RADIO
Happy Tuesday, RotoBallers! Today is the trade deadline, so it's really important to check those lineups before you lock in your DFS squads. There are 11 games on the featured slate, so there are 22 teams to make sure there are no outlier lineup configurations. With players moving left, right, and center, a DFS gem could suddenly be atop a lineup for not a lot of salary.
Robbie Ray returned to the mound against the Dodgers with eight strikeouts over five innings. Next, he gets the Oakland A's, which most people will automatically think is an easy matchup. Well, not so fast! Oakland has the second-highest OPS and third-highest wOBA versus left-handed hurlers over the last month, so it could be a sneaky play to invest some of your salary in Oakland for this edition of the Battle of the Bay.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 7/30/2024 and the slate locking at 7:10 p.m. EDT. The lineup picks 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 here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential.
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Justin Steele - LHP, CHC at Reds ($8.8K DraftKings; $9.0K FanDuel)
It's looking like a solid slate to go cheaper at starting pitching and load up on Tuesday's bats. Justin Steele can kickstart that trend against Cincinnati. Since June 30, the Reds own the fifth-highest strikeout rate (28.7%) to southpaws along with the fourth-lowest OPS (.627) and wOBA (.273). Steele hasn't come out of the break firing on all cylinders (seven earned runs in 10 innings), but the fourth-year starter is still on his way to a productive season. Over 16 starts, the Cubs' lefty has a 3.08 ERA, a career-low 1.06 WHIP, and 91 strikeouts in 96.1 innings.
Michael Wacha - RHP, KC vs. White Sox ($8.7K DK; $9.1K FD)
Rostering Michael Wacha won't get any yelps of excitement from fellow DFS managers, but he has the matchup to get the job done on Tuesday's slate. The veteran right-hander has at least six strikeouts in three of his previous five starts, and that will play up versus a swing-happy White Sox squad. In July, Chicago has the second-highest strikeout rate to RHPs (26.8%) while also owning the league-low numbers in OPS (.572), wOBA (.252), and wRC+ (60).
Also consider: Robbie Ray vs. OAK, Max Scherzer at STL, Tyler Glasnow at SD, Hunter Brown vs. PIT
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
David Villar - 1B, SF vs. JP Sears ($2.4K DK; $2.4K FD)
With a southpaw on the mound, David Villar will get the starting nod in the Giants lineup. San Francisco called up the 27-year-old after Wilmer Flores (knee) went on the IL. In the last three games against a left-handed hurler, Villar has hit fifth, sixth, and seventh. We want him to hit higher in the order, but this is still a value play to lean on if you need to save some extra salary on Tuesday's 11-game slate. Since returning to the big leagues, Villar is 3-for-16 with a run and a double.
Ketel Marte - 2B, ARI vs. Patrick Corbin ($5.5K DK; $3.8K FD)
Ketel Marte is having a great 2024 campaign but has turned up the heat since the All-Star break. Over his last 10 games, the Diamondbacks second baseman sports a .371/.429/.829 slash line with nine runs, 14 RBI, and six extra-base hits (five home runs), averaging 18.33 FanDuel PPG. Tuesday's matchup will be good for Marte because he's had previous success versus Patrick Corbin. In 12 career at-bats versus the Nationals lefty, the 30-year-old has a 1.462 OPS thanks to five hits, a double, and two home runs.
This just got interesting! 😬 pic.twitter.com/FTspAqWFGO
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 30, 2024
Royce Lewis - 3B, MIN at Sean Manaea ($5.2K DK; $3.5K FD)
In one of my DFS articles earlier in the year, I said that when Royce Lewis is healthy, he will always be a DFS option. Unfortunately, the oft-injured star can't seem to stay on the field. The Twins third baseman has only played 28 games this season but has a sparkling 1.021 OPS when he does see the field. He's also picked up right where he left off since he returned on July 26. Lewis is 3-for-12 with a run, two RBI, a double, and a home run in his last three games.
Also consider: Michael Toglia, Gavin Lux, Dylan Moore, Brandon Drury, Bobby Witt Jr.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Shohei Ohtani - OF/1B, LAD at Matt Waldron ($6.6K DK; $4.8K FD)
We don't need to go into great detail about why Shohei Ohtani is a great DFS play. You can't go wrong getting a player with his type of ceiling in your lineup. The Japanese superstar has a hit in eight of 10 games since the All-Star break and multi-hit efforts in four of the last six games. He's the most expensive outfielder by a lot on either site ($600 on DK, $700 on FD), but he's worth the investment if you can make the budget work.
A Texas-sized home run for Shohei Ohtani!
118.7 MPH, 443 feet 😱 pic.twitter.com/Jr01NGDnWv
— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2024
Tyler Fitzgerald - OF/SS/2B, SF vs. JP Sears ($4.4K DK; $3.4K FD)
You can gain an edge by swerving players when they become trendy in DFS. Usually, Tyler Fitzgerald would be a prime example of this, but the form and the matchup are too good to turn down. Over his last 10 games, Fitzgerald is rocking a 1.557 OPS with 11 runs, 12 RBI, two doubles, a triple, and seven home runs. It's an absurd pace, but he'll have the platoon advantage versus Oakland's starter, JP Sears. It's worth noting that Fitzgerald is only SS eligible on DraftKings, but it's still pretty easy to find a spot in your lineup for the 26-year-old.
Tyler Nevin - OF/1B/3B, OAK at Robbie Ray ($2.6K; $2.4K FD)
The Battle of the Bay will produce some fireworks if Tyler Nevin can get a hold of a Robbie Ray pitch. Nevin's only batting .205 this season, but he's shown enough boom in the bat to come under consideration as a boom-or-bust play on Tuesday evening. In his last eight games, the A's batter has five hits. While that's not spectacular by any means, what he does with those hits is why he's a DFS play. Four of those five hits have gone for extra bases: three doubles and a home run. He's also part of a lineup swinging a collectively hot bat. Over the last month, Oakland has the second-highest OPS (.894) versus southpaws.
Also consider: Randal Grichuk, Mitch Haniger, Yordan Alvarez, Lawrence Butler, Tyler O'Neill
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
1. Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Patrick Corbin - LHP, WSH
Favorite Plays: Ketel Marte, Gabriel Moreno, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
2. Seattle Mariners at James Paxton - LHP, BOS
Favorite Plays: Victor Robles, Randy Arozarena, Cal Raleigh
3. Kansas City Royals vs. Jonathan Cannon - RHP, CWS
Favorite Plays: Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Hunter Renfroe
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