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We have a 9-game main slate on tap tonight, and it's a good one. A couple of elite arms in Mad Max and Sale mixed in with some really intriguing stacks. Of course, the Red Sox will be popular, but there are many other ways to go when it comes to bats. Deciding to pay up for pitching and find value bats versus take some value arms to get the big bats. Listen in to MLB DFS Quick Hits for a full slate rundown to get your lineups ready.
The slate starts with which pitchers to build around. Do we go with Scherzer taking on the Padres after their 16 inning marathon last night? Do you go with Sale, who is making his third start and has been outstanding but limited to five innings and 80 or so pitches so far? Or punt with Wood and others? Fun options on the mound, which lead to your hitting builds. The Red Sox are in a great spot tonight against our buddy Gant, but everyone will be on them. There are many other places to target, which could lead to some really nice contrarian builds. Let's check out some plays to build around tonight.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 8/26/2021. 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
Max Scherzer - P, DET at SD ($10,400)
Since joining the Dodgers, Mad Max has been as advertised. He has made four starts, allowing two runs or less in each start while striking out six or more in each start. He puts up 20+ DK points with ease nearly every start this season, and he should be in line for another strong start tonight. He struggled in his two starts versus the Padres earlier this season, including seven runs allowed in 3.2 innings at Petco. This seems like a revamped Scherzer and also a struggling Padres offense. Walker Buehler had his way with the Padres last night, and I see Scherzer doing the same thing. He will also need to eat up some innings, as the bullpen was used aplenty last night. Max is the top pitcher tonight, a cash game lock while being a great tournament play.
Brad Keller - P, KC at SEA ($5,200)
Yep, Keller is an outstanding value today, and quite honestly, he is mis-priced. Over his last eight starts, he has pitched six or more innings in six starts, allowing three earned runs or less in seven starts. Keller is also coming off of back-to-back starts with eight strikeouts and has five or more strikeouts in six starts. Most importantly is the DK scoring for Keller, which has been 18+ points in six of eight starts with 20+ in four starts. He has been outstanding and gets to face a Mariners team that you can pick on tonight. In August, the Mariners are striking out 25% of the time versus RHP while hitting .229 with a 100 wRC+. I will have plenty of Keller paired up with Max and Sale while still allowing me to get all the bats I would like.
Other Options: Chris Sale (BOS vs. MIN) $10,200, Alex Wood (SF at NYM) $8,700
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Daulton Varsho - C/OF, AZ at Zach Eflin ($3,900)
Varsho brings his hot back into Philadelphia tonight in a sweet matchup versus Eflin. Varsho is hitting .344 over his last 10 games. He has eight extra-base hits, four home runs, and an insane .533 ISO. Varsho also shows great plate discipline by walking 10.8% of the time, which helps ramp up his awesome 1.292 OPS. In addition, his contact quality has been outstanding, with a 16% barrel rate and 44% hard-hit rate. He will take on Eflin tonight, who is making his first start off the IL and was having some blow-up starts before hitting the IL. On the season, LHH are hitting .264 off Eflin with a .443 SLG and 1.3 HR/9. LHH has hit Eflin with even more power in recent years, so I will keep attacking lefties. Varsho remains a solid mid-priced catching option in a nice matchup tonight.
Paul Goldschmidt - 1B, STL at Mitch Keller ($4,800)
Goldschmidt heads into tonight's juicy matchup versus Keller on quite the heater. He is coming off a two-home run performance on Wednesday and has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games. Over the 13 game stretch, he is hitting .396 with 10 extra-base hits and has even thrown in three stolen bases. His plate discipline is insane as he is walking 12.9% of the time while striking out 11.3%. Goldy has a .302 ISO and 1.166 OPS during this insane stretch of hitting. He faces Keller tonight, which is great for any hitter. On the season, Keller is allowing RHH to hit .277 with a .468 SLG and 1.5 HR/9. Stack up the Cards tonight!!!!
