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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 9/8/21. Euan Leith's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Wednesday, Rotoballers! The playoff push is in full swing for our nine-game slate. Rays-Red Sox, Blue Jays-Yankees, and White Sox-A's are just a few of the must-watch games populating our screens. Each contest gets a little more critical as we tick off the days in September, and the margin for error gets smaller and smaller for these teams. Managers will make more substitutions. They'll ride the hot hand and quickly pull the cold bats. Basically, be prepared for some strange lineups and frustrating in-game switches.
Nine games provide 18 pitchers to choose from, and there are a few heavy hitters on the schedule. Five hurlers are priced at $9,000 or higher tonight, but there are plenty of values on the hitting side. This could allow some squads to roster two of these $9,000 pitchers, and it's certainly something to think about. Many discounted arms make me nervous tonight, but I am ready to risk it for the biscuit and find some differentials at the SP2 spot.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 9/8/2021. 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, find me on Twitter and ask away.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Frankie Montas - P, OAK vs. CWS ($9,000)
It was between Montas and Nathan Eovaldi for the expensive recommendation in today's picks, but, ultimately, I went with the guy who's getting it done more consistently. Since the All-Star break, Montas is posting a 2.38 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 31.7 percent strikeout rate over nine starts. The A's right-handed hurler has at least six strikeouts in 10 consecutive starts, and he's cracked double-digits in three of those contests. Admittedly, he's walking more people recently (12 in five starts), but he's still getting the job done for us in DFS. In the second half of the season, Montas averages 23.5 fantasy points per game and provides some of the best floor and ceiling potentials among the 18 starting pitchers.
Vladimir Gutierrez - P, CIN at CHC ($7,700)
Maybe I need to seek help because I can't seem to quit Vladimir Gutierrez. Despite burning me in his last two starts (-3.6 DraftKings points combined), I find myself drawn to him as my SP2 arm against the free-swinging Cubs. I would've much rather recommended Nathan Eovaldi in this spot, but you can't always afford to roster two high-priced arms. Therefore, it's Gutierrez for me and, just like Michael Scott says, "I'm ready to be hurt again." Gutierrez showed us what he could do with a five-game stretch averaging 21.3 FPPG from Jul. 27 - Aug. 17, but he's fallen from grace since then. However, I believe he can redeem himself against the Cubs and their 29.9 percent K rate to righties since August. If he fails me again tonight, I'll quit Gutierrez for the season, but I can't resist one last roll of the dice.
Other options: Shane McClanahan at BOS ($9,700), Nathan Eovaldi vs. TB ($9,500), Adam Wainwright vs. LAD ($8,100)
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Travis d'Arnaud - C, ATL vs. Sean Nolin ($3,800)
You can certainly go the expensive route at catcher tonight (Salvador Perez -$6,000), but I'll grab the $2,200 in savings and roster another backstop with a recent power surge. Travis d'Arnaud has a hit in six of his last seven games as he looks to finish a somewhat mediocre 2021 campaign on a solid note. Over those same seven games, the former Blue Jays prospect has scored three runs, collected four RBI, and blast two doubles and two home runs. I like him as a discounted righty on lefty bat against Sean Nolin in Atlanta.
Ryan Mountcastle - 1B, BAL vs. Mike Minor ($4,300)
Things are beginning to click for Ryan Mountcastle in the second half of the season, and the results are catching up to the potential for the first baseman. In the second half, the 24-year old slashes .291/.344/597 with 11 home runs, 27 RBI, 24 runs, and a stolen base. His 11 home runs are eighth-most among qualified first basemen, and his .306 ISO only tails Joey Votto and C.J. Cron at the position. Mountcastle is another righty-versus-lefty matchup I like tonight as the Royals throw Mike Minor on the mound in Camden Yards.
Marcus Semien - 2B, TOR at Luis Gil ($5,000)
During an entire season of DFS, we can sometimes get bogged down in the nitty-gritty stats and miss what is sitting right under our noses. Marcus Semien is a prime example of this phenomenon. He is the sixth-most expensive second baseman on the slate, but he's cranked six home runs in his last six games and seems as locked in as ever. The infielder just broke the Blue Jays franchise record for most home runs by a middle infielder (38 on the season) and is closing in on the 40-home run benchmark. He's got three long balls in two games during this pivotal series with New York, and I won't put it past him to knock another one out of that Little League ballpark on Wednesday.
Bobby Dalbec - 1B/3B, BOS vs. Shane McClanahan ($3,400)
Last night, Bobby Dalbec produced his second two-home run performance in as many weeks. Against Tampa Bay, the infielder went 2-for-2 after relieving Rafael Devers at third and made quite an impression. He should get the starting nod over Kyle Schwarber at first tonight with a southpaw, Shane McClanahan, on the mound. Since Aug. 26, Dalbec has six home runs and 17 RBI and has a higher ceiling than most players sitting around his $3,400 price point.
Nicky Lopez - SS, KC at Matt Harvey ($3,700)
I'm old enough to remember when Nicky Lopez was the Royals infielder everyone wanted on their DFS roster, not this Adalberto Mondesi guy. While it was only two weeks ago when Lopez was the apple of the DFS community's eye, he hasn't gone away and is still producing modest DFS results. He has two hits in three of his last four games, and batting second in this Royals' lineup will only garner further good results against Matt Harvey in Camden Yards.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Nick Castellanos - OF, CIN at Alec Mills ($5,000)
Castellanos is making a lot of contact with the baseball recently, and when he does that, it usually travels along far. On the season, the soon-to-be-but-maybe-not free agent sports a .954 OPS with 27 home runs and 79 RBI, but he's even picked it up a notch in recent weeks. Since Aug. 18, the Reds' outfielder is slashing .348/.375/.638, and his .426 weighted On-Base Average is sixth among all qualified outfielders. In addition, Castellanos has a hit in seven straight games and collected multiple hits in four of those seven games. He's a high-salary, high-ceiling option, and I expect him to take advantage of the matchup with Alec Mills as he strives for the first 30-home run campaign of his career.
Adam Duvall - OF, ATL vs. Sean Nolin ($4,200)
If you would like a player on a six-game hit streak or a player on a five-game extra-base hit streak, then I've got the guy for you because Adam Duvall has both of these going on. Over his last six contests, the Braves outfielder is 7-for-22 with four runs, three home runs, a double, a triple, and nine RBI. He's batting right behind the devastating duo of Freddie Freeman and Austin Riley and driving them in every chance he gets. While a five-six stack isn't ideal in DFS, getting that with Duvall and d'Arnaud is an avenue to some cheap Braves' exposure on Wednesday.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. - OF, TOR at Luis Gil ($3,300)
It's not exceptionally often that rostering a player hitting sixth gives you an advantage in DFS, but Gurriel is proving to be an exception to the rule. Hitting anywhere in this Toronto lineup provides several chances to score fantasy points, and the outfielder is making the most of his opportunity. In his last six games, Gurriel is 8-for-21 with five runs, two doubles, a triple, two home runs, and 14 RBI. Those numbers are good enough for 14.8 FPPG, and at $3,300, Gurriel is too easy to fit into your lineup to pass up.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees (Luis Gil, RHP)
- Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals (Sean Nolin, RHP)
- Game stack: Kansas City Royals (Mike Minor, LHP) at Baltimore Orioles (Matt Harvey, RHP)
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