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Happy Monday! Today is another solid day of MLB action for fantasy baseball players. There are a dozen MLB games on the slate for today, but the Mets and Twins have afternoon games that are too early for most of the MLB daily leagues and lineups. Note that the picks featured below are only from the 11 night games taking place tonight under the lights.
Everyday here on RotoBaller.com you can find plenty of fantasy baseball advice, including tips and picks for fantasy baseball daily leagues like Fanduel and DraftKings. You can also check out my daily picks each day at SportsReelBoston.com.
Here are my favorite MLB daily league lineup options for today. I tried to get a good cross-section of salaries, and recommended both high-budget and value options. Let me know how you're assembling your daily league lineups in the comments.
MLB Daily League Lineup Picks for August 19, 2013
Starting Pitcher
David Price (TB): Price had allowed just three runs in his last four starts before allowing four runs against the Mariners. Facing the Orioles, he should bounce back, even though he struggled a bit against them at the beginning of the season. The past three years he has gone 4-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 65 K in 64 innings against the Orioles. In those nine starts, he held them to a .191 batting average.
Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD): Hyun-Jin Ryu has been excellent in his first year in the majors, and will be tasked with getting the Dodgers back on the right path tonight in Miami. He’ll be matched up with Jose Fernandez, so a W won’t be too easy, but he should be able to continue his recent success against the lightest hitting team in the majors. In his last four starts he’s allowed a total of four earned runs on 23 hits in 26 1/3 innings. He has picked up 25 K in those starts and has gotten a win in his last five straight starts. Ryu beat Miami with 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball earlier this season, allowing just five hits while striking out three.
Jarrod Parker (OAK): Parker was excellent his last start allowing just a run in 8 1/3 innings. He’s been a bit erratic lately, but will be at home against Seattle tonight making him a solid start.
Bronson Arroyo (CIN): Arroyo has allowed more than three runs just once in his last eight starts. He gets the start at home tonight where he is 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA and a .245 BAA. He doesn’t pile up strikeouts, but is a solid value option against the D-Backs tonight.
Catcher
Carlos Santana (CLE): Santana looked good yesterday going 2-for-4 with a double, showing signs of emerging from his recent slump. He’s 6-for-12 with a double against Weaver in the past and should have a solid game tonight.
Wil Nieves (ARI): Nieves took a day off yesterday, so he should be back in there tonight. He’ll look to extend his eight-game hitting streak against Arroyo and the Reds. He’s filled in nicely while Miguel Montero has been injured, and comes in hitting .347 on the year with 21 RBI in 50 games.
First Base
Nick Swisher (CLE): Swisher is 6-for-18 in his last four games with a homer and a pair of walks. He is one of the Indians with a solid history against Jered Weaver: 6-for-28 with a double and a pair of home runs.
Kendrys Morales (SEA): Morales has been up and down this season, but is hitting .317 this month. He’ll face Jarrod Parker who he's 6-for-18 against in his career. Morales is a solid value option at 1B for tonight.
Second Base
Brandon Phillips (CIN): Phillips has hit in three straight going 5-for-12, and is hitting .281 in August. He’ll face Marco Estrada tonight whom he is 6-for-15 against, with a double and home run in his career.
Neil Walker (PIT): Walker has been heating up lately hitting .333 for the month with five RBI, seven 2B, and nine runs. He and the Bucs are in San Diego to take on Andrew Cashner, who he is 1-for-1 against with a double in his career.
Third Base
Evan Longoria (TB): Longoria has two hits in four of his last five games going 8-for-18 with four doubles and a pair of home runs. He’s fared well against Chris Tillman in the past, going 9-for-21 (.429) with three homers off him.
Alberto Callaspo (OAK): Callaspo went 0-for-10 in three games coming into yesterday, but went 2-for-3 with a homer against the Indians. In his career, he’s 4-for-7 against starter Aaron Harang with a double.
Shortstop
Troy Tulowitzki (COL): Tulo is 8-for-20 in his last five games with three doubles over that time. He has a good matchup against Phillies starter Ethan Martin as the Rockies visit Philly. In the last three seasons, Tulowitzki is 14-for-28 with four home runs hitting in Philly.
Grant Green (LAA): Green is one of the best value plays at any position today. He’s still at the minimum in Draft Kings but has had some success since taking over at 2B for the Angels. He and LA welcome the Indians to town tonight.
Outfield
Alex Rios (TEX): Rios has had a solid second half, and has hit safely in six-of-seven games with the Rangers coming into Sunday’s action. He has hit .308 in the second half, and is 1-for-3 against Jordan Lyles in his career. Rios is a solid pick if you want a big-name OF.
Wil Myers (TB): Myers has shown his potential in the second half, hitting .341 coming into yesterday’s play. Myers will be facing the Orioles for the first time, but has already become a lynchpin in the Tampa lineup.
Domonic Brown (PHI): Brown is 6-for-14 in his last four games and has picked up a pair of homers in his last eight. He’s heating back up and could be in for a big week, which starts tonight against Jeff Manship who has struggled so far, going 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA in his two starts this year with Colorado.
Justin Ruggiano (MIA): Ruggiano is hitting only .208 on the year, but is a notoriously streaky hitter and was 6-for-9 in his last three games with a double, two homers, two walks, four runs scored, and five RBI. He’s a solid value today and has hit better against lefties (like Hyun-Jin Ryu) all season.
Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS): Ells is way under-valued as he and the Sox go West. Before last night’s game, he was hitting .292 in August with 12 RBI and a pair of homers. He’ll face Tim Lincecum for the first time in his career tonight.
Shane Victorino (BOS): Another undervalued Boston outfielder is Victorino who snapped an 0-for-13 spell with a pair of hits Saturday. He’s 9-for-38 in his career of Lincecum with a home run, three RBI, and four walks.
Chris Young (OAK): Young is 7-for-24 against Mariners starter Aaron Harang with three homers. My guess is that he’ll be in the lineup tonight after going 2-for-4 last night with a home run, and going 2-5 with a run scored against Houston in his previous start.
Khris Davis (MIL): Davis has hit in five straight games going 7-for-15 with four runs scored, a double, and three home runs. He’s in a tough matchup against Shelby Miller, but Davis is a good enough value today to play even against Miller.
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As always, remember to check your MLB daily lineups before they lock and make sure you are doing your own research, too, for optimal performance! The most successful daily leaguers are grinders who are constantly tweaking their lineups as the day goes on and fantasy news gets released. Good luck today, RotoBallers!
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