DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (7/16/19): MLB DFS Lineups

July 16, 2019

The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on July 16th, 2019. Joel Bartilotta's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.

We have a fascinating slate ahead of us, as it’s actually one of the highest projected scoring days of the season. That means it’s imperative to find value and I’ll do my best to give you some cheap options.  

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 7/16/19. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too.

If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel

Today's Weather

We have rain projected in Philadelphia, Chicago, St.Louis, Colorado, New York, Cleveland and Baltimore, so be sure to check forecasts prior to submitting lineups. Wind doesn't seem to be an issue though, with no game projected to have winds higher than 10 MPH.

DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers

Jack Flaherty, STL vs. PIT ($7,400) 

Flaherty has been a big disappointment recently but he’s simply too good to be priced this cheaply. Dating back to last season, Flaherty is generating a 3.85 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, despite struggling recently. He’s doing that while posting a K rate just shy of 30 percent and it’s just a matter of time before his ERA lowers and his price rises. Facing Pittsburgh is not necessarily scary either, with the Pirates ranking 18th in both runs scored and xwOBA. In addition, we anticipate Flaherty entering this matchup as a –160 favorite.  

Zach Plesac, CLE vs. DET ($7,000) 

Man, it was tough to pick a second pitcher but Plesac is a great option if he toes the rubber for the Indians. He was actually sent down prior to the All-Star break because of a few bad outings but he’s in a great spot to succeed here. Before sliding in his last three starts, Plesac actually pitched to a 2.33 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over his first six starts. That sort of upside is huge against a lineup like this, with the Tigers ranked 29th in runs scored, OPS, K rate and wOBA. That’s why Plesac will likely be a –180 favorite in this game.  

DraftKings DFS Infielders

Josh Phegley - C, OAK vs. SEA ($3,300) 

This is the first of many Oakland bats, as DraftKings has these dudes way too cheap. Phegley is simply one of the best bargains on the board, with the righty catcher posting a .290 AVG, .532 SLG and .835 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor this season. That’s monstrous from a catcher and as you’re going to see later in the article, we want to get bats in there against Marco Gonzalez.  

Joey Votto - 1B, CIN at CHC ($3,500) 

This price is downright disrespectful. DK is pricing Votto like he’s still in that terrible slump that killed his numbers early on but he’s quietly one of the hottest hitters in the game. In fact, Votto is hitting .331 over his last 38 games while generating a .893 OPS in that span. That doesn’t even take into consideration that he gets the platoon advantage in his favor against a guy who had an ERA just shy of 5.00 at the minors this season.  

Jose Altuve - 2B, HOU at LAA ($4,000) 

This is yet another price that I don’t really understand, as Altuve has been raking over the last week. Over his last 10 games, Altuve is hitting .383 while posting a .992 OPS. What makes him intriguing here is that he gets the platoon advantage in his favor, with Altuve tallying a 1.264 OPS against lefties so far this season. All that would make one believe that Altuve's price is well above $5,000 with his absurd career numbers and we need to keep banking on him until this price inevitably rises.  

Nolan Arenado - 3B, COL vs. SF ($5,100) 

This is undoubtedly the easiest play on the board. Arenado has been absurd at home throughout his career and even better against lefties. In fact, the Rockies third baseman has a 1.209 OPS against lefties and a 1.068 OPS at home since the beginning of 2017. That means he absolutely destroys southpaws when they come to Coors Field and that’s scary for a guy like Drew Pomeranz, who’s pitching to a 6.42 ERA and 1.77 WHIP.  

Marcus Semien - SS, OAK vs. SEA ($4,300) 

If we like the A’s, we have to love their leadoff hitter. What’s impressive about Semien is the fact that he’s taken his game to another level this season, as he’s on track to set career highs in BA, OBP, SLG and OPS. That’s obviously fantastic and his .842 OPS against lefties this season only adds to his value. Marco Gonzalez is a guy we definitely want to exploit too, with the Mariners lefty pitching to a 5.28 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over his last 10 starts. 

DraftKings DFS Outfielders

Khris Davis, OAK vs. SEA ($3,400) 

Let’s cap off our Oakland stack with the best value on the board. We’re talking about a guy who leads the league in homers since 2016 and that truly makes this price mind-boggling. While he’s undoubtedly struggling, there’s no doubt that this dude is still one of the best power hitters in the game, which is evident by an ISO approaching .300 in that span. All that makes him a lock at this price but facing a lefty is simply the icing on the cake.  

Kyle Schwarber, CHC vs. CIN ($3,900) 

Schwarber has been too good to be priced below $4,000 and we have to like him atop this lineup. The Cubs are projected for more than five runs here and it’s really no surprise with DeSclafani’s struggles against lefties. The Cincy righty is allowing lefty bats to post a .376 OBP, .591 SLG and .396 wOBA against him this season. That’s particularly scary against a potent lefty like Schwarber, who’s posting a .494 SLG and .830 OPS against righties since 2017.   

Mallex Smith, SEA at OAK ($4,100) 

Smith has been doing serious damage since being moved to the leadoff spot and he’s always in consideration. Over his last 35 games, Smith is hitting .278 while collecting 24 runs, 17 extra-base hits and 11 steals in that span. That’s all you can ask for, especially considering he gets to face a righty who’s pitching to a 4.73 ERA and 1.43 WHIP this season.  

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