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We have a 15-game main slate on tap tonight, and it's a wild one. We have some top-end pitching options as well as some great places to target bats. We now have one less top-end pitcher with Gerrit Cole testing positive for COVID, but still plenty of other options with Buehler, Wheeler, Manaea, and some nice mid-priced arms. There will be awesome spots for bats, including Coors Field, which may be the cheapest I have ever seen lineups in that ballpark.
The slate starts with which pitchers to build around. Do you pay up for Buehler, Wheeler, Manaea, or pay down to allow expensive bats? Both approaches are very doable tonight. There are some nice pay-up spots for bats, but plenty of value in Coors, the Orioles, and a few other great spots. By position, the outfield has a ton of value as usual, but you can find some solid options around the diamond. For a full slate rundown and lineup building strategy, listen into MLB DFS Quick Hits.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 8/3/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It’s also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @bdentrek.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Zack Wheeler - P, PHI at WAS ($9,700)
Wheeler has been outstanding this season, especially when it comes to striking batters out. As we know in DFS, strikeouts are a currency that we strive to rack up. Wheeler has a 29.8% strikeout rate on the season to go with a 24% K-BB, which leads to some excellent production. Wheeler has also been going deep in most games this season, going six or more innings in eight of his last ten starts. Over those ten starts, he has allowed three earned runs or less in eight starts while striking out at least six in eight starts. He has been a consistent ace for the Phillies and those that roster Wheeler in fantasy. Tonight he gets one of the better matchups in baseball right now in the Nats. Over the past week, the Nats solid off many of their top players leading to some make-shift lineups for the time being. Wheeler should be in line for another quality strike with all the strikeouts. Wheeler is one of the top options, bringing some nice savings off Wheeler for your cash and tournament lineups.
Sean Manaea - P, OAK vs. SD ($9,400)
Manaea heads into tonight's matchup versus the Padres pitching like the ace many hoped he would be. Over his last 10 starts, he brings a 2.18 ERA into the game with a 3.08 xFIP. He has thrown at least five innings in all 10 starts, throwing six or more in six starts. Manaea is also striking out his fair share, striking out six or more in seven straight games and eight of his last 10 games. Tonight he gets a matchup in pitcher-friendly O.Co against the Padres. A Padres team that he shutdown for six innings with nine strikeouts over his last start. A Padres team that will also be without Fernando Tatis Jr. tonight. Manaea paired with Wheeler would be outstanding, but playing at least one of the two will be a top priority for me tonight.
Other Options: Walker Buehler (LAD vs HOU) $10,900, Hyun-Jin Ryu (TOR vs CLE) $8,700, Dylan Cease (CWS vs KC) $8,400, Kenta Maeda (MIN at CIN) $8,000, Luis Patino (TB vs SEA) $7,400
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Elias Diaz - C, COL vs. Zach Davies ($3,500)
Diaz comes into tonight's game in Coors swinging a hot bat. He has hit safely in six of his last 10 games with five extra-base hits, including four home runs. The Rockies catcher has been doing most of that damage of late on the road. Unfortunately, Diaz has also had this success with a .182 BABIP. He is hitting .250 with a .406 ISO and a .970 OPS, yet a .182 BABIP over his last 10 games. Just imagine when positive regression sets in for the player with a career BABIP of .275-.300. Tonight he faces Davies, who is allowing RHH to hit .273 this season and a .405 SLG. Diaz is a nice value for a Coors catcher, and I expect him to stay hot this week for the Rockies.
Ryan Mountcastle - 1B, BAL at Nestor Cortes ($3,200)
With the news of Cole getting COVID, the Yankees had to switch at starting pitcher, and for now, that appears to be the lefty Cortes. Cortes has been good of late but went five innings in his last start; that was the first time he has done that this season. He will face an Orioles team that had a ton of fun versus Andrew Heaney last night and will look to continue that once again this evening. That makes Mountcastle an extremely intriguing option, especially as a value at first base. Mountcastle brings a five-game hitting streak into tonight's game which has seen multiple hits in three straight games. Mountcastle has four extra-base hits over the streak, including two home runs. In addition, he has been hitting third or fourth for the Orioles, allowing for awesome run-scoring opportunities. On the season, Mountcastle is hitting .281 with a .254 ISO and a .863 OPS. Mountcastle, Austin Hays, Anthony Santander, and other Orioles make for a nice discounted stack yet again this evening.
