MLB DFS Picks & Playbook For Today’s Games: Saturday, July 20
![Heliot Ramos San Francisco Giants](https://d29m18w01sxjzp.cloudfront.net/thumbnails/source/fatest/Heliot_Ramos_San_Francisco_Giants-1000x600.jpg)
Published: Jul 20, 2024
Welcome to another day of MLB DFS here at Fantasy Alarm. We get a great 9-game main slate on DraftKings kicking off at 7:05 PM EST.
With the All-Star break now behind us, we look toward the second half of the season. Slates start to get more interesting with more and more prospects being called up and some big-name pitchers like Robbie Ray due to make his return soon. Pitching is headlined today by top-priced Dylan Cease while Shohei Ohtani remains the most expensive hitter.
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MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook
MLB Weather: Today, 7/13
St. Louis Cardinals vs Atlanta Braves
This game got postponed on Friday due to weather and there are once again storms in the area. A delay is possible but keep an eye on the weather in case they become more severe.
Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals
There is rain in the area that might not reach the stadium, but will be problematic if it does.
MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts
There are plenty of aces and strong pitchers on this slate. We have Coors Field on the card so Logan Webb notably gets a salary reduction and Brady Singer gets a matchup against the lowly White Sox in the mid-tier. If using either of those options, you can easily pay up for your SP1 on DraftKings, regardless of which arm fits.
In terms of offenses, the Giants and Rockies are playing in Coors so they are all in play. Kyle Freeland is on the mound for Colorado, so most of the right-handed hitters in San Francisco are in play. Beyond that, I have some interest in the Cardinals, Royals, and Dodgers.
Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers
Top Options for Strikeouts
- Freddy Peralta (6.5 Ks +125) vs Minnesota Twins
- Pablo Lopez (5.5 Ks -160) vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Zac Gallen (5.5 Ks -125) vs Chicago Cubs
- Grayson Rodriguez (5.5 Ks -125) vs Texas Rangers
Best Odds for a Win
Core MLB DFS Pitchers
Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals
Sonny Gray has not been in his best form in his last few starts, but he has found at least six strikeouts in four straight starts. He gave up nine hits and three runs in his last start but his 102 pitch count is very encouraging. His matchup with Atlanta would normally be scary, but over the last 30 days, the Braves rank in the league's bottom half in most offensive categories while holding a 26.1% strikeout rate. Gray has a 10.93 K/9 on the year, striking out 30.3% of his batters so there is plenty of upside.
Brady Singer, Kansas City Royals
Brady Singer is coming off one of his worst starts of the year but he’s now in a great spot against the struggling White Sox. Chicago ranks at the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category including a .121 team ISO over the last 30 days. Before his last start, he had four straight games allowing only one run, and the White Sox are not a threatening lineup, even with Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez healthy.
Framber Valdez, Houston Astros
Framber Valdez is coming off one of his best starts of the year where he tallied 10 strikeouts through seven innings against the Marlins while allowing one run. He has been very up and down all year and did not have great outings against the Mariners earlier this season, but they are still one of the worst offenses in baseball. On the season, Seattle holds the second-highest strikeout rate against southpaws at 25.9%. Granted they are a better team against lefties, but over the last 30 days they still rank in the middle of the league in most categories.
Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants
Logan Webb has to pitch in Coors which is risky, but he has the best odds for a win on the slate. Over the last 30 days, the Rockies rank 24th in average, 20th in wOBA, and 18th in OPS while holding the third-highest strikeout rate at 26.5% against right-handed pitching. Webb is not a big strikeout pitcher but Colorado’s high strikeout rate and his 57.6% groundball rate make him an interesting play given the massive salary reduction in Coors.
Recommended MLB DFS Hitters
Highest Expected Run Totals
- San Francisco Giants (5.7)
- Kansas City Royals (5.1)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (4.9)
- Atlanta Braves (4.8)
Core MLB DFS Hitters
Note: Will Be Updated as Official Starting Lineups Are Released
Heliot Ramos, OF, San Francisco Giants
With lefty Kyle Freeland on the mound in Coors, you can put nearly any right-handed batters on the Giants in your lineup. Freeland is allowing a .368 wOBA and .484 SLG to righties on the year and pitching in Coors is a challenge. Heliot’s numbers against southpaws are ridiculous, with a .411 BA, .839 SLG, and 1.354 OPS. It’s only a 70 PA sample size but those a great numbers. You can stack him with any combination of Matt Chapman, Thairo Estrada, or Wilmer Flores.
Joc Pederson, Corbin Carroll, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
The winds may not be blowing out in Chicago, but both Joc and Corbin should be in play against Kyle Hendricks. Against lefties, he has allowed a .383 wOBA, .310 BA, and .528 SLG on the season. Joc has a .886 OPS and 12 home runs on the year and though Corbin has largely struggled, he did have a double home run game last week. Even with his struggles at the plate, he still has 19 steals and 60 runs this year, and I’m willing to pay his price tag in this matchup.
Freddie Freeman, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
If you can’t find the salary to pay for Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman can fill in. Over his last four games, he has hit two home runs with seven RBI and a steal. Brayan Bello is primarily a groundball pitcher, but he has given up four home runs over his last four starts and Freddie has been flashing power. The Dodgers have one of the highest implied run totals on the day, as they usually do, so rostering a piece of their lineup is usually a good idea.
Bobby Witt, SS, Kansas City Royals
Bobby Witt is crushing the ball right now. Over his last 10 games, he has four home runs, three extra-base hits, nine RBI, and a steal. In six of those games, he’s had multi-hit games and continues to be one of the most consistent fantasy point producers. Jonathan Cannon has been worse against lefties, but Witt’s elite power and speed make him playable on every slate.
Alec Burleson, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
If you are not paying up for someone like Freddie Freeman at 1B, paying down for Alec Burleson might be the next best option. This guy has been on an absolute tear, with four home runs, 11 RBI, and two steals over his last 10 games while batting .325 with a 1.049 OPS. Bryce Elder is on the mound for Atlanta and he has been okay, but nothing special. He is only striking out 15.4% of batters and has an xERA of 4.86. He’s only pitched 34 innings but is allowing a .425 wOBA and .532 SLG to lefties which is great for Burleson who hits from the left side.
Player Pool
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