:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71195229/usa_today_18684925.0.jpg)
Another week of hardball action gets underway this Monday with a nine-game fantasy baseball slate on DraftKings. August 1 is also most teams’ final game before the trade deadline, which is scheduled to pass at 6:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday. All nine games are the start of brand new series, five of which are divisional matchups with two games from the AL Central and two games from the NL West.
To keep up with pregame lineups and player news throughout this Monday, install the DK Live app and follow 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 $333K Relay Throw [$100K 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
Max Scherzer, New York Mets at Washington Nationals ($10,600) – Scherzer has made five starts since returning from the injured list, going just 1-1 but with a 1.39 ERA, 1.79 FIP and 12.53 K/9. He has produced at least 21 DKFP while pitching at least six innings in each of those starts, and he struck out eight in all but one of those outings. He’ll be facing his former team, the Nationals, in a favorable matchup on Monday. Washington hit .221 in July with the fourth-lowest wOBA of any team in the Majors and only scored 78 runs, the second-lowest total of any team in the Majors. Scherzer’s high strikeout rate and favorable matchup give him an extremely high ceiling as he returns to Nationals Park as a visitor.
Other Options – Jon Gray ($9,700), Luis Garcia ($8,600)
Value
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins ($8,000) – Skubal hasn’t allowed an earned run in his first two starts after the All-Star break, throwing 12 shutout innings, striking out 11 and allowing just five hits. Skubal is 7-8 on the season with a 3.67 ERA and 9.03 K/9 but has had a few dominant stretches where he has shown his high ceiling with increased strikeouts. He posted 30 DKFP against the Twins in a matchup earlier this summer, and he brings a similar ceiling in this rematch, especially after Minnesota lost four of their past five contests.
Other Options – Cal Quantrill ($7,200), Domingo Germán ($6,400)
INFIELD
Stud
Pete Alonso, New York Mets at Washington Nationals ($6,300) – Alonso only hit four home runs in July but three came in his past 12 games when he went an impressive 15-for-45 (.333) with four multi-hit performances. He’s in a great matchup on Monday against Patrick Corbin ($6,600) which is highlighted below in stacks. In his career, Alonso has gone 12-for-33 (.364) against the veteran lefty with four home runs. The Polar Bear is swinging a hot stick coming out of the All-Star break and this sets up to be a great spot for him to keep crushing.
Stud
Manny Machado, San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies ($4,900) – It’s a little surprising to find Machado under $5K, so it’s a good spot to get in him at a reduced rate. Machado has three homers in his past eight games and has gone 8-for-33 (.242) with two walks and a .354 wOBA. Although he doesn’t get to face the Rockies at Coors Field in this series, he has hit very well this year at home with a .393 wOBA, .250 ISO and 10 of his 18 home runs. Machado has gone 8-for-20 (.400) against Antonio Senzatela ($5,400) in the past, and Sezatela comes in struggling after allowing three home runs, 27 hits and 13 runs in 18 2⁄3 innings over his past four starts.
Other Options – Jose Altuve ($5,400), DJ LeMahieu ($5,200)
Value
José Miranda, Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers ($3,500) – Miranda has eligibility at both corner infield spots and has been living up to his hype as one of the team’s top prospects. He struggled when he was first called up but found his footing with a great July, going 24-for-68 (.353) with five home runs and a .434 wOBA. He has a .366 wOBA on the year against lefties, so I like his matchup with Skubal and think he’s in a good spot to keep producing and establishing himself as a middle-of-the-order bat of the future in Minnesota.
Value
Yuli Gurriel, Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox ($3,300) – Gurriel has moved into the second spot in the Astros’ lineup, which is an especially prime position between Jose Altuve ($5,400) and Yordan Alvarez ($6,200) on most nights. Gurriel has gone 8-for-21 (.381) with three doubles and four runs scored in his five games since the move to No. 2 in the order and has hit safely in 13 of his past 15 starts while batting .315 with a .347 wOBA. While he doesn’t offer the power potential of the elite 1B options, he does contribute consistent production and is in a good lineup with a favorable matchup (highlighted below). It’s a different way to think about 1B, but playing Gurriel will offer significant savings to stock big bats in other spots.
