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The top early-slate daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on July 19, 2023. Mike's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
We have a few matinee games on Getaway Day this week, and of course, DK had to make it difficult. We have five games on DraftKings and six games on FanDuel. We appreciate the one extra game on FD, especially since Coors makes an appearance on this slate.
This article contains my picks for the early slate on July 19, 2023, for DraftKings and FanDuel slates, which lock at 1:05 PM ET on DK and 12:35 ET on FD. Still, the sites can't help but keep it weird. DraftKings chopped off the early tilt in Pittsburgh. The other five games are the same.
The lineup picks will range from some elite high-priced players to mid-priced options and value plays. I'll give you a few of my top pitching options and then some infielders, outfielders, and teams to stack. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Brayan Bello, BOS at OAK ($9,100 DK, $10,000 FD)
The A's have only scored 54 runs in the entire month of July and 12 of those were in one game against Detroit on July 5. They were shut out the next day. Go figure. Brayan Bello has a string of seven consecutive quality starts dating back to the beginning of June. In fact, he has not allowed more than three earned runs in a game since his season debut against the Angels on April 17 (he allowed five).
Bello's strikeouts are a tick under elite, but look at what Nick Pivetta did to the A's in the first game of this series. The A's are a young bunch of free-swingers that don't score a lot of runs. Expect Bello's quality start streak to remain intact tonight.
Sandy Alcantara, MIA at STL ($8,400 DK, $8,400 FD)
It's easy to forget just how good Sandy Alcantara was last year since he has been so bad this year. Is he finally turning his season around? Alcantara has allowed two earned runs or less in three of his last four starts. That other start was against the Braves, so allowing four to those monsters can be excused.
His strikeout totals have remained steady and the walks are inching downward. Alcantara still gives up too many hits, but he has done a good job of limiting damage. That's all we can ask for from our SP2 on a five-game slate when Coors is one of the five and two of the other games have pitchers that won't go more than three innings (Hudson and Waldichuk).
Others to consider: Brandon Bielak ($7,700 DK, $7,400 FD) at COL
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Triston Casas - 1B, BOS at OAK ($2,700 DK, $2,800 FD)
Triston Casas has a seven-game hitting streak dating back to before the break with three homers, five RBI, and eight runs scored in that span. Ken Waldichuk has been one of the worst pitchers wearing a major league uniform this season. His ERA is pure evil (6.66) and the WHIP (1.84) doesn't inspire good thoughts either. Waldichuk has been a touch worse against lefties than righties. This has me taking the hot bat of Casas and the savings over Justin Turner here, though no one in a Boston uniform is a bad play today.
Mauricio Dubon - 2B/SS, HOU at COL ($4,100 DK, $3,300 FD)
Mauricio Dubon is leading off with Jose Altuve on the shelf and his price doesn't really reflect it. It's a small sample size, but Dubon is 2-for-4 with a homer in his career against Austin Gomber. The Coors game only yielded seven runs last night, so I'm not sure this is a game-stack environment. Dubon is a nicely-priced leadoff man at a weak position in this game, so he'll be all over my lineups.
Jose Ramirez - 3B, CLE at PIT ($3,800 FD)
You can argue that Alex Bregman is the better play and I would have a hard time refuting that. However, Austin Gomber has been known to troll at home and those home stats are skewed by a nine-run implosion against the Pirates in April. He has only allowed six earned runs over 18 innings in his last three home starts against the Yankees, Tigers, and Angels.
Meanwhile, Jose Ramirez is 6-for-11 in his career against Rich Hill with two doubles and a homer. I still prefer Bregman on DK, but I can make a case for Ramirez on FD unless you're stacking Coors.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Anthony Santander - OF, BAL vs. LAD ($4,600 DK, $3,400 FD)
Julio Urias only allowed one hit against the Mutt...er...Mets last week, but that was his first truly dominant start since April. He has been all over the map this year even though the baseball gods (and Dodgers coaches) have given him good matchups this season with the possible exception of the Padres. He has been hammered by the Royals, Cardinals, Pirates, and Cubs on the road this year. You could put together an All-Star team from the hitters on those four teams and still not touch what the Orioles are going to throw out there.
Anthony Santander has reached base in every game since June 27. He is hitting .327 in July with three homers and seven RBI already, not to mention two of his three steals on the season have come this month. Righties are markedly better against Urias this year and in his career, so that's the place to attack with Baltimore bats.
Chas McCormick - OF, HOU at COL ($3,300 DK, $3,600 FD)
This is mostly a DK-only play since Chas McCormick's price is as high as Coors Field on FD. DK hasn't gotten the memo yet. McCormick is hitting .382 with four homers, nine RBI, 10 runs scored, and a steal over the last 10 games. He had a solid game last night at Coors and should be in for another with lefty Austin Gomber on the hill.
Dane Myers - OF, MIA at STL ($2,500 DK, $2,100 FD)
The rookie is hitting a cool .400 in his first 11 major league games with a homer and eight RBI. I spent a ton on pitching and Baltimore bats, so I need some savings. That's where Dane Myers comes in. Dakota Hudson throws mostly sinkers and sliders, which Myers has done well so far in his brief major league career. Jesus Sanchez doesn't hit either of those offerings well, so I'm siding with Myers.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Boston Red Sox vs. Ken Waldichuk
Ken Waldichuk has done better in long relief and after an opener, but he also has only thrown more than four innings once since May 19. Boston should get their shots at Waldichuk and against a worse-than-average bullpen afterward.
Waldichuk's splits are bad against both righties (.305) and lefties (.309). Masataka Yoshida has already homered off of Waldichuk this year. Adam Duvall smashes lefties. Triston Casas and Rob Refsnyder are great ways to save money for the other big bats on this slate.
Also consider: Texas Rangers vs. Zack Littell/Cooper Criswell
Zack Littell's ERA is a shade over six and Cooper Criswell's is a shade over five. Nathaniel Lowe and Corey Seager are favorites here, but Travis Jankowski is cheap and is on a tear starting against right-handers. Don't overlook him in your stacks even if he is buried in the bottom third of the lineup.
Sneaky stack: Baltimore Orioles vs. Julio Urias
Many are going to look at his game log and think he's back because of his performance against the Mets. Don't be so sure. Julio Urias didn't record a ground ball out in that game. Balls hit in the air at Camden Yards travel far during the summer months, even with the wall moved back. This will probably be a mini-stack like I did with the Orioles last night with Anthony Santander, Adley Rutschman, and Austin Hays.
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