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On the final day of action before the All-Star break, DraftKings has a huge main fantasy baseball slate. The 10-game slate gets underway at 1:35 p.m. ET.
Make sure to keep up with all the latest lineups and player news by installing the DK Live app and following DK Live on Twitter (@dklive). I’m also on Twitter (@ZT_Sports), where you can keep up with all my picks as the season continues.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $250K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st]
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
PITCHER
Stud
Dylan Cease, Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins ($9,000) – Cease is having the best season of his career, going 8-4 in 18 starts with a 2.30 ERA and 2.74 FIP while posting an impressive 13.09 K/9 rate. He has at least eight strikeouts in six of his past seven outings with over 21 DKFP in each of those contests. He also has allowed one or zero earned runs in six straight outings, piling up 53 punchouts in 34 2⁄3 innings. His strikeout upside and consistent results make him the top play on this slate, and the fact that he’s actually only $9K leaves you plenty of salary space to fill the rest of your roster.
Other Options – Gerrit Cole ($10,500), Spencer Strider ($9,200)
Value
Jake Odorizzi, Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics ($8,000) – The lower-salaried pitchers on the slate each come with their own set of uncertainties. With Odorizzi, the question mark is that he has made two starts since coming off the IL. The veteran looked sharp in his most recent outing. He produced 30.8 DKFP by throwing seven scoreless innings in that outing against Oakland, striking out seven and allowing just four hits. Odorizzi has been solid when available this season, posting a 3.38 ERA and 3.32 FIP to go with his 4-2 record. Oakland has an MLB-worst .211 batting average and has hit the second-fewest home runs.
Other Options – Corey Kluber ($7,900), Chris Flexen ($7,300)
INFIELD
Stud
Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals ($5,600) – Riley was named as a well-deserved addition to the All-Star game on Saturday, and he celebrated by crushing his 27th homer of the season and producing 19 DKFP. He has nine homers in his past 16 games and has produced 14 DKFP or more in five of his past seven contests. Riley has a .284 batting average and .392 wOBA on the year and has been especially effective against southpaws with a .464 wOBA. He should be in a good spot against lefty Josh Rogers ($6,100), who has a 4.10 ERA and 5.13 FIP while allowing 15 runs and six home runs in his 26 1⁄3 innings.
Stud
DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox ($5,100) – LeMahieu has hit safely in six of his past seven starts, including four multi-hit performances. Coming into Saturday, he was hitting .272 with a .345 wOBA, but he has been picking things up lately, hitting .333 with a home run and a .381 wOBA over his past 15 games. LeMahieu is hitting .307 against lefties on the season and has a great history against Chris Sale ($8,200), going 6-for-9 with three home runs.
Other Options – Gleyber Torres ($5,100), Brandon Drury ($5,000)
Value
Carlos Santana, Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers ($3,300) – Santana was away from the Mariners on Friday due to a family emergency but returned and homered on Saturday. Since being traded from the Royals to the Mariners, Santana has gone 13-for-54 (.241) with four home runs, all of which have come over the past week. He has also walked 10 times over his 15 games with Seattle to keep his wOBA over .350. The veteran is a cheap play with upside against Glenn Otto ($6,200) and the Rangers on Sunday.
Value
Kyle Farmer, Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals ($3,000) – Farmer had a string of five straight games with at least 6.0 DKFP snapped on Saturday, going 0-for-3 in the Reds’ loss. He was rolling prior to that, though, and has been very sharp this year against lefties. Five of his six home runs have come against southpaws, and he has hit .350 AVG against them with a .447 wOBA. Lefty Steven Matz ($8,700; shoulder) is expected to come off the IL and start his first game since late May, so Farmer is a cheap play at SS worth a look based on his splits.
Other Options – Yoán Moncada ($3,500), Nolan Gorman ($3,000)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox ($6,400) – Judge homered two more times in Saturday’s thrashing of the Red Sox, bringing his season total to 33 home runs, 20 of which have come at home at Yankee Stadium. He has incredible numbers across the board and continues to be other-worldly at home, where he has a wOBA over .400. He will face familiar foe Chris Sale on Sunday, who he has gone 5-for-25 (.200) against with a home run in the past. Whenever he’s at home, he has an extremely high ceiling with sky-high power potential.
Stud
Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays ($4,500) – Mullins is a totally different player than many of the other high-priced outfielders. He only has seven homers on the season but has been very productive since he continually gets on base and finds a variety of ways to contribute. He is hitting .263 with a .314 wOBA and 18 stolen bases coming into play Saturday. He has been significantly better lately, hitting .298 since June 1 with a .344 wOBA. Over his 10 most recent games, he has averaged 10.2 DKFP per contest by hitting .295 with a home run and two stolen bases. The Baltimore leadoff hitter also has a good history against opposing starter Corey Kluber ($7,900), going 6-for-15 (.400) with two walks.
Other Options – Julio Rodríguez ($6,000), Starling Marte ($5,500)
Value
Harold Ramírez, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles ($3,600) – Ramírez has hit safely in 13 of his 15 games in July, going 24-for-60 (.400) with seven doubles, a home run and nine multi-hit performances. He has become a regular part of the top part of the Rays’ lineup in his first year in Tampa Bay and is hitting .329 on the season with a .358 wOBA. He is a solid and consistent mid-range option and usually finds ways to contribute.
Value
Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles ($2,500) – Another affordable Rays outfielder who makes sense is 24-year-old rookie Josh Lowe, who has hit safely in nine of his 13 starts in July with six doubles, a home run and a .245 batting average (12-for-49). Lowe is a very promising young hitter, and he seems much more ready to contribute in the Majors now after he struggled to start the season after he was given the starting job following the trade of Auston Matthews to the Tigers.
Other Options – Dylan Carlson ($3,100), Lars Nootbar ($2,100)
TEAMS TO STACK
Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers – The Mariners are surging into the All-Star break and extended their winning streak to 13 with a narrow 3-2 win over the Rangers on Saturday. They have won 21 of their past 24 games and will look to close out the sweep on Sunday against Glenn Otto ($6,200). Otto is 4-5 with a 5.50 ERA and 5.02 FIP in his 12 starts and has allowed six home runs. He actually has strong reverse splits since righties hit him well and have posted a .292 average and .367 wOBA. While Julio Rodríguez ($6,000) is definitely leading the charge for the red-hot Mariners, there are also a number of good value options available much cheaper. Righties Ty France ($4,500) and Eugenio Suárez ($4,700) are on the good side of the reverse splits while Jesse Winker ($4,200), J. P. Crawford ($4,800) and switch-hitting Carlos Santana (discussed above) also make sense. There are even some ultra-cheap plays to get a piece of the Mariners’ mojo in Abraham Toro ($2,600), Dylan Moore ($3,000) and Sam Haggerty ($2,300).
Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics – The Astros will take on James Kaprielian ($5,300) in the rubber game of their three-game set with the Athletics. Over 69 innings, the 28-year-old righty has given up 40 runs and 13 home runs in 14 starts with a 5.09 ERA and 5.78 FIP. Both lefties and righties have hit him hard, with righties having a slightly better .350 wOBA. Houston’s lineup still is not at full strength, but José Altuve ($5,500) returned to the leadoff spot Saturday and will be a good play with Alex Bregman ($4,900), Jeremy Pena ($4,900) and Kyle Tucker ($5,300) also making sense in the top half of the lineup. There’s also an opportunity for value players to step up like Chas McCormick ($3,000), Jake Meyers ($2,700) and Aledmys Díaz ($3,400).
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $250K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) 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.
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