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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on August 24th, 2022. Juan Carlos Blanco's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Welcome back to another edition of the FREE DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks. As customary, we have an all-day ledger on tap Wednesday, and although DraftKings does not have a full-day slate, FanDuel does. Consequently, today's article will feature picks on both sites for games throughout the day, as even on DK, the suggestions will prove viable for someone playing one of the site's split slates.
It's a very strong day on the pitching front, with as many as four hurlers catching my eye and at least a couple of others that just missed the cut (Andrew Heaney, Logan Webb) also worthy of consideration. There are also some targetable pitchers taking the hill, so assembling some very appealing hitters and identifying two potentially profitable stacks was a fairly straightforward process as well.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 8/24/2022 that includes a FanDuel main slate locking at 12:35 pm ET. The lineup will range from some elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, find me on Twitter and ask away!
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Shane McClanahan -P, TB vs. LAA ($10,900 DK, $11,200 FD)
McClanahan has bounced back after a couple of rougher-than-usual outings, pitching to a 2.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 0.7 HR/9 across the 13 innings covering his last two starts. The usually dominant southpaw's strikeout rate has seen a downturn since the last start prior to the All-Star break -- he has a modest 7.8 K/9 in his last six turns overall -- but he has an inviting matchup on tap Wednesday against a team he's already dominated once this season.
McClanahan shut down the Angels on the road back on May 11th when Los Angeles was in much better shape than it currently is, firing seven scoreless innings while recording 11 strikeouts. The Angels have also been pretty punchless against southpaws on the road over the last two months of play, producing a 24.6 percent strikeout rate, .221 average, .284 on-base percentage, .278 wOBA, and -8.1 wRAA in that split. McClanahan has been very good at Tropicana Field as well, where he's pitched to a .199 BAA, .244 wOBA, 11.2 K/9, and 0.8 HR/9 across 90.2 innings.
Framber Valdez - P, HOU vs. MIN ($10,400 DK, $10,700 FD)
Valdez is in the midst of a dominant season that now includes a career-high 12 wins, along with a 2.72 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and career-low 0.4 HR/9. The left-hander comes in having displayed particularly impressive form in his most recent pair of starts, during which he's allowed just two earned runs across 14 innings while averaging a strikeout per frame.
Valdez's metrics indicate he's actually been a bit more hittable at Minute Maid Park, yet that's largely a result of one poor start against the Angels back in May -- he's allowed more than three earned runs on only one other occasion in eight other starts there. The Twins haven't been very threatening against southpaws on the road of late, either, generating just a .221 average, .296 OBP, and pedestrian .305 wOBA in that split since the All-Star break.
Other options: Kyle Wright - P, ATL at PIT ($9,200 DK, $10,400 FD); Brady Singer - P, KC vs. ARI ($9,200 DK, $9,500 FD)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Nathaniel Lowe - 1B, TEX at Jose Urena ($3,600 DK, $3,300 FD)
Lowe belted his career-best 19th homer of the season Tuesday night, and he currently boasts career highs in batting average (.292) and slugging percentage (.473). He also went into Tuesday's game already sporting a sizzling .375 average and .976 OPS in 21 August games. His powerful swing also makes him a natural for deployment against a pitcher like Urena, who's been hit hard by left-handed hitters throughout his long career.
Urena comes into Wednesday's start having pitched to a .308 BAA, .845 OPS, and .375 wOBA against left-handed hitters this season, as well as a 2.2 HR/9 and 6.97 FIP when facing them at Coors Field. Lowe's potent bat is certainly capable of exploiting such weaknesses, and even more so in August afternoon temperatures at Coors. The slugger has actually been excellent against southpaws, but he went into Tuesday night sporting a 24.6 percent line-drive rate, .329 average, .883 OPS, and .381 wOBA when facing right-handed hitters on the road.
Ty France - 2B, SEA vs. Anibal Sanchez ($4,200 DK, $3,500 FD)
*Note: I realized after putting together France's write-up that he no longer carries 2B eligibility on either site, but his matchup is appealing enough that I am leaving him in as a suggestion that can be played in a Utility spot at FD in conjunction with Lowe in the same lineup, for example. Meanwhile, as a pivot at 2B, I recommend Jean Segura (PHI) ($4,100 DK, $2,800 FD) vs. T.J. Zeuch, as Zeuch has allowed a .550 average and .627 wOBA to right-handed hitters.*
France has been in a fairly deep slump since returning from a stint on the injured list on August 5th, slashing an anemic .145/.203/.194 since that point heading into Tuesday night's action. However, France has still struck out a typically modest 17.4 percent rate during that span, and his .157 BABIP in that sample certainly supports the notion he's been the victim of some bad luck when putting the ball in play.
Even with his recent struggles, France continues to carry very impressive numbers in his home field of T-Mobile Park, having generated a .310 average, .894 OPS, .387 wOBA, and 12.9 wRAA there, including a .920 OPS and .395 wOBA against righties in that split. For his part, Sanchez has offered absolutely no resistance against right-handed hitters, allowing a .370 average, 1.284 OPS, .533 wOBA, and 5.8 HR/9 to that handedness on the road in a sample of 32 hitters, and a .328 average and .468 wOBA to righty bats overall in a larger sample of 77 hitters.
