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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on August 1, 2022. Euan Leith's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Monday and happy August, RotoBallers! An important thing to consider for the next two days is the trade deadline approaching tomorrow night. There are a ton of big names circulating the league *cough* Juan Soto *cough* so we will see weakened lineups. Pitchers could also be scratched at the final second. All in all, keep an eye out for some last-minute changes.
Nine games occupy the main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel, so we've got 18 pitchers to choose between. Max Scherzer is the top option on both sites, but the case for the next best arm is intriguing. I'm looking at Luis Garcia versus the Red Sox, Mike Clevinger against the Rockies, or a highly-faded Logan Webb taking on the Dodgers. I don't trust any of the budget options below $7,500.
As always, this article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel. Monday's main slate locks at 7:05 pm EST on 8/1/2022. Also, check out the rest of the site, where you can read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential. If anything else comes up, feel free to ask me a question on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Max Scherzer - P, NYM at WAS ($10,600 DraftKings; $11,500 FanDuel)
Show me someone who doesn't believe Max Scherzer is the best pitcher on tonight's slate, and I'll show you a liar. Mad Max's 2022 campaign was interrupted by injury, but he's returned after a six-week layoff and looks as dominant as ever. In the five games since he came off the IL, the three-time Cy Young Winner sports a 1.39 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and a 35.7 percent strikeout rate resulting in 45 Ks over 32 1/3 innings.
Scherzer will face one of his former teams in Washington on Monday. The Nationals are playing under the dark cloud of Juan Soto trade rumors, and we may not see the young superstar start the week for Washington. But, without him, the team is in more trouble than it already is after a miserable July where they slumped with a .221/.298/.339 slash line versus right-handed pitching.
Luis Garcia - P, HOU vs. BOS ($8,600 DK; $10,200 FD)
Like his windup, the Luis Garcia ship has been rocking back and forth. Since June 10th, he's allowed two runs or less in four starts but at least four earned runs in three starts. While the swings in surface numbers are wild, the strikeouts stay steady. On the year, the 25-year-old holds a 26.4 percent strikeout rate, but it's ticked up to 30.2 percent over the last eight outings. He's racked up at least six strikeouts in seven of those eight games.
Fortunately, with the news about Boston willing to trade anyone except Xander Bogaerts or Rafael Devers, we could see a less intimidating Red Sox lineup tonight. In July, as the team slumped to an 8-19 record, the Fenway Park residents produced a soft-hitting .640 OPS, .284 wOBA, and .147 ISO. Combine those numbers with a 26.9 percent strikeout rate versus righties, and you've got a fantastic matchup for the rocky Luis Garcia.
Also, consider - Jon Gray, Logan Webb, Mike Clevinger, Brad Keller (cover your eyes)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Pete Alonso - 1B, NYM at Patrick Corbin ($6,300 DK; $4,100 FD) - Better on FanDuel
On DK, you need to find the extra $100 and pay up for Aaron Judge. However, on FD, if for some reason you want to avoid the inevitability of Aaron Judge, you can consider another New York slugger to build your lineup around. The fact that 26 home runs, 85 RBI, and a .883 OPS are regarded as a "quiet" season for Pete Alonso shows how high expectations have become for the first baseman.
Still, I believe the Polar Bear is living up to the hype. In the previous 10 games, Alonso's bashed four doubles and two home runs to accompany six runs and nine RBI. His opponent on the mound, southpaw Patrick Corbin, owns a 6.49 ERA, 5.71 SIERA, allows a 9.9 percent barrel rate, and sees 15.5 percent of his flyballs allowed clear the outfield fence. Don't forget about this other home-run basher in the Big Apple, especially on FanDuel.
