RADIO
Get your week off to a great start with a big day today in Fantasy Baseball! Today's major league schedule has a total of 10 games with nine on tap for tonight. Since most of the daily fantasy baseball sites won't include the Rays-Royals game this afternoon, all my picks are for tonight's nine games.
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.
Each week on Monday, you can find my favorite MLB daily league lineup options. As usual, 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 at the bottom of the page.
MLB Daily League Lineup Picks for August 26, 2013
Starting Pitcher
Zach Greinke-LAD: Greinke has allowed a total of one run in his last three starts and has won each of his last four. His ERA for the season is down to 2.91 and since the All-Star break he’s 4-1 with a 1.88 ERA. This will be his first start of the year against the Cubs, who rank 27th in the league in batting average and 22nd in runs. On top of that, Greinke will be at home where he’s 6-1 with a 2.32 ERA on the season.
Anibal Sanchez-DET: Sanchez has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts. He’s won his last four decisions and pitched into the seventh in his last five. He’ll be at home, where he’s 7-2 on the year with a 1.92 ERA. He comes in with a .198 BAA (batting average against) at Comerica, and he already dominated Oakland in a start earlier this year, allowing three hits and a run with eight strikeouts in seven innings.
Zack Wheeler-NYM: Wheeler is on a innings limit, but that doesn’t matter as much in daily leagues. He’s gone 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA so far in the second half and has 21 K in 28 innings. He faces the Phils tonight at home for the second time this season. He struck out five in 4.2 in that start, although he did allow seven hits. Wheeler has been impressive lately, including striking out 12 Padres two starts ago.
Tyson Ross-SD: Ross got knocked around in his last outing against the Pirates, but turned in five quality starts prior to that including shutting out the D-Backs for eight innings on three hits. He’ll face the Snakes again tonight and is a solid value option as he takes the mound again at Chase Field.
Catcher
Wilin Rosario-COL: Rosario sat yesterday after going 0-for-7 following a run of three straight games with a home run. He has four homers in his last eight games and already has seven in the second half while hitting .294. He’s hitting .316 off lefties like Giants' starter Barry Zito, whom he is 5-for-11 against in his career with a home run..
Humberto Quintero-SEA: Quintero has hit safely in four of his last five starts and is hitting .260 on the season. He and the M’s host the Rangers and lefty Travis Blackley which should be a good matchup for Quintero who is hitting .313 against southpaws this season.
First Base
Edwin Encarnacion-TOR: Encarnacion has two homers in his last three games and 33 on the year. He’s hitting .301 since the All-Star break and has connected on four of his home runs against the Yankees. In his career, he’s 11-for-32 against Hughes with four doubles and a home run.
Josh Satin-NYM: Satin is hitting .375 off lefties, going 21-for-56 with a homer and six RBI against them this season. He’s 1-for-3 off tonight’s starter Cliff Lee and is a big-time value if he’s in the lineup tonight.
Second Base
Brandon Phillips-CIN: Phillips is having a nice month, hitting right around .300 and going 14-for-41 in the last ten games. This season he’s hitting .283 against the Cardinals including a solid 8-23 at Busch Stadium where he’ll play tonight.
Dustin Ackley-SEA: Ackley has hit in three straight and has gone 10-23 in his last seven games. He homered yesterday for just the second time this season, and has filled in nicely as the Mariners CF while still being eligible at 2B.
Third Base
Miguel Cabrera-DET: Cabrera is always a great pick if you can afford him. He’s hit safely in nine of ten games with four homers and 13 RBI in his last eight games. Against Athletics’ starter A.J. Griffin, he’s 2-for-2 with a double and a homer. Cabrera is a pricey pick who almost always pays off.
David Freese-STL: Frees is hitting a solid .281 this month with a homer and 13 RBI. Against Reds’ starter Mike Leake, he’s gone 7-13 in his career with a pair of doubles and a home run. He’s 11-for-35 against the Reds this season with four doubles, a homer, and eight RBI. He’ll look to continue his success against them tonight in St. Louis.
Shortstop
Jose Reyes-TOR: Reyes has a pair of hits in three of his last four games and is hitting .315 at home and .417 against tonight’s opponent the Yankees. He’ll face Phil Hughes tonight, whom he is 2-6 against in his career, with both hits going for home runs and three RBI.
Jonathan Villar-HOU: Villar went 3-for-4 yesterday although he was picked off and caught stealing. He’s 11-16 on the basepaths this season and will be ready to test the White Sox tonight. In his last eight games, he’s 11-for-31 with a double and a pair of triples. Villar faces Andre Rienzo tonight at US Cellular in Chicago.
Outfield
Matt Holliday-STL: Holliday has hit in five straight with four doubles and a home run over that span with a run scored and driven in in every one of those games. He has a nice history against the Reds scheduled starter Mike Leake going 9-20 in his career with three doubles.
Will Venable-SD: Venable has been heating up hitting .383 so far in August with seven home runs and six stolen bases. He and the Padres face Brandon McCarthy tonight and Venable is one of the hotter outfielders on the board tonight.
Austin Jackson-DET: In his last seven games, A-Jax has six multi-hit games and has gone 14-for-32 with nine runs scored, six RBI, and a pair of homers. He and the Tigers look to keep rolling as they welcome in the Athletics tonight.
Hunter Pence-SF: Pence has hit in three straight going 4-for-10 with a pair of runs scored and his nineteenth stolen base. Pence is having a huge second half with a .326 average. Against Juan Nicasio who starts for the Rockies tonight he’s 2-8 with a double and a pair of RBI in his career.
Jeff Baker-TEX: Baker has homered in two of this last three games giving him 11 on the year. Against the Mariners Joe Saunders who starts tonight, Baker is 7-for-16 in his career with a double and a pair of home runs. Expect Ron Washington to get Baker in the lineup for tonight’s game in the Pacific Northwest.
Kevin Pillar-TOR: Pillar went 1-for-2 against Phil Hughes in his previous appearances against him. He’s gotten the start in the last two Jays' games, going 3-for-8 with his first MLB homer.
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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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