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Juan Carlos Blanco highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 8/6/21, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
We have all but one of today's game on tonight's slate, giving us a robust player pool with plenty of intriguing plays all across the salary spectrum on this first Friday of August.
There's one very big name at the top of the pitching pool in Corbin Burnes, but he does draw a tough matchup against the visiting Giants. However, there are some appealing pivots -- including one in a locale not normally identified as pitcher-friendly -- as well as some questionable arms taking the hill that makes identifying some strong hitting candidates a fairly straightforward process. There is also a particularly intriguing Red Sox-Blue Jays battle at Rogers Centre that features a pair of talented starters, but that nevertheless leads me to one of my selections today.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 8/6/2021. 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.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
German Marquez – vs. MIA ($9,900)
Marquez has continued to demonstrate he was worthy of his first-time All-Star status following the Midsummer Classic, posting 31 and 43 FD points in his two second-half starts thus far. Zooming out further, the right-hander has posted at least 40 FD points in 10 of his 22 starts, and at least 34 in four other turns as well. He's been particularly effective in his home park, shaking off the hazards of Coors Field to post a 3.29 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and minuscule 0.5 HR/9 across 76.2 innings there. The visiting Marlins have yet to face Marquez this season, but their current bats own a collective .209/.266/.330 slash line against him in 57 career encounters, and Miami checks in with a middling .314 wOBA against righties since the All-Star break.
Potential Alternate Play
Chris Bassitt – vs. TEX ($9,800)
Bassitt is a very close second to Marquez on Friday's slate in my book, with the two righties almost interchangeable. Bassitt will be facing a mostly punchless Rangers squad for the fourth time this season, already having scored 37 to 52 FD points in his first three starts against Texas while posting an elite 0.86 ERA and allowing a .167 wOBA across 21 innings. Bassitt also owns a 2.70 ERA and 0.92 WHIP at home, while the Rangers check in with a 28.6 percent strikeout rate, .160 average, .517 OPS, -11.0 wRAA and .234 wOBA against right-handed pitching on the road thus far in the second half of the season.
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Anthony Rizzo - 1B, vs. SEA ($4,000)
Rizzo had a rare down game since joining the Yankees against the Mariners on Thursday, but he'd been red hot in a New York uniform with a .400 average over his first six games since arriving from the Cubs. Rizzo is right back in play Friday, however, as he gets another one of the same-handed matchups that he positively thrives in. Rizzo owns a .337 average, .982 OPS and .420 wOBA against left-handed pitching on the season, while Mariners starter Marco Gonzales has been very tough on lefty bats but has allowed a .280 average and .354 wOBA on the road overall. He's also undeniably run into some good fortune when facing left-handed hitters on the road, as indicated by the sharp contrast between his 4.63 xFIP and .130 BABIP against him in that split.
Jed Lowrie – 2B, vs. TEX ($3,100)
The switch-hitting Lowrie makes for some cost-effective left-handed exposure to Rangers starter Mike Foltynewicz, who's allowed a .291 average, .951 OPS and .398 wOBA to lefty bats, along with a massive 2.7 HR/9. Foltynewicz has also yielded a 41.1 percent hard-contact rate to left-handed hitters on the road, while Lowrie comes in having hit nine of his 12 homers on the season off righties on his way to a .329 wOBA against that handedness. Lowrie also owns a .329 wOBA at home and has enjoyed some success against Folty in the past with a .375 average and just one strikeout against the veteran in nine career plate appearances.
Nolan Arenado – 3B, vs. KC ($3,900)
Arenado gets a premium matchup Friday against Royals southpaw Mike Minor, who's allowed 18 home runs (out of 19 total) to right-handed hitters, along with a .333 wOBA to that handedness on the road. Arenado is certainly a dangerous foe, considering he's blasted left-handed hitters to the tune of a .319 average, .424 wOBA and 1.021 OPS, with all those numbers seeing a significant bump when he's faced southpaws at Busch Stadium. It's also worth noting Arenado has traditionally enjoyed plenty of success against Minor's most-often thrown pitch, the four-seam fastball, and he's also produced a .341 wOBA this season against the left-hander's second-most thrown pitch, the slider.
Bo Bichette – SS, vs. BOS ($3,800)
Bichette tangles with Nathan Eovaldi on Friday, who checks in with a .306 BAA, .367 wOBA and 1.4 HR/9 against right-handed hitters on the road. In turn, Bichette has thrived against righties in his various home parks this season, posting a .301 average, .857 OPS and .364 wOBA in that split. Bichette also has a .333 average against Eovaldi in nine career encounters, and he owns .343 wOBA in his career versus the four-seam fastball and a .427 wOBA this season versus the curve, the right-hander's top two pitches this season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Freddie Freeman ($3,700); Ozzie Albies ($3,600)
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Joc Pederson - vs. WAS ($2,900)
Nationals starter Erick Fedde has been bashed by left-handed hitters all season, especially on the road. Fedde has allowed a .321 average and .390 wOBA to lefty bats when traveling, along with a 1.4 HR/9. Pederson has hit .500 over his first eight plate appearances of August and has belted 12 of his 14 homers on the season off right-handed pitching. Whenever Fedde exits, Pederson will still have access to an excellent matchup, as Nats relievers have allowed a 5.71 ERA, .297 average and NL-high .373 wOBA to left-handed hitters since the All-Star break.
Michael Brantley– vs. MIN ($3,300)
Twins starter Bailey Ober may be on a limited pitch count Friday, but Brantley will have a good matchup both against him and the Minnesota bullpen. Ober has allowed a .303 average and .401 wOBA to left-handed hitters, and although a majority of his issues against that handedness have come at home, Brantley has been absolutely lethal against right-handed pitching. The veteran slugger owns a .368 average, .966 OPS and .416 wOBA against righties, along with an impressive 27.3 percent LD rate. Then, Twins relievers have allowed a 6.11 ERA and .348 wOBA to left-handed hitters over the last two weeks of play, furthering Brantley's chances of a strong return.
Nick Castellanos – vs. PIT ($3,500)
Castellanos gets a shot at young right-hander JT Brubaker, who's allowed a .358 wOBA and .841 OPS to right-handed hitters on the road, along with a 26.7 percent HR/FB rate. Castellanos already owns a .375 average against Brubaker in his career, and he's eviscerated right-handed pitching at his hitter-friendly home park for a .371 average, .478 wOBA and .371 ISO, as well as a 1.157 OPS, 32.4 percent HR/FB rate and 43.0 percent hard-contact rate. It's also worth noting the Pirates bullpen has been in particularly rough shape since the All-Star break, allowing a 5.84 ERA, .274 BAA and .360 wOBA over that span.
ALSO CONSIDER: Yordan Alvarez ($3,700)
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