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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 8/4/21. Euan Leith's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Wednesday, RotoBallers! As is usually the case for the middle of the week, we've got a split schedule on our hands. It leaves us with 11 games to occupy our evening slate and plenty of options on the pitching and hitting side. It all starts on the East Coast at 7:05 pm with divisional matchups between the Phillies-Nationals and Orioles-Yankees. Then, we get to end the night with a highly-anticipated contest between the Astros and Dodgers in Los Angeles at 9:40 pm.
On the pitching side of things, there are a few ways you can go maneuver around the slate. There are seven pitchers priced $9,000 or above, but I'm also intrigued by a couple of arms below the $8,000 mark. I can't write him up because I'm afraid I'll lose any shred of credibility in the DFS world, but even Matt Harvey caught my eye. He's got three straight scoreless outings, and the Yankees put up a 25.7 percent strikeout rate and a measly 62 wRC+ versus righties in July. It sounds crazy, but it might just work.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 8/4/2021. 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, find me on Twitter and ask away.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Shohei Ohtani - P, LAA at TEX ($9,500)
Ohtani is the fourth-most expensive on the schedule tonight, but, as per usual, he also has one of the highest ceilings. Since June, the two-way phenom is pitching a 3.30 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP and 28.1 percent strikeout rate, and this is all while he's crushing baseballs on a nightly basis. He struggled in two starts against Texas earlier this season, but he also struck out 16 batters over nine innings. Plus, he's gone at least six innings in eight of his previous 11 outings, and I feel confident he will provide a large amount of Ks with minimal damage against him. In July, Texas mustered a 74 wRC+ against righties, and they should struggle again on Wednesday.
Jon Gray - P, COL vs. CHC ($7,200)
Rostering a Rockies pitcher in Coors Field?! It may seem crazy, but it all comes together if you dig into Jon Gray's 2021. In 10 home starts, Gray has a 3.14 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 16.2 fantasy points per game. He will see a decimated Chicago Cubs lineup still recovering from a gutting trade deadline. The reason Chicago became sellers at the deadline was how much they faded in the summer heat. Since the calendar flipped to July, they struck out 25.2 percent of the time against right-handers and scraped together an 89 wRC+.
Other options: Lucas Giolito vs. KC ($10,700), Kevin Gausman at ARI ($9,700), Max Scherzer vs. HOU ($9,100)
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Eric Haase - C, DET vs. Eduardo Rodriguez ($4,800)
Haase has crushed baseballs all summer, but he was extra exceptional in July. The backstop took home the AL Rookie of the Month after posting a .265/.319/.627 slash line last month along with nine home runs and 29 RBI. He's improving over his previous 10 games with a 1.006 OPS and 10.9 FPPG. As a team, Detroit is destroying southpaws since July, and it should only raise Haase's floor as an expensive catching option.
Anthony Rizzo - 1B, NYY vs. Matt Harvey ($4,900)
I may have whispered about Matt Harvey's potential above, but I can't completely ignore the Yankees. Rizzo has five RBI in five games while rocking the pinstripes and has three multi-hit efforts to boot. Of course, a left-handed hitter in Yankee Stadium is always an attractive option. Still, Rizzo is adapting quickly to his new environment, and it's only a matter of time until he opens his home run account in his new home.
Brendan Rodgers - 2B, COL vs Alec Mills ($3,500)
A cheap piece of Coors Field exposure will always garner some attention, but Rodgers is in rare form at the moment. It makes his $3,500 salary particularly desirable. He's on a 10-game hit streak, and during the streak, he has a .310/.356/.667 slash line with six extra-base hits. Coors Field is popular any time it pops up on the schedule, but Rodgers allows you to grab some of that action without breaking the bank.
Jeimer Candelario - 3B, DET vs. Eduardo Rodriguez ($3,400)
I can't stress enough how much Detroit is destroying left-handed pitching recently. They are striking out 19.8 percent of the time and producing a 130 wRC+ versus southpaws over the last month, and I'm ready to ride the wave. Pairing Candelario with Haase or other Tigers gives you a nice mini-stack to build the rest of your lineup around. As for Candelario himself, he was riding a seven-game hit streak until last night but still has a .909 OPS over his last 10 games. I will have Candelario in several lineups at $3,400 in a lineup with such a good run versus lefties.
Dansby Swanson - SS, ATL at J.A. Happ ($4,200)
Swanson exploded the other night to raise all his averages and counting numbers, but he's been hot for a couple of weeks. Yes, on Saturday, he had two home runs and seven RBI, but, over his last 10 games, Swanson sports a .904 OPS with five extra-base hits, seven runs, and 11 RBI. I've targeted J.A. Happ all season, and it produces positive results more often than not. So I'm dipping back in the well on Wednesday and grabbing Swanson at his $4,200 price point.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Bryce Harper - OF, PHI at Paolo Espino ($6,200)
It's hard to fade Harper with the way he is smacking the baseball around right now. Over his last 10 games, the former MVP is rocking a 1.504 OPS with eight runs, six doubles, two home runs, but only four RBI. The .615 OBP is also mind-boggling. Paolo Espino is no match for the six-time All-Star, and he is feeling it at the plate.
Bryce Harper blows a kiss to the Nats fans after a solo shot ?
His 5th HR of the year vs his former team.
(via @Phillies) pic.twitter.com/Oq4UWxejhk
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 4, 2021
George Springer - OF, TOR vs. JC. Mejia ($5,600)
If going all the way up to Harper isn't an option for your roster construction, save $600 and pivot down to Springer. The former Astro is finally healthy and giving the Blue Jays exactly what they hoped for when they signed him this offseason. Over his last 10 games, Springer has accumulated 12 runs, seven doubles, four home runs, and nine RBI. All those numbers equal 14.3 FPPG in the same stretch, and I don't think a date with Mejia is going to slow this Springer train down anytime soon.
Andrew Vaughn - OF, CWS vs. Carlos Hernandez ($3,000)
The up and down rollercoaster known as Andrew Vaughn is on the up again, and I'm buying in. He's hurt me in season-long formats, but I've been pretty fortunate when I roster him in DFS. He's still stuck in the bottom half of the White Sox lineup, but their prolific nature provides Vaughn with plenty of counting stat opportunities. Over his last 10 games, he's up to a .343/.410/.600 slash line and has six runs, three doubles, two home runs, and five RBI.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox (Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP)
- Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals (Paolo Espino, RHP)
- Chicago White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals (Carlos Hernandez, RHP)
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