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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 7/22/21. Brian Entrekin's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
We have an 8-game main slate on tap tonight, and it should be a fun one. We have game 4 between the Giants and Dodgers, Manaea looking to dominate the Mariners again, Yankees/Red Sox and Cubs/Cardinals kicking off their rivalries, and much more. There are plenty of great spots for bats while still having some nice hitting situations.
The slate starts with which pitchers to build around. Do you pay up for Buehler, Manaea, and Maeda, or pay down and get all the bats. There is always value at-bats, but not as much as usual, and mostly resides in the outfield tonight. You could save on pitching with Flezen, Patino, and Quantrill, but that is not always the most comfortable situation. If you would like a full slate rundown, then listen to MLB DFS Quick Hits.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 7/22/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It’s also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @bdentrek.
DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Walker Buehler - P, LAD vs. SF ($10,500)
Buehler has been outstanding this season. Over his last 12 starts, dating back to May 17, he has a 1.75 ERA (3.15 FIP), with 18 runs and 75 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched. Buehler has not allowed more than three earned runs per start in any of the 12 starts and has only allowed three earned runs twice. The question is always how many strikeouts Buehler will rack up for you DK points, and he has nailed that of late. He has six or more strikeouts in six straight starts, including 11 K's vs. the DBacks. He has faced the Giants three times this season, throwing 19.2 innings, four runs, and 15 strikeouts. He has been dominant this year and brings a great floor to tonight's game. I will be rolling with a lot of Buehler tonight and hoping his increased K rate and the Giants 22% K rate versus RHP over the last 30 days pay off in at least 20+ DK points.
Charlie Morton - P, ATL at PHI ($8,700)
Morton has looked like an ace over the last month. He has made six starts and has allowed three runs or less in five starts with a 2.31 ERA (2.99 FIP). Most importantly, from a DK standpoint, he has been a strikeout machine. He has seven or more strikeouts in all six starts (47 K in 39 IP), good for a 30.5% K% and a strong 24% K-BB. Morton has been dominant of late, and that should continue tonight versus the Phillies. He has faced the Phillies three times this season, dominant in two starts, and got hit around in the last start, but has not faced the Phillies since May 7. Of course, the Phillies bats could pop off at any moment, and Citizen Bank Park is a live yard, so it makes Morton a GPP play only but makes him a really strong GPP play with the massive strikeout upside he brings to the table.
Other Options: Kenta Maeda (MIN vs. LAA) $9,000, Kwang Hyun Kim (STL vs. CHC) $8,100, Chris Flexen (SEA vs OAK) $7,600, Luis Patino (TB at CLE) $6,500, Cal Quantrill (TB vs. CLE) $6,200
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Luis Torrens - C, SEA vs. Sean Manaea ($4,000)
Torrens got the call to the bigs a little over a month ago, and he has been absolutely raking. In July, he has made 13 starts and has hit safely in 11 of the games. Torrens is hitting .300 over the stretch with four home runs and a solid 18.4% walk rate. His .350 ISO and 1.079 OPS is solid for the catching position. With numbers like that, you would expect the quality of contact to look good, and it has a 16% barrel rate and 48% hard-hit rate. Torrens faces Manaea tonight, and that could bode well as Torrens has hit .254 with a .424 ISO with only a .205 BABIP versus LHP this season. He makes for a strong catching option tonight and some cheaper options like Francisco Mejia and Torren's teammate Cal Raleigh.
Matt Olson - 1B, OAK at Chris Flexen ($5,900)
Olson has become quite pricey of late but has earned every price increase along the way. Over Olson's last 13 games, he has hit safely in 11 games with 10 extra-base hits with five home runs. He is hitting .333 with a .417 ISO and a 1.179 OPS. Olson is walking at a nice 14.3% clip, but the most impressive part is a 12.5% strikeout rate. That is insane for a hitter who usually strikes out 25% of the time. Olson is absolutely mashing, and if you needed more evidence, look at his 14.6% barrel rate and 51.2% hard-hit rate over the 13 game sample. Tonight he faces the righty Flexen, and that should bode well as Olson is hitting .284 with a .259 ISO and a .929 OPS versus RHP this season. Olson is super pricey, but the juice has been worth the squeeze of late and should continue in matchups like the one he has tonight.
