RADIO
Austyn Varney highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 8/13/19, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
Welcome to Tuesday baseball on FanDuel. We have 14 games on the main slate with plenty of pitchers and hitters to consider. Kershaw is the most expensive option and he has the best match-up on the slate. With that being said, there are plenty of other options to consider. There is a game in Coors Field, so we have to make sure we get exposure there.
FanDuel has gifted us with plenty of huge tournaments, including the $44 GIANT Grand Slam that will prize $50k to first with a $250k prize pool. No matter your ideal price point, FanDuel has a tournament for you. Let's get into this slate and find a top option at each position!
Be sure to also check out all the Vegas Odds for today's slate. 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, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @DFSVarney
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Clayton Kershaw - LOS @ MIA - $12,000
There are a few very viable expensive pitchers on this slate. We have six options over $10k and all of them have upside. It's fair to say Lance Lynn and Zack Wheeler are clearly in the second tier, but they still have K upside. Kershaw has the friendliest match-up of all, facing off with the Miami Marlins in one of the more spacious parks in baseball. Marlins Park has ranked 29th in baseball for power and the Marlins have double-downed with a league-worst .127 ISO. Kershaw has been phenomenal again this year, striking out 9.07 batters per nine and holding both righties and lefties to a sub .285 wOBA. Kershaw is going to go six or seven innings and has a better shot at a win than any other pitcher. He's worth paying up for in all formats.
Madison Bumgarner - SFG vs. OAK - $8,600
If there's a word to describe the 2019 Madison Bumgarner, it's consistent. He's gone seven or more innings in four of his last five outings and is still striking out close to nine batters per nine. The Giants will host the Athletics in Oracle Park, where Bumgarner has held a combined .304 wOBA against. The Athletics aren't terrible vs lefties, but they've certainly gotten progressively worse and we've seen a few lefties shut them down recently. It's tough to do much in this park and this is the time of year Bumgarner starts turning it on. He's too cheap on FanDuel and worth a serious consideration.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
C/1B - Paul Goldschmidt - STL @ KAN (Sparkman) - $4,100
Glenn Sparkman is one of the worst pitchers in all of baseball. He's given up 21 home runs in 93 innings and strikes out just 5.42 batters per nine innings. The Cardinals have been one of the best hitting teams in baseball recently and Paul Goldschmidt is a big reason why. He's posted a .434 combined wOBA since the start of July and has his wOBA against righties up to .335. He's up to 26 home runs and has finally looked like his old self. Glenn Sparkman is going to be lucky to last five innings and you can play any of these Cardinals in cash games or tournaments.
2B - Josh Rojas - ARI @ COL (Gray) - $2,000
If Josh Rojas is in the lineup for the Diamondbacks, he’s the easiest plug and play on the slate. The D-Backs called Rojas up after he has combined for 23 home runs and a .336 average through AA and AAA this season. He’s striking out just 15% of the time and walking nearly 13%. There is real upside here if Rojas can carry these numbers over to the majors. He hit the ball hard three times last night and has a great opportunity to get hot with his first major league action coming in Coors Field. FanDuel has made a mistake and kept him $2k, so he’s an easy play in all formats if in the lineup.
3B - Anthony Rendon - WAS vs. CIN (Wood) - $4,200
Anthony Rendon has been in my lineup exactly 100% of the time the Nationals face a lefty. He's one of the best hitters in all of baseball, and has his wOBA against lefties up to .417. He's hit seven home runs, eight doubles, and a triple in just 100 at-bats vs southpaws. Alex Wood faces off with the Nationals tonight, and he's only pitched 13 innings since returning from injury. The Nationals are projected to score five plus runs and Rendon is the best hitter on the team.
SS - Javier Baez - CHC @ PHI (Vargas) - $4,200
At first look, Jason Vargas has sported a .294 wOBA against opposing righties and is a pitcher you shouldn’t target. When you dig deeper (doesn’t take much), it’s clear just got bad he really is. Against righties, a .244 BABIP and 74 LOB% is hiding the 5.36 xFIP and 3.67 BB/9. The Cubs should wake him up and I doubt they come in very highly owned with the various offensive options. Javier Baez is another expensive piece, but he’s plastered lefties this season and is seeing the ball better than ever. He has 14 hits (7 XBH) in his last ten games and has posted a .432 wOBA vs lefties. Citizens Bank Park favors right-handed power and Baez will look to take advantage. He’s the top play at shortstop and won’t be over 20% owned.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Hunter Pence - TEX @ TOR (Pannone) - $3,700
Pence has quietly been one of the most consistent hitters in all of baseball this year. While the 17 home runs and 16 doubles are impressive in their own right, he’s striking out less than he has in years at just 20%. His wOBA is up to .395 against lefties with a hard contact rate over 35%. He’ll face off with Thomas Pannone tonight, who happens to be left-handed and one of the worst pitchers in baseball. He's given up a .346 wOBA to righties and has allowed seven home runs in just 40 innings. Pence is too cheap on FanDuel and makes sense in both cash games and tournaments.
Dexter Fowler - STL @ KAN (Sparkman) - $3,300
We’ve already touched on the Cardinals with Paul Goldschmidt at first base. They’re one of the top teams of the night and Dexter Fowler is a bit too cheap. Especially if we’re expecting him to be leading off. Glenn Sparkman is easily one of the worst pitchers in all of baseball, allowing a .375 wOBA to opposing lefties. He's also found a way to give up 15 home runs in just 49 innings of work. Fowler has sported a .361 wOBA over the last month vs righties and has shown some power. Fowler is worth playing in all formats.
UTIL- Kris Bryant - CHC @ PHI (Vargas) - $3,800
Let’s double down with the Cubs and go Kris Bryant at Utility on FD. Bryant has completely turned things around lately, accounting for 10 hits in just his last six games. His wOBA is up to an unbelievable .469 against lefties, putting him up there (4th) with Cruz and Machado. Jason Vargas has already started regressing in a Phillies uniform, allowing seven runs over his last three starts and failing to get a win. The Cubs are one of the top tournament stacks of the nights and there’s no way Bryant should be priced under $4k.
