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Euan Leith highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 8/3/20, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
We start a new week with eight games on the main slate today. With several teams affected by COVID-19 last week, a lot of teams have not set their rotation and it's left a lot of uncertainty in the air for teams and their pitching rotations. However, there are still a few aces taking the mound on Monday. That will leave you with a decision to pair the aces with lower-priced hitting, or save some money on the mound and load up on some tasty bats.
A good place to start looking will be at Coors Field where Johnny Cueto and the San Francisco Giants visit Chi Chi Gonzalez and the Colorado Rockies. I'm not sure there could be a high enough number for me to take the under in runs for that game. We also have the Minnesota Twins welcoming Derek Holland and the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the way the Twins are hitting, it would be wise to have a least one share of that squad in your lineup.
In this article, I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel on 8/3/2020. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports too.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Mike Soroka - P, ATL vs NYM ($8,500)
If you want ace-like production but don't want to spend five digits on a pitcher, then Mike Soroka is your guy. Through two starts this season, he has pitched 11.1 innings with a 1.59 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and eight strikeouts. Soroka has already dismantled this Mets lineup this season. On Opening Day he threw six shutout innings. That was not a fluke either because he is now 4-0 versus the Mets in his first two major-league seasons. The 22-year-old seems to be a pitcher that will outperform his peripherals, and I expect that to continue against the New York Mets today.
Alec Mills - P, CHI vs KC ($7,000)
Alec Mills performed admirably in his first start of 2020 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He will look to build on that to tonight against the Kansas City Royals. Kansas City rank in the bottom-10 of the league in runs per game (4.22), OPS versus right-handed pitchers (.670) and in weighted On Base Average (.298). They also rank fifth in baseball with 9.78 strikeouts per game. I see Mills taking advantage of this weaker offense and providing daily players with a respectable strikeout total and a sub-one WHIP. The Cubs are also leading all of baseball with 6 runs per game. With that kind of run support and a steady arm, Mills should be in line to pick up a valuable win.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Luke Voit - 1B, NYY vs Jake Arrieta ($3,000)
2020 is Luke Voit's third season in New York, but it took him until this weekend to play in his 162nd game with the club. Voit has now played in 163 games with the Yankees and is averaging a .278/.382/.517 slash line along with 103 runs, 39 home runs, and 100 RBI. That looks a lot like a player you want on your fantasy team whether it be in daily or season-long formats.
Today, he will face Philadelphia and their projected starter, Jake Arrieta. Arrieta throws a lot of soft stuff and that's where Voit can take advantage. He has a .500 SLG and a .605 xSLG versus fastballs in 2020. Last season, Arrieta threw his sinker 55.5 percent of the time and gave up a .304 batting average and .474 slugging percentage on his favorite pitch. Factor in Yankee Stadium and I believe Voit has a great chance of hitting his second home run in as many games.
Nick Madrigal, 2B, CWS vs Brett Anderson ($2,000)
One of the top prospects in the White Sox organization, Nick Madrigal, had a little breakout game on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. Baseball America's 40th ranked prospect went 4-for-5 with two runs and one RBI to register his first successful day at the major-league level. Now, he will look to keep the good times rolling against Brett Anderson and the Milwaukee Brewers. Madrigal is a burner on the basepaths. He stole 35 bases across three different minor-league levels in 2019. It shouldn't take much longer for him to open his swipe account this season.
What also makes him a great play today is that he is a guarantee for playing time, which is not normally the case at someone priced this low. Tim Anderson is on the injured list, and Leury Garcia missed Sunday's game due to a personal matter. The upside for Madrigal was on display on Sunday, and I think a repeat performance could be in the cards for him to kickstart the week.
Trevor Story - SS, COL vs Johnny Cueto ($4,300)
When the Colorado Rockies are playing at home, you want some of that action. Trevor Story has kicked off the 2020 season at a phenomenal pace. He's averaging 19.8 fantasy points per game and is facing Johnny Cueto on Monday. Story has historically owned Cueto. In 19 at-bats, Story is 6-for-19 with two home runs, six RBI, and a 1.065 OPS against the right-handed veteran.
Sometimes you don't have to dive too deep to give a great hitting option. Story is playing at Coors Field against a pitcher he traditionally dominates. If you can afford him in your lineup, he is a great option to build around in Monday's contests.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Aaron Judge - OF, NYY vs Jake Arrieta ($4,500)
Aaron Judge is the hottest hitter on the planet right now, and, if it's in your budget, it would be a mistake to not build your offense around him on Monday night. You will have to make sacrifices to make it work, but it's more likely that he will hit a home run than not hit one at this point. The outfielder has cleared the fences six times in his last five games. In the last seven days, Judge has gone 7-for-19 with nine runs, six home runs, and 13 RBI. The man is on a ridiculous hot streak right now and could propel you to another winning lineup on Monday against Jake Arrieta and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Max Kepler - OF, MIN vs Derek Holland ($3,200)
There was outrage on social media this weekend when a broadcast showed a graphic comparing Aaron Judge and Max Kepler. Now maybe that is a bit of a stretch, but it can't be denied that the German has turned into quite the power source over the past two seasons. Since 2019, his 162 game average is a .846 OPS with 102 runs, 45 home runs, and 94 RBI. Those are terrific numbers for a leadoff man in front of one of the best offenses in baseball.
Take all that and wrap it in a package that takes on Derek Holland and I expect big things from Kepler on Monday. In 2019, Kepler actually had better numbers against lefties than right-handers. He batted .293 against them with a .880 OPS in 163 plate appearances. The 27-year-old does not cost as much as some of the premium hitters in today's slate, so he makes for a cheaper play if you are struggling for cash towards the end of your roster.
Ben Gamel - OF, MIL vs Carlos Rodon ($2,600)
Lorenzo Cain opted out of the 2020 season over the weekend, and that leaves a hole in the outfield for the Milwaukee Brewers. One that Ben Gamel will happily fill for the remainder of the 2020 season. For now, his price remains in the cellar of most hitters, but that could change if he continues his early-season trend.
The outfielder has been crushing the ball to start 2020. Of his eight batted balls, he has two barrels and an exit velocity of 91 MPH. Well above the MLB average of 88.2 MPH. Even though he takes on a fellow lefty in Carlos Rodon, I still like the value of Gamel. Several members of the Brewers commented in summer camp on how good his swing looked and manager Craig Counsell admitted that Gamel was earning more playing time. With that opportunity coming against Rodon, I like Gamel as a cheaper outfield play to kick off the week.
