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Hello there, MLB DFS grinders! The focus of this article will be on the 4-game Early Only afternoon slate for DraftKings and the 3-game slate on FanDuel. We have some good pitching options and good stacks to consider so let's dive on in and find the best plays for both your cash game and tournament lineups.
While most of our MLB DFS coverage here at RotoBaller is geared towards the main slate, I wanted to give you some of my favorite pitchers and bats for these early games that will help you cash in tournaments and cash game contests. I'll highlight my favorite pitching options here first and then give you some hitters at each price tier to consider as well as my favorite teams to stack up! You can read our DraftKings DFS lineup picks for the main slate and FanDuel DFS lineup picks for the main slate as well.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the DraftKings and FanDuel slates beginning at 12:35 PM on 8/4/2021. 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 check out today's MLB DFS lineup picks for the main slate here, and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. Let's get to it!
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MLB DFS Pitchers
Freddy Peralta vs. Pittsburgh Pirates ($10,200 FD, $10,000 DK)
Peralta is by far the best arm on the slate and despite the Pirates being a tough team to pitch against due to their low strikeout rate, Peralta still carries a good enough floor to roster in all formats. Peralta is coming off of a solid start against the Pirates last week as he went six innings, recorded five strikeouts, and got both the quality start and the win. In three starts against the Pirates this year, he has pitched 17 total innings, recorded 19 strikeouts, and allowed five total runs which are extremely solid numbers. The Pirates have struggled against right-handed pitchers over the last 14 days as they are collectively hitting .199 and have a league-low three home runs hit during that timeframe.
Logan Gilbert @ Tampa Bay ($8,800 FD, $7,500 DK)
If you're looking to save some salary, Logan Gilbert should be another pitcher that you should consider on this slate. Gilbert has been in pretty good form over his last four starts as he has collected the win in three out of four of his starts and went at least five innings in each of those starts (got pulled at 5.2 innings in back-to-back outings). Gilbert has been very effective in that four-game span as he has accrued 28 total strikeouts and has only managed to walk four batters which shows that he has dialed in his control and has been able to generate swings and misses. The matchup against the Rays carries upside as they have seven batters that have a strikeout rate that is greater than 21% so if Gilbert can get ahead in the count, there's a good chance he could hit five or more strikeouts in this outing.
Others to consider: Luis Castillo vs. Minnesota Twins, Frankie Montas vs. San Diego Padres
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MLB DFS "Bats Worth Paying For"
Matt Olson– 1B, OAK vs. SDP ($5,200 DK)
One of the top power hitters on this slate is Matt Olson. While he is only DK eligible, he is one to circle and consider for your DK lineups. He leads all Athletics batters with a .271 batting average against right-handed pitchers while also leading the team with 12 home runs against that handedness. Musgrove throws a mixture of pitchers but he tends to throw his cutter, slider, and knuckle-curve the most to lefty batters and Olson has a 69% contact rate and a .390+ XwOBA against all three of those pitch types.
Kolten Wong– 2B, MIL vs. PIT ($3,600 FD, $4,400 DK)
The price tag is high for Wong but he has been able to handle lefty pitching all season long. He has a .364 batting average which is the highest average against lefty pitchers on the Brewers and has a very low strikeout rate of 11.1% against that handedness. Wong has been very effective as he is hitting near at the top of the batting order and has reached base in 13 out of his last 15 games played so he is one of the safer options to consider on this early-only slate.
Mitch Haniger – OF, SEA @ TBR ($3,500, $4,800 DK)
Haniger carries a very solid price point on both sites and is worth considering in all formats. He has recorded a hit in four out of the last five games played and has recorded multi-hit performances in two out of those five games played. Haniger is one of the top Mariners batters when it comes to facing lefty pitchers as he has a .313 ISO and a 56% hard-hit percentage. Haniger profiles extremely well against the cutter as he has an ISO of .727 and an XwOBA of .672 and Fleming throws this pitch 35% of the time to righty batters this year.
Also Recommended: Kyle Seager vs. Josh Fleming
MLB DFS Values
Tyler Stephenson – C, CIN vs. MIN ($2,600 FD, $4,600 DK)
There is a big price difference on Stephenson as he is 2k cheaper over on FD and with him resting on Tuesday, he should draw into the lineup Wednesday afternoon against Charlie Barnes and the Twins. Stephenson is hitting .308 against lefties this year and leads the Reds with eight doubles against this handedness. Stephenson is sporting a .253 ISO against left-handed pitchers while right-handed batters have an ISO of .222 against Barnes on the season.
Eugenio Suarez – 3B/SS, CIN vs. MIN ($2,800 FD, $3,800 DK)
Another Reds batter that stands out from a value and tournament perspective is Eugenio Suarez. While he is having a down year at the plate, Suarez is tied for second on the Reds with four home runs against lefty pitchers and has a .205 ISO against the handedness with a 47% hard-hit percentage.
Avisail Garcia– OF, MIL vs. PIT ($3,600 FD, $3,900 DK)
One of the better splits hitters on this Brewers team is Avisail Garcia. He has a .333 average against lefties this year and carries a .565 slugging percentage which is the second-highest slugging percentage on the Brewers. Garcia is sporting a .198 ISO against the handedness of Brault and profiles well as he has a .302 ISO against Brault's fastball which he throws close to 43% of the time to right-handed batters.
Also Recommended: Kyle Farmer vs. Charlie Barnes, Tyrone Taylor vs. Steven Brault
MLB DFS Hitter Stacks
Cincinnati Reds vs. Charlie Barnes
The Reds are one of the top stacking options on this slate against lefty pitcher Charlie Barnes and it's hard to not immediately gravitate to them. Looking at this team over the last 30 days, they have a collective team ISO of .241 against left-handed pitchers while righty batters have collectively garnered a .222 ISO against lefties. Some guys to focus on would be Jonathan India, Kyle Farmer, Joey Votto, and Tyler Stephenson while also including Eugenio Suarez and Aristides Quino in your player pool as well.
Milwaukee vs. Steven Brault
The Brew Crew is another team to really focus on from a stacking standpoint on this slate. On the season, this team has a collective team ISO of .208 against lefty pitchers while having six individual batters that carry an ISO that is greater than .185. When looking at batters from the Brewers, the three main guys that immediately stick out are Kolten Wong, Avisiail Garcia, and Tyrone Taylor as they all have a batting average that is greater than .300 while all also having ISO's that are greater than .185 as well.
Other recommended stacks: Oakland Athletics vs. Joe Musgrove
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