Nico Hoerner - SS, CHC vs. Miles Mikolas ($4,300 DK, $2,700 FD)
Hoerner makes for a likely low-rostered option to deploy in what is a tough matchup on paper against Mikolas, who suffered a walloping for the ages against the Rockies at Coors Field two starts ago (2.2 IP, 14 H, 10 ER), but who's otherwise putting together another quality season that already features the second-highest win total of his career (10). However, Hoerner is enjoying a breakout campaign of his own that saw him go into Tuesday night's action with a stellar .322 average and .796 OPS in 195 Wrigley Field plate appearances.
The 25-year-old has been especially effective against right-handed pitching at home, generating a .333 average, .828 OPS, and .363 wOBA in that split. What's more, he's also been effective in prior encounters with Mikolas, who he's tagged for a .400 average in 10 career plate appearances.
Then, Mikolas has been at his most vulnerable in same-handed matchups on the road, where righty bats have mustered a .252 average and respectable 20.3 percent line-drive rate against him, a split in which he's also pitched to a 4.58 xFIP.
Max Muncy - 3B, LAD vs. Adrian Houser ($4,400 DK, $3,500 FD)
The .192 average and .386 slugging percentage Muncy went into Tuesday night's game with are undeniably horrific by any standard, but they're not indicative of the slugger's recent body of work. Muncy's bat seems to finally be coming to life down the stretch, as he sports a .311/.409/.676 slash line with 13 extra-base hits (six doubles, seven home runs) and 16 RBI over his last 21 games.
Houser will be coming off the injured list for this start after being sidelined with an elbow issue since June 30th. The right-hander had been struggling prior to his sabbatical, pitching to a 1-4 record, 6.88 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, and 1.9 HR/9 in his last seven starts. Houser has also been tormented by left-handed hitters on the road all season, conceding a .365 average, .436 wOBA, 1.6 HR/9, and 4.97 FIP in that split.
Other options: Alejandro Kirk, TOR at Rich Hill ($4,500 DK, $2,900 FD); Rafael Devers, BOS vs. Jose Berrios ($5,900 DK, $3,700 FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Cedric Mullins - BAL vs. Lucas Giolito ($5,100 DK, $2,800 FD)
Mullins checked into Tuesday's game swinging a hot bat, as he'd forged a .333 average and 1.011 OPS across his prior 10 games. The veteran outfielder has actually been a better hitter on the road, but he draws a good matchup against a talented pitcher that's notably underperformed this season in Giolito.
The White Sox right-hander has been hit much harder in same-handed matchups, but Mullins went into Tuesday with a .279 average, .850 OPS, and .360 wOBA against righties at Camden Yards. Giolito has been struggling overall in August as well, pitching to a .321 BAA, 6.30 ERA, .820 OPS, and .361 wOBA in 20 innings. It's worth noting Mullins has given him a heap of trouble in the past as well, tagging him for a .600 average, including two doubles and a triple, in 10 career plate appearances.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. - TOR at Rich Hill ($4,300 DK, $2,800 FD)
Gurriel entered Tuesday with a .299 average and .757 OPS, and he's been especially effective against left-handed pitching on the road with a .333 average, .814 OPS, and .353 wOBA. He draws a very favorable matchup against Hill, who has been hit hard most of the season at Fenway Park and has allowed a .327 average, .439 wOBA, and 2.5 HR/9 to right-handed hitters there.
Gurriel went into Tuesday night with a massive 30.6 percent line-drive and 41.7 percent hard-contact rate versus southpaws when traveling, which certainly helps explain his stellar aforementioned metrics in that split.
Additionally, he happens to be a very good hitter against what are Hill's two most-often-thrown pitches by far, the curve and the four-seam fastball; Gurriel has a .333 average, .843 OPS, and .371 wOBA against the breaking pitch, and respective .299, .776, and .343 figures in those categories versus the heater.
Randal Grichuk - COL vs. Martin Perez ($4,800 DK, $3,100 FD)
Grichuk has taken well to Coors Field and has always hit left-handed pitching well, making him an appealing option against Perez despite the veteran left-hander's excellent season. The veteran slugger went into Tuesday having eviscerated southpaws at Coors for a .408 average, 1.207 OPS, .510 wOBA, .366 ISO, and 220 wRC+.
Grichuk also happens to have very impressive career numbers against Perez's three most-often-thrown pitches, the sinker, changeup, and cutter, producing career wOBAs of .385, .346, and .331, respectively, against those offerings. Consequently, it isn't surprising he's been effective against Perez in past encounters, generating a .357 average and .833 OPS in 15 career plate appearances.
Other options: Teoscar Hernandez - TOR at Rich Hill ($5,000 DK, $3,300 FD); Julio Rodriguez - SEA vs. Anibal Sanchez ($6,000 DK, $3,800 FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
- Blue Jays at Rich Hill, BOS, LHP
- Mariners vs. Anibal Sanchez, WAS, RHP
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