RADIO
Welcome back to another edition of Sunday morning DFS picks and advice. I am your host, JB, and today we have a weather concern-free Sunday main slate that consists of 10 games on FanDuel and 12 games on DraftKings. DK knows we all prefer bigger slates, while FanDuel just doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks. In case you are curious, the extra two games are CWS-TEX and MIL-COL.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 8/20/17. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @RowdyRotoJB
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DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider
Jacob deGrom, NYM vs MIA (DK - $12,700, FD - $10,400)
deGrom is the top dog on today's main slate, and rightfully so. At home this season, he owns a 2.49 ERA with a 10.9 K/9. The last time he faced this offense, he struck out 13 batters in seven innings. The other thing he has going for him today is his performance in day games in 2017. Through five day starts, deGrom owns a 2.67 ERA and has only allowed two HR (33.2 IP).
Brad Peacock, HOU vs OAK (DK - $9,200, FD - $8,400)
deGrom may be the safest pitcher available on the main slate today, but you gotta love the ceiling for Peacock against the team with the second most strikeouts against RHP this season. Oakland has scored all of one run through the first two games of this series, and are hitting a combined .167/.271/.333 against Peacock. He has fallen off a bit since the All-Star break, but is still 10-1 with a 11.8 K/9. He has only pitched seven innings in one start this season, but reached the QS minimum in two of his last three. He is far from a safe option, but the K upside should provide enough points to be worthy of consideration in both cash and GPP contests, while freeing up 3.5K of salary on DK (2K on FD) to get those Astros and Dbacks into your lineup.
Luis Castillo, CIN at ATL (DK - $8,400, FD - $7,300)
If you are looking to save even more dough on pitching, or need a SP2 on DraftKings, Castillo is next man up on my list. The strikeouts have dropped significantly in the second half, 7.5 K/9 compared to 11.7 before the break, but the tradeoff here is keeping the ball in the park. He had surrendered five dongs in his first 23.0 IP, whereas he has now only given up four in his last 43.1. This will be key today pitching in SunTrust Park with that mysterious wind funnel. Despite the sub-optimal location today, Castillo has been terrific on the road this season, boasting a 2.48 ERA and 1.13 WHIP through six starts.
*Be on the lookout for who is starting at catcher for the Reds today. Castillo has been fantastic with Tucker Barnhart behind the dish, with a 2.66 ERA and .195 BAA.
DFS Infielders to Consider
Juan Centeno- C, vs OAK (DK - $2,500, FD - $2,200)
If you can get any human being facing Jharel Cotton for cheap, you don't ask questions. Over his last four starts, he owns an 8.27 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, and has allowed six bombs. Don't let his road splits fool you, he gave up six runs on 10 hits in just 4.1 innings in his only start at Minute Maid Park this season.
Paul Goldschmidt - 1B, at MIN (DK - $5,300, FD - $4,400)
Yes, the future 2017 NL MVP is amazing, and should probably always be in consideration for your lineups. Over the last month, he's rockin' a 1.202 OPS with 16 XBH. Through his 36 day games this year (ET), he is hitting .336/.414/.692 with 13 bombs. Today he faces the ageless wonder Bartolo Colon, who served up three long balls in his last outing. Today is a day that you need to pay up for Goldy.
Brad Miller - 2B, vs SEA (DK - $2,900, FD - $2,600)
Besides the major salary relief, there isn't much that would lure me into rostering Brad Miller. But Yovanni Gallardo is like a giant welcome sign. He has been just awful his last two outings, giving up 11 ER and four long balls over just 8.1 IP. This should certainly put some life into those cold Tampa bats, and if Miller is sitting atop of the order yet again today, well you aren't going to find a better value. For his career, Miller is 5-15 with two doubles and a triple against Gallardo.
Kris Bryant - 3B, vs TOR (DK - $5,000, FD - $4,200)
The other infielder that deserves every cent of his high salary today is Kris Bryant. Marco Estrada fooled me into thinking he had figured things out prior to getting shelled by Tampa Bay at home in his last outing. He is allowing a .287/.366/.503 line to RHB, and is 2-5 with a 5.33 ERA on the road. If any Cubs hitter is going to take advantage of the match-up today, its going to be KB. Over the last two weeks he is hitting .415 with a 1.257 OPS and has hit 15 of his 23 HR at Wrigley Field this season.
Marwin Gonzalez - SS, vs OAK (DK - $4,400, FD - $3,000)
Marwin is a much better value on FD today, as $3,000 is still just way too low for a match-up with Jharel Cotton. Against RHP at home this year, Marwin owns a 159 wRC+, .406 wOBA, and .302 ISO. Elite numbers, for a very moderate price.
Also Consider: Amed Rosario - SS, vs MIA (DK - $3,100, FD - $2,400) *DK Salary Relief
DFS Outfielders to Consider
Steven Souza - OF, vs SEA (DK - $4,200, FD - $3,300)
Souza sneakily owns the 10th highest ISO against RHP (.294) in the league, one point higher than Goldy himself. Gallardo, as discussed previously, is struggling mightily and allowing a .511 SLG to RHB. Souza will feast today.
J.D. Martinez - OF, at MIN (DK - $4,800, FD - $3,900)
JD is my favorite hitter for today's main slate. Not only because the man is rocking a .615 SLG this season, or even because Bartolo Colon will be throwing him BP. It is both those factors, plus the fact that he owns a career .312/.375/.495 slash with four HR and eight doubles at Target Field. He's heading back to the familiar foes of the AL Central, and once Colon gets bounced from the game, will enjoy the bullpen that's allowed the third most HR in the league also.
Lorenzo Cain - OF, vs CLE (DK - $3,500, FD - $4,000)
Phillip Ervin - OF, at ATL (DK - $3,600, FD - $2,100)
I have paired these two together due to their ridiculous prices on each respective site. On DraftKings, Lorenzo Cain is criminally cheap. In 30 career PA against Salazar he is hitting .357, is hitting .426/.466/.556 over the last two weeks, and is hitting .307 against RHP this season. Over on FanDuel, Phillip Ervin sneaks by their pricing model despite going 4-6 with a double and two bombs in their series at Wrigley and facing a LHP in the friendly confines of SunTrust Park.
Also Consider: Josh Reddick - OF, vs OAK (DK - $4,400, FD - $3,400) *Jharel Cotton effect + Marwin-esque numbers at home vs RHP: 155 wRC+, .401 wOBA, .230 ISO.
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