Fifteen games scheduled, per usual, but we've got a matinee of sorts at Coors Field. The Rangers and Rockies get things started at 3:10 EDT, so if you'd like some Coors exposure, get those lineups in early. Of course, the main slate will start at its normal time, with the remaining 28 rosters at your disposal.
What can we learn from Vegas lines? For starters, let's look at the games with the highest over/unders - Rangers at Rockies (12), Yankees at Red Sox (9.5), Braves at Brewers (9), and the Rays at Blue Jays (9). As for positive park factors, the hitters with the best numbers in that department are the Rangers and Rockies hitters, the left-handed batters of the Braves and Brewers and the right-handed batters of the Rays and Blue Jays.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball MLB lineup picks for FanDuel on 8/9/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from high-priced to low-priced options and identify options who will out-perform their expectations, including sleepers and value plays on FanDuel.
DFS Lineup Stacks to Target for FanDuel
Chicago Cubs versus Jered Weaver
Vegas doesn't even have a run total projection for this game yet, but the Cubs being -240 favorites on the moneyline is pretty telling. This lineup is so powerful, there are a handful of ways you could put a lucrative stack together against Jered Weaver and his batting practice fastball. Wrigley is a great park for offense, and I particularly like their right-handed batters today, as Weaver has allowed a .367 wOBA and .523 slugging percentage along with his 1.66 HR/9. My favorite right-handed Cubs are Kris Bryant, Addison Russel and Jorge Soler. If you can afford him, Anthony Rizzo is a great piece of the puzzle, too.
Red Sox right-handed batters versus Luis Severino
Luis Severino may very well become a front-end starter someday. That time is not now, and tonight he has to go into a great park for offense and face a powerful lineup in the Red Sox. Severino has struggled to retire hitters from both sides of the plate, but he has especially struggled with right-handed batters. For the season, he's allowed a .383 wOBA split, along with a .543 slugging percentage and 2.41 HR/9. I'm jumping all over the right-handed batters that hit early in the order, such as Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts.
Also Consider: Braves right-handed batters versus Wily Peralta
DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider for FanDuel
Max Scherzer (SP, WAS) - $11,800
Mad Max has himself back on the right track after some uncertainty in the earlier parts of the season. Over his last 10 starts, he's exceeded his price implied value seven times, by an impressive average margin of more than eight points per game. Tonight, he has a good matchup against the Indians, who despite having a fairly strong wOBA split against right-handed pitching, also own a very high strikeout percentage north of 28%. The game is taking place in Washington, too, which is good news for Scherzer backers as he has performed brilliantly there this year. At home in 2016, he's allowed only a .17 batting average and a .247 weighted on-base percentage.
Chris Sale (SP, CHW) - $10,600
It's not often you can consider a five-digit salary pitcher a bargain, but such is the case with Chris Sale this evening. Despite outperforming his price implied value in seven of his past 10 starts, his salary has dropped $500 from his past start. Sale always has strikeout upside, and although the Royals don't strikeout much, the flip-side of that is that their offense is nearly devoid of power - they currently rank 27th in the MLB in home runs. Over the past 15 days, Sale has allowed a hard hit rate of just 20% and I think he's in for a good-to-great performance tonight.
Also Consider: Kenta Maeda (SP, LAD) - $8,800
DFS Infielders to Consider for FanDuel
Catcher (C)
Wellington Castillo (C, ARI) - $2,700
If you're like me and don't want to pay up for the catcher with the best numbers - Jonathon Lucroy - Mr. Castillo is a strong choice. He's most certainly a bargain and he's one of the rare catchers who displays power splits (.271 ISO) and a very high weighted on-base percentage at .381. Steven Matz is a solid starter, but he's given up a very high line drive rate over his past two starts. Hitters are squaring him up, and I think Castillo will continue that trend.
Also Consider: Jonathon Lucroy (C, TEX) - $4,300
First Base (1B)
Mitch Moreland (1B, TEX) - $3,700
If you're looking for Coors exposure without breaking the bank, Moreland is the first place you should look. He boasts a good wOBA split (.336) and a strong ISO split at .213. On top of the good splits and Coors effect, he has a super impressive 48% hard hit rate over the past two weeks.
Also Consider: Anthony Rizzo (1B, CHC) - $4,400
SecondBase (2B)
Dustin Pedroia (2B, BOS) - $3,300
Pedroia has been hitting the ball real hard over the past 15 days and tonight he faces a talented but mightily struggling rookie in Luis Severino in a good park for hitters. Dustin has great lineup order value hitting in the two-hole and his wOBA and slugging percentage splits - .366 and .468, respectively - are good numbers, especially among second basemen.
Also Consider: Jose Altuve (2B, HOU) - $4,200
Shortstop (SS)
Corey Seager (SS, LAD) - $3,900
Seager is one of the hottest and most impressive hitters in the game right now and there's no way I can pass on putting him in my lineup at this price with a good matchup. Seager has an amazing .406 wOBA split, a .238 ISO split, and has a hard hit rate of 44% over the past 15 days.
Also Consider: Adam Frazier (SS, PIT) - $2,500
Third Base (3B)
Pedro Alvarez (3B, PIT) - $3,600
Alvarez has been on a monstrous tear of late, exceeding value in all six of his games in the past week, by an outstanding margin of over eight points a night. Tonight, he and his over .300 ISO split are very under-priced. Oakland's park isn't great for hitters, but I have a feeling he and this Orioles lineup will pick apart Zach Neal.
Also Consider: Jung-ho Kang (3B, PIT) - $2,900
DFS Outfielders to Consider for FanDuel
Below is my all-value outfield with big-time home run potential tonight.
Michael Saunders (OF, TOR) - $3,300
Saunders is one of the rare hitters who has extremely strong lefty-lefty splits, as told by his .424 wOBA and .340 ISO. He hits right in the heart of this powerful Jays lineup and he could see numerous run driving opportunities against the roller-coaster that is Drew Smyly and his 1.5 HR/9.
Max Kepler (OF, MIN) - $3,500
Kepler has been a monster this season, and his hard hit rate for 2016 - which sits at 40% - certainly backs that up. Tonight, he and his .401 wOBA and .329 ISO split take on the home run prone Mike Fiers and his relatively low K/9 rate.
J.D. Martinez (OF, DET) - $3,400
JD is a complete bargain at this price when you consider all the factors. For one, he owns one of the best hard hit rates in the last half-month at 46% and matches up well with the struggling Wade LeBlanc. Martinez's splits in the power department - .323 ISO and a .626 slugging percentage - are huge numbers that make him deserving of consideration anytime he matches up with a southpaw.
MLB DFS Weather Report 8-9-16
Mark @MLBDFSWEATHER and mlbdfsweather.com has your morning outlook for today's weather. Click the charts for larger view.
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