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There will be no shortage of action with 15 games on the schedule Friday. There will be 14 games included in the main evening slates on DraftKings and FanDuel, with the matchup between the Pirates and Reds being the lone exclusion.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 8/23/2024, with the slate starting at 7:05 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.
Good luck, RotoBallers!
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Luis Castillo vs. SF ($9,800 DraftKings; $10,200 FanDuel)
Castillo wasn’t great in his last start, giving up four runs over 5.1 innings against the Pirates. That outing came on the road, where he has a 4.77 FIP and a 1.30 WHIP this season. At home, he has a 2.85 FIP and a 1.07 WHIP. This is a nice potential bounce-back spot for him against the Giants, who have struck out the 10th-most times in baseball.
Carlos Rodon vs. COL ($9,700 DraftKings; $9,700 FanDuel)
It hasn’t been the best of seasons for Rodon, who has a 4.34 ERA and a 4.46 FIP. One of his biggest areas of concern has been him giving up 1.6 HR/9. That might not be an issue against the Rockies, who have the fifth-lowest road slugging percentage in baseball. Also working in Rodon’s favor is that the Rockies have struck out the second-most times in baseball.
Hayden Birdsong vs. SEA ($6,600 DraftKings; $7,800 FanDuel)
Looking at Birdsong’s 5.01 ERA and 5.05 FIP doesn’t exactly instill a lot of confidence in him for DFS. However, it’s his 27.5% strikeout rate that we want to highlight. The Mariners have struck out the most times in baseball, so Birdsong is a viable tournament option.
Also consider: David Festa vs. STL, JP Sears vs. MIL
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B/3B, TOR vs. Jack Kochanowicz ($5,500 DK; $3,900 FD)
Guerrero is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now. Over his last 33 games, he is 51-for-125 (.408) with 13 home runs and 14 doubles. He has already matched his home-run total from last season and his .935 OPS is on pace to be the second-highest mark of his career. Kochanowicz, who had never pitched above Double-A before being called up, has a 1.65 WHIP over his first four starts with the Angels. This is a great matchup for Guerrero to remain hot.
Xavier Edwards – 2B/SS, MIA vs. Kyle Hendricks ($4,900 DK; $3,100 FD)
Edwards has only appeared in 46 games for the Marlins, but he has already stolen 21 bases. He has excellent command of the strike zone, posting a 12.9% walk rate and a 15.4% strikeout rate. That has enabled him to bat .345 with a .377 wOBA. Hendricks has a 1.42 WHIP, so Edwards could find himself with multiple opportunities to steal a base in this matchup.
Xavier Edwards plates Cristian Pache and the @Marlins are on the board. pic.twitter.com/LTYbiJWcnB
— Marlins Radio Network (@MarlinsRadio) August 20, 2024
Spencer Horwitz – 1B/2B, TOR vs. Jack Kochanowicz ($3,800 DK; $3,100 FD)
Horwitz has also shown to have a selective eye at the plate, posting a 10.9% walk rate and a 17.6% strikeout rate on his way to a .342 wOBA. He has also hit three home runs over his last nine games. While he doesn’t have the same upside that Guerrero does, he can still provide value at his reasonable salary.
Also consider: Bobby Witt Jr., Jake Burger, Ernie Clement
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Yordan Alvarez – OF, HOU vs. Cade Povich ($6,200 DK; $3,600 FD)
Injuries are forcing the Orioles to give Povich another chance in their starting rotation. He has struggled in his previous nine outings with the team, posting a 5.77 ERA and a 5.54 FIP.
Don’t be worried about Alvarez not having the platoon advantage here. He has a .222 ISO and a .428 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season. Also working in his favor is his .330 ISO and .462 wOBA on the road.
Jackson Merrill – OF, SD vs. Paul Blackburn ($4,700 DK; $3,400 FD)
Despite having never even reached Triple-A in the minor leagues, Merrill has played in 124 games for the Padres this season. He hasn’t looked overwhelmed in the slightest, recording a .198 ISO and a .342 wOBA.
He didn’t strike out much in the minors and that has continued in the majors, given his 18.1% strikeout rate. He will be facing a very hittable pitcher in Blackburn, who has a 1.39 WHIP and a 17.9% strikeout rate for his career.
Jackson Merrill drills his 18th homer of the year, tying for the most among all rookies.
The @Padres center fielder has the most hits (127), RBIs (71) and XBH (45) of any first-year player in the Majors. pic.twitter.com/i6LuqvobjS
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 22, 2024
Jesus Sanchez – OF, MIA vs. Kyle Hendricks ($3,300 DK; $2,800 FD)
Going back to the Marlins’ matchup against Hendricks, Sanchez is someone who could provide value. Two splits are working in his favor. First, he has a .781 OPS against right-handed pitchers, compared to his .399 OPS versus lefties. Second, he has a .782 OPS at home, compared to a .629 OPS on the road. The price is right to take a chance on him in tournament play.
Also consider: Aaron Judge, Teoscar Hernandez, Masataka Yoshida
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
1. Astros vs. Cade Povich
- Favorite Plays: Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Jake Meyers
2. Blue Jays vs. Jack Kochanowicz
- Favorite Plays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Spencer Horwitz, Ernie Clement
3. Yankees vs. Kyle Freeland
- Favorite Plays: Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres
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