MLB DFS Picks & Playbook For Today’s Games: Friday, August 2

We have an 11-game MLB DFS main slate on Friday, August 2nd, headlined by the diversity between the elite pitching and hitting options we have. Top tier pitching options like Joe Ryan, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Kevin Gausman take the hill while Matt Olson, Anthony Santander, Shohei Ohtani, and Jarren Duran step into the box with great matchups.

Before you finalize your daily fantasy lineups with help from our MLB DFS picks, it's important to check out today's MLB DFS projections and MLB DFS ownership projections. Take advantage of our MLB Lineups Page to identify players who are in and out of the lineup, along with utilizing our MLB DFS Lineup Generator!

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, August 2

MLB Weather Today, 8/2

• Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees

This game comes with risk because of how much rain is around the stadium right when it’s slated to kick off. There is late delay and PPD potential, although right now we’re OK with where the weather report is. It should play unless things get worse.

• Miami Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves

Summers in Atlanta simply don’t change. There is a lot of rain in the forecast early on in this one, but it should clear up and baseball will be played.

• San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds

There is a delayed start or in-game delay potential, but it’s nothing that we should worry about long term. There is very little PPD risk.

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

• Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins - 6.5 (-130)
• Yusei Kikuchi, Houston Astros - 6.5 (-120)
• Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays - 5.5 (-130)
• Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves - 5.5 (-125)
• Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds - 5.5 (+125)

Best Odds For A Win

• Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins (-130)
• Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves (+100)
• Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers (+115)

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins

I understand the trepidation going to this current form of Joe Ryan at nearly 10K, but let’s face some facts. He faces the worst team in baseball, possibly ever tonight. He has the best odds on DK sportsbook for strikeouts and is -130 to outright win the game and it’s not too often you get a pitcher with those odds. There is a massive ceiling, even at nearly 10K on DK, for Ryan here and you’ll have to pay the premium to get him.

Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves

Expecting Schwellenbach to repeat his last performance is unrealistic, but he’s been fantastic of late. Over his last four starts, he has pitched to a 2.08 ERA and has a 28.9% K-rate while posting 17+ DKP in each of them, clearing 20 in three. His matchup against Miami after the Marlins dealt all their offensive firepower at the deadline. One of my favorite options on the board, if not number one.

Yusei Kikuchi, Houston Astros

The more I think about this matchup, the more comfortable I am with getting to Kikuchi. He’s not exactly pitching all too well, but he has a ceiling because he can miss bats. His 6.5 K projection on DK sportsbook is highly intriguing and the Rays projected lineup is, well, not good. He’s flashed 30+ DKP upside twice this season and if he’s missing bats like DK is projecting, this could be number three.

Tyler Phillips, Philadelphia Phillies

Offense just goes to die in Seattle, plain and simple. Phillips has been electric in his past two starts firing 15 straight scoreless innings including a complete game shutout last time out. The lack of strikeouts leave a little to be desired, but he did have seven in his debut to give us some hope they can show up because this is THE strikeout spot. Over the last month, Seattle led the league in K-rate against righties…again. Love this spot.

ADDED - Blake Snell, San Francisco Giants

I was all in on Kyle Harrison until it was announced Snell was the starter so that hasn't changed a bit. Snell has looked more and more the Cy Young winner from a year ago with each start lately. Since returning from the IL, he's allowed 2 ER across 24 innings while striking out 30 batters. The Reds strike out a LOT against southpaws and are a bottom-five offense against lefties over the last month in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+.

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

• Atlanta Braves - 6.1
• Minnesota Twins - 5.5
• New York Yankees - 5.1
• San Diego Padres - 5

Core MLB DFS Hitters

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Lefty power has been Joey Estes' kryptonite this year and here lies one of the best, if not THE best, lefty-power hitters in the game. Estes has allowed a 50% FB rate to LHH this year and has incredibly good luck on his side with his .255 BABIP and 6.01 xFIP. Ohtani is +150 to homer today. 

Jarren Duran & Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox

I like the Red Sox today as Jose Urena's luck could really run out here. They rank first in OPS over the last month against right-handed pitching and here are their two best players. If you can afford both, you should do it. They have as much upside as a two-man stack as anyone around the league. 

Atlanta Braves Stack

After opening at 5.8, the Braves implied run total sits at 6.1 with Valente Bellozo taking the hill. Bellozo has been a big-time flyball pitcher and that's really bad with how well the Braves have been hitting home runs.

