MLB DFS: Thursday, August 15th has a two game early slate and then an eight game “main” slate on Yahoo, DraftKings, FanDuel and FantasyDraft. Before you lock in your fantasy baseball lineups and MLB picks, make sure to check out Awesemo’s MLB rankings and projections. Not a member? Sign up HERE and use Promo Code: MLBSTACKS for 50% off any one month subscription.
For today’s Spotlight Pitchers article click here
Greetings Gamers! Welcome to the Thursday slate, which gives us what appears to be a host of traps on the pitching side of things on the main slate.
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Early Slate
For you stalwarts playing the two game early slate, this looks like one that will be more about selective leverage than actually targeting against any one particular pitcher.
RHP Spencer Turnbull does a pretty good job of keeping opposing batters in check as he has ceded just 11 home runs in his 124.0 career innings so if we want to take our shots against him it would be with lefties Daniel Vogelbach, Omar Narvaez, J.P Crawford and righty Domingo Santana.
LHP Tommy Milone allows a little more power, but he does a good job keeping base runners in check so that tends to limit the damage and fantasy production created by the opposition. John Hicks, Brandon Dixon and wild card Jordy Mercer would be the trio I would be interested in targeting.
LHP Caleb Smith is a talented youngster, though MIA has said they will be keeping pitch counts in line and that means we should see 3+ innings of the Marlins bullpen. Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Will Smith and Max Muncy would be at the top of my list for the early Thursday action.
Main Slate
Cincinnati Reds vs RHP Michael Wacha – 5.5 implied runs
In only 89.1 innings, RHP Michael Wacha has given up 21 home runs with half a dozen going to lefties and the remainder to righties, so we know we can target him with batters swinging the stick from either side of the plate. Same-handed hitters get the edge having tallied a .372 wOBA and .219 ISO in their last 430 opportunities.
The four game losing streak for the Reds now has them seven games back in the Wild Card race, though that does not mean that they have given up as we have seen signs of life from their offense, particularly with recent callup Aristides Aquino who has an impressive though unsustainable nine home runs in his 44 at bats this season. Eugenio Suarez and Nick Senzel can join Aquino for a synergy strategy and we can look to lefties Jesse Winker, Josh VanMeter, Joey Votto and recent acquisition Freddy Galvis to get in on the fun.
Late Slate
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs RHP Reynaldo Lopez – 5.5 implied runs
It would seem that the Angels have earned a permanent slot here as a late-slate favorite, but they are a deserving squad with one of the best offenses on the West Coast now that everyone is healthy. On tap is a matchup with RHP Reynaldo Lopez who has allowed 24 home runs this season which is the thirteenth most and since the beginning of last season his 49 are the twelfth most in that time frame. With 24 going to lefties and 25 to righties, we can target him with batters from either side of the plate.
Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun and whomever draws the start between Brian Goodwin and Justin Upton make up our first four choices, though all are outfielders. To extend the stack look to David Fletcher, Albert Pujols and uber discount dandy and real life Crash Davis – Anthony Bemboom.
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Good Luck Gamers! ~ EMac
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