DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Helper: Friday 8/23/19
Every day is unique for daily fantasy baseball, which is both a blessing and a challenge. Although we can’t simply plug and play our favorite studs day in and day out, each slate presents us with a chance for a new gem to vault us up the leaderboards.
Through the use of numberFire’s tools, we can better identify the players primed to succeed each day, making the process of filling out a lineup just that much easier. In addition to our custom optimal lineups, you can check out our batting and pitching heat maps, which show the pieces in the best spot to succeed on that slate. Put on the finishing touches with our games and lineups page to see who's hitting where and what the weather looks like, and you'll have yourself a snazzy looking team to put up some big point totals.
Which names stand out for today on the DraftKings main slate? Let’s check it out, starting with the pitchers.
Pitchers to Target
High-Priced Pitcher
Lance Lynn ($10,500 on DraftKings): Lance Lynn has been fantastic this season. He has a 27.1 percent strikeout rate and a solid 6.7 percent walk rate. In addition, his 3.90 SIERA is the fourth-best on the slate. He also has one of the best matchups as he's going to take on a Chicago White Sox team that has struggled mightily against right-handed pitching. They've managed a 26.1 percent strikeout rate which is the third-most and a .293 wOBA which ranks 28th.
Value Pitcher
Vincent Velasquez ($7,800): Speaking of great matchups, Vince Velasquez is going to take on the offensively inept Miami Marlins. They are a team that has only been able to manage a .282 wOBA against right-handed pitching — the worst mark on the slate. In addition, their 25.1 percent strikeout rate against righties is the sixth-highest. Velasquez has always struggled with his control and his 9.0 percent walk rate this season is no different. However, he does still have strikeout upside and a 25.3 percent strikeout rate in this matchup could see him reach that potential upside.
Mitch Keller ($6,600): The Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect has five starts this season and they've been somewhat of a roller coaster. He's managed just a 22.9 percent strikeout rate in the Majors but his 28.2 percent strikeout rate in Triple-A prior to his promotion show more of the upside he is capable of. He's going to take on a Cincinnati Reds team that has a 23.8 percent strikeout rate which is the ninth-highest against right-handed pitchers in the Majors. Their .314 wOBA is not very threatening either as it ranks 19th.
Hitters to Target
High-Priced Hitters
Keston Hiura ($5,500): Keston Hiura has been absolutely incredible since being promoted. Sure, his 30.5 percent strikeout rate is an obvious concern, but he has smashed the ball — specifically against right-handed pitching. He has put up an elite .431 wOBA And .313 ISO — numbers that have shown his ridiculous power that was evident in Triple-A. This season in the Minors, Hiura had a .437 wOBA and .352 ISO against lefties and righties combined. His matchup against Merrill Kelly is solid as Kelly has given up a brutal 42.4 percent hard-hit rate and 22.8 percent line-drive rate.
Tommy Pham ($5,100): Tommy Pham won't have the power as a lot of other people mentioned here, but he can certainly hit the ball and has done so at an incredible rate against left-handed pitchers. With a .380 wOBA and .172 ISO in 2018 and a .395 wOBA and .153 ISO in 2019, it's evident that he has his way with left-handed pitchers just not in the raw power department. Tonight he's going to take on Baltimore Orioles' Ty Blach — a lefty that has given up a .342 wOBA and .461 SLG against righties in his career.
Shin-Soo Choo ($4,700): While the raw power may not necessarily be there for Shin-Soo Choo, he still puts up some very solid numbers against right-handed pitching. With a .382 wOBA and .218 ISO, there should be plenty of opportunity tonight against White Sox' Dylan Cease. He has really struggled with his control, giving up a 10.6 percent walk rate. In addition, he doesn't strike many hitters out with just a 20.6 percent strikeout rate. In addition, his 5.10 SIERA is among the worst on the slate.
Value Hitters
Aaron Judge ($3,900): We mentioned Aaron Judge earlier in the week, but that was against right-handed pitching which he had struggled against this season. Tonight he's going to take on a left-hander, and he has smashed lefties this season. He has put up an absolutely dominant .441 wOBA and .258 ISO against southpaws this season which puts him in a great spot. However, he's taking on a very tough lefty tonight in Hyun-jin Ryu. Ryu has been dominant pretty much across the board, but his 35.4 percent hard-hit rate and 23.6 percent line-drive rate are the numbers to focus on which Judge can take advantage of.
Franmil Reyes ($3,800): Since being traded to the Cleveland Indians, Franmil Reyes really hasn't been that great. However, he does bring a ton of power to the plate against right-handed pitching. While his .325 wOBA isn't the greatest, his .267 ISO is solid and shows what kind of power he has. Tonight he's taking on a righty in Jake Junis that is giving up a 43.1 percent hard-hit rate which we hope Reyes can take advantage of. In addition, Junis' 21.8 percent line-drive rate could get him in trouble tonight.
Teoscar Hernandez ($3,700): We have a switch-hitter in Teoscar Hernandez that has pretty similar numbers against both lefties and righties this season. He's put up a .318 wOBA and .219 ISO against lefties with a .302 wOBA and .224 ISO against righties. Tonight he'll take on Seattle Mariners' southpaw Justus Sheffield — a pitcher that struggled mightily in Triple-A this season. He is sporting a horrific 6.09 xFIP with just an 18.3 percent strikeout rate and just brutal 15.6 percent walk rate.
Ryan Sheppard is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Ryan Sheppard also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username donkshow_. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views
