FanDuel MLB Daily Fantasy Picks 8/20/19

MLB DFS is full on in the dog days of summer. 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

Aaron Sanchez ($8,500) – Houston Astros

It wasn’t a great opener for the Astros, nor was it a great game for the Aaron Sanchez in his last start. Despite all of that the price has remained on the value side, as his new team quickly fixed Sanchez to be a viable fantasy option. It also helps that he is a monster favorite tonight, and gets a Detroit projected lineup striking out at a 23.7% clip against right-handed pitching. They also have a .302 wOBA and .142 ISO. Sanchez is a solid value who allows you to get plenty of bats in the lineup.

Cash Hitters

Wilmer Flores ($3,100) – Arizona Diamondbacks

Wilmer Flores has been on a roll, and also hitting against lefties very well again this season. He has a .300 ISO and .425 wOBA. He is on the cheaper side and fits a power need at second base. Kyle Freeland has been horrendous this season, allowing a .409 wOBA and .298 ISO to right-handed hitters. His strikeout rate is below 20% and he has an xFIP over five.

Nolan Arenado ($4,300) – Colorado Rockies

While we are not in Coors, Nolan Arenado is someone I want exposure too. I also like Trevor Story in tournaments. Both have mashed left-handed pitching in their career, but get overlooked on the road. Arenado has a .275 wOBA and .432 wOBA off southpaws this season. Story sits with a .391 wOBA and .238 ISO. Alex Young has over-performed this season, with a 5.44 xFIP and pedestrian strikeout stuff.

Anthony Rizzo ($4,200) – Chicago Cubs

We have the wind blowing out in Wrigley and also the Cubs are just in an enticing pitching matchup in general. Tyler Beede has allowed a .388 wOBA and .211 ISO to lefties this season, and has allowed a 47% hard-contact rate. Anthony Rizzo stands out as a pay up option, sporting a .240 ISO and .415 wOBA off right-handed pitching this season.

Tournament Hitters

Joc Pederson ($2,900) – Los Angeles Dodgers

Joc Pederson is a cheaper leadoff bat, who has been somewhat boom or bust in the second half. He has a .366 wOBA and .272 ISO off right-handers, and gets an enticing matchup against Sean Reid-Foley. He has allowed a .372 wOBA and .193 ISO to left-handed hitters, with just an 18% strikeout rate. He also allows a ton of flyballs and hard-contact. The Dodgers offense projects for over 5.5 runs tonight.

Justin Upton (3,500) – Los Angeles Angels

The Angels right-handed bats are in play again, and Albert Pujols was in the article yesterday with a monster night. I like him again, but will talk about Justin Upton, who has notable numbers against left-handed pitching more so in his career compared to the 2019 season where he has been injured most of it. However, the ISO is on the rise against lefties, sitting with a .178 ISO. If we go back to the 2017 and 2018 seasons combined, Upton has a .376 wOBA and .252 ISO off lefties.