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There's only one early afternoon game, but DraftKings has contests that will cover games all day, the late afternoon slate, or the evening slate.
As always, building your lineup around the right combination of pitchers is key. A few aces like Max Scherzer, Jose Fernandez, and Chris Sale are all on the mound. Of course, selecting two aces is difficult, so you'll have to look for good value as well.
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In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball MLB lineup picks for DraftKings on 7/23/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from high-priced to low-priced options and identify options who will out-perform their expectations, including sleepers and value plays on DraftKings.
DFS Lineup Stacks to Target on DraftKings
Colorado Rockies vs. Matt Wisler (RHP)
It's no secret that Coors Field is a popular place when considering players for a fantasy baseball lineup. With righty Matt Wisler on the mound today, the Rockies make perfect sense for a stack. Wisler has a 7.88 ERA in July and has been torched for 11 total runs in his last two starts. Colorado hitters, particularly the lefties, will make sure he doesn't enjoy his first experience pitching in the high altitude of Denver. Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon, and even Daniel Descalso are obvious choices today. Current Colorado hitters have a lifetime .429 average versus Wisler, making the Rockies the perfect stacking option today.
Boston Red Sox vs. Ricky Nolasco (RHP)
The Red Sox have been on fire in July and continue to be the top hitting team in the majors. Using a Boston stack will be difficult since so many Red Sox carry a higher price tag, but it's worth trying to fit as many in as possible today. Current Boston hitters have a lifetime .280 average with seven home runs off of him. Lefties David Ortiz, Travis Shaw, Jackie Bradley Jr.,and Brock Holt are good options to build a stack with.
DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider on DraftKings
Max Scherzer, WAS vs. SD - $13,100
If you're looking to spend big money on a pitcher look no further than Max Scherzer. He'll definitely eat a large portion of your salary cap, but for good reason. He's a dominant pitcher who can rack up strikeouts while not allowing many runs. Plus, he's on one of the best teams in the league, meaning there's always a chance to record a win. Scherzer has made three starts in July, and despite winning just one, he's allowed just two total runs in those starts. He pitched against the Padres on June 18 and allowed one run in six innings and struck out 10 while not factoring into the decision.
Collin McHugh, HOU vs. LAA- $7,100
This one doesn't jump out at you, but it's a home matchup with a lineup he's fared well against this season. McHugh is cheaper than several other options today, meaning it will be easier to afford a high-priced pitcher if you use McHugh as the pair. He was solid his last time out, pitching six scoreless innings while striking out 10 Mariners. Double-digit strikeouts is not the norm for McHugh, but he's capable of producing at least five on most days. He's made two starts against the Angles this season, failing to pick up a decision and allowing four runs in 13 innings of work. Current Angles hitters have a lifetime average of just .256 against him.
DFS Infielders to Consider on DraftKings
Catcher (C)
Tucker Barnhart, CIN vs. ARI - $3,000
Barnhart will be hitting from the right side of the plate today against southpaw Robbie Ray. That's good news for Barnhart, as he's batting .292 with two home runs as a righty. If you follow today's targets you'll be able to spend a bit higher at catcher if you don't want to take a risk on Barnhart. However, his .341 average in July and his two-game home run streak actually make him a smart sleeper play today.
First Base (1B)
David Ortiz, BOS vs. MIN - $5,600
As mentioned above, Ortiz is a great stacking option as well today. He's 4-for-13 lifetime against Ricky Nolasco, with three of those hits being home runs. Big Papi, despite saying he's retiring after the season, hasn't showed signs of slowing down and is having one of his best seasons in recent memory. He's hitting .327 for the season and has been one of the best fantasy producers all year long.
Second Base (2B)
Trea Turner, WAS vs. SD- $3,500
Turner's speed makes him a very valuable fantasy player, as he's already shown the uncanny ability to stretch doubles into triples. There's still room for improvement, but Turner has done very well in his stint with the big club. He's done well from a fantasy perspective as well, putting up double-digits in four of the last five games. Able to count at shortstop or second base, Turner is a smart target for today's lineup.
Shortstop (SS)
Jordy Mercer, PIT vs. PHI -$2,800
Mercer is likely to carry a low ownership number, especially in tournaments today. However, he recently had a six-game hit streak ended and has really upped his fantasy production. Three times in the last five games he has put up at least 11 fantasy points, raising his average to over six for the year. Mercer won't give you a big hit against the salary cap and can provide some very nice production as a cheap option at shortstop.
Third Base (3B)
Adrian Beltre, TEX vs. KC - $3,000
The veteran third baseman has struggled recently, hitting just .203 in July. Still, he's been a sneaky source of fantasy points, putting up double-digits in two of his last four games. Baseball is a numbers game, and he's put up good ones against today's starter Yordano Ventura. In nine lifetime at-bats he has four hits and three RBI. Beltre's price is very reasonable and can help you afford some of the more expensive options on this list.
DFS Outfielders to Consider on DraftKings
Daniel Descalso, COL vs. ATL - $3,400
For starters, Descalso can be put at either first base of outfield, allowing you some flexibility with your lineup if needed. The lefty has been a cheap source of production lately and is averaging over five fantasy points a game. He has two things working in his favor today. First, he's hitting .364 at home. Second, he has hit right-handers to the tune of .361 this season. Selecting Descalso in a favorable matchup at Coors will save you valuable cap space without sacrificing much in the way of production.
Ian Desmond, TEX at KC- $4,400
Desmond has definitely settled into his new home in Texas. He's hitting well above his career .269 average this season. He's got three home runs in the last week and is hitting .304 in July. He's averaging nearly 10 fantasy points a game and registered at least 24 fantasy points in two of his last three contests. He's not cheap, but Desmond has been very good to fantasy owners this season. Take him today and expect him to stay on his roll.
Howie Kendrick, LAD at STL - $3,400
Kendrick is on fire in July, hitting .403 in the month and enters today with a 14-game hit streak. He's only faced opposing starter Mike Leake twice in his career, but he has two hits against him. Kendrick has not recorded less than five fantasy points since July 5 and put up his second double-digit performance in four games Friday night.
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