FanDuel MLB Daily Fantasy Picks 7/31/19
Contents
MLB DFS is a high variance game, but one of the more fun fantasy sports to play. Cash games you want to find consistent high floor pitchers, and the same goes for hitters. Tournaments you want to find lower owned bats and pitchers that carry huge upside. This article will point you in the direction of both.
Pitchers
Jacob deGrom ($12,000) – The Mets come in as -187 road favorites against the White Sox tonight, who have the lowest implied total on the board at 3.4. The White Sox projected lineup has a 23% strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season, and we know deGrom can rack them up. He has the highest strikeout projection on the slate, which you’d expect from someone with a k-rate north of 30% this season. The price tag is the only thing weighing him down because it causes a lack of pay up options for hitters. However, there are a few names to work in with him that can give you some value. If you are looking to spin off more in tournaments, Mike Minor is worth a look at home against Seattle.
Cash Hitters
Brandon Belt ($2,800) – Brandon Belt has a casual .169 ISO and .343 wOBA off right-handed pitching this season. That won’t scream production, but his road numbers are far better than being at home. His ISO on the road is .209 compared to .114 at home. He also has a wRC+ nearly 40 points higher. Vince Velasquez has struggled with lefties, allowing a .358 wOBA and .248 ISO. Belt gives you home run upside in a strong hitters park, but also comes in below $3,000 to help you pair with a guy like deGrom.
Cesar Hernandez ($2,700) – Staying in the same game, Jeff Samardzija has allowed a .344 wOBA and .246 ISO to left-handed hitters. He is allowing a flyball and hard-contact rate north of 40% to them this season, which isn’t great against this team. Cesar Hernandez is a good contact bat, and another value to help pair with deGrom. He has a .350 wOBA and .146 ISO off right-handed pitching. While I’d prefer if Hernandez was hitting up top in the order, I can’t be too picky at these prices. He is a value from one of the higher projected scoring games on the slate.
Matt Duffy ($2,500) – There are a few names that pop out on the Rays side, and Avisail Garcia is another one if he finds his way back into the lineup. Overall the Rays values are all in good spots here because Rick Porcello is on the mound. He has allowed a .372 wOBA and .210 ISO to lefties, and a .331 wOBA and .187 ISO to right-handers. Both sides are in play tonight. Matt Duffy is a dirt cheap option at the hot corner. His numbers are pedestrian at best, but middle of the order guy in this game has some potential.
Tournament Hitters
Hunter Pence ($3,500) – With Wade LeBlanc now pitching for the Rangers, Hunter Pence is an interesting tournament option. He has a .317 ISO and .407 wOBA off left-handed pitching. Pence has had good numbers against lefties at times in his career, and this is the first time in a while he has put together a good season. LeBlanc is allowing a .346 wOBA and .203 ISO to right-handed hitters this season. Pence has good numbers off lefty cutters, with a .407 wOBA and he also has a .343 wOBA off lefty sinkers. Both are primary pitches for LeBlanc.
Anthony Rizzo (4,000) – Anthony Rizzo is a sneaky good pay up bat if you have the cash. He has a .420 wOBA and .257 ISO off right-handed pitching this season, and just a 15% strikeout rate. Miles Mikolas has been a lot more average this season compared to last. He has allowed a .371 wOBA and .200 ISO to lefties. Rizzo matches up well with a .222 ISO off curves, and a .370 ISO against sinkers. He also mashes fastballs of course, which is about all that Mikolas throws to left-handed hitters. This game should be overlooked given the implied totals are around four and two names that have limited damage are on the hill.
