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It's hard to fathom that we're already a week deep into what has been a tumultuous 2020 MLB campaign. Yet, here we are, albeit with a slate that has been slimmed down due to cancellations and early start times.
Factor in that two of the top pitchers on the day (Luis Castillo and Yu Darvish) will just miss the slate and we have a wide-open field. There are some desirable offenses up and down the slate (the Yankees particularly stand out), so let's take a look at some under-the-radar plays that will help owners put the pieces of their lineup together.
In this article, I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 7/30/2020. 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 too.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Dinelson Lamet - SD @ SF ($9,200)
Lamet’s return to the mound in his season debut against Arizona gave credence to the belief that he could be an elite strikeout pitcher on a start-to-start basis. As the second-highest priced starter on the board, there is likely to be some significant exposure on the Dominican righty who fanned eight in five frames his last time out. But with many other top starters faced off against offenses that have come out of the gates hot, Lamet has the advantage of facing a Giants squad that scored 13 runs through its first five games.
Ryan Yarbrough - TB @ ATL ($6,700)
After serving primarily as an opener during the 2019 year, the Rays appear to have taken the gloves off of Yarbrough in the early part of 2020. With few obvious edges on the pitching slate Thursday, Yarbrough will have to weather the stout Atlanta lineup, but his 5 ⅓-inning scoreless performance in his season opener against Toronto is too impressive to ignore. Don’t anticipate a pile of strikeouts from the Rays’ southpaw as he struck out at least six batters in just six of his 28 appearances last year, but his low FanDuel price allows for exorbitant offensive selection.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Gary Sanchez - C, NYY @ BAL ($2,900)
He may not yet have a hit in 2020, but the price tag has fallen so rapidly on the Yankees’ prolific slugger that he is difficult to ignore, even in FanDuel with extensive competition for playing time at C/1B. While not as notable of domination as that of teammate Gleyber Torres (more on him later), Sanchez also hammered Orioles pitching in 2019. In just 14 games, Sanchez amassed 10 home runs and 22 RBI, with a prodigious 1.354 OPS. Factor in that Orioles left-hander John Means is making his season debut and Sanchez has some serious stack and/or GPP intrigue Thursday.
Shed Long Jr. - 2B, SEA @ LAA ($2,400)
After getting the day off Wednesday, Long is likely to reclaim his spot atop the Mariners’ batting order Thursday. While the raw statistics out of the gate aren’t gaudy, Long’s speed makes him a fascinating commodity for his price tag. Even with just three hits in his first five games, the two walks and two stolen bases that Long has to his credit gives him upside with the Angels likely to have catcher Jason Castro behind the dish. Castro threw out just 19% of opposing base stealers last season, which could mean open season on the basepaths for Long should he reach.
Manny Machado - 3B, SD @ SF ($3,000)
It’s unlikely that Machado will face any Giants pitcher twice Thursday as left-hander Tyler Anderson was initially expected to open the game before appearing out of relief Wednesday. Machado scalded left-handed pitching last year, so while he has gotten off to a pedestrian start in 2020, facing the Giants’ ragtag pitching group could be the key to heating up.
(Owners looking to stack hitters may also consider Jeff McNeil here for a similar price against Red Sox left-hander Martin Perez.)
Gleyber Torres - SS, NYY @ BAL ($3,100)
Torres’ dominance of Baltimore pitching has been well-documented over the past two seasons. Despite a hitless performance in his first taste of Camden Yards on Wednesday, Torres gets a tantalizing showdown with Means on Thursday. While the Yankees’ shortstop has a prohibitive price tag on DraftKings, his FanDuel dollar value paves the way to slot him into lineups after mauling seven home runs and producing a 1.667 OPS in nine games on the road at Baltimore in 2019.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Whit Merrifield - OF, KC @ DET ($3,300)
Merrifield enters Thursday’s contest versus Detroit scorching hot. Following another two-hit performance Wednesday, his OPS sits at 1.223 through six games. Manning the leadoff spot in the Royals’ order, owners will potentially benefit from additional at-bats against a Tigers staff that has scuffled in keeping the Kansas City bats under control. Much like how Merrifield has historically dominated Tigers southpaw Matthew Boyd, he has similar domination of right-hander Ivan Nova, albeit in a smaller sample size; the two-time reigning American League hit leader has gone 6-for-10 off Nova in his career.
David Peralta - OF, ARI v. LAD ($2,500)
Despite being dropped in the Arizona batting order over the past two games, Peralta has a golden matchup Thursday against Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling. In 23 career matchups, Peralta has collected 10 hits, including five doubles, amassing a 1.123 OPS. Chase Field has not been kind to Stripling, who has compiled a 4.67 career ERA in 14 appearances at the park. While there are ample high-priced outfielders who merit consideration Thursday, Peralta is a fairly priced play worth giving a look based on career numbers.
J.D. Davis - OF, NYM v. BOS ($2,400)
Davis is my favorite play on the board Thursday when considering price tag and matchup. The Red Sox are expected to roll Perez out in their series finale against the Mets and Davis scorched left-handed pitching in 2019 to a .312 batting average with eight home runs in 142 at-bats. Figuring to hit in the top half of the Mets’ lineup against Perez -- who yielded five runs (four earned) against Baltimore in his first start -- Davis will look to keep swinging a hot bat at Citi Field where he hit .354 with a 1.078 last year.
