MLB pitching until the last two weeks. Since then, he has stolen eight bags and hit four home runs in only 40 at-bats. That is a significant point of production in a short period. Keep riding the hot hand of Mondesi at his lower salary for a massive return on investment.
DJ LeMahieu - 2B, NYY vs. BAL ($2,800)
LeMahieu is another piece in the Yankees stack. DJ takes advantage of every at-bat and gives nothing away, as shown by his 98th percentile in K% and whiff%. Does he barrel the ball a ton? No, but that doesn't mean LeMahieu is incapable of hitting the long ball. He has six on the season, and the majority of those are opposite-field pokes over the short fences in right field at Yankees Stadium. Like Voit, he gets the favorable matchup against John Mean, who gives up home runs like candy on Halloween at times.
Randal Grichuk - OF, TOR vs. NYM ($3,100)
Grichuk plays in the sneaky ballpark in Buffalo today. Right-handed hitters are destroying balls out there, and matching up against southpaw David Peterson is a bonus. Peterson has a 5.2 K-BB% and 4.25 ERA with a 4.71 FIP. All those signs point to allowing a bunch of runs today. Grichuk has four home runs and a .998 OPS vs. LHP.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr - OF, TOR vs. NYM ($2,800)
Gurriel is the second part of the mini-stack for Toronto due to many of the same reasons as Grichuk, the park, and favorable pitching matchup. When looking at Gurriel's platoon splits this year, I am a little confused, as he has a sub .700 OPS and a .392 slugging percent. He is likely due for some positive regression as his career numbers are a .877 OPS and .547 slugging percent. Could be some sneaky value coming his way!
Clint Frazier - OF, NYY vs. BAL ($3,300)
Frazier completes the Yankees stack on the slate. He is slashing .270/.383/.517 with a .900 OPS since joining the MLB squad. The Yankees are forecasted to put up one of the higher run totals on the day, and Frazier is likely to bat in the cleanup spot for the pinstripers. Plug him in for a strong potential of points.
Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone has the day off and able to grind away a little longer on some DFS baseball. Today's slate is a smaller six-game affair with a top-heavy pitcher pool. Spot the potential values and fill the lineups with a winning squad!
In this article, we'll identify players who will help you win a cash game and build your bankroll or take down a GPP for a big pay-day. Every player on this list is on one of my own FanDuel teams.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 9//2020. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports too.
Zac Gallen - ARI @ SFG ($10,600)
Zac Gallen's game is on another level this year. He has notched seven straight games with a quality start, and two of them are against the San Francisco Giants. Through 50.0 innings pitched on the season, he sports a 1.80 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with 54 strikeouts. He draws the Giants, who have been a slightly above-average offense this year. They have been right-hand pitching very well as of late, but Gallen has held them to one earned run in both times they faced each other. Need a safe play that will produce big points? Gallen is the answer.
Kevin Gausman - SFG vs. ARI ($7,700)
Gausman is a great play for this type of slate. He is so much less expensive than the big-ticket arms and will allow you to load up on any bat you want. Gausman has been excellent this year for DFS purposes. He continues to strike batters out at a high rate while walking very few. He gets a great matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are a sputtering offense. While they don't strike out a ton(20.3%), they also don't hit very well, as shown by their 84 wRC+ and .698 OPS. Gausman feels like the right option to play.
Matt Olson - 1B, OAK vs. HOU ($3,400)
Steer away from looking at Matt Olson's batting average; it's not as crucial in DFS. Feast your eyes on the ten home runs and 46 runs+RBI. Seven of his ten bombs have come by way of right-handed pitching, and he sees the ball well as of late. In his previous two games, Olson has five hits and four RBI. His Statcast slider tells the who tale, crushes the ball when he makes contact.
Jake Cronenworth - 2B, SDP vs, COL ($3,300)
Cronenworth is the start of the Padres stack for today. He continues to bat atop of the very potent Padres lineup and get on back. He has a .336/.389/.580 slash line with a .969 OPS on the season. The matchup today is against southpaw Kyle Freeland, who is struggling as of late. Freeland is leaving too many balls over the plate, and batters have 19 hits in his last 6.1 innings pitched. They don't call him RAKE Cronenworth for nothin'!
Manny Machado - 3B, SDP vs. COL ($4,000)
Next up in the Padres stack is Manny Machado. Manny loves to face off against left-handed pitching. He has a .362/.400/.638 slash line and a 1.038 OPS when squaring off against a southpaw. He is making tremendous hard-hit contact this year. His xwOBA puts him in the 90th percentiles of all batters, and a 95th percentiles in xBA is not too shabby. Keep stacking Padres.
Fernando Tatis Jr. - SS, SDP vs. COL ($4,600)
Tatis Jr completes the infield stack of the Padres. A big salary has to be spent to roster Tatis Jr, but as his numbers and Statcast slider show, he is worth it. He is only a month away from collecting his MVP trophy, and it is very deserved. He 82 runs+RBI to go with 15 home runs and seven stolen bases. It doesn't get any more safe of a stud player to put into your lineup.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. - OF, TOR vs. NYY ($3,000)
Gurriel is fresh off a four-hit game against the Boston Red Sox. He has been red hot as of late. In the last two weeks, Gurriel is slashing .340/.426/.767 with a 1.043 OPS. The sudden injury to Teoscar Hernandez opens up plenty of at-bats higher in the batting order for Gurriel to flourish. Sahlem Field is the new home of the Blue Jays and performs similar to Coors Field in regards to power hit to left field. Play him for significant savings!
Randal Grichuk - OF, TOR vs. NYY ($3,300)
It looks like Grichuk has finally figured it out at the plate. The strikeouts are way down, and the walks are up. In turn, he is making more quality contact, and the wOBA has soared. Grichuk is slashing .280/.230/.524 with a .845 OPS. Jordan Montgomery is the opposition to Grichuk today. He has already put four home runs out of the park against southpaws in only 46 at-bats. Much like Gurriel, right-handed pull power hitters are thriving in Sahlem Field, and Grichuk is just that.
Michael Brantley - OF, HOU @ OAK ($3,300)
Brantley is an excellent play. He is a high contact hitter that has some pop in his game. He faces off against struggling Oakland pitcher Frankie Montas. Brantley is giving right-handed pitchers like Montas trouble with his .316/.395/.500 slash line. He has been hot as of late; in the last week, Brantley has a pair of home runs and ten RBI in his previous 26 at-bats. Another reliable outfield option at a reasonable salary.
