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Happy Monday, Rotoballers! Seven games populate our main contests on DraftKings and FanDuel. It leaves us with a smaller than average player pool, but there's plenty to work with. It all kicks off on the East Coast with Toronto and Baltimore. And, if you're a night owl, Monday is your lucky day as four West Coast matchups will have us watching baseball well into Tuesday morning.
With those seven games comes 14 pitchers to pick between. Chris Bassitt and Zac Gallen stand out as safe options with good matchups. Blake Snell and Logan Gilbert fall into the risky category. Meanwhile, Yusei Kikuchi has burned me a couple of times too many for me to trust him in Baltimore, but I can understand if you want him in a tournament setting.
This article has daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 8/8/2022, Main Slate at 7:05 pm Eastern Time. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential. If you have questions or comments, find me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut and ask away!
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Chris Bassitt - P, NYM vs. CIN ($9,300 DraftKings; $10,400 FanDuel)
Chris Bassitt is getting the DFS results we want. It may not be via the bells and whistles of massive strikeout totals, but he's keeping it clean and pitching deep into his games. Over his last eight starts, the Mets righty averages 21.15 DK FPPG, and he's scored at least 23 DK fantasy points in three of his previous four outings.
Combine Bassitt's consistency with his matchup against the Reds, and you've got a perfect cocktail of DFS delight. Since July 1st, Cincinnati has slumped to a .668 OPS with a .144 ISO and a 27 percent strikeout rate against RHPs. They had a mini fire sale at the trade deadline, and they once again find themselves rebuilding. As a result, Bassitt is the safest play on the seven-game slate.
Zac Gallen - P, ARI vs. PIT ($7,900 DK; $9,600 FD) - Better on DraftKings
I love Gallen as an SP2 arm on DraftKings tonight, but I'll avoid him on FanDuel as Blake Snell comes in $200 cheaper. On the year, the former Marlins prospect is putting together the best season of his young career. Across 111 1/3 innings, the right-handed hurler sports a 3.31 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts. A 3.70 xERA and 3.74 SIERA show that the 27-year-old is having a legit year on the mound and is a trustworthy arm in our DFS lineups.
Gallen produces groundballs, limits hard contact, and is aided by a healthy BABIP. He'll face Pittsburgh on Monday. A team who, since July, has a .216/.289/.334 slash line against RHPs while striking out 24.8 percent of the time when facing them on the mound. Having Bassitt and Gallen in a lineup is a pretty safe cash game lineup on Monday, but combining one of them with Blake Snell or Logan Gilbert will provide enough upside in tournaments to give you a chance.
Also, consider - Blake Snell, Logan Gilbert, Jameson Taillon, Alex Wood
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Dan Vogelbach - 1B, NYM vs. Justin Dunn ($3,700 DK; $3,000 FD)
The Mets acquired Vogelbach at the trade deadline from the Pirates, and he's slotted in as the fifth man in the lineup for New York when they face a righty. Since he swapped teams, the power-hitting lefty is slashing .314/.478/.543 with five runs, two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, and 11 walks to 10 strikeouts. Of course, batting right behind the likes of Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso is never a bad thing. It only raises the ceiling for a bat like Vogelbach, who can launch one with a single swing.
DJ LeMahieu - 1B/2B, NYY at Logan Glibert ($5,100 DK; $3,500 FD)
I'm not a massive fan of the options at second base tonight, so I'm going big and grabbing the top guy in DJ LeMahieu. The Yankees table-setter is having a great time batting in front of AL MVP candidate Aaron Judge in 2022. His season-long OPS sits at .827, but over his last 10 games, it's spiked to 1.128. That's thanks to six multi-hit games where he's racked up three doubles and three home runs to accompany nine runs and five RBI.
Plus, the Yankees face Logan Gilbert tonight, a pitcher they just roughed up on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. Over 5 1/3 innings, the pinstripes tagged the young Seattle righty with seven hits, six earned runs, and three long balls. Gilbert's giving up a lot more line drives and producing less soft contact since the All-Star break. That could spell doom once again on Monday night.
Manny Machado - 3B, SD vs. Alex Wood ($5,100 DK; $3,800 FD)
Some picks are analytical, and some are based on vibes. Manny Machado falls under the vibes category on Monday. Despite a weekend sweep against the Dodgers, Machado assured us (in his own way) that he wasn't worried about anything. He's got his new running mate Juan Soto hitting in front of him, and Fernando Tatis Jr. is on a rehab assignment. So everything's coming up, Manny, as the Padres look to stay in the race for an NL Wild Card berth.
Fine, I can't just leave all of you with vibes. I have to provide you with some stats. Machado's rounding back into form in 16 games since the All-Star break. 12 runs, nine RBI, four homers, and a .814 OPS look nice in the box score too. Plus, his .258 ISO still has him ahead of newly-acquired teammate Brandon Drury despite people drooling all over the Reds infielder in July.
Elvis Andrus - SS, OAK vs. Jose Suarez ($2,500 DK; $2,400 FD)
If you're a seasoned DFS player, you know you've got to get down on your hand and knees sometimes and scrape together some value if you want to fit in all the big guys. Well, may I present Elvis Andrus of the Oakland A's? Since the All-Star break, the veteran's .357 wOBA ranks fifth at the position ahead of names like Trea Turner, Oneil Cruz, Bo Bichette, and Carlos Correa. Yet, he still finds himself priced at $2,500 and well worth a punt on a smaller seven-game schedule.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Daulton Varsho - OF, ARI vs. Tyler Beede ($4,100 DK; $3,300 FD)
If you're trying to catch hitters on a heater, look no further than Daulton Varsho. The Diamondbacks utility bat has been scorching hot since the season resumed and continues to bat in the heart of Arizona's lineup. In the last 14 contests, Varsho's compiled a .319/.429/.638 slash line with 11 runs, a double, a triple, four home runs, six RBI, and two steals. The players who collect fantasy points in multiple ways always get a bump in my book, and the 26-year-old is right up there in my DFS-lineup-building thoughts.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. - OF, TOR at Jordan Lyles ($4,000 DK; $2,900 FD)
I may say this every time I write a DFS picks article, but I love a leadoff hitter at $4,000 or below. Gurriel is right on the line with DraftKings, and I doubt I'll be able to pass on him. He's hitting at the top of a lineup in Toronto that's pummeling right-handed pitching, and Gurriel's not doing too shabby himself. The Blue Jays come into Monday's contest with a .827 OPS against righties since July 1st, and the entire team should prosper against Jordan Lyles' 5.00 xERA and 10.6 percent Barrell rate.
Austin Slater - OF, SF at Blake Snell ($3,600 DK; $2,500 FD)
I'm always tempted to give Slater a look in DFS when the Giants face a lefty. While he's not a "bad" hitter against right-handed pitchers, he prospers with a southpaw on the mound. His 137 wRC+ is propped up by his .281/.385/.438 slash line and 68 percent of his extra-base hits in 2022 have come versus a lefty. So if you need to save some cash, Slater is one of my preferred value targets.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
New York Mets vs. Cincinnati Reds (Justin Dunn, RHP)
- The usual studs: Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Starling Marte
- Tyler Naquin, OF ($4,500 DK; $2,900 FD)
- Jeff McNeil, 2B ($4,400 DK; $2,800 FD)
Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles (Jordan Lyles, RHP)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B ($6,200 DK; $4,300 FD)
- Teoscar Hernandez, OF ($4,600 DK; $3,800 FD)
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF ($4,000 DK; $2,900 FD)
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