Here are my favorite DFS plays for July’s first MLB main slate.
For additional picks across all MLB games, find me on Twitter @Nick_Friar.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates ($10,600) – After struggling at the start of June, Burnes got back on track and dominated in his final three starts of the month. Twenty-seven strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings is pretty darn good. And those three outings came against some quality lineups, which the Pirates aren’t exactly.
Pittsburgh posted the eight-best ISO against righties in June, but they were also bottom 10 in wOBA against right-handed pitching. They also made little hard contact and had an abysmal 15.5% line-drive rate against righties last month. Most importantly, the Pirates had a 24.8% strikeout rate against righties in June. That’s actually a tick down from their season-long strikeout rate, but it’s still a mark that indicates Burnes has the highest ceiling among all pitchers on Friday.
Other Option – Cristian Javier ($9,200)
Value
Roansy Contreras, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers ($6,800) – Not many great value options on the mound to start July, but Contreras has been very consistent for Pittsburgh. He’s struck out 42 hitters in 42 1/3 innings this season. It takes the right matchup for him to go off in the strikeout department, but Friday might actually present that type of matchup.
Contreras only tossed three innings vs. the Brewers when he saw them earlier in the season, but he punched out five in that outing. Milwaukee ranks ninth in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season. They outperformed their season mark in June, but they also saw a dip in ISO and wOBA.
INFIELD
Stud
Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians ($5,000) – Although right-handed hitters have better numbers against Aaron Civale ($6,000), lefties’ peripheral numbers indicate they could do even more damage against him. Left-handed bats have a 27.3% line-drive rate and they rarely hit grounders (30.9%) against the Cleveland right-hander. That all plays into Rizzo’s hand. New York’s first baseman had a 47.1% fly-ball rate and 37.7% hard-contact rate against righties in June, which manifested into seven home runs. No reason he can’t start July with another in Cleveland.
Stud
Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles ($4,600) – Correa made a lot of quality contact against right-handed hitters last month. Between his 40.4% hard-contact rate and his minuscule 36.2% ground-ball rate, he’s giving himself a lot of chances at extra bases. That led to a .472 wOBA and .305 ISO in June against righties. He’ll see a less-than-spectacular righty on Friday, further increasing his chance to have a strong start to July.
Other Option – C.J. Cron ($5,100)
Value
Gio Urshela, Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles ($3,600) – Urshela doesn’t have the same numbers as his partner on the left side of Minnesota’s infield, but that’s why he’s $1K cheaper. Still, he posted a 39.9% hard-contact rate against righties throughout June, which helped lead to a .214 ISO. Quite a bit of that success came toward the end of the month, and Urshela is in a spot to maintain that momentum on Friday
Value
Jonathan Schoop, Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals ($2,700) – Schoop struggled against right-handers in June, and he doesn’t have good numbers against Brad Keller ($5,700). This guy is too good a hitter for this to maintain. While Keller is a legitimate value option on the mound, he didn’t generate a lot of soft contact from righties last month. They also churned out a 25% line-drive rate against him throughout June. Keller provides an opportunity for Schoop to go off, and he’s not at all a risky play at this price.
Other Option – Ryan Mountcastle ($3,800)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,900) – Colorado’s bats went quiet in the final game vs. the Dodgers, but the Rockies get a chance to bounce back against a pitcher they’ve done well against in the past. Now, Blackmon only has one extra-base hit against Merrill Kelly ($7,900). But, combine the fact he’s 6-for-15 against Kelly in their careers with his .214 ISO and 29.1% line-drive rate against righties in June, and the 35-year-old has a chance for a big night.
Stud
Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels ($5,300) – If Yordan Alvarez was available, he’d be a must-play Friday. He’s not yet been ruled out, but it seems likely, so we’ll have to settle for the other strong lefty in Houston’s lineup — although, it’s hard to call this “settling.” Michael Lorenzen ($7,100) doesn’t generate much soft contact from lefties (6.2%), and they have a solid 26.2% line-drive rate against him in 2022. Tucker had a 25% line-drive rate against righties in June, yet he only had a .222 BABIP. He still had a strong .214 ISO against righties in June, but that low BABIP indicates his numbers against righties should only improve throughout July.
Other Options - Aaron Judge ($6,400), Byron Buxton ($5,700)
Value
Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies ($3,500) – Antonio Senzatela ($5,300) gives up a lot of hits. Quite a few of the ones he surrendered last month came off left-handed bats, which was the result of their 37.8% hard-contact rate against the Colorado right-hander in June. Although Thomas didn’t dominate right-handed pitching last month, he still posted a .186 ISO, which could play large against a subpar righty at Coors.
Value
Andrew Benintendi, Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers ($3,800) – Benintendi didn’t post much in the way of power against right-handed pitchers last month, but he still made a lot of hard contact (41.2%) and had a line-drive rate that was slightly above league average. He’ll see a familiar right-hander in Michael Pineda ($6,600), who Benintendi has had some success against. Pineda is making his return off the IL after dealing with a finger issue, and lefties have posted a .381 wOBA against him this season.
Other Option - Trey Mancini ($3,200)
TEAM TO STACK
Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles – There’s been a trend with the Twins players highlighted in this article. Roster righties against Spenser Watkins ($5,000). Correa, Urshela, Byron Buxton ($5,700) make for the ideal stack, but Kyle Garlick ($2,900) and Gary Sanchez ($4,500) are in play, too. Righties have a .413 wOBA against Waktins this season, which is largely due to their 52.1% fly-ball rate against him in 2022.
Other Option - Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is dk-nfriar) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600 (ONT), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
21+ (18+ NH/WY; 19+ ONT). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/ONT/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. DraftKings operates pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario. Please play responsibly.