RADIO
We might be faced with daily threats to our fantasy sanity but we've made it to the third week of baseball. We're not promised tomorrow but it looks like we'll have tonight.
We're going position by position on DraftKings, with an eight-game Main Slate for our evening pleasure. The Rockies are still playing at home, so you know what that means in terms of ownership and budgets.
In this article, I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the DraftKings main slate on 8/3/2020. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel and other sports too. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @nt_burtreynolds.
DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Walker Buehler - LAD @ SD ($10,300)
With Jacob deGrom and Gerrit Cole on the slate, Buehler's ownership should be on the light side. Especially facing a hot San Diego offense. His lease should be loosened a bit more in terms of letting him go deeper into the game and while the San Deigo offense is strong, it also has a lot of strikeouts sitting in it; Fernando Tatis Jr., Wil Myers, and Edward Olivares all have strikeout rates versus right-handers that are well above 30%.
Other Options: Jacob deGrom (NYM @ ATL) $11,600, Alec Mills (CHC vs KC) $8,000, Frankie Montas (OAK @ SEA) $7,200
DraftKings DFS Catchers
Mitch Garver - MIN vs PIT ($4,500)
Garver finally got off the snide on Sunday, hitting his first home run against Cleveland. He's still only has a .167 AVG (with a 45.5% K-rate) but when you want to keep up your momentum, Pittsburgh lefthander Derek Holland is your huckleberry. With a left-hander pitching, Garver is likely to be in the leadoff spot, and with Holland on the mound, Minnesota is likely to roll over the hapless Pirates. Since the beginning of 2019, Garver has a .450 wOBA and .379 ISO versus lefties.
Other options: Willson Contreras (CHC vs KC) $4,500, James McCann (CHW @ MIL) $3,700
DraftKings DFS First Baseman
Miguel Sano, 1B, MIN vs PIT ($4,700)
Ownership is sure to be flocking to the game in Colorado but isn't getting to face Derek Holland just as big as an advantage to hitters? Holland may have only allowed two runs in his season debut but don't be fooled because his gas can is always lurking. Especially seeing how well Minnesota hits left-handers. Three Twins have greater than a 55% hard-hit rate against lefties since 2019, with Sano carrying a 55.9% Hard% against them. Plus, with Josh Donaldson out of the lineup and Garver batting leadoff, Sano should be bumped up to fifth or sixth in the order.
Other Options: Edwin Encarnacion (CHW @ ATL) $4,400, Brandon Belt (SF at COL) $4,800
DraftKings DFS Second Baseman
Donovan Solano, 2B/3B, SF @ COL ($5,000)
Everyone who had Donavon costing $5K in the second week of the season, raise your hand...Liars! I'm actually happy about the price, though, as it (hopefully) will keep his ownership down. Solano is red-hot and after collecting two more hits on Sunday and now has multiple hits in four of his last five games. He's set to bat to third for the Giants in Colorado, with the Rockies trotting out Chi Chi Gonzalez for his season debut. Gonzalez had a 5.29 ERA in 63 innings last year, allowing 1.57 HR/9.
David Bote, 2B/3B, CHC vs KC ($$3,500)
Bote has started the season off strong, hitting two home runs in his first 21 plate appearances. He's also absolutely blistering the ball; after averaging an 89 mph EV in 2019, Bote has a 98.1 average exit-velocity so far this season. The Cubs also have him batting leadoff today against left-hander Danny Duffy, who has a 5.79 ERA through his first two starts of the season.
Other Options: Whit Merrifield (KC @ CHC) $4,800, DJ LeMahieu (NYY vs PHI) $4,100
DraftKings DFS Third Baseman
Yoan Moncada, 3B, CHW @ MIL ($4,400)
Moncada (and the rest of the White Sox right-handers) are in a good spot getting to face left-hander Brett Anderson in Milwaukee. After multiple COVID-related postponements, Anderson is finally making his debut for the Brewers after a putting up a "renaissance" 3.89 ERA with Oakland in 2019. But don't be fooled because Brett Anderson is still Brett Anderson; a soft-tossing lefty who likes to get blown up. He had a 5.17 SIERA in 2019 to go along with that solid ERA and posted a career-low 12.1% K-rate. Moncada has a .313 AVG in the young season but has only hit one home run. That might change today.
Other Options: Matt Chapman (OAK @ SEA) $5,100, Marwin Gonzalez (MIN vs PIT) $2,900
DraftKings DFS Shortstop
J.P Crawford, SS, SEA vs OAK ($3,600)
He draws a tough matchup against Frankie Montas but Crawford is a really great value considering how on fire he's been to start the season. Crawford now has two home runs, two stolen bases, and 1o runs scored in his first 44 plate appearances and is showing signs of the talent that made him the top prospect in the Phillies organization three years ago. With everyone piling on Colorado, value guys like Crawford could slip through the ownership cracks.
Other Options: Javier Baez (CHC vs KC) $4,800, Jorge Polanco (MIN vs PIT) $4,000
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Nelson Cruz, OF, MIN vs PIT ($4,500)
If you can't tell already, I like Minnesota hitters facing left-hander Derek Holland. Cruz positively murders lefties, posting a .476 wOBA, .476 ISO, and a 56.5% hard-hit rate against them since the start of 2019. And when he goes off, no one does it better than Cruz; like las week when he hit two home runs and two doubles in one game, with seven RBI. If there's a pitcher to pick on, it's Holland. The situation is made even juicer by the avalanche of dollars that will be invested in Colorado, making Cruz likely not as owned as you're used to.
Charlie Blackmon OF, COL vs SF ($5,700)
It takes a hefty price tag to roster him but Blackmon has one of the highest ceilings on the slate. That's what happens when you get to face Johnny Cueto in Colorado. Since the start of 2019, Cueto has allowed a .428 wOBA, .405 ISO, and 37.9% Hard% to left-handers. And with a nearly $6K cost, his ownership could be relatively depressed.
Other Options: Aaron Hicks (NYY vs PHI) $4,400, Luis Robert (CHW @ MIL) $3,900, Cody Bellinger (LAD @ SDP) $4,900, Bryce Harper (PHI @ NYY) $5,000
DraftKings DFS Stacks
Minnesota Twins vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (Derek Holland, LHP)
Chicago White Sox @ Milwaukee Brewers (Brett Anderson, LHP)
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