Here are the numbers versus righties over the last two weeks:

• Travis d'Arnaud: .421 AVG, 1.187 OPS, .316 ISO, .504 wOBA
• Orlando Arcia: .361 AVG, 1.049 OPS, .278 ISO, .447 wOBA
• Marcell Ozuna: 1.037 OPS, .333 ISO, .438 wOBA
• Matt Olson: .500 SLG%, .286 ISO, .342 wOBA
• Austin Riley: .489 SLG%, .244 ISO

Royce Lewis, Matt Wallner & Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins

This is a very good spot for the Twins as they face Davis Martin who's 27 years old and hasn't had much major league experience. I love Royce Lewis and the upside he brings, but over the last month, Matt Wallner and Byron Buxton have carried this offense against righties. Wallner has a .972 SLG%, 1.472 OPS, .556 ISO, and .598 wOBA against righties. Buxton is ONLY at a 1.264 OPS, .468 ISO, and .519 wOBA over that same span against righties. 

Tyler Fitzgerald & Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants

Andrew Abbott's Achilles heal this year has been at home against right-handed bats. Righty power in general has given him issues considering they've hit 18 home runs and averaged 1.8 HR/9 off him. Righties at home are up to 1.9 HR/9 with an elevated 49% flyball rate. Both Fitzgerald and Chapman have hit lefties hard this year, posting OPS over .884 with both guys notching an ISO over .200.  

Mark Vientos, New York Mets

Wow, Mark Vientos still has a 1.100 OPS against left-handed pitching. You don't say! He has tormented left-handed pitching from the outset and hasn't slowed down at all. He accompanies his 1.100 OPS with a .346 SLG% and .467 wOBA. Elite mid-tier play against Tyler Anderson who is pitching above his head and has been lucky all year.

Gavin Lux & Cavan Biggio, Los Angeles Dodgers

Some cheap exposure never hurt anyone! Gavin Lux has been incredible for the Dodgers over the last month. So good that the Dodgers are hitting him third with a few of their guys out. But, let's also put some respect on Cavan Biggio's name as well. Both Lux and Biggio have a 1.000+ OPS over the last month against right-handed pitching. Both guys have .300+ ISO and considering Joey Estes' flyball rate, there's a chance one or both leave the yard. 

Player Pool

• DraftKings Player Pool
• FanDuel Player Pool

$ Tier	SP	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
High	Joe Ryan $10,600			José Ramírez $4,100	Gunnar Henderson $4,500	Shohei Ohtani $4,800
	Spencer Schwellenbach $9,300			Rafael Devers $3,900	Francisco Lindor $4,000	Marcell Ozuna $4,100
	Tyler Phillips $9,000			Royce Lewis $3,800		Anthony Santander $4,000
						Juan Soto $4,300
						Aaron Judge $4,700
Medium	Yusei Kikuchi $8,900	Vladimir Guerrero $3,700	Jazz Chisholm $3,600	Mark Vientos $3,100	Tyler Fitzgerald $3,400	Jarren Duran $3,600
	Blake Snell $8,100	Matt Olson $3,300		Austin Riley $3,500		Jorge Soler $3,400
		Jose Miranda $3,000		Matt Chapman $3,300		Byron Buxton $3,300
		Ryan Mountcastle $3,000				Colton Cowser $3,200
						Heliot Ramos $3,200
Low		Mark Canha $2,800	Gavin Lux $2,800	Cavan Biggio $2,500	Orlando Arcia $2,600	Matt Wallner $2,900
		Dominic Smith $2,600	Jackson Holliday $2,400	Donovan Solano $2,500		Ceddanne Rafaela $2,900
						Masataka Yoshida $2,800
						Trevor Larnach $2,700
						Alex Verdugo $2,600

Stacks

Braves	Orlando Arcia	Sean Murphy	Jorge Soler	Austin Riley	Marcell Ozuna	Matt Olson
DraftKings	2800	3200	4400	5000	5700	4800
Fanduel	2600	2600	3400	3500	4100	3300

Twins	Royce Lewis	Jose Miranda	Matt Wallner	Byron Buxton
DraftKings	5200	4200	3500	4700
Fanduel	3800	3000	2900	3300

Red Sox	Dominic Smith	Masataka Yoshida	Jarren Duran	Rafael Devers
DraftKings	3500	4200	5800	5900
Fanduel	2600	2800	3600	3900

Dodgers	Shohei Ohtani	Cavan Biggio	Gavin Lux
DraftKings	6500	2600	3200
Fanduel	4800	2500	2800

Giants	Matt Chapman	Marco Luciano	Heliot Ramos	Tyler Fitzgerald
DraftKings	4800	2800	4900	4700
Fanduel	3300	2000	3200	3400

Orioles	Gunnar Henderson	Ryan Mountcastle	Jackson Holliday	Colton Cowser	Coby Mayo
DraftKings	6100	4400	3200	4200	2000
Fanduel	4500	3000	2400	3200	-