Jorge Polanco - 2B/SS, MIN at Chris Sale ($3,400)
Polanco continues to rake and continues to be priced too cheap. Sure he is facing Sale, but that may be for just a couple of innings as Sale has been limited. That means a couple of at-bats versus that not-so-great Red Sox pen. Polanco is coming off a night where he went deep at Fenway and has now hit safely in seven of his last eight games, hitting .351 over that stretch. Polanco has five extra-base hits, a .297 ISO, and a 1.017 OPS over the last eight games. Polanco will continue to hit in the middle of the Twins lineup and bring great value to the lineup. The Twins are a sneaky nice stack tonight, and I like a Polanco, Miguel Sano, and Josh Donaldson start to that stack.
Amed Rosario- SS, CLE vs. Jordan Lyles ($4,200)
Rosario continues to have a strong August, hitting safely in 16 of 18 games, good for a .372 average. He has nine extra-base hits over that stretch with a .192 ISO and a .964 OPS. Rosario hits second daily for Cleveland and will continue to set the table for Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes. They have another great matchup versus Lyles tonight, who has allowed 18 runs over his last four starts, including six home runs. Lyles is also allowing RHH to hit .303 on the season with a .545 SLG and 2.3 HR/9. Cleveland is a great place to stack tonight, including some of their value options outside of the main three bats listed. They make for a nice pivot off Boston if wanting to be different.
Kyle Seager - 3B, SEA vs. Brad Keller ($4,100)
I love Keller tonight, but if you want to fade then, Seager once again brings solid value at a rather shallow third base position. Seager has hit safely in eight of his last 9 games with six extra-base hits, including four home runs. He has a .378 ISO to go with a .904 OPS. Seager does not hit for average and does not walk a ton but makes his hits count as he hits third or fourth for the Mariners. He faces Keller, who has struggled versus LHH on the season with a .297 average, .445 SLG, and 1.1 HR/9. Seager makes for a solid value for third base if fading the insanely awesome Keller value.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Kyle Schwarber - OF, BOS vs. Jon Gant ($4,800)
We finally got a SCHWARBOMB last night as a member of the Red Sox. It was a game-tying home run in the ninth, forcing extra innings. Schwarber has been outstanding for the Sox since joining the team, hitting safely in seven of nine games. He is hitting .379 with an insane 21.6% walk rate and .207 ISO. Schwarber is an offensive machine eight swinging the bat or taking walks. He has a 1.100 OPS to go with an 18.2% barrel rate and 45.5% hard-hit rate. Schwarber is absolutely locked in at the plate and gets a great matchup versus Gant tonight. We know Gant won't go long in this game, but Schwarber hits second for the Sox, which should get him a couple of at-bats versus Gant and a chance to have another strong DFS night.
David Peralta- OF, AZ at Zach Eflin ($3,100)
Many wrote off Peralta earlier this season, but he did not go away and continues to be a fantasy stud. In 10 of his last 12 games, Peralta has hit safely, bringing a four-game hitting streak into action. He is hitting .341 over the stretch with five extra-base hits and a .195 ISO. Peralta does not jump off the page as a monster play, but his current streak and great price make for quite the value play. He is a solid cash game play and, more importantly, is a great value in a DBacks stack with Ketel Marte and others.
Yadiel Hernandez - OF, WAS at Elieser Hernandez ($2,400)
Hernandez has been scorching hot at the plate and continues to be underpriced. He has now hit safely in eight of his last 10 games with a .323 average and five extra-base hits. He has a .387 ISO with a 1.074 OPS. Yadiel hits fifth for the Nats and continues to produce quality DK performances at a bargain-basement price. He takes on Elieser tonight, who can be very hit and miss. He has made two starts since returning from the IL and has allowed six runs over 10 innings, including three home runs. On this short season, he has allowed LHH to slug .516 with 3.2 HR/9. If you are going to get to Elieser, it is usually with LHH making Yadiel a great value and a solid piece of a stack with Juan Soto and Josh Bell.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Boston Red Sox (Jon Gant, RHP)
- Arizona Diamondbacks (Zach Eflin, RHP)
- St. Louis Cardinals (Mitch Keller, RHP)
- Cleveland Indians (Jordan Lyles, RHP)
- Sneaky Stack- Miami Marlins (Patrick Corbin, LHP)
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