As usual, the Thursday slate is fairly evenly split between the afternoon slate and main slate. The main slate features several aces while the afternoon slate is set for offensive fireworks. This is something to keep in mind no matter which slate you're playing today. The picks below are based on all day slates, and features several high-end options and a couple punt plays as well.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DFS on 7/6/17. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @DanMarcus3.
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DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider
Lance McCullers @TOR (DK - $11,000, FD - $9,400)
Lance McCullers has been excellent all season but has been in especially good form of late with a 27% K-BB rate in June. Given that strikeouts are king, McCullers should be the number one pitcher today across all slates, and the matchup does little to deter that. Although the Jays were once a team to avoid at all costs, that is no longer the case as they are a bottom half offense in terms of both wOBA and ISO against right-handed pitching.
Chad Kuhl @PHI (DK - $8,700, FD - $8,600)
Kuhl is a tournament only option given the other starters on today’s slate. However, his strikeout rate jumped to 21.6% in June and his xFIP was just 3.85, large improvements from earlier in the season. His matchup is about as juicy as it gets on Thursday, as he takes on the Phillies who have the second lowest wOBA and ISO in the league against right-handed pitching. With the arrow pointed up for Kuhl and a positive matchup, he is worth a tournament flier to save some salary.
DFS Infielders to Consider
Catcher (C)
Jason Castro vs. BAL (DK - $3,200, FD - $2,600)
Jason Castro has cooled down from his (relatively) hot May, but this play is intriguing given the way things have unraveled for Bundy. Regression was always on the way judging by his xFIP and SIERA and that regression began in June. Bundy struggles more so versus lefties and Minnesota looks to be an under the radar positive hitting environment thanks to warm weather and the wind blowing out to right-center field. That all makes Castro a nice bargain at the catcher position and someone who shouldn't garner a lot of attention.
First Base (1B)
Matt Carpenter vs. MIA (DK - $4,300, FD - $3,700)
Matt Carpenter has had an up and down campaign, and his OPS over the past week is just .678. On the other hand, Tom Koehler has been especially kind to left-handed hitters this season, allowing them to hit to the tune of 1.170 OPS against him. That makes Carpenter a nice bet to snap out of his slump on Thursday.
Second Base (2B)
Joe Panik @ DET (DK - $3,900, FD - $3,000)
The Giants aren’t a powerhouse offense at home but are middle of the road when it comes to being on the road. That isn’t necessarily exciting on its own, but the matchup against Anibal Sanchez makes he and other Giants intriguing options. Like the rest of the team, Panik is much better on the road, posting a .474 slugging percentage as opposed to just a .282 rate at home. Meanwhile, Anibal Sanchez has allowed a 37.9% hard contact rate on the season, so Panik should flash some of his sneaky pop on Thursday.
Shortstop (SS)
JT Riddle @ STL (DK - $3,000, FD - $2,200)
JT Riddle is the Marlins everyday shortstop thanks to the trade of Adeiny Hechavarria. He has taken a liking to the role as since he has been an everyday player, he has four multi-hit games in eight opportunities. He hasn’t posted much in terms of power, but he has shown a decent floor for his price.
Third Base (3B)
Kyle Seager vs. OAK (DK - $3,700, FD - $2,500)
Owning Kyle Seager tomorrow is a play based on price and regression rather than splits or his hot hitting. In fact, he has struggled his way to a .734 OPS over the season but has sunk to such a price level (especially on FanDuel) that betting on his talent is worth the downside Seager has shown of late.
DFS Outfielders to Consider
George Springer @ TOR (DK - $5,000, FD - $4,400)
Francisco Liriano has been fairly strong against left-handed hitters but has been the exact opposite when facing righties, allowing an .870 OPS to them on the season. That plays right into George Springer’s hands, as he has absolutely mashed left-handers this season to the tune of a 1.166 OPS. Springer is one of the most expensive options on the board on Thursday, but he is worth it and should be a building block in lineups Thursday.
Lonnie Chisenhall vs. SDP (DK - $4,000, FD - $3,300)
Dinelson Lamet is striking out plenty of batters but is also allowing home runs at an alarming rate. This is especially true against left-handed hitters, as he has allowed 3.06 HR/9 to them on the season. Lonnie Chisenhall has quietly put together a strong season but hasn’t seen a bump in price. He should be a low-owned option and a relative bargain given his strong chances of going deep on Thursday.
Andre McCutchen @ PHI (DK - $5,000, FD - $3,900)
Andrew McCutchen was one of the best players throughout June and Jeremy Hellickson has been a home run waiting to happen allowing 1.68 HR/9 over the course of the season. McCutchen has been better against lefties as opposed to righties on the season, but he has one more opportunity to enjoy a big positive swing in park factor on Thursday, and that should be taken advantage of.
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