MLB

3 Daily Fantasy Baseball Players to Avoid on 7/23/19

Matt Kupferle  —  @MKupferle Jul 23rd, 2019
Mike Trout is up to his usual tricks, but he's locked into a very tough matchup tonight. Which other players should we think about avoiding?

Baseball is heating up, and there are plenty of DFS contests to choose from on FanDuel's main slate. While we have plenty of pieces geared towards guys you should target in your DFS contests, it's also important to avoid sub-optimal options who are overpriced and/or in tough spots.

Let's check out three players to consider fading on FanDuel's main slate for July 22.

Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox (SP)

at Tampa Bay Rays
FanDuel Price: $10,200

There's a plethora of outstanding options on the main slate -- in fact, this may be the most loaded pitching slate we have been treated to in a while. There are 10 pitchers priced at $9,000 or above, so there's no shortage of quality options.

And while Chris Sale was brilliant in his last outing -- six innings, 12 strikeouts, no runs allowed -- something funky seems to be going on here.

Prior to twirling that gem, Sale hadn't broken 35 FanDuel points in his last four starts. That's not exactly failure, but when you are spending that much for a pitcher, a big number is needed.

There's also some questions about his health -- especially after his fastball was down to 91.7 MPH in his last start. That's Sale's second-lowest average fastball velocity of the year.

It's not that he couldn't post a big game, but given his recent form and that downtick in heat, staying away could be your best bet.

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (OF)

at Los Angeles Dodgers
FanDuel Price: $4,900

When Mike Trout gets the opportunity to square up with a pitcher that's allowed 1.38 home runs per nine (HR/9) innings pitched, it often seems like a chance for us to work our lineups around fitting in the expensive outfielder.

But it may be best to sit this one out tonight with Trout. While Kenta Maeda, the Los Angeles Dodgers' starter for tonight, has struggled with the long ball, he hasn't struggled much against same-sided batters in 2019, limiting them to a .205 wOBA, 30.4% strikeout rate, and 26.0% hard-hit rate.

And while Trout's home park has been a launching pad, Dodger Stadium ain't the same place. Save your coin and pivot away from the superstar outfielder.

Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies (OF)

at Washington Nationals
FanDuel Price: $4,100

After getting rained out yesterday, the Colorado Rockies should have the all clear to get tonight's game in tonight with the Washington Nationals.

Coming off a 37-plus fantasy point effort in Yankee Stadium, DFSers could be tempted to roster hitters like Charlie Blackmon, but that may not be a smart play. We all know that Denver is a great place to hit, but Blackmon has some of the most dramatic home-road splits -- a 1.318 OPS at home, but a .657 mark on the road.

He also has to face left-killer Stephen Strasburg. Over 218 plate appearances on the season, the righty has dominated lefties for a .242 wOBA, 28.9% strikeout rate, and 30.7% hard-hit rate.

The Rockies outside of Coors can be tough to roster, and Blackmon is in an especially tough spot tonight.


Matt Kupferle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matt Kupferle also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username MKupferle. 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 of FanDuel.