Other Options – Jose Trevino ($3,000), Ezequiel Duran ($2,800)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners ($6,400) – Judge is an expensive way to start your lineup construction, but he has been so productive that it’s hard to argue against the Yankees superstar. He has nine home runs in his past 11 games while going 17-for-42 (.405) with nine walks, two doubles and 21 RBI. He has been especially reliable and productive when playing at home, where he has 24 of his 42 home runs and a .449 wOBA. Marco Gonzales ($7,100) has the tough task of trying to slow down the slugging Yankees as Seattle opens their series in the Bronx on Monday.
Stud
Starling Marte, New York Mets at Washington Nationals ($5,700) – Marte got Sunday off after a very productive July in which he went 29-for-77 (.377) with four home runs, four stolen bases, a .438 wOBA and an impressive 192 wRC+. He has logged multiple hits in seven of his 10 most recent contests and gets a great matchup against Corbin as the Mets travel to D.C. This season against southpaws, Marte is hitting .340 with a .217 ISO and .403 wOBA.
Other Options – Yordan Alvarez ($6,200), Adolis García ($4,900)
Value
Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies ($3,900) – Profar homered in back-to-back games over the weekend and now has 11 home runs on the year. He also had multiple hits in four of his final six games in July, going 10-for-34 (.294) in his 10 games after the All-Star break with a .406 wOBA. He and Machado (highlighted above) make a solid mini-stack against Senzatela and the visiting Rockies.
Value
Jarred Kelenic, Seattle Mariners at New York Yankees ($2,000) – The Mariners recalled Kelenic on Sunday after having to place both Julio Rodríguez (wrist) and Dylan Moore (back) on the injured list. Kelenic didn’t get to the game in time to start and went 0-for-3 after entering the game. He struggled to just a .135 average in his time in the Majors this year, but he seemed to have figured out some of his swing mechanics in Triple-A, hitting .289 with 34 extra-base hits (20 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs) and 37 RBI while also greatly cutting down on his strikeout rate. He still is extremely unproven at the MLB level but has a ton of potential and a very high ceiling, so he’s worth a flier at just $2K in the hitter-friendly environment of Yankee Stadium.
Other Options – Austin Slater ($3,400), Leody Taveras ($3,200), James Outman ($2,000)
TEAMS TO STACK
New York Mets at Washington Nationals – The Mets should have no problem getting run support for Mad Max against his former team since they’ll be taking on lefty Patrick Corbin ($6,600). The veteran has been one of the best regular starters to stack against this season, going 4-14 with a 6.49 ERA over his 21 starts and allowing 18 home runs in 105 1⁄3 innings. Righties have hit 15 of those 18 homers and have a .387 wOBA against him although lefties aren’t a “must avoid” option either since they have a .375 wOBA against him. As highlighted above, Pete Alonso has a great history against him, and Starling Marte (highlighted above), Francisco Lindor ($5,600) and Eduardo Escobar ($4,500) will also be on the favorable side of the splits. Mark Canha ($3,500) and J.D. Davis ($2,100) can help round out the stack as salary savers as well.
Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox – The Astros took three of four games from the Mariners over the weekend and will continue their homestand by hosting the rapidly-fading Red Sox. Nathan Eovaldi ($7,600) will be making his fourth start since coming back from IL, but he hasn’t looked sharp at all, allowing 17 runs in 13 innings with an 11.08 ERA. The Astros roughed him up for nine runs (including five home runs) in just 1 2⁄3 innings earlier this season. Jose Altuve ($5,400) has gone 7-for-21 against Eovaldi with three home runs while Alex Bregman ($4,600), Yuli Gurriel (highlighted above), Yordan Alvarez ($6,200) and Kyle Tucker ($4,400) have all homered off him in the past as well. Alvarez has also gone 4-for-4 in their past meetings, so there is plenty of past success which makes the Astros an attractive play against a struggling Eovaldi who appears to be less than 100%.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $333K Relay Throw [$100K 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 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.
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.