Ozzie Albies - 2B, ATL at Matt Moore ($4,100)
Albies recent numbers don't jump off the page, but his DK production has been quite nice. He has only hit safely in six of his last 10 games for a .216 average but does have five doubles to go with seven runs and four RBI. Again, not jumping off the page, but still good. What is great about Albies because he is quite affordable as he hits clean-up for a team in an absolute smash spot tonight. Albies production has shown up in games where the Braves get it done. He goes as the Braves offense goes this season. Albies also likes facing LHP, which bodes well as he faces a very hittable Moore tonight. On the season, Albies is hitting .337 with a .303 ISO and a .995 OPS versus lefties this season. Enjoy the discounted price on Albies as he looks to have another big night tonight.
Gleyber Torres - SS, NYY at Tanner Houck ($3,600)
Is it time to finally believe in Torres once again? He brings a four-game hitting streak into tonight's game with three home runs over that streak. Torres has hit safely in eight of his last ten games good for a .257 average, a .314 ISO, and a .904 OPS. Torres is walking 10% of the time while only striking out 17.5% of the time. The quality of contact has been a concern all season, but he is barreling the ball 17.2% of the time with a 48.3% hard-hit rate over the ten games. INSERT IT'S HAPPENING GIF!!!!!! Torres gets a nice matchup versus Houck tonight and then the Sox pen, as Houck should not go too late. Enjoy Torres' decreased price tonight and in the coming days until DK finally raises it too much. It's the second half of Torres, so enjoy it while you can.
Manny Machado - 3B, SD at Zach Thompson ($5,500)
Machado has been having a strong season but is absolutely locked in coming out of the all-star break. He has hit safely in all five games since the break, hitting .421 with a .316 ISO. He has four extra-base hits with five runs and five RBI. His 1.192 OPS is not too shabby as well. You would imagine with numbers like this that the quality of contact would be solid; well, it's insane with a 31.3% barrel rate and 75% hard-hit rate. Machado is mashing everything, and that should continue tonight as the Padres head to South Beach. Fernando Tatis Jr. has been the man and the one everyone wants to play, but do not forget Machado, who has been absolutely mashing and racking up the DK points as well.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Randy Arozarena - OF, TB at Cal Quantrill ($4,800)
It had been a rough go for Arozarena, but he may just be breaking out. Over the last three games, he has been hitting everything hard, and the results have followed suit. He has seven hits in his last three games, including two doubles and three home runs. Arozarena has barreled the ball 36.4% of the time with a 63.6% hard-hit rate over the three games. The most impressive part is a maxEV of 110.5 mph and has had a maxEV of 105.4 mph or better in each game. He will face Quantrill tonight, which has allowed 17 runs over his last 24 innings while allowing a 10.7% barrel rate and 52.4% hard-hit rate. Randy should keep raking tonight and is not priced up enough just yet.
J.D. Martinez- OF, BOS vs. Jordan Montgomery ($4,400)
JDM is hitting over .300 this season with 20 home runs, yet it feels he is not getting the love he deserves. Fine by me, it just means we get to enjoy a discounted price as he continues to mash. In July, he has hit safely in 11 of 14 games for a .333 average. JDM has 11 extra-base hits, including four home runs, to go with a nice 14.8% walk rate. JDM is mashing, and his .392 ISO and a 1.125 OPS back up that claim. He is barreling the ball 13.2% of the time to go with a 57.9% hard-hit rate. So why is JDM not talked about much? He gets a great matchup tonight facing lefty Montgomery as JDM is hitting .292 with a .225 ISO versus LHP this season. The Red Sox are in a great stack spot tonight, and the outfielders JDM, Enrique Hernandez, and Hunter Renfroe all make for great plays.
Greg Allen - OF, NYY at Tanner Houck ($2,800)
There were other pricey picks I wanted to mention, but I figured I should give at least one value tonight. I wrote up Allen in my premium value article yesterday, and he produced another double-digit fantasy game. Since Allen was called up after the break, he has hit safely in all five games he has played in. Over those five games, Allen has three extra-base hits, has scored five runs, and has stolen a base in three straight games. As a result, Allen has scored double-digit fantasy points in three straight games and could be in line for another great one tonight versus Houck. The Yankees are obviously in play tonight, and they bring some values with the likes of Allen and Gleyber.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Los Angeles Dodgers (Anthony DeSclafani, RHP)
- GAME STACK- Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees (Tanner Houck, RHP vs. Jordan Montgomery, LHP)
- San Diego Padres (Zach Thompson, RHP)
- Sneaky Stacks- Seattle Mariners (Sean Manaea, LHP)
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