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Juan Carlos Blanco highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 7/16/21, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
After an entertaining couple of days of All-Star festivities early in the week, baseball is back in what we hope will be full force Friday night, although the start of the Red Sox-Yankees series remains in peril due to New York’s team COVID outbreak. We also have weather threatening a couple of venues, and FanDuel does not have the second game of the Marlins-Phillies day/night doubleheader on its main slate.
We still naturally have a large player pool to work with, although finding trustworthy pitching isn’t a slam dunk by any means. The presence of some questionable arms does naturally make it easier to find viable hitters, however, and with a Coors Field game on the ledger, there are elevated offensive expectations for the night overall.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 7/16/2021. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Kevin Gausman – at STL ($10,600)
Gausman did not pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, so he’ll be on normal rest coming into this matchup. The right-hander fired a quality start two starts ago against these same Cardinals in his home park, allowing two earned runs over seven innings while recording eight strikeouts. Gausman has actually been at his most effective on the road as well, where he’s pitched to a 5-2 record, 1.35 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 10.1 K/9 and 0.5 HR/9 across 66.2 frames. It’s also worth noting only the Marlins were less intimidating than the Cardinals against right-handed pitching at home over the last month of the first half of the season, as St. Louis mustered just a .212 average, .290 OBP, -7.3 wRAA and .277 wOBA in that split over that span.
Potential Alternate Play
Marcus Stroman – at PIT ($9,100)
Stroman finished the first half of the season taking on the Pirates, and he allowed three earned runs on five hits over five innings while recording five strikeouts to Pittsburgh on Saturday. He’ll therefore head into Friday’s rematch with an extra day of rest and will be looking to improve on an impressive body of work on the road that includes a 2.85 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 53.2 innings. Stroman has scored at least 31 FD points in 11 of his 19 starts this season, with six of those coming outside of his home park of Citi Field, and he’ll be facing a Pittsburgh squad that owned just a .227 average, .300 OBP, .297 wOBA and -4.2 wRAA against righties at home in the last month of the first half.
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Jake Cronenworth- 1B, at WAS ($2,800)
Cronenworth will come into Friday’s matchup against Erick Fedde riding high off his first All-Star Game and having wrapped up the first half of the season with a solid .296 average and .869 OPS across his final seven games. Meanwhile, Fedde had a difficult time heading into the All-Star break, pitching to a 9.45 ERA, 2.18 WHIP and 2.7 HR/9 across his last three starts. He’s also had trouble with left-handed hitters this season, allowing a .274 average, .335 wOBA and 5.2 BB/9 in that split. In turn, Cronenworth has clocked 10 of his 12 homers on the season off right-handed pitching on his way to a .275 average, .353 wOBA and 125 wRC+ against that handedness
Starlin Castro – 2B, vs. SDP ($2,400)
Castro is an interesting value play on the other side of the Padres-Nationals battle, as he faces a right-hander in Chris Paddack who’s demonstrated a propensity for struggling significantly in same-handed matchups thus far this season. Paddack has allowed a .322 average and .389 wOBA to right-handed hitters overall, along with a massive 3.1 HR/9 when facing them on the road. Castro has hit for higher average against southpaws, but he’s been solid versus righties with a .262 average and very modest 13.9 percent strikeout rate when facing that handedness at home. Castro had also been wielding a red-hot bat going into the break, as he boasts a 14-game hitting streak overall and has produced a .500 average and 1.140 OPS across 11 July contests (43 plate appearances).
Justin Turner - 3B, at COL ($3,900)
Turner has enjoyed plenty of success at Coors Field and against Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela in particular, making the Dodgers slugger an excellent option if you’re paying up at third base Friday. Turner has also thrived in same-handed matchups on the road, where he owns a .327 average, .939 OPS, .408 wOBA and massive 162 wRC+. He’s also punished Senzatela for a .421 average over 20 career plate appearances and the Rockies’ right-hander has given up a .295 average and .356 wOBA to right-handed hitters at home, along with a 1.3 HR/9.
Marcus Semien – SS, vs. TEX ($3,900)
Semien is one of several Blue Jays right-handed bats that can be used to target Rangers starter Jordan Lyles, who’s given up a .313 average to righty hitters overall, along with a .384 wOBA when facing them on the road. Lyles did finish the first half on a strong run that saw him post four straight quality starts, but three of those came at home. Lyles has also given up a 2.7 HR/9 in that aforementioned split versus righties, and Semien boasts a .296 average, .960 OPS, .407 wOBA and .287 ISO against right-handed pitching at home this season, making him an ideal candidate to try and exploit Lyles’ weaknesses with.
ALSO CONSIDER: Trea Turner ($4,000)
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Ramon Laureano– vs. CLE ($3,500)
The Athletics will ring in the second half of the season facing the highly vulnerable Eli Morgan, who’s pitched to an 8.44 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over his first five big-league starts. The rookie right-hander gave up four earned runs over five innings to the Cubs in what has been his only road start thus far, and he’s particularly been poor in same-handed matchups. Morgan has given up a .364 BAA, .501 wOBA and 4.3 HR/9 to right-handed hitters, while Laureano has slugged 10 of his 13 home runs off right-handed pitching and boasts a 23.1 percent line-drive rate and .250 ISO in those matchups at home.
Mitch Haniger – at LAA ($3,600)
Haniger has generally been a thorn in the side of left-handed pitching this season, posting a .356 wOBA and .269 ISO versus southpaws, along with a robust 30.8 percent HR/FB rate against lefties at home. Haniger also wrapped up the first half of the season in fine fashion, hitting .400 with a pair of homers, including a grand slam, in his last four games. Meanwhile, Angels starter Andrew Heaney pitched to an 8.38 ERA, 1.7 1 WHIP and 2.3 HR/9 over the 19.1 innings covering his last four starts of the first half, and he’s surrendered a .257 average, .346 wOBA and 2.8 HR/9 to right-handed hitters on the road this season. He's also allowed a 25.0 percent HR/FB rate that dovetails well for Haniger’s purposes with his previously detailed penchant for getting the ball out of the park frequently when he puts it in the air against southpaws at Safeco Field.
Brian Goodwin - vs. HOU ($3,000)
Goodwin is going to be low-rostered on a large slate and in a matchup against Lance McCullers, but he makes for an intriguing tournament value play nonetheless. The lefty-swinging outfielder has punished right-handed pitching all season, posting a .333 average, 1.137 OPS, .472 wOBA and .367 ISO versus that handedness across 71 plate appearances. Meanwhile, McCullers’ most exploitable split is that against lefty batters on the road, where he’s yielded a .250 average, .390 OBP and .328 wOBA, along with a 5.03 xFIP.
ALSO CONSIDER: Hunter Dozier ($2,800)
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