The first Sunday in August brings us a lovely 10-game matinee and a chance to see some newly acquired players make their debuts with new teams after Friday's trade deadline!
It doesn't look like we will have many serious weather concerns, which is always good news! Without any games to cross off for weather, this slate is wide open with the only team (Toronto) with a Vegas total of 6.4 runs that stands out from the pack. Most of the other favorites on this slate have totals ranging from 4.5-5.2 runs, meaning we should see ownership spread out on hitters and stacks.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 8/1/2021. 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.
Featured Promo: For this week only, take 50% off any full-season or yearly Premium Pass on the site! Just enter discount code THANKS when checking out. Thanks for being a reader, and Happy Holidays! Sign Up Now!
FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Jose Berrios vs. KCR ($9,000)
The newly-acquired ace will make his Toronto debut today and gets a good matchup against a mediocre Royals offense. Manoah cruised through seven innings against this KC squad yesterday and I think Berrios could do the same with a similar pitch arsenal. While they don't strike out much (22% against RHP), the Royals still have some poor overall numbers against righties and very few left-handed bats to throw out there against Berrios besides Andrew Benintendi.
Potential Alternate Play
Jordan Montgomery @ MIA ($8,000)
If you are looking to save a thousand bucks and pay up for a few more bats, Monty makes a ton of sense today. Miami's numbers this season are even worse against LHP than RHP and now this lineup looks really thin without Starling Marte and Adam Duvall who were moved at the deadline.
Montgomery has been solid for the Yanks this season and benefits here from being on the road as he gets a big park upgrade in Miami. I like the combination of run prevention and some strikeout upside here and he's my favorite arm in this price range today.
Want more MLB DFS tools and content? Our MLB Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Slack Chatrooms where members can chat with our MLB analysts. Check out this recent big win from RotoBaller's RealTalkRaph on DraftKings - join in on the winning!
? Our #MLB Optimizer & written content content is coming in hot to start off 2021!
? BIG thanks! The highly celebrated @RotoBaller Premium Tools have done it again!
? The Math: 20 optimized lineups + written content to tweak things = SHABBAT SHALOM!https://t.co/RGP9W0ebXb pic.twitter.com/LR8MDaOm8r
— Raphstradamus ? (@RealTalkRaph) April 3, 2021
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Ozzie Albies - 2B vs. MIL ($3,500)
Albies and the Braves get a great matchup here against the Brewers' worst starter, Brett Anderson. After beating Woodruff and Burnes in this series, handling Anderson should be easy, right? Well, Anderson can occasionally troll us and induce a bunch of groundball outs, but Albies is one of Atlanta's best hitters vs. lefties and is a guy who can elevate Anderson's sinker.
Dansby Swanson – SS vs. MIL ($3,200)
Why stop with Albies, how about another Atlanta infielder with power against LHP? This Atlanta stack has won me some money this season and Swanson is usually a guy that people forget about when stacking Atlanta. That's a mistake! He hit two homers last night, including a grand slam - which was his second slam in the last 10 days, too. He's riding a seven-game hitting streak and Anderson just doesn't miss many bats, you have to like this Atlanta stack today.
Jose Ramirez – 3B at CWS ($4,100)
J-Ram and this Indians offense went off for 12 runs last night in a wild 12-11 win over Chicago. The White Sox bullpen is depleted and they are turning to Reynaldo Lopez to start today's game. Lopez has been pretty solid out of the pen for Chicago so far in a small sample size but is a guy who has always struggled with giving up the long ball. I like Ramirez's chance for a dinger off Lopez or just a big game in general off the White Sox relievers.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Ben Gamel - vs. PHI ($2,300)
Gamel is now leading off for my battling Buccos - who have managed to take the first two games of this weekend series against their cross-state rival Phillies. Today they will see Kyle Gibson in his Philly debut and while Gibson has had a solid year on the bump in Texas, we've seen regression hit him really hard over his last three starts (17 innings, 12 walks, 22 hits, 15 earned runs). I like some Pirates lefties today with Gamel, Reynolds, and Polanco being a cheap, sneaky mini-stack for tournaments while Gamel makes for a solid cash play by himself.
Ryan Mountcastle – @ DET ($2,600)
I have a soft spot for Mounty this season, he's won me some money with some big games and low ownership. He should bat right in the middle of this Baltimore lineup today against lefty Tyler Alexander and is coming off a three-hit game last night and a solo homer in Friday's game. The price is right here and I like the Orioles quite a bit against Detroit's worst starter and poor bullpen.
Akil Baddoo – vs. BAL ($3,400)
Badoo and the Tigers have to interest us today at home against Spenser Watkins and his 6+ xFIP. I got duped into using Watkins in his last start and then he showed his true colors by giving up nine hits and four runs in only four innings to the lowly Marlins. Not this time! Give me some Tigers bats, and the power/speed combo that Baddoo brings to the table makes him one of my favorite pieces of a Detroit stack along with Robbie Grossman, Jeimer Candelario, and Eric Haase.