Andres Gimenez - 2B, CLE vs. Zach Davies ($4,000 DK; $3,100 FD)
Maybe it's just me, but getting Gimenez at $4,000 feels like a bargain. On the year, the Guardians' second baseman is slashing .297/.360/.479 with 38 runs, 30 extra-base hits (12 home runs), 49 RBI, and eight steals. I love the kind of players who offer multiple avenues to gather fantasy points, and Gimenez checks those boxes. Plus, he and his teammates will face Zach Davies coming off a month-long absence due to a shoulder injury.
Last month, Cleveland produced a .279 average and .757 OPS against RHPs and struck out a minimal 18.2 percent of the time. As they continue battling for the AL Central crown, I have no doubts about the Guardians dispatching Davies and giving Gimenez plenty of fantasy-point-poaching opportunities.
Jose Miranda - 1B/3B, MIN vs. Tarik Skubal ($3,500 DK; $2,700 FD)
Miranda turned things around before the All-Star break, but he's been putting up a ton of DFS points since baseball returned for the second half of the year. The Twins' rookie has three three-hit games and three extra-base hits (two home runs) in his last seven outings. As a result, the infielder is working his way up the Twins batting order, and he's batted fifth in four of the previous five games.
Javier Baez - SS, DET at Aaron Sanchez ($4,400 DK; $2,600 FD)
It's not always pretty, but Baez has been getting the job done since the All-Star break. He's got 11 hits in 11 games, along with two doubles, a home run, and a steal. The former-Cubs star owns a .345 wOBA, the eighth highest among shortstops since the league resumed play. As I'm recommending Pete Alonso and another high-priced slugger today, I need to find somewhere to save money, and Baez, at $4,400 on DK, is one player I'm looking at to manage that task.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Aaron Judge - OF, NYY vs. Marco Gonzales ($6,400 DK; $5,000 FD)
I could give you 42 reasons to play Aaron Judge in DFS tonight, but I'm afraid he'll hit another home run before this article is published. So I'll leave you with a highlight from one of his four home runs from the weekend series against the Royals.
AARON JUDGE GRAND SLAM 🤩
This is his second home run of the night‼️
(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/N8zfQtqr4R
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 30, 2022
Jurickson Profar - OF, SD vs. Antonio Senzatela ($3,900 DK; $2,900 FD)
Any leadoff hitter below $4,000 gets a look in my DFS lineups. A leadoff hitter for the San Diego Padres against the Colorado Rockies becomes an almost-certain lock. It doesn't hurt that Jurickson Profar is also playing some prolific baseball. In his previous six contests, he's grabbed six runs, four multi-hit efforts, three home runs, six RBI, and one steal. Smash the San Diego outfielder in your lineups, and don't look back. You'll go far with Profar (I couldn't help it!).
Aledmys Diaz - 2B/OF, HOU vs. Nathan Eovaldi ($3,400 DK; $2,700 FD)
While Houston deals with some nagging injuries, Diaz is getting lots of playing time and making the most of it. The utility man has been crushing the baseball since the season resumed and is making a case to stick around in the lineup even once the Astros return to full health. Over his last eight starts, the 32-year-old owns a .355 average, 1.136 OPS, and 57.1 percent Hard-Hit rate. With those stats, it's no wonder how he's averaging 10.75 DK PPG during this stretch.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
New York Yankees vs. Marco Gonzales, SEA
- Aaron Judge, OF ($6,400 DK; $5,000 FD)
- Gleyber Torres, 2B ($4,800 DK; $3,200 FD)
- Josh Donaldson, 3B ($3,900 DK; $2,700 FD)
New York Mets at Patrick Corbin, WAS
- Pete Alonso, 1B ($6,300 DK; $4,100 FD)
- Starling Marte, OF ($5,700 DK; $3,800 FD)
- Mark Canha, OF ($3,500 DK; $2,500 FD)
San Diego Padres vs. Antonio Senzatela, COL
- Jake Cronenworth, 2B ($4,300 DK; $3,300 FD)
- Jurickson Profar, OF ($3,900 DK; $2,900 FD)
- Luke Voit, 1B ($3,600 DK; $3,200 FD)
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