Jean Segura - 2B, PHI at Patrick Corbin ($4,400)
Segura heads into tonight's action as one of the more quiet offensive studs in recent weeks. He has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, good for a .281 average. Segura only has one home run over that stretch but does have nine runs scored and 11 runs batted in. The Phillies lead-off hitter has been amazing when it comes to plate discipline by walking 11.9% of the time while striking out only 10.4% of the time. Segura has been locked in and gets an amazing matchup versus Corbin tonight. On the season, Segura is hitting .324 with a .171 ISO versus LHP. Segura and the Phillies are a great stack tonight as they take on Corbin, who has allowed 28 runs over his last seven starts (38.1 IP) with 10 home runs.
Kyle Farmer- SS, CIN vs. Kenta Maeda ($3,600)
Talk about white-hot since the all-star break. Farmer has been just that. He has hit 14 of his 15 games safely since the break with a .426 average, .311 ISO, and 1.216 OPS. Farmer has been mashing, collecting 13 extra-base hits, including three home runs, while only striking out 13.4% of the time. With all this success, the Reds have hit him third over the last four games. He gets a tough matchup tonight versus Maeda, but tough matchups have not stopped Farmer of late. If fading Maeda, who should be popular, enjoy the savings Farmer brings in Great American Small Park.
Austin Riley - 3B, ATL at Jon Lester ($4,100)
Do we get Patrick Corbin and Jon Lester on the same slate? Maybe there are nice things in this world after all. Insert Riley, who has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, good for a .405 average. He has flexed his muscle over that stretch with 10 extra-base hits, including 7 home runs. That is domination, and that leads to a ton of DK points. He is hitting .253 with a .169 ISO, which is the lowest of his career but is also on the rise in recent weeks. He will face Lester, who has allowed RHH to dominate him this season to tune a .318 average, .552 SLG, and 2.1 HR/9. The Braves make for a great stack tonight, and Riley should be one of the first pieces you plug in those stacks.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Starling Marte - OF, OAK vs. Blake Snell ($4,400)
Marte joined the A's four games ago and picked up where he left off with the Marlins, especially on Sunday, collecting three hits and stealing three bases. He is having a great season, period, and that should continue tonight. Since the all-star break, Marte has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, good for a .421 average. He has five extra-base hits and nine stolen bases since the break. He will face Snell tonight, who has struggled a ton on the road this season. Snell allows opponents to hit .302 with a .533 SLG on the road this season and gave up seven to the A's in his last start. Enjoy targeting Snell once again tonight.
Robbie Grossman- OF, DET vs. Garrett Richards ($3,100)
Grossman has been a fantasy machine this season, and especially of late. He has been hitting third for the Tigers and thriving, hitting safely in six of his last eight games. He has three extra-base hits over that stretch to go with a .231 ISO, but more impressive has been the plate discipline. Grossman has been walking 15.6% of the time, which allows him to set the table for the big guys. He is a great value in cash and a part of Tigers' stacks tonight versus the very hittable Richards at a super cheap price tag.
Jorge Soler - OF, ATL at Jon Lester ($3,100)
I mentioned Riley above, and we have another power-hitting right-handed hitter to target against Lester tonight. Soler has been swinging it well since the all-star break and come into tonight's game, hitting safely in five of his last seven games. He has four home runs over that stretch while also walking nearly 11% of the time. Soler's numbers look like a video game when you see a .400 average, .520 ISO, and 1.384 OPS over the seven-game stretch. The Braves are a top stack for me tonight, and players like Soler make them affordable. Pairing Soler with Riley, Ozzie Albies, Adam Duvall, and others will not be hard to do tonight.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Philadelphia Phillies (Patrick Corbin, LHP)
- Atlanta Braves (Jon Lester, LHP)
- Detroit Tigers (Garrett Richards, RHP)
- Sneaky Stacks- Oakland Athletics (Blake Snell